Editorials
[Remember This?] What Was The First Horror Sequel To Disappoint You?
Oddly enough my first experiences with sequels were all pretty positive. The first ones that really come to mind are Aliens (which I didn’t even know was a sequel when I saw it) and Terminator 2: Judgement Day, both James Cameron slam dunks. Even if T2 doesn’t hold up as well as Aliens, it was still tailor made for whatever version of me it was that saw it 5 times in the summer of 1991. These movies, along with Gremlins 2, may be why I don’t necessarily feel the same instant negativity towards sequelization that most people do.
But when I think about it, there are still a few bruises. Elm Street was one of my favorite franchises as a kid but since I was too young to see these things in the theater I had to just sort of catch up with them on VHS on those weekends when things like money and lack of parental supervision really came together. I was lucky enough to skip Freddy’s Revenge (even though I still don’t think it’s all that bad) and head straight to the near factually awesome Dream Warriors. The it was onto The Dream Master, which was riding a real cultural wave – for those of you who don’t remember Freddy Krueger had a truly mainstream moment in 1988 – that I was easily swept up in. It’s almost like I forgave the film for being a step down because I felt like I was part of some larger conversation.
But man, then came The Dream Child, one of those movies you spend more time trying to like than actually liking. I kept wondering, “why is it like this? Why is it dumb and boring? Is there something I’m not understanding? There are only 3 kills and one of them is in Black & White?!” Hell, I still don’t know why the budget was slashed so drastically for that installment, especially on the heels of the under-successful (for the genre) Dream Master, but at least now in my adulthood I understand the creative and financial law of diminishing returns (and the law of a script sucking outright). But as a kid, that one stuck the knife in and twisted it.
Some other notable disappointments from my earlier years include Jason Goes To Hell, Critters 3, The Howling 2, Fright Night 2 and Poltergeist 3. As a college student, I was disappointed in Scream 3 (not Scream 2 even though I’m not so hot on it now), which may be the last time I actually let a sequel get to me.
These days I probably have to see more remakes/prequels than I do sequels, but the new rule is the same. I try to never be disappointed by not expecting anything, that way there’s always room to be pleasantly surprised.
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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