This Movie Bites ~ "Dark Shadows"

Today we delve into the big screen remake of Dark Shadows.

Aside from knowing that the series existed in the 60s, I have no knowledge of the show whatsoever.  Maybe that's for the better as Hollywood usually tramples over beloved TV franchises when they remake them.

The story:

In the late 1700s the Collins family sets out from England for a better life in America.  They establish the town of CollinsPort Maine, build a wonderful mansion...and are promptly killed.  Their son, Barnabas (Johnny Depp) falls in love with a girl, spurns the affections of another, who unfortunately turns out to be a real witch.  She kills his beloved, curses him to become a vampire, has him buried in the ground for all eternity.

Or, until 1972.  When Barnabas is unleashed upon a changed world where he must attempt to restore the family name, face off against the witch again, and perhaps find true love finally.


I must admit, I am not a fan of Tim Burton movies.  They generally make me say "meh" or avoid wanting to see them altogether.  His best movie that he's ever made is, was, and forever will be, Edward Scissorhands.  All the rest I could do without and not shed any tears.

This movie does nothing to dispel that notion.

The movie starts off great with the backstory.  I was intrigued and engaged... and then it moved to the modern era and the movie lost its footing.

Was it a fish out of water comedy?
Was it a gothic drama?
Was it going for a horror movie feel?
Was it looking for a romantic storyline?

Well, it tried all of this, and perhaps more, and utterly falls apart as being the sum of too many different parts.

Johnny Depp does just fine as Barnabas, and perhaps is the only reason to stay engaged watching the movie.  However it's a struggle to endure nearly 2 hours of story that could have easily been trimmed by half an hour to remove much of the extraneous fluff that helped bog the movie down.

It was great to see Michelle Pfeiffer back onscreen again.  Though given very little to do for the most part, it seems a bit of a waste.

Plus the whole last minute addition of werewolf just seemed oddly tossed in just to say there's a werewolf bit involved!  How very Twilight of them... : /

Fans of Burton, Depp and especially Burton and Depp collaborations, I say dive in, and you'll have a blast.

For everyone else, it's your call.