Of course my view is pretty much all over this site but this section focuses on it.
I have always been fond of fictional, troubled father-son relationships because of my deep love for psychology.
Please note that these are my opinions based on facts from the books, you are free to make your own decisions yourselves.
| OVER-ALL VIEW | | IN-DEPTH VIEW |
| ON THE SONG 'SLEPT SO LONG' |
| MY TOP3 REASONS |
| IN-DEPTH VIEW THROUGH SONGS |
OVER-ALL VIEW
Marius and Lestat are a dream come true as they are not biologically a father and son and never even met before the moments Marius (in the movie) made him / (in the book) came to him - but even so they obviously strognly take each others as. And I think that very, very special and fascinating.
Well, ok, in the movie version, they are in a vampire biology, yes, but you know. Even though Rice's vampires do call their fledglings their "children" they - for all I know - mostly do not think of each others as parents and children nor treat each others like that, unlike Lestat and Marius do.
But really the basic thing that fascinates me in them is the psychological depth and beauty, born from the utter misery of Lestat's mortal father-relationship and life:
The fact this relationship's not tragic itself.
'Cause Lestat's had tragedy in his relationships enough for 10 thousand lifetimes and I adore how his relationship with Marius is the one that makes it all - everything - better, comforts him...
The one relationship that never went wrong, the one on which Lestat was always able to rely, and it never let him down.
Well, not really ever; I know what happens in the Tale of the Body Thief - I'm certain it hurt and upset Lestat but he still understood it ccompletely and thus didn't despise Marius for doing so.
He literally said so himself. Who he did despise and who really had let him down in that life situation, was Louis. He literally said that too.
And according to Anne Rice's personally said words; even though she didn't write about it in her books anymore, her plan always was that Marius returned to Lestat for good and that they remained always close
and loving to each other.
In the book version their relationship did not become all that deeply troubled because Marius did not abandon Lestat but sent him away
with beautiful, loving words and reassuring promises plus they shared a long embrace. Certainly it was hurtful parting
but the movie's abandoning vision is a hundred times werse. It left Lestat with so much less strength-giving things to hold on to during the time apart.
And it left Lestat uncertain of if Marius was ever going to come back to him - especially when the man never answered his calls. So in the end the movie version made it so extremely worse for Lestat
and enables sooo much delicious drama. Yet everything that happened before the parting and after the reunion leaves the chance to have them rebuild the relationship to what it used to be.
But as ought to be obvious from the second paragraph of this part, I do
not like to think the film version of it was all that extreme as it seems because it would not be anything like Marius
and it would kill the whole idea of the relationship's significance and strength. I liek to think the relationship slightly more troubled than it is in the books in that parting matter,
but keep the whole element of the relationship being the one that didn't go wrong and Lestat was always able and willing to rely on.
SO - thank God for the plot holes that enable making it more mariuslike even with that type of walking out on Lestat.
But still, there's well enough room for Lestat's bitterness with the way he didn't get to say goodbies and anything that was on his mind, and did not get an answer though he called out countless times.
Even though Marius had told him why he wouldn't answer at any time Lestat would like him to - Lestat's eternal teenager and we know what it is to be a teen.
Even though the movie version of the parting is in some way my favorite - as I however love this thing in whole -
many of my videos are in general about the relationship without refering to either specific version of the parting.
All my fan videos are in the true strength and depth of the relationship
even if some are in the film's more dramatic storyline. I love them both - always in search for all kinds of songs fitting this relationship and it's story in any way.
The basic point after all is the fact they had to be apart against both of their will and their bond and love is extremely strong.
Someone has a radically different view on this relationship from what comes to mine.
HERE you can read detailed reasoning on behalf of My View with much quoting from the book.
Because I want to make it as clear and reasoned as possible but now I also want to get to the psychological in-depth My View.
IN-DEPTH VIEW
The pure parent/child relationship suits the pair *so* much better than the gay thing some have made up and love.
Of course it does because the pure father-son was all they were meant to be (besides the teacher/pupil part of the relationship of course.) Lestat needs a father-figure who loves and appreciates him, he always yearned for one and he deserves one.
