I find it very disappointing that this one of those discs which netflix offers (both dvd and bluray) with no special features included. It doesn't motivate me to buy the retail version so much as to just not bother with netflix. Which is why (aside from living on a remote island with no movie theatre nearby) I saw the film for the first time ever last night.
Anyway, my first impression of the film was very favorable--I was taken aback by the visuals, and seeing...someone arrive on the train was awesome. It was also problematic--I understand that she would have a need to change her name, but on such a shallow and last-minute pretext, with no emotion whatsoever? I liked the pumpkin patch in front of the house, but I didn't like that over manicured lawn that apparently takes the place of the Collins forest that so much of the OS took place in. I wish there was more of 1770, particularly a scene with Angelique and Josette together, and the hint that there were other Collins's alive back then. I found the beginning of the film rather funny too, but it just didn't really go anywhere. The characters were not developed enough--Viki/Maggie was hardly even in the film at all, I don't know when she fell in love with Barnabas, but it was off-camera. The supposedly big dramatic scenes all felt a little stilted, awkward, like the actors didn't really know what their motivations were or perhaps were advised to keep things on a 'light' note no matter what? I also didn't like Barnabas very much--his ability to control himself in other situations tells me that he didn't really have to kill that entire group of young hippies and Julia. I didn't find either instance funny.
I think if Elizabeth had been standing in the background while Barnabas caught Roger trying to enter the vault, it could have provided an opportunity for a verbal showdown between the siblings like the many compelling ones we saw between Bennet and Edmonds, and could have told us more about who these characters are, their histories, their relationship with each other. Having Barnabas manhandle Roger and almost take over running the family in the process doesn't really do anything for me. The actual storytelling is so clumsy, filled with little by-the-way hints (like instead of talking about who Liz's husband was, they have Carolyn open for Alice Coppers song referring to her father with Elizabeth looking stern in response) while so much time is dedicated to horror movie clichés that it's really a waste. They could have done so much more in two hours. Would people in the age range of the OS series actors really come to this party/Alice Cooper concert and enjoy themselves back in the 70's?
Years ago I remember reading an interview in which Burton stated that when he was trying to shop Beetlejuice (his second ever film) to producers they made him change the script, insisting that "there needed to be some action, some romance in the third act..." He took their advice and has used this as a formula to end almost all of his films since then, with a big chase scene, often a kidnapping and huge dramatic battle with a kiss at the end. He used it again here; the ending was just terrible. It almost reminded me of the X-men more then Dark Shadows, a very comic book display of "superpowers" in which I also recognized derivative elements from many other horror films. Just an excuse for a bunch of CGI.
So, Angelique killed Laura; why? What was their relationship? What kind of person was Laura? If the film was written differently, these big reveals might have actually meant something, I might care. I'm not really sure if Josette's ghost actually inhabited her body in the end, or if this was just another one of Maggie's spur-of-the-moment name changes. I guess the potential sequel will involve Julia rising and forming a rival clan of vampires to fight Barnabas, and Elizabeth will turn against him once she finds out he betrayed her by killing Julia. I'm sure the rebuilding of the house, recovery of Barnabas treasure and the Collins company will all be given a very easy explanation if there is a next film, which makes it all difficult to actually care about. Instead of story, it's mostly just trivia, and therefore trivial.
Topic: Depp/Burton DARK SHADOWS Is In Release!! (Read 350608 times)