I met with some friends this weekend to watch the 2012 Dark Shadows film. They are not Dark Shadows fans, but we have watched the first two films and various episodes of the two TV series. Their reactions were mixed. The general concensus was that the movie needed a unified direction. The dark comedy did not work for them. As one said, it was not silly enough to ignore the fact that Barnabas should have burned up being out in the daylight. She was unconvinced about the umbrella's ability to protect, clouds or no.
For me, I've always had a love hate relationship with that film. I usually either like something or I don't. I can be indifferent. This one is different. I absolutely love some parts of the film, and I loathe certain other parts. I was not completely unhappy with the comedic tone. I thought the McDonalds arches scene was brilliant. I loved almost everything gag associated with Barnabas becoming acquainted with the 20th Century.
There were two aspects I despised. Jonathan Frid described the essence of Barnabas as living a lie, keeping his awful secret. He also brought up the urge to drink blood as an addiction. Burton got the latter right. I was constantly annoyed with Barnabas prancing around telling everyone who would listen that he's a vampire. This guy got buried alive for being a vampire and then as soon as he's unearthed, he blabs his secret to the world? It made him seem like a total idiot.
I also hated the sex scene with Angelique. After all she did to him and his family, he's able to feel passionately towards her? Yes, he does say he's going to defile her, but at the end he apologizes for not being able to love her!
Burton's interpretation marred the film for me, but they did not spoil it completely. I love the relationship between Victoria and Barnabas. I was intrigued by how Julia was treated. The opening scenes were fantastic. I was enjoying the whole movie immensely until he appeared in daylight yakking about his secret.
My reactions soared into the upper reaches of the atmosphere and plummetted to the depths of the oceans so many times watching that film. Most of the ending worked for me, but I could have done without the vomit scene. It did not gross me out or offend me. It just looked fake and silly. I thought Angelique's death scene was very touching. Carolyn as a werewolf? Hmmm intriguing but out of left field and pretty much unnecessary. But we got to see Laura and she was foreshadowed adequately. She didn't come off as a deus ex machina.
This film is unique with its abilities to elicit strong and contradictory reactions from me. I would like it more if Depp had consistently portrayed Barnabas and not some generic vampire. The jealously guarded secret has been a cornerstone of every version of DS from the OS, to the Ross novels, the comics, the comic strip, the previous movies, and the 91 series. I enjoyed watching it again though. It's certainly a personal classic in spite of the diverse reactions it provokes.