The next 8 paragraph are clearly readable in the books, its mostly literally in the lines:
This relationship from Lestat's point of view was set out to become marely a teacher / pupil thing. Little did he know he'd find in Marius the very thing he had always yearned for the most intensively,
and that it would become the core, heart and soul of their relationship.
His relationship with his mortal father was a hateful, loathing and disrespective without any appreciation from either's side.
Even his 6 older brothers didn't like him but thought him just bearable to have around and were mean to him.
Lestat tells us he was born restless, the dreamer, the angry one, the complainer. He never fit into the great French family, the noble pride he never much cared about nor about the history.
He was mistreated in so many ways, and about constantly lonely and unhappy and in time became desperate, almost insane.
'Cause even his mother was distant and cold. According to Lestat, Gabrielle only showed warmth and interest to him in his extreme pain. Otherwise she rather read her books
and that Gabrielle didn't like being touched and wouldn't put her arms around anyone.
His mother however was the only comfort he had in his life there at home, his savior. He says he loved her absolutely but also felt resentness towards her.
However much she helped him through because she totally loved Lestat, she still wasn't interested enough and lacked the affection his youngest son would've needed.
And even if Gabrielle had been all that a mother should be especially in the situation like Lestat's misery - she could've never given Lestat what he really yearned for.
Lestat might have still gone almost insane the same. Because...
...as I say in the Lestat section - even though there was the mother as Lestat's source of strength - it still was Marius who was his ultimate and most important source of strength, in his vampire life.
Marius was always clearly the most important part and relationship of Lestat's life.
Lestat - a boy child - growing up in a father-relationship such as his (and added the way his brothers too treated him and the mother's distantness and coldness)
would naturally cause Lestat to live and breathe the love and attention of the eanest, loving father who would also clearly do all in his power to protect him, keep him happy and give his life to save him. And Marius was all that.
As Lestat himself puts it in his words to Marius in the end of Queen of the Damned: "You comfot me. AH of you. I couldn't even think of leaving you, not for very long, anyway."
But being apart from his mother didn't seem to bother him much not to mention be unthinkable option - even if he did miss her.
Also, I think a little detail in The Vampire Lestat book tells very well how much Marius's love and protective attitude meant to Lestat: In the scene where Marius is telling him
some examples of what he loved about Lestat rather too strongly already by then not to mention when they'd meet again after Lestat's lifetime, Lestat says "I could scarcely listen to this without breaking down."
Now it's one thing to start to weep because of love expressed marely in words but he was about to break down. And Lestat's words continued "I wanted to beg him to let me remain." and when Marius continued,
Lestat says he had to bite down the words that wanted to spill out - he didn't want to beg, most likely because he knew Marius was right and sending him away only for his [Lestat's] best.
I really think Lifehouse's song "Everything" is the world's most perfect song from Lestat to Marius. I have made a fan video wihth that song.
And I really...
...don't wonder why Lestat thought the world of Marius. For one significant element I'd like to specifically point out is the way he probably always had felt insecure with the lack of affection and closeness in his mortal life and the hate and abuse he received from his father and brothers
not to mention the trust issues...
And Marius, when he couldn't be physically there to defend and protect Lestat, Anne describes him to 'desperately and protectively'
think of Lestat, during the concert and afterwards when they couldn't find Lestat and Akasha.
(You know they had this mind link to build a bridge over distances, when the other one was calling.)
Marius would clearly do all in his power to try and protect Lestat from any harm, no matter if he's near or far.
Back to the books information of his mortal life: After the wolf hunt where he almost got killed and fell into a deep depression,
he tells his mother he often dreams about killing his father and all his brothers. And not just in any way, but going from room to room, slaughtering them, screaming and roaring while doing so.
That - ought to be the very thing describing the best the depth of Lestat's anguish, bitterness and misery because of his father and his brothers.
The way they held him back and forced him to remain with them even though they loathed him
& emotionally and physically abused him was bad but what truly caused Lestat's extreme unhappiness and pain was the lack of love and affection, lack of everything he needed from his family.
Especially a father was in extremely important role in those days of the world and in Lestat's father's case the matter could not have gotten worse.
