Editorials
I Survived a Night with ‘The Nun’ in Mexico City [Video]
Promising to be the darkest chapter yet in The Conjuring universe, The Nun sees its title villain terrorizing a secluded convent in Romania, in 1952, long before the demon ever crossed paths with Ed and Lorraine Warren in The Conjuring 2. Directed by Corin Hardy (The Hallow), and starring Taissa Farmiga, Demián Bichir, and Bonnie Aarons, The Nun explores the origins of the terrifying demon Valak. Ahead of its theatrical release on September 7, select members of the international press were invited to a special, spooky experience in Mexico City, at the Ex Convento Desierto de los Leones, to face off against Valak.
Tucked away in the mountains, the 17th century convent has its own extensive history with earthquakes, thieves, and ghosts, proving to be the perfect setting to experience The Nun. We arrived at the convent during a heavy thunderstorm; the hail, thunder, and torrential downpour making for an ominous greeting. Quietly ushered into the chilly chapel of the convent, cast in an eerie red glow, we were the first to set eyes on The Nun, a requirement if we were to have a chance at surviving the evil of Valak later in the evening.
From a visual standpoint, this entry in The Conjuring series is absolutely breathtaking. Director Corin Hardy weaves in a number of influences to create a lush gothic horror story that feels both vintage and modern at once. The Nun essentially feels like a modern Hammer House of Horror film, and nods to Mario Bava. It’s dripping with visceral, bloody gothic imagery. There’s a rich world of mythology behind the origin of Valak that’s introduced, begging to be explored further; this is the most epic-scaled film in The Conjuring series yet. It’s bloody, dark, and yet feels right at home with the world James Wan and screenwriter Gary Dauberman created.
The Nun ties back to the original films in a surprising way, though it doesn’t quite hold up to scrutiny. As for Farmiga and Bichir, both are strong, amiable leads, though it’s tough to follow Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga’s charming versions of Ed and Lorraine Warren. Jonas Bloquet is the biggest surprise as Frenchie, bringing levity to a nonstop spookfest. Of course, Bonnie Aarons shines in the title role, and Valak retains the crown as the most terrifying entity in the franchise.
Once given enough time to catch our breaths and settle our heart rates after the screening, we were broken down into smaller groups and escorted through the convent by a pair of nuns. It didn’t take long into the tour for Valak to make its presence known, and one of our group members went missing almost immediately. Rooms were littered with dead bodies, crosses turned themselves upside down if we lingered too long, and powerful reenactments of scenes straight out of the movie served up scares as we trekked further and further into the convent. Eventually, the nuns led us straight into the bowels of the convent; the dark, creepy catacombs. We weren’t alone. It was here in the dark, with only candles and our lanterns to illuminate the way, that the haunting presence of the Demon Nun closed in. Members of our group lagged behind, and their screams of terror signaling Valak was coming from behind.
Eventually, our quest brought us back above ground to a graveyard, where our missing team member had been locked in a coffin in parallel with a character’s journey from the film. Releasing him from his coffin trap meant the final piece of the puzzle needed to escape Valak’s clutches. We survived! But when The Nun arrives in theaters on September 7, will you?
Editorials
‘The Vampire Lestat’ Concert Event Launches New Season With The Ultimate Expression Of Fandom
There are thousands of passionate fans decked out in gothic chic and champing at the bit like feral creatures. They’re screaming for Lestat, a legendary vampire-turned-rock star, as if the entire crowd has been glamored into submission.
The entire experience is magic, but not because some supernatural thrall has been activated. What’s going on is even more special. It’s the power of the effusive fandom that’s been authentically assembled by AMC’s sublime Immortal Universe, namely Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire, now, The Vampire Lestat.
The Vampire Lestat is far from the first Anne Rice adaptation, and it’s not as if there’s been a lack of erotic vampire material for audiences to sink their teeth into. On June 2nd, during a one-night-only spectacle, New York City’s prestigious Beacon Theatre shook from Sam Reid’s bravado performance and an audience full of adoring fans who had already memorized Lestat’s songs.
It’s clear that The Vampire Lestat just hits differently than its predecessors. It’s become more than just a TV series at this point, and this opulent display of ego, swagger, and pure sex is the perfect way to premiere the new season and give back to the fans who helped make Interview with the Vampire/The Vampire Lestat such a breakout success. It’s exactly the sort of hyperbolized hedonism that would make Lestat cackle.
For all intents and purposes, AMC has successfully created the illusion that this concert/premiere is just one of the many destinations on Lestat and his band’s 54-stop tour that is simultaneously playing out on this season of television. It’s such a sophisticated and thorough level of interactive fan engagement that the audience doesn’t just understand, but also manages to accentuate through its involvement.
It’s a level of seamless synergy that’s not unlike the give-and-take relationship of vampire and victim.
Before the concert started, “LeStans” were sitting in the Beacon and flipping through a fake Rolling Stone issue with Lestat emblazoned on the cover, complete with interviews with the undead frontman inside. Other fans were admiring the vinyl pressing of Lestat’s EP as they walked past a section of undead band merch. Fandom and fantasy blur together, and it all becomes this elaborate, immersive experience. Fan celebration, erotic gothic fantasy, and a lavish rock concert transform into one beautiful thing.
To this point, AMC Global Media’s Chief Content Officer and President of AMC Studios, Dan McDermott, introduced the event by reiterating to fans, “You are the heartbeat of the series.” That’s abundantly clear on nights like this as that heartbeat collectively pulses to this performance. In terms of how AMC engages with The Vampire Lestat’s fans, it’s as bold a reinvention as the season itself.
This intuitive gamble speaks to AMC’s creativity in this department and a fandom that is eager to seize such opportunities. It’s the same innovation that led to zombie walks for The Walking Dead and real-life Los Pollos Hermanos restaurant pop-ups from Breaking Bad. It’s a great way to pump up the audience for The Vampire Lestat and then maintain that enthusiasm for the whole season.
For most series, a rock ‘n’ roll concert just doesn’t make any sense as a promotional tool. The Vampire Lestat finds itself in a very unique position where it can deliver an excellent concert at an iconic theater, but also use it to showcase The Vampire Lestat’s music by Daniel Hart (who was shredding on stage alongside Reid and the rest of their band) and, more than anything, Sam Reid’s endless charisma.
The way in which Reid feeds off of the crowd’s energy, modulating his performance and giving different sections of the Beacon life, is a perfect distillation of the series’ thoughtful relationship with its audience and how it’s become such a breakout success for AMC. AMC Studios President Dan McDermott emphasized that the fans are the reason that the show is still here and why an event like this is even possible. It’s rare to see a series in which every single cog in the machine is so perfectly attuned to its fans. Reid’s fans already cheer whenever they see him, so why not translate that to a concert setting?
It’s clear in this season of television that Reid was born to be a rock star, but it’s surreal to see him effortlessly command the stage — and the audience — at every step of the concert. He recites Shakespeare monologues and bitches out Armand between songs, all while the audience screams in support. For the duration of this concert, Reid is Lestat, and he’s given thousands of fans a memory that’s as immortal as any vampire.
Now bring on the encore and get this show on the road!
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