Escape to the Movies: Dark Shadows
- Thread starter MovieBob
- Start date
My dad told me the old TV show used to scare the crap out of him, so he's going to watch this new movie just out of spite to his inner child.
I'll probably pass on this one, but that's because movies are expensive and now that I've tackled The Avengers, I still have Brave and Ted to go after this summer.
I would love it if WB decided to sort of start over with some of their superhero projects and build up to a Justice League movie.
Dunno why, but I'd really wanna see Zatanna thrown into the mix. Even if she's just like Black Widow where she doesn't get her own solo movie (and I think even has to share it) with another character after the big compilation film has come out.
I'll probably pass on this one, but that's because movies are expensive and now that I've tackled The Avengers, I still have Brave and Ted to go after this summer.
I would love it if WB decided to sort of start over with some of their superhero projects and build up to a Justice League movie.
Dunno why, but I'd really wanna see Zatanna thrown into the mix. Even if she's just like Black Widow where she doesn't get her own solo movie (and I think even has to share it) with another character after the big compilation film has come out.
I'll admit I wouldn't have minded a few swings at the Depp/Burton low hanging fruit, but I can't complain about a constructive and even-handed review. 
This is the first Burton movie since Nightmare Before Christmas that has even vaguely interested me. Maybe he finally has recovered from his "I'm going to be weird for the sake of being weird and not for any compelling reason" stage.
Glad to hear that it's at least tolerable. Seeing "The Avengers" kind of got me back in the habit of wanting to see movies in the theater, rather than waiting to watch them on Blu-Ray.
Glad to hear that it's at least tolerable. Seeing "The Avengers" kind of got me back in the habit of wanting to see movies in the theater, rather than waiting to watch them on Blu-Ray.
I'm quite glad you reviewed this, Bob. Always interesting to hear your opinions on slightly weirder films. Much more so, than most film critics.
Personally, I've always loved Burton's style, even if it can get a bit messy in the structure department... so I suppose this film is more or less right up my alley in that regard. Glad that is the case.
Personally, I've always loved Burton's style, even if it can get a bit messy in the structure department... so I suppose this film is more or less right up my alley in that regard. Glad that is the case.
quite frankly it just looks like Burton has been coasting on his name-brand for awhile now and has gotten lazy from a director's standpoint. That and I wish he'd STOP using Depp and Carter ins EVERY. SINGLE. FUCKING. MOVIE of his.
P.S. I don't think anyone at Warner Bros. really gives a damn about making a Justice League movie. I also don't think movie goers are clamoring for it either. Probably for the best.
P.S. I don't think anyone at Warner Bros. really gives a damn about making a Justice League movie. I also don't think movie goers are clamoring for it either. Probably for the best.
Surprisingly positive review here, Bob. Good to hear that while it may not be a great film, it's still decent and entertaining as, honestly, that's how I feel about most of Burton's films. He's got a lot of good films, but I don't think he really has many "great" ones. Dunno if I'll go out to the theaters to see it, as I didn't even go to watch The Avengers, but I'll certainly pay attention to it once it hits home video.
Would explain the timing of Dan O' Brien's newest column.
Casper having a horse is not surprising to me. Superman has a horse, so did Batman.
Still, I'll give the movie a pass.
Casper having a horse is not surprising to me. Superman has a horse, so did Batman.
Still, I'll give the movie a pass.
Hmmm, well to me I kind of lost interest with it being a parody. I watched a lot of Dark Shadows on old VHS tapes which I rented from Blockbuster. While a slow burn, it was a decent show. I've been of the opinion they should try and re-launch it, or something similar again.
To be honest Dark Shadows was zany enough in trying to take itself seriously where I think the idea of playing it for laughs (Which is obvious from the trailers, and just how Johnny Depp looks playing Barnabas) kind of wrecks what was there.
I'll also say that if they are going to re-make something, they need to try and capture the spirit of the original. The problem with this movie (aside from being a parody) and the last attemt to re-launch the show was quite simply that they jumped right into things far too quickly. Part of what sold Barnabas as a character was the gradual built up, with him being a lurking, creepy prescence who did most of his stuff behind the scenes, to the eventual transition. The fact that he wasn't really a good guy (until maybe the end) and was arguably the villain for quite a while is what sold things, and the bit with the Witch didn't come out for quite a while.
I'm not exactly a fanboy, since I'm not that invested in this property, but all I can say in regards to this one is that I have no idea what the people who greenlit it were thinking. I can't see many fans of the original getting into it in this form, and if your not a fan of the original then why the heck bother with the whole "Dark Shadows" name?
Oddly Johnny Depp seeming more "with it" than normal is funny, as the guy who played Barnabas was drunk (and obviously so) during a lot of the TV series.
To be honest Dark Shadows was zany enough in trying to take itself seriously where I think the idea of playing it for laughs (Which is obvious from the trailers, and just how Johnny Depp looks playing Barnabas) kind of wrecks what was there.
I'll also say that if they are going to re-make something, they need to try and capture the spirit of the original. The problem with this movie (aside from being a parody) and the last attemt to re-launch the show was quite simply that they jumped right into things far too quickly. Part of what sold Barnabas as a character was the gradual built up, with him being a lurking, creepy prescence who did most of his stuff behind the scenes, to the eventual transition. The fact that he wasn't really a good guy (until maybe the end) and was arguably the villain for quite a while is what sold things, and the bit with the Witch didn't come out for quite a while.
I'm not exactly a fanboy, since I'm not that invested in this property, but all I can say in regards to this one is that I have no idea what the people who greenlit it were thinking. I can't see many fans of the original getting into it in this form, and if your not a fan of the original then why the heck bother with the whole "Dark Shadows" name?
Oddly Johnny Depp seeming more "with it" than normal is funny, as the guy who played Barnabas was drunk (and obviously so) during a lot of the TV series.
I'm watching it because I'm thrilled to see Burton finally working with Michelle Pfeiffer again.
I still think Batman Returns remains his most subversive and thematically interesting film.
I still think Batman Returns remains his most subversive and thematically interesting film.