So of all that I see his childhood and teenage years Lestat lived in almost utter lack of love, appreciation, gentleness, affection, closeness. None of those things were given to him by those who were supposed to be his family
and he was trapped in the little village, tried to be kept from any kind of future - a childlike dreamer, more or less bratty too, a boy who yearned for many things but above all else a father who'd love him.
Marius, in all his determined, affectionate, gentle, loving persona and infinite compassion, is a perfect father-figure for someone like Lestat.
I knew nothing major nor significant about the characters when I first saw this movie but somehow the moment Marius tries to feed him his blood, made me feel they belong together, that they were meant to be.
Lestat being so weak and scared, pretty much freaking out there, yet Marius calm and gentle, saying "You've been brave enough for one night, my son." Those seemed like the magic words as Lestat seems to calm down a whole lot and began to drink.
I'd see two reasons there: He didn't want to die and someone just titled him his son in such a gentle tone - and with compassionate words, which his mortal father never had done.
Even in the book version the moment before Lestat begins to drink Marius's blood to gain strength to go along, made me feel similiar way.
Marius did not introduce himself to Lestat in any way but Lestat just knew it was him and Marius was so affectionmate toned in that scene.
So made me feel the very same they-belong-together feeling.
Actually, not just belong-together but the very meant-to-be thing is what I felt in them. Their chemistry was so incredibly perfect match. I think the way Anne seemed to write this relationship's storyline, somewhat original - usually one would write this kind of relationship grow more or less slowly into close and strong, but Lestat & Marius - it didn't seem possible to grow any closer and stronger in bond and love than they immediately were in the very first moment they were brought practically to meet.
Marius's numerous, small but strong gestures of affection towards Lestat from the very first moment all the way home and the moments there...and the extreme pain they both seemed to be in, when Marius told Lestat would have to leave soon.
While Lifehouse's "Everything" is the world's most perfect song from Lestat to Marius - I think most of the song "All That I Am" by Rob Thomas is the perfect one from Marius to Lestat.
Of course couple of verses do not fit Marius's strength but them cut off it's perfect. I have also made a fan video to that.
Another perfect Marius & Lestat song is "Run" by Snow Patrol. I've also made a video to that, though to a version by Leona Lewis.
So I do think there should be so much more to Marius's choice to make Lestat than the movie's statement of ages growing beyond his antique reasons -
which I don't even see in any way realistic one anyway.
For that he could have really picked just anyone and would they really grow beyond his understandin? I don't think so. And the earlier scripts had a in the least just as idiotic idea that Marius would've chosen Lestat for Lestat's bravery.
Both of those reasons are so WRONG. They're the kind of reasons that would enable Marius to ditch Lestat at any point where his expectations are not met.
And they would Make Marius curel - which he's not.
But Marius totally loves Lestat, he doesn't have any specific expectations of him, for pity's sake! At least not the kind that would effect his will to have Lestat in his life or not.
I see the film makers messed it up by wanting to make the Lestat's cretaion scene magnus-like. Actually many scenes they wanted to keep magnus-likeness in (Magnus is the vampire who made Lestat in the books and he's completely different kind of a character than Marius.)
In the film Marius wanted Lestat so bad he didn't even give the poor kid a chiuce, just like Magnus did - ok, that's fine since it can't be changed anynmore anyway. It's not the end of the world, even though better if it wasn't that literally forced - I can not see the situation develope even enarly that way.
But it doesn't even need anything else but emotional matters for a reason, when it's Marius. Marius had painted a beautiful painting of Lestat, so he obviously saw beauty in him (and not only in the looks but in the soul.)
And they were both artistic souls. And Lestat's quite a persona in his childlike attitude towards life and he has a certain charisma (and I think Townsend capture's Lestat's charisma quite well.)
That's just for the film... I think there restes many good enough reasons for Marius to turn him into a vampire. Knwoing he'd have a loveable companion and Lestat someone he's been missing, (the oloving father.)
In Film: Why The Changes? section, I go indepth into why I think Marius as Lestat's maker makes sense when looked purely into the books.
Lestat in both movie and the books was willing and able to try his best and deal with the loss of the simple joys of life and sunlight - even though crucial losses for someone like Lestat -
because he finally had a father-figure who appreciated and loved him. All the other things didn't matter too much to him while he finally had that.
"The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes us reach for more,
that plants a fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds."
