It's official: Dark Shadows returns as a film with Johnny Depp

I do love the optimism on this board and it  may be all in vein when it's all said and done but I am just an optimist at heart.

Actually, if DS has the tone of Sweeny Todd and Sleepy Hollow then I can see them catching the perfect tone. 

We all know KLS  usually speaks her peace as she went on a radio show  when the 2004 pilot came out and didn't speak to highly of the effort.   Also, you make a nice point MB; I personally feel that KLS is very protective of DS so I don't see her liking something that makes fun of Dark Shadows and it's legacy! Again, just my humble thoughts.

Great Post MB!

There are really three reasons why I feel comfortable with the script at this point:  Johnny Depp, Kathryn Leigh Scott, and Jonathan Frid.  If it weren't for these three, I would probably be more fearful of the effort.  However, if they have put their stamp of approval on it, I take it that this is a good continuation of the story and NOT a mockery of it. 

TC - I think I could see DS having the tone of Sweeney Todd. I didn't care for the music or the way the story played out.

As for the two movies, Beetlejuice is much better but I would just call it a comedy, one of the best but still a comedy.

I agree with MB, of the movie that Depp & Burton have done I hope DS comes closest to Sleepy Hollow.

I just wanted to add, the tone of Sweeney Todd does NOT mean the look of Sweeney Todd, I hote these blue movies, lets get back to natural color.

I hope the movie has a really rich lush look.  I think that it would be great to add color here and there. I don't think they should go over board but I would like some appropriate color but at the same time there also needs to be a nice contrast of darkness!   And I agree Borgosi, I guess if I would want DS to copy any movie that Burton made it would be Sleepy Hollow for me as well, perhaps with a dash of Alice and Sweeney Todd. And PS...I wasn't crazy about the music in ST either.   

I would love for it to have the tone, look, and feel of "Mary Shelley's Frankenstein". The film directed by Branagh and starring De Niro as the creature. That was a great movie.

It seems pretty clear that the hopes and expectations of DS fans on here are all over the map.  Unfortunately, as the adage goes, you can't please everybody.  There will be some who don't like the fact that they didn't explore Barnabas' relationship with his sister.  There will be some who are unhappy if they don't flush out Julia's romantic interest in Barnabas.  There are already some who don't like the fact that the series is being set in the '70's (although I do believe there are some logistical reasons for this, vide infra).  To me, this movie will represent Burton's interpretation of Dark Shadows, and I believe I'm capable of enjoying that without requiring his interpretation to fit perfectly with mine.  I remember as a kid rooting for Angelique and Barnabas to end up together (that is, before I developed a crush on Kate Jackson's Daphne), and it really wasn't until years later that I discovered others felt that way about Julia and Barnabas.  I personally will be fascinated to see where Burton takes it, and I welcome something of a fresh take on things.

As to the '70's, I know somebody pointed this out before me, but I think it's the only way they can plausibly use the "cousin from England" aspect.  In 2011, it would take no time on the internet to debunk Barnabas' story, and there would be no way to keep the prospects of a vampire local in the days of YouTube and cell phones with cameras and video capabilities.  And it still leaves open the prospects of a time travel forward element that will age better than when Barnabas and Julia traveled forward in time. 

As to the '70's, I know somebody pointed this out before me, but I think it's the only way they can plausibly use the "cousin from England" aspect.  In 2011, it would take no time on the internet to debunk Barnabas' story

I suspect that may be one of the major reasons to set the film in the '70s - though it will be very interesting to see where in the '70s the film will place itself. As of yet we have no firm idea, and the early '70s are very different from the late '70s. Can you just imagine Barnabas picking up women/potential victims at a disco? That prospect alone could be quite funny given that Barn is used to a refined/staid minuet and such, not sexually charged disco dancing. 

and there would be no way to keep the prospects of a vampire local in the days of YouTube and cell phones with cameras and video capabilities.

Though it might have been a hoot to see Julia using her cellphone to find that Barnabas' photo can't be taken instead of using her compact to see that he doesn't cast a reflection. 

Great post Ussfan!

You know when Eva Green said she's blonde, and very cool in the 70's. I took it that she was talking about LP and not her version.  I know the show is set in the 70's but still that is the way I took it because she later said her character is very different.  I may have taken in wrong.  I think it's great that it's set in the 70's! However, I think if it was set today clever writers could come up with a way for Barnabas to falsify his existence, especially with Willie's help.  Who says he has to come out of the coffin and then go straight to Collinwood. He could lurk for months even.

Your right USSFAN. However, hopefully it will be franchised and then more and more can be integrated into the movies but no one will ever be completely satisfied!  I just hope its' a great movie that does well at the box office and wins a few Oscar's and turns into a franchise. Is that so much to ask?

You know when Eva Green said she's blonde, and very cool in the 70's. I took it that she was talking about LP and not her version.

With the way MTV has it written out in its piece, combining quotes, I can see how someone could interpret it that way. Though in the video, I do think she's talking about her own character in the film.

Thanks MB! We shall see.  Which leads me to another question. If I should make a seperate topic let me know.

Are you guys purists? Do you think Victoria has to have raven hair and that Angelique has to be a blonde, etc.  I personally don't care as long as the actresses and actors are compitent.  I am by all means sure HBC isn't going to become a red head for the movie.  Of course you never know. She is wild enough to pull something like that.  I would mind if Bella's (Giggle--everytime I think of a girl name Bella playing Victoria it makes me giggle with irony) hair was just a bit darker, but I don't think she would look great with raven dark hair.  As for Eva, I love her as a Brunette and with her lush pale skin I really can't see her going blonde.  Perhaps, I will change my tune when if I see them and it works. Of course as I know as an artist makeup change one's look. If Eva did become blonde they could change her skin color and makeup colors to compesate for her pale skin.

Good grief - some of the greatest horror stories in literature have humor.  Ever read Edgar Allen Poe?  The great "Tell Tale Heart" has the line that goes something like "I was never kinder to the old man up until the night I killed him."  Sure, it's considered dark humor and that's what I expect from Burton and Depp in this DS offering.  Humor doesn't mean "making fun of" necessarily.  As it was pointed out, 1897 had a lot of humor in it.

Nancy

The only reason I brought up the possibility of DS being made fun of in the film is because of remarks Burton himself has made. For one, it's hard to ignore the fact that he chiefly used bloopers to describe DS to an English TV audience that knew little about the show. I think that we would all agree that DS is much more than bloopers - but sadly, Burton didn't choose to give equal time to the other elements of the show that make DS great to us. He even went so far as to say, "We’re gonna fill the room with flies... and make the actors pretend that they’re not there!” I suspect he was only joking. But he has made other similarly absurd comments. And the only thing one can hope is that they were all simply the result of his bizarre sense of humor and not telegraphing things he actually has seriously considered doing in the film.

As for Eva Green, when asked at the end of her MTV interview if she'll be going blond for the film, she said that she will.

The irony is that most fans, from what I can see anyway, would rather have bloopers than anything else and without them part of the meaning of the show is lost to them.  So I don't really see what the upset is over if Depp/Burton should favor the same things/Bloopers.  Aren't the bloopers and the show's supposed campiness what most fans talk about when describing DS for other people?

I personally think that it's Burton's bizarre sense of humor.  I just can't see Johnny playing Barnabas dark and in the manner in which Frid played him and then fly bloopers.  It may happen but I hope not. 

Nancy, I have never personally talked about bloopers when trying to get someone to watch DS.  So I am not for sure how it is with others.

Thanks about the info for Eva going blonde. I did not notice that. Was that the most recent interview with MTV?