Without having read the script, it's hard to really draw an accurate conclusion, but one possibility is that the script was simply too ambitious for what would ultimately have to end up being a less than 2 hour film. Back when the casting of roles was being announced, we were frequently told that each character would harbor their own individual secrets. Some of those secrets were touched upon - but some obviously were not, or at least some aspects of them were not. For instance, we were told as part of Liz' background that she hadn't left Collinwood in 10 years - but not even the slightest hint of that is given (and we can pretty much be sure that it wasn't something that was merely picked up from Liz' background on the original series because then they would have said 18 years). (Though one intriguing instance in the film that may have hinted of that aspect of her character comes when Carolyn narrates the first few lines from "The Ballad of Dwight Fry" that deal with a missing father and the expression on Liz' face certainly seems as if it could have instantly burnt through the toughest substance in the universe. As is, it simply plays as a overwrought reaction to Carolyn being "on stage" and coyly referencing her missing father. But given the original description of Liz, I strongly suspect that look was prompted by a hell of a lot more than just the simple fact that Carolyn brought up her apparently absent father. But as the film stands, we have no idea what the real motivation was.) Plus, when Julia was described, we were lead to believe that there was some sort of a connection between Julia and Angelique. But, again, there's no such evidence for that in the film. In fact, Angelique and Julia don't even share a glance, so much as a scene. And then there's Roger. I forget what secret was hinted about with him - but his part was so cut down that, sadly, he barely even registers in the film, so there's even less than a hint of what it might have been.
About the only thing we can hope is that the much promised deleted scenes will at least fill us in on what might have been in the film had it run longer.
23 days 13 hours 45 minutes 10 seconds since the Depp/Burton Dark Shadows has been in release(ET)!!