-Nicholas Sparks
One thing I also learnt from the books and find extremely entertaining and amazing is that Lestat's taken breaking rules and being a complete brat as a life mission for himself and
that he's totally out of control whenever Marius is not around but when he is around, Lestat's behaving a whole lot better - the change around Marius is remarkable. That is a clear show of the depth of his respect towards Marius.
Of course also it has to do with the fact he knows Marius is the one who could (and at least in the movie version of the relationship, also would)
stop him if he did something too bad.
The fact that going on about how Marius will be furious and rules this and that is only provoking Lestat, making rule-breaking irrisistible to him, I think, has to do with something Marge Simpson so well once said:
"Problem kids need rules and discipline. They crave them." Though it's clearly not just that he likes and needs from Marius but also gentleness, appreciation, hugs, closeness, affection - love in all the ways a good father would love his son.
And for the sake of sanity of them both it's a blessing Marius can and is willing to give him all that.
And it's also clear Marius does not want Lestat to change, not completely. I bet he wishes Lestat would someday turn from impossible to...less impossible (?!)...
and he did get angry and frustrated at times, and sometimes calls Lestat "the damnedest creature" and not in too gentle tone, but really...
He still seems to totally love Lestat just the way he is. One very practical little detail to show that is the title "Brat Prince" that Marius gave Lestat.
More specifically the fact Marius always used it in very affectionate tone.
Lestat's horrific relationship with his mortal father, and his brothers, must have a great deal to do with, not only the relationship with Marius, but also his constant longing for attention and being the center of the world and it's love in general but...
there's also the fact he clearly enjoys, gets some weird kicks from being bad, (the following are quotes from the last chapter of Queen of the Damned the book):
"Lestat, Marius will be furious if you do this! The cardinal rule is-" "Louis, you're making it irresistible!"
and "Yes, I know. And I love to hear you say it, Louis. I need to hear you say it. I don't think anyone will ever say it quite like you do.
Come on, say it again. I'm a perfect devil. Tell me how bad I am. It makes me feel so good!"
Hell - this kid is certainly a patient every psychiatrist would kill for.
Marius is the ultimate case where you can't claim to be his biggest fan because that title so falls upon Lestat.
In the books he manages to connect Marius to everything he does or thinks about.
'What would Marius do?' 'What would Marius say?' 'And of course Marius.' Marius-this-Marius-that.
Marius, Marius, Marius at every point, so endlessly and usually even the first person he thinks about in all kinds of situations - that if you didn't know better, you'd think it's a pathetic obsession.
But when you do know better you know it's clearly pure love from the very depths of his soul - he's just overwhelmed with the happiness and comfort Marius and his love
brings to him in the form of a loving, earnest and patient father-figure.
I have also read any Lestat & Marius moments and lines from the 4th part "The Tale of the Body Thief", in which Marius turns his back on Lestat and leaves him when Lestat needs help the most.
But what the Brat Prince had done was so extremely wrong and illegal that everyone cast him out. Every single immortal. Including Marius, who I figured thought that Lestat should learn
that doing something that wrong has serious consequenses. In their case, losing the father who'd always stood by him. And Lestat understood this too, according to his words:
"Marius. You turned your back on me. That came as no surprise really. I don't blame you for it. You always were the parent, the teacher, the high priest."
(from The Tale of the Body Thief.)
But for every single thing that had happened and been said between Lestat and Marius before that moment made it absolute that Marius would not make the seperation forever this time either.
But I looked through all the rest of the books from Lestat's pov and Marius does not practically appear in them with Lestat no more. But Lestat remembering Marius in affectionate and light tone, which I don't think he could do if he hadn't been forgiven and reunited with him.
Thus, I decided that they ended up just fine and remained close even though they weren't together all the time - as it is an eternity they have in their hands! -
and that Anne just didn't practically write about the forgiving and all the reunions.
Because a relationship with such deep and earnest love and psychological depth as theirs is just can not end or be radically changed because of anything.
And as already said earlier, I later found out Anne had confirmed this vision.
I'm not saying that they'd be best buddies and extremely harmonic and close every moment of their eternity - of course not; every relationship - especially parent / child types are bound to have some negative eras along the way.
