Depp/Burton DARK SHADOWS Is In Production!!

[Mysterious Benefactor]

I know why I like this trailer more!  The panties are gone!   

I love the panties scene.    But if you've read some of the stuff I've posted on the Caption This! and Complete This Phrase / Fill In The Blank(s) boards, then you know I'm depraved. 

53 days 2 hours 4 minutes 31 seconds until the day the Depp/Burton Dark Shadows is released(ET)!!

[michael c]

it's always a different group seated at the breakfast table...

in one shot vicki's at the table. in the other julia.

and, yes, i think we can now assume that elizabeth knows barnabas' secret. i believe it's her he's speaking to when he announces that he's a vampire.

[Cousin_Barnabas]

I love the panties scene.    But if you've read some of the stuff I've posted on the Caption This! and Complete This Phrase / Fill In The Blank(s) boards, then you know I'm depraved. 

Hahaha, MB!  I am just fine with it there, but I don't want to see Angelique's newfangled torture devices in any official DS project.  I'm so prudish!   

[Mysterious Benefactor]

After watching the new version for a second time I noticed that for some odd reason they flipped the scene of Barnabas and Willie in front of the fireplace - it's the mirror image of what it was in the first trailer. And if we can judge by Barnabas' hair, the first version is the correct one.

53 days 1 hours 44 minutes 14 seconds until the day the Depp/Burton Dark Shadows is released(ET)!!

[Mysterious Benefactor]

And another ringing endorsement for the first trailer:

"DARK SHADOWS" trailer is here!

And people who hate the first trailer should definitely read the article because it will give you hope.

And more magazine articles to look forward to.

What more could we ask for? 

(Thanks so much to the person who alerted me to this article. You know who you are, but I don't know if you want me to mention your name.  )

53 days 1 hours 33 minutes 35 seconds until the day the Depp/Burton Dark Shadows is released(ET)!!

[jimbo]

thanks so much for the video link and all the wonderful captures.

I almost fell out of my chair when I saw these words about the DS movie in your linked Fangoria post: "blood dripping, hyper gothic". I hope so.

[borgosi]

Of course you can give my name ;-).

I like this trailer better as well. Maybe it because Alice is in it, maybe it because I'm getting used to the idea that it's somewhat of a comedy, I don't know. I do know that good or bad it has DS and Alice so I have to see it.

[usffan]

But the addition of monsters is the only way you can get some kids to read them at all, and maybe if they do read it and like it, they'll check out the original work.

I can't find a YouTube link, but one of my favorite episodes of Cheers involved Frasier doing that very thing to get the gang to be interested in the works of Charles Dickens.  Toward the end when the bar regulars implore him to read them more Dickens, Lilith is pleasantly surprised and Frasier says to her something along the lines of "I've done some things I'm not proud of..."

Here's the IMDB link to that episode:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0539777/plotsummary

[borgosi]

Maybe some kids don't need to read the classics. I'm ok with that.

You know I bet if they colorized the early episodes of DS and color corrected the rest of the to match, then used computers to remove boom mics and maybe edit some of the slower story lines they could get more people to watch the OS.

Let's just hope they don't sell so well that they stop selling the original shows.

[usffan]

First, there's the talk of Dan Curtis' "vision."  Well, he betrayed that with the '91 remake.  With a huge budget, huge sets, and a few big-name stars (mostly miscast, save for Jean Simmons), bad writing, et. al., it was not the DS those of us who grew up with remembered.  Still, because it was DS, I enjoyed it.  I was saddened by its cancellation.  We have folks here who did not like HoDS (and NoDS).  They consider HoDS Hammeresque exploitation and their stomachs rumble when they see it.  That was also Dan Curtis "vision," and we have DS fans who feel betrayed by it.  And those of us who grew up with, and loved and still love, his original "vision," had to put up with tons of faux pas'.  So why did Dan Curtis allow them?  To make money.  But DS continued on, and so did we. 

Gerard, I feel exactly the same way.  I know there are some fans who enjoyed the Leviathan storyline, which was clearly part of Dan Curtis' vision.  I absolutely hated that portion of the series.  I don't think that Curtis' vision was the only true way to view the characters. 

Maybe another way to look at this is to compare it to some of the Marvel comic book heroes.  Some Batman fans hated the TV series that aired in the '60's.  There were mixed opinions about the series of movies that started with Tim Burton's effort in 1989.  Still others were not wowed by Christopher Nolan's first movie in this trilogy.  As the saying goes, you can't please everybody, and clearly Burton's decided to make a film that pleases him. 

[madscntst]

Thanks so much for sharing the Once Upon A Time trailer and screencaps, MB!  It's great to see more of Alice!

[Cousin_Barnabas]

I haven't had time to listen to Pierson's segment and I imagine it will just be the usual spin-a-thon.  But if anyone does bother to listen, I'd be interested to read your notes.

Here is the podcast.  The segment begins about 5/8 through...

