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Current Talk '12 II / Re: cursed...or charmed???
« on: October 09, 2012, 02:47:46 AM »
Not much to say beyond the fact that I have had similar thoughts to those you have voiced.
Yet to see Depp Shadows so I won't comment. I have seen the 1991 series and the 04 pilot and neither was an artistic success, though for what it is worth, I do think the 1991 redaction had some wonderful moments, thanks in large part to Barbara Steele, Julianna McCarthy, and occasionally Ben Cross (miscast and poorly directed in his role, just my opinion). Some of the others had good moments but these three performances were the main standouts in what rapidly slithered into an unwieldy mess. Again, network interference in the plotlines and the production seems in part to blame. I haven't followed the respective histories all that carefully but I have the impression that a "too many cooks" situation may also be to blame for the difficulties of the 04 WB thing and the Burton/Depp fandango.
I personally don't grok the concept of DS as a "franchise." To me, the original series, a weird, underbudgeted, oddball little adventure, more or less ignored or misunderstood by network suits and much of the ABC publicity arm, busting out to become this huge cultural phenomenon that became part of the late Sixties countercultural scene, is way, way ahead of--and more interesting than--any of the attempts at a reboot. Maybe part of the reason for that is the extraordinary calibre of the original cast, and the fact that some of the writing was so literate, with that Victorian gothic texture that made it all so memorable.
Just my thoughts. I do think that fans of the various versions could give more accurate accountings since they are more familiar with the quirks of the situations involved in the production of each successive attempt at a revival.
G.
Yet to see Depp Shadows so I won't comment. I have seen the 1991 series and the 04 pilot and neither was an artistic success, though for what it is worth, I do think the 1991 redaction had some wonderful moments, thanks in large part to Barbara Steele, Julianna McCarthy, and occasionally Ben Cross (miscast and poorly directed in his role, just my opinion). Some of the others had good moments but these three performances were the main standouts in what rapidly slithered into an unwieldy mess. Again, network interference in the plotlines and the production seems in part to blame. I haven't followed the respective histories all that carefully but I have the impression that a "too many cooks" situation may also be to blame for the difficulties of the 04 WB thing and the Burton/Depp fandango.
I personally don't grok the concept of DS as a "franchise." To me, the original series, a weird, underbudgeted, oddball little adventure, more or less ignored or misunderstood by network suits and much of the ABC publicity arm, busting out to become this huge cultural phenomenon that became part of the late Sixties countercultural scene, is way, way ahead of--and more interesting than--any of the attempts at a reboot. Maybe part of the reason for that is the extraordinary calibre of the original cast, and the fact that some of the writing was so literate, with that Victorian gothic texture that made it all so memorable.
Just my thoughts. I do think that fans of the various versions could give more accurate accountings since they are more familiar with the quirks of the situations involved in the production of each successive attempt at a revival.
G.