And the Tale of the Body Thief moment between them was quite emotionally extreme, so it very well might effect in a way that afterwards they would not be quite as close as they used to be, even though Lestat says he understood why and doesn't despise Marius for it.
All I'm saying is that I believe that in the deepest they remain close and nothing could ever have them stay troubled for very long.
A relatiosnhip that lasts such extremely emotional bumps as Lestat & Marius's has lasted without changing, can not go bad for anything.
In Blood and Gold, he himself says he could go to Lestat and the others right then and there,
but he doesn't because of his own personal hurt for things, that had nothing to do with Lestat.
So it is likely of that as well as Anne's own words
that indeed they turned out untroubled again and remained close and loving even though not being together all the time.
"Soulmate means a friend who understands something about you
and so lives flexibly in this relationship, in which you can both risk a little,
and insult a little, and dare a little, and stray a little,
while something solid connects you at the center."
- Ilana Simons
And guess what's one of the best things in this whole picture? The fact they are immortal.
Anne didn't even mention they'd die at any point and I wouldn't have them die either.
They seem the only ones generally happy as vampires, and there's very little that can kill an ancient vampire - and after Queen of the Damned,
there is very little that can kill Lestat either. Immortality. Ah, I have endless timeline to vision their story after The Tale of the Body Thief!
I mean, yeah, Anne didn't have the reunite in the Chronicles books's timeline but she said she had planned them to but then happened to get into other relationships,
so I don't think it's that bad if I regard that plan. ;)
And even if I didn't, I'd still have endless timeline becuase sooner ot later Marius is bound to go back to everyone.
I'm not publishing fanfiction since it's prohibited but it doesn't stop me from thinking of them and writing it down.
And bring out some visions through fan drawigfs.
I think Marius and Lestat are the perfect example of a saying I once stumbled over:
"It's not the flesh and blood, but the hearts, that makes us fathers and sons."
For all these reasons and reasons I have not yet been able to put into words this relationship and story really fills my soul with heart-felt warmth whenever I focus on thinking of it.
I think if someone made me describe this relationship with just one word, my choice would most likely be: beautiful.
And I would always say it from the very depths of my soul, so they'd know it's not just regularry beautiful but something especially beautiful.
MY TOP3 REASONS for adoring this relationship.
All this is more or less above
but this is taking it into even more depth and looking into both characters individually.
The quotes in cursive font are by Anne Rice, being quotes from the books.
| | MARIUS WITH LESTAT |
| LESTAT WITH MARIUS |
X MARIUS WITH LESTAT
1.) He doesn't play the father to Lestat just because Lestat so needs it - but because he completely loves being his father and friend. It oozes from everything he does and says to, for and with Lestat. Yet I'd say even if Lestat did change (which seriously could never happen for reasons soon to be analysed) but IF... so Marius would still love being his father, seeing to all that he told Lestat he loves about him and he didn't even mention them all. So, with great passion he loves being Lestat's father in all it takes, the same Lestat needs him to and this hasn't escaped Lestat's notice.
L: "We looked at each others for a long moment; then I embraced him, tightly and warmly, and I smiled. I didn't even know why I'd done it, except that he was so patient and so earnest. I'd also embraced him because I loved him and wanted to be near him. And I didn't want him to leave just now, angry or disappointed in me."
2.) He's so very, very protective over Lestat and would most likely give his life to save him - the last mentioned isn't too practically shown in the books but it's definitely there when you look at and into everything he does say and do. And yet despite of his overwhelming love, he has the strength not to over-protect Lestat and keep him under his wing as it wouldn't be for Lestat's best. He manages to do him right even when Lestat, with all his eagerness to either stay or have Marius come with him and as neither is possible option, with the fact he's almost breaking down of pain and sorrow and oozing bitterness, makes it so easy to just keep him home or to come along.
M: "…I have done over and over the thing you have yet to do that will take you away from me very, very soon… It's more tempting invitation than you know. But I'd do you a great disservice if I came with you. I'd stand between you and the world. I couldn't help it."
