Dark Shadows (2012)

[Newt]

I saw the trailer for the first time last night.  My impression was much the same as Silverlady's: Depp's Barnabas is channelling Uncle Fester and haunted by Jack Sparrow.  (My own comment at the time made reference to The Munsters, but the Addams Family does nicely too.) The film may very well have its own charm and humor, but it is not the Dark Shadows we knew and loved.  A bit too goofy.  If I see it, I will have to remember to allow it to stand on its own feet.

[BoyScoutKevin]

Do the sets shake, when an actor bumps into them? If not, then it's not the "Dark Shadows" we all know and love.

I'm on the fence on this one. I stil don't know whether I'm going to see it or not, when it comes to theaters.

Looking at the trailer makes me not want to see it. While I like Johnny Depp, he seems to be the weakest link in the film. It also doesn't help that the comedy in the trailer seems to be intentional, while the best comedy (see the shaking sets) in the TV series was the unintentional kind.

Still, I have a bit of time to make up my mind as to whether I want to see it or not.

[HappyGilmore]

I, too, saw the trailer.

I may not have the same 'emotional attachment' to the show as others here do.  I only saw it in reruns on the Sci-Fi Channel about ten years back, and only sporadically then as I was working and wasn't home every day.

Personally, I'm a huge fan of Burton and Depp, and both have said, enthusiastically at that, that they were huge fans of the show.  I'm assuming that it'll be better than the trailer.  Depp's a fantastic actor, so it can't be all that bad, even with Burton's involvement (he can be hit-and-miss, and I'm a fan).

[Mofo Rising]

After watching the preview, I think it is an update of the '90s update of the Brady Bunch. You may remember those movies, where the '70s versions of the Brady Bunch were confronted with modern reality (of the '90s).

Don't get me wrong, those movies were passable. Not rememberable, passable.

I don't care about Dark Shadows, as I don't care about Tim Burton. Maybe the movie will be a passable comedy. More likely, just another lazy Tim Burton vehicle. Can't bring myself to care.

[Newt]

Adding the comedy factor seems to be the current way to 'update' old TV shows for re-visiting: they have given "21 Jump Street" the same treatment.  I saw the trailer and was totally confused: I honestly don't recall the original being comedic at all; it looks as though they have added a sizable dollop of "Police Academy" -type humour to it. Yish.

eta: though I do very much appreciate the divine justice of an original Johnny Depp vehicle being subjected to the same indignity as he has participated in visiting upon Dark Shadows.

[HappyGilmore]

Adding the comedy factor seems to be the current way to 'update' old TV shows for re-visiting: they have given "21 Jump Street" the same treatment.  I saw the trailer and was totally confused: I honestly don't recall the original being comedic at all; it looks as though they have added a sizable dollop of "Police Academy" -type humour to it. Yish.

eta: though I do very much appreciate the divine justice of an original Johnny Depp vehicle being subjected to the same indignity as he has participated in visiting upon Dark Shadows.

Johnny Depp makes an appearance in 21 Jump Street, as does Holly Robinson and Peter DeLuise.  21 Jump Street even makes fun of the idea of remaking old tv shows/concepts.  I'd have to see it again, but I believe one of the characters gets put in the revised department, and says "Why are we rehashing a concept from 20 years ago...just seems ludicrous."  21 Jump Street is pretty good.

And, Dark Shadows takes place in the '70s, based what's off the trailers.

[Archivist]

I saw the trailer last night, before Wrath of the Titans.  At first it looked cool; wow, they are remaking Dark Shadows?  Then the kooky humour started and I realized that it was yet another Burton/Depp teamup.  What a disappointment!  The only Tim Burton movie I am looking forward to is Abraham Lincoln, which looks so pants-wettingly cool that I can barely wait.

[Jim H]

Adding the comedy factor seems to be the current way to 'update' old TV shows for re-visiting: they have given "21 Jump Street" the same treatment.  I saw the trailer and was totally confused: I honestly don't recall the original being comedic at all; it looks as though they have added a sizable dollop of "Police Academy" -type humour to it. Yish.

eta: though I do very much appreciate the divine justice of an original Johnny Depp vehicle being subjected to the same indignity as he has participated in visiting upon Dark Shadows.

Johnny Depp makes an appearance in 21 Jump Street, as does Holly Robinson and Peter DeLuise.  21 Jump Street even makes fun of the idea of remaking old tv shows/concepts.  I'd have to see it again, but I believe one of the characters gets put in the revised department, and says "Why are we rehashing a concept from 20 years ago...just seems ludicrous."  21 Jump Street is pretty good.

And, Dark Shadows takes place in the '70s, based what's off the trailers.

I get the impression from interviews that the writers were told they were doing a movie update of 21 Jump Street and were allowed to pretty much go from there how they wanted.  So they did something very different and made an R-rated comedy.  Good for them, as they were essentially allowed to be original inside of an apparently narrow box.  That's cool. 

That said, I think the Dark Shadows trailer just looks...  Bad.  I don't get it. 

You may remember those movies, where the '70s versions of the Brady Bunch were confronted with modern reality (of the '90s).

In all honesty, I think that's the only way you COULD do a movie version of the Bradys.  I mean, they were already essentially a 50s sitcom family in the 1970s, basically, so going a step further with it made some sense.  Not great films, but they both had their moments.

Also, Mofo, think I agree with you about Tim Burton...  He used to be one of my favorite directors.  What happened?  He did Pee Wee's Big Adventure, then Beetlejuice, Batman, Edward Scissorhands, Batman Returns and Ed Wood in a row.  His most recent film was Alice in Wonderland.  Ugh.

[Frank81]

I put a  rather lengthy  response to this before about attending a  recent get together of the original  cast and how it flooded back memories of being a kid and seeing the show the first time in the late 60's and early 70's in NYC and being a  hop and skip from the studios it was being filmed in those days. But, rather than bore people here, with pictures of me and the cast of the original, I just want to say how pleased I am that there seems to be respect for the original, using members of the surviving cast, Frid, Parker, Scott, etc.. Plus, these two shots I hope are reflective of trying to keep true to the source material. Looking forward to this  remake, a line I almost  never say when modern filmakers screw up what made TV and Movies they are redoing.


DARK SHADOWS 1966



DARK SHADOWS 2012

[dean]

I have to admit I'm interested in this one, as I do have an affinity for Depp and Burton.  But if I'm really honest, its Eva Green that makes me want to see it.

[Fausto]

My review:

http://thecinemacell.wordpress.com/2012/05/21/dark-shadows-2012/

[HappyGilmore]

I've heard good things about this one.

Should be seeing it tomorrow.

[Mofo Rising]

So despite my earlier fulminations, I saw this the other day. It wasn't my choice, but there wasn't much else out at the theater. (Seeing The Avengers again was voted out.)

I thought it was slow and boring.

The movie isn't really the satire that the commercials make it up to be. That part is there, but it's pretty subdued. Instead it's more of a typical Tim Burton "outsider" film, but sort of a paint-by-numbers thing. None of the parts seemed to add up to anything important. Just two hours of filler.

The film is not a complete wash, if you want to see it. It has its moments. But then again, who cares?

Watch it if you must, but there's nothing there.

[HappyGilmore]

I finally saw this today.

I quite liked it.

[Hammock Rider]

For me it looks like a renter.