Aaliyah's tragic, untimely death cast a pall over the film and may have led to lackluster box office results. The studio had to make a tough decision about what to do with the movie and ultimately decided - after conferring with Aaliyah's family - that she would have wanted her work to be seen. In "Queen of the Damned," her presence onscreen is mesmerizing, hinting at the big-screen acting career Aaliyah probably would have enjoyed had she not passed away at such a young age.

Working opposite Aaliyah as the vampire Lestat, Stuart Townsend brings his own form of smoldering sexiness to the project. "Queen of the Damned" follows Townsend's Lestat as he reemerges after decades of slumber. Awakened by the hypnotic beat of rock music, Lestat becomes a rock star and publicly declares himself a vampire, raising the ire of his fellow creatures of the night and leading to a showdown with the ancient vampires and the Mother of All Vampires, Akasha (Aaliyah).

Author Anne Rice lent her support to the film saying, " 'Queen of the Damned' is an energetic and innovative rendition of the 'Vampire Chronicles' featuring fine performances, and a magnificent look. Well directed, elegant and intriguing, the film is surely destined to take its place among notable modern interpretations of vampire mythology."

If you missed "Queen of the Damned" in the theater, then catch it on DVD. The DVD release of "Queen of the Damned" is loaded with bonus features including a large quantity of behind-the-scenes featurettes. In addition, the DVD also includes deleted scenes and most fittingly, a tribute to Aaliyah by the cast and filmmakers.

"The Unseen" - Additonal Scenes:
-Original opening with timelapse
-Original Jesse dream sequence
-Marius talks to Lestat on the beach
-Jesse goes to Admirals Arms #1
-Band plays at Admirals Arms
-Groupies with "Garlic" ending
-Jesse on plane, Lestat in LA mansion, Jesse dreams of Akasha
-The Ancients Rise
-Ancients at Hollywood Sign
-Akasha dances
-LA mansion, Jesse talks with Lestat, extended flying sequence
-Jesse writes her aunt and leaves for concert
-Band backstage at concert

Behind-the-Scenes Featurettes:
-"Aaliyah Remembered" - Tribute to singer/actress Aaliyah including a segment with her brother discussing her art.
-"The Music of Lestat" - The real singer/songwriters behind the music talk about scoring a vampire film.
-"Creating the Vampires" - A behind-the-scenes look at the special effects used to make the vampires fly.

Additional Bonus Features:
-Four Music Videos: "Redeemer," "Forsaken," "System" and Static X Music Video, "Cold"
-Two Extended Concert Sequences
-Commentary by Director Michael Rymer, Producer Jorge Saralegui and Composer Richard Gibbs
-Gag Reel (It looks like the cast had a good time working on this film)
-Storyboards, Sketches and Costume Designs
-Theatrical Trailer

"Queen of the Damned" Photos, Interview, Trailer, Websites, and Reviews