3.) "The Brat Prince". He gave Lestat a fancy title for his impossible bratness, and which he always, always uses in very affectionate tone. He's in love with Lestat's rebel side and how he himself has a sginificant part in it. Yet it's not the only name he calls Lestat but occationally Lestat's also "the damnedest creature", which is used either in angry/furious or otherwise warning tone. Thus I find it hilarious contrast to the fancy, affectionate title. It's so poignant!! Like, sweet-child-you're-the-brat-prince-and-I-adore-you, no-wait, you're-the-damnedest-creature-and-I-wonder-if-I-should-kick-your-ass. But he never does in the books that is,
b/c getting that extreme wouldn't be fair in those situations in question. And partly probably partly because those are the moments when Lestat seems to, in one way or another, to cool it and not so to say run wild… for the time being.
X LESTAT WITH MARIUS
1.) Lestat lives and breathes Marius's love. "Through all my struggles it had been a matter of pride not to call for him. But what use was that pride now? It seemd all the bitterness and stubborness was falling away." He had needed and wanted Marius bad during his independent lifetime apart from Marius and he had often thought of calling out for him but he never had just because of something so stupid as pride = it was clearly enough for him to make it through the struggöes, the fact he knew Marius was there for him and loved him. "You comfort me. AH of you. I couldn't even think of leaving you, not for very long anyway." If you ask me that could be rephraised into 'I can't think straight without you, I can't even breathe without you by my side.'
When you try to really think of the unthinkable, it's bound to cause you some serious reactions, such as strong will to escape it, hurt, anguish, so on... depending on what the thought is about and how much it means to you, and since it is unthinkable it must be something that if come true, would deeply wound your soul or something. And thus, facing that unthinkable thing as reality would certainly be something unimaginable.
Why he did so for 200 years anyway was most likely because Marius had made him to, knowing it was for the best and as said, that Marius was still near, spiritually and clearly it hadn't been all too easy.
And after all, that line he said after those 200 years
and their reunion, so it was how he felt especially at that time as for the future.
2.) In behavour methods, Lestat goes radically out of character when around Marius. In other words, 'Oh my gosh, he behaves himself!' If not all in all completely nice-nice, but 1000 times better than around anyone else. Heck, one time he seriously thought of obeying Marius's words even when Marius was nowhere around. With Louis in his company, Lestat's especially misbehaved, with random people he just is impossible, but bring Marius around... and Lestat may still be that too but it clearly brings out the daddy's little boy, who had been alone, lost and fatherless for all his human life and 9 years into his vampire life, which was practically the point when Marius came to him.
Yet he always in the end, directly disobeys him. This may be one of the reasons why the title "The Brat Prince" came to exsist in such an affectionate tone.
3.) Marius's patience yet the possibility of a punishment, provoking Lestat to disobey. Lestat totally loves Marius's incredible patience while he's the child pushing the boundries to the limits exactly because of that patience.
And Marius is always the first person he thinks of when he's doing something... well, almost anything. And mentioning Marius in effort to stop him from breaking a rule, is only provoking him to break it; making it irresistable as he says himself.
So he deliberately provokes Marius to lose it in every possible way, from disobeying in the first place to verbally provoking, and he clearly enjoys the potential danger all the way.
"What are you going to do if I don't? And by the way, haven't I asked you this before?" And indeed he had, that very same question for breaking that very same rule.
And a little later, right after Lestat had embraced Marius. "You will obey the rules, won't you?", he asked suddenly. Mixture of menace and sarcasm. And maybe a little affection, too.
"Of course!" Again I shrugged. "What are they, by the way? I've forgotten..."
And would Lestat, loving and appreciating the incredible patience, then take it negatively if Marius did lose it and came down with a punishment? Nope, I really don't think so:
In The Tale of the Body Thief is the first time Marius actually punishes Lestat and it's the most extreme possible; he turns his back on Lestat and leaves him to his most desperate moment, regardless of Lestat literally though silently begging for help and mercy. This clearly and obviously hurt Lestat but it didn't crush him, it made him stronger through the stanima Marius knew and loved about him, through Lestat's will to prove he'll make it through. Lestat's friend David guessed that all Marius did was pass his judgement and refuse to help Lestat this time but that Marius was giving him time to find his body back. And I'd bet on that theory to be exactly the truth.