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1057338/CRAGG%20%20LIVE%20%20-%20Denise%20%28Vanity%29%20Matthews%20&%20Jim%20%28Dark%20Shadows%29%20Pierson.mp3

My very subjective notes:

(Note that I have never had any dealings with the man nor have I ever heard him speak, so this is coming from a Jim Pierson newb.)

Not very impressed with Jim Pierson.  He really seems to be in damage control mode, trying to explain that Dan Curtis's versions were also in a funny vein.  And that people basically "need to lighten up" - Direct quote from the middle of the interview.  The second cut of the trailer made me feel better than he did.    The most prominent line from the interview:  "The trailer is a fair representation of the film."

He goes on to explain that Dark Shadows is "a little show that could," that it's not as mainstream as "Star Wars."  (You can tell he wants it to be.)

He keeps talking over the hosts. When asked about the fact that it was presented as a Gothic Horror in early interviews, he gets really defensive:  "It's a hybrid, definitely filled with humor, definitely a lot of moments...  This is a way to keep the original show alive and introduce it to people...."

When asked if he would have done anything different, he says:  "I am not one to complain...  Coming up with this hybrid, everyone figured that this was the best route to cover it.  I don't have any regrets at this point...  My only regret would be that we couldn't get all the original Dark Shadows actors in this movie..."  We will see if he sticks to that after it is released.   

He says that all of the original actors that appeared on the set are happy with it, as are Dan Curtis's daughters. 

Closing statement:  "This movie has something for everybody and that's really the whole idea."

[Richard]

Dan Curtis never "betrayed" his vision and he never "betrayed" Dark Shadows.

What a load of rubbish.

Like all independent producers, Dan Curtis had to shop his projects to the studios and networks for financing and distribution. No matter who you are, money usually comes at the cost of creative control. Curtis never had the clout that Burton and Depp have. I happen to know that he was unhappy with the reboots and very unhappy that he had made the creative control concessions that were required to get those made. He shared in many of the frustrations fans had with both reboots, only moreso. The last reboot especially. Watch the interview with Dan Curtis on The Night Stalker / The Night Strangler DVD where he expresses his disgust over  "development" with the kid execs half his age.

While Dan Curtis may have been open to new ideas and going in different directions, parody is not one of them. Curtis had integrity and too much sense to piss on his whole life. Further, if his estate were discriminating, they would never have licensed Dark Shadows and The Night Stalker to someone like Depp. Depp is a huge international star, but he is the wrong person, creatively for these projects. Depp and Burton are one-trick ponies. They make fetish movies and parodies of other people's creative work. That's the only thing they know how to do. They disrespect Dark Shadows as even as they brag about their affection for it. Knowing what to expect from them, I am not surprised that they turned Dark Shadows into a Mystery Science Theater 3000 parody. Everybody should realize by now what kind of movies they make.

If anyone has betrayed Dark Shadows, it's Jim Pearson.

To the person who asked, yes, I've read The Woman In Black by Susan Hill, and have a 1st edition. I also have the original British telefilm scripted by Nigel Kneale (1989) on DVD. I attended a preview of the new version now in release -- excellent period film, superb ghost story -- and intend to see it again.


Richard

[Barnababy]

Disappointed as I am in Tim Burton and particularly Johnny Depp who I feel with some effort could do much better, I will try to cautiously remain as optimistic as possible until the new movie is actually out.

[Taeylor Collins]

You know how I came to love Dark Shadows, through the 1991 Revival which divided the fans back then too. Once Kathleen Resch informed me (a 13 year old) that is was cancelled my heart was broken. However, I gave the original show a chance going into it with an open mind and an open heart and I feel in love.

I respect everyone opinions!  I could eat my words May 11 but I feel as if I will love the movie for what it is: Dark Shadows 2012! The censors would have never allowed the true essence of the 70's on daytime TV or I am sure we would have seen some of the same scenarios in the original.

I just want to see Dark Shadows continue long after I am gone. I want it to be a hit. I feel if it is and many see it they will be curious to check out the original as well. Fandom needs a new injection of blood (pun intended) and I would love to see that happen. The 1991 version did this for fandom and carried it a long time. If this movie perpetuates Dark Shadows on for another 46 (almost) years then I am all for it. I just don't want DS to die. Our stars are getting older, the original viewers are getting older and I am getting older. I just want a new generation to come to love Dark Shadows. I really feel many new people who love campy, Gothic shows will come to love the original. I have laughed out loud many times at DS although I know that it was not written to be funny it still has made me laugh many many times.

Again, I am so glad to have a moderated board. I do have Facebook page called Dark Shadows Is An Ensemble Show Dammit! where my moderators and I keep things under control. I left four Facebook DS pages yesterday not because of opinions but because of people being Nasty, Rude, and straight up evil and saying I was betraying the original.  I am not trying to promote my page but if you are on FB and don't like the DS pages you are currently on then come give us a try.  We treat all versions, the original, HODS, NODS, 1991 Version, the 2004 version, the new comic, the audio dramas and the new Deep movie with loving respect. 

Again thank you to our moderators for keeping this a fun place to be without nastiness and harsh words.  The world is evil enough with men hurting men.  We in the DS community should all love, respect and value one another.  Peace and 

Tae