Marius turning his back on him didn't only make Lestat stronger but Lestat also tells us he understood it, and that he didn't despise Marius for doing so. Because "You always were the teacher, the parent, the high priest." In other words the punishment worked like a charm; it hurt, and he suffered, but he also learnt the lesson he was supposed to.
And in later books Lestat talks about Marius in the same loving tone he always had. This is also confirmed by Anne Rice - that her plan always was that Marius returned to Lestat for good and that they remaineed close and loving to each other, even though she didn't write about them in the books anymore.
I believe she wrote the discipline element unbalanced the way she did so that it would be one part to lead them into the body thief situation, which would show everyone ultimately, what they are made of.
Hence, if Lestat took that extreme punishment without losing his trust in Marius and they even remained close, and he understood the punishment in the first place and it also worked… so, no - I don't think the case would've been any different if Marius had come down with any kind more regular punishments along the way. The bond, the love and the trust is obviously unbreakable.
Which I believe is one reason for why Lestat keeps playing with fire.
Even though, you can see that I see and love the reason why there was no practical healthy balance in the discipline element of the relationship in the books at least up until that point -
in my fan vision the balance exists all the way. Simply because it's not only realistic and perfectly possible for them, but also the ultimate way to explore the incredible psychological depth of this outstanding, beautiful father-son relationship.
ME ON AU FAN ART & JOKES:
So. There. I would've written those reasons in nutshell anyways, but now that I look at that - I don't think I could put it any more clearer why I so disapprove the Lestat&Marius slash = homosexual, fanart and all those people who make it.
If you still didn't get it, I clarify it in another way, here.
If those videos and art were clearly humour cracks as in the audio and editing completely crazy, I could possibly bear them. But none of them are. Some try to claim they're jokes but there's no clear nor convincing joke element in them. And even if they still were honestly meant as "just a joke" (which msot of them do not seen to be), it would not change the fact that it offends all that I pointed out above.
If not be even more so as it would not only be offensive but also think offending as something funny.
So what of the "clear humour crack videos", in which even complete out-of-characterness is understandable and potentially even funny? Here are some:
- Lestat - Dead and Loving It
- Lestat - Stupid In School (The Brat Prince Version)
- Random Vampire Chronicles Crack 2
Other than those type of joke videos, complete out-of-characterness is more likely simply offensive, no matter what the intent of it might have been. H
eck, some people take offense even o
f those clear cracks! At least I think AU visions and playing around with characters is fun and should happen, it's just that a line should be clear and drawn where it belongs.
And in Lestat and Marius I'm defending something meaningful and beautiful. So hear me, please. ;)
THIS IN-DEPTH VIEW CAPTURED WITH A SONG:
Fan videos I've made to songs that capture the depth and strength of this relationship the best.
1. Marius to Lestat - All That I Am
2. Lestat to Marius - One More Time
3. Lestat to Marius - Everything
4. Marius to Lestat - Run
5. Lestat to Marius - Comatose
6. Lestat to Marius - Savin' Me
7. Lestat & Marius Tribute - Sorry Love Daddy / In My Arms / A Child In My Eyes
8. Marius to Lestat - You Will Not Be Alone
ON THE SONG "SLEPT SO LONG"
I once happened to find a site for discussing song lyrics meanings and registered there just to state my opinion on this song's.
Because, so many had analyzed this probably has something for / about Jesse and Akasha and Marius and God knows who else.
Personally, I first of all think a song usually is dedicated to just one person at a time or for nameless crowd like Lestat's song "Not Meant For Me" which he wrote to
all the vampires who wanted him dead. However you'd like to think about song dedications generally, this song's meaning can't include anyone but Marius,
not in my eyes. Ever. In any way. And it's not even because I'm obsessively in love with this song and the Marius and Lestat relationship. No.
I will now copy and paste here (and add to) what I've said on the SongMeanings board about this song's lyrics - though I've commented this on the Jay Gordon version I still prefer the KoRn.
Of courrse anyone is always free to have and keep their visions and opinions and I'll always respect them - but I would be interested if you can really out-reason me with a different vision on this song after reading the following. ;D
I've never taken the meaning much in any other way than from Lestat to Marius in the movie vision that is -
if we wanted to think of the movie's version as more trueful, the lyrics of this song would become more like a stubborn combination of teen angst and deep longing for Marius's presence.
"Did you think it's cool to walk right up, to take my life and fuck it up? Well, did you?!"
Marius did not give him the choice in the first place but took his life without a question and thus fucked it up, and again when he abandoned him.
But as said, originally Lestat could not think Marius fucked up his life, so this would be over-dramatic because he misses Marius so.
"Walking, waiting - alone without a care. Hoping, hating - things that I can't bear."
Lestat loves a vampires life but hates the shadows and longs for mortality even if only for a moment.
Marius was the only one who could comfort him. So Lestat was waiting for him, hoping. Alone. Without a care as he loves life but hates the things he can't bear without Marius.
"I've slept so long without you. It's tearing me apart too. How did it get this far? Playing games with this old heart."
And he probably didn't understand why Marius left him, how did they get that far and couldn't just be what they used to be,
and then the man suddenly appears again after 200 years and tries to act like nothing had happened, and the loneliness he had left Lestat into -
especially after being the loving father Lestat had always needed and now was suddenly gone - did tear Lestat apart.
"I hate you! I've killed a million petty souls - but I couldn't kill you."
And in the end though Lestat could kill easily, he couldn't kill Marius (not even IF he had any chances being physically and skillfully far from an equal to Marius) - because even through his hate, he loves him. I think this song oozes his bitterness towards his maker, his teacher, his father, and in some level it turns into hate but in the end it's love under it all.
The film doesn't explain or too clearly even show the strength of Lestat & Marius relationship nor the most vital element of it - the father&son thing. The film brings more out the teacher&pupil but you can see the father&son element there too, clearly. But even though the film didn't put weight on the father&son and the reasons why they were that, it doesn't mean the film makers didn't think it significant enough, when this song was planned on and taken in.
There just can't be anything in this song's lyrics about or for Jesse. because this song - again - is supposeed to be on The Vampire Lestat's first album and thus written long before Lestat even knew Jesse exsisted.
And when it comes to if there's anything in the meaning for Akasha - I can't see it that way. These lyrics are so full of hate, bitterness and yet with touch of sincere love that it's about impossible to have anything to do with someone Lestat doesn't even know or hasn't really even met.
This song has so personal and emotion-filled sound that I really, as I said, can not see the meaning to be about anyone but Marius - his teacher, friend and father who abandoned him and never reacted to the countless times he called out for him ever after.
Oh, and the "touching you makes me feel alive, touching you makes me die inside", I figured it probably means that as touching Marius (hence, drinking his blood) made him into a vampire, and thus feel more alive than ever, and he then learnt he should never again sociallize with mortals or do much anything he enjoyed before he beame a vampire... thus touching Marius made him die inside. His spirit was tied to the vampire sociaties rules. Or rather tried to be tied... ;D
Jesse became after this song was written and Akasha is too much a stranger for the personal, strong tone of the song and well...
Louis? Claudia? I don't think he'd ever say nor feel he hates Louis - at least so much as to put it into a song - and Claudia's dead and living without her most likely would not tear him apart. :D
His journal was all about Marius, he's been calling for Marius many times, he noticed Jesse first time because she mentioned Marius's name, he wanted to know if she knew Marius.
Did the first song in his concert just happen to be this Slept So Long, after he had Marius back in his life? I don't think so - I see the starting song very much deliberate.
To say "I'm bitter and I hate you, you just think about that when you see me torn apart by those vampires" - but Marius surprised him and came to protect him. Most likely partly because of that provoke with the song
(but I think he'd have protected him anyways. Who wouldn't if felt such a deep and earnest fatherly love towards a person.)
Marius, I think was so very clearly one of the very deepest and top thoughts in his mind during the time of the movie's events.
And why wouldn't he be. He meant the world to Lestat even in the books.
And, it's a fact (stated in the DVD's bonus material, in the feature for the music in the film), that they handed the original script to Jonathan Davis, who wrote this song, and asked him to write songs he thinks Lestat would write. Thus this song has to be about someone in the film, related to Lestat.
And all that I said above ought to make it very obvious it's about no other than Marius. But of course that's still just my opinion.
The fan video I have made to the Jonathan Davis live version of this song is here.