Depp/Burton DARK SHADOWS Is In Production!!

[michael c]

i was not aware that ms. scott had sold pomegranate press...

when did she sell? at the fest every year she's still seated at a table filled with pom press books so it seems like she still has an interest in those books selling.

[Midnite]

obviously the writer didn't exactly get all his facts correct

her facts 

[Darren Gross]

The writer got their facts wrong.  Dan Curtis didn't have a son.  The pictured person is indeed Michael Culhane.

And yes, indeed, it's looking like Night of Dark Shadows is on the path to restoration.  Very very positive signs lately.  

The writer also lumped in HODS with NODS, which may cause some confusion, thinking that HODS is going to be restored as well.  It isn't-- the missing footage still isn't known to exist.

[Cousin_Barnabas]

Begin tirade.

I am hoping that Cobert's theme will do more than just "play a part".  What kind of silliness is that?  His theme should be THE theme.  There is no reason it shouldn't be.  The movie is set in the early '70s.  There is no greater Horror composer than Cobert for that time period.  Preceded by B. Hermann and J. Bernard and followed up by J. Goldsmith, Cobert defines this era of horror.  For his music to only figure in or play a part is disrespectful to the beautiful art he created.  Elfman needn't do a re-score of all the original music as he did for the remake of Psycho (It would be nice if he did); but, just as with that movie, the music is what makes Dark Shadows.  It has always distinctly been Cobert - It was even going to be him in the WB series.  To not have Cobert is bad enough, but to just have his main theme "figure in" is a terrible oversight.  Even if Quentin and Josette are not present, I would at least expect to hear their themes used - even if it is just as party music during the masquerade where the original actors make cameos  But, Josette's Music Box could easily be used for Victoria or the 1772 flashback.  And if we got a sequel with Quentin, Shadows of the Night should be used there.  And I'd like some Cobert stings as well.  I don't ask for much, but I do ask that Elfman study Cobert and his original compositions and lift major parts of his work for integration into the film.  Otherwise he's writing for something, but it won't be Dark Shadows.

End tirade.        

[Gothick]

I thought there were two Pom Presses--the one owned by KLS, and the one that does all the high quality calendars, greeting cards, etc.  If they are one and the same I would guess that she did sell it, but maybe with the proviso that they would continue to do her DS books, etc.

G.

[borgosi]

Cousin Barnabas - If the possable spoilers are true, your right, this will be something but not Dark Shadows. It may even be a great movie, just not a DS movie.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

The writer got their facts wrong. ... The writer also lumped in HODS with NODS, which may cause some confusion, thinking that HODS is going to be restored as well.

The sad, though certainly not unexpected, thing is that links to the article are being tweeted left and right today and other Web sites are picking up and reporting the same misinformation. Of course, it's hardly the first or last time spreading misinformation about DS will happen. Though what's really sad is a whole lot of people are going to accept the misinformation as fact. Not only are they going to be confused when there's no missing footage restored to hoDS, they're going to be disappointed - and it will all be traceable to that writer who couldn't get her facts right...

292 days 6 hours 57 minutes 46 seconds until the day the Depp/Burton DARK SHADOWS is released(ET)!!

[michaelhacketttodd]

For me, it is gratifying that, after over 40 years, Dark Shadows is still a popular attraction.  Debb/Burton will do everything they can to recapture the energy and spirit of the original series, but they must also appeal to a "Modern" audience.  That means making adjustments that the most devoted fans may find painful.  If the show fails at the Box Office, we will not see any sequels.  We must keep Dark Shadows going far into the future.    

[Cousin_Barnabas]

Borgosi, [spoiler]if you count the number of cameos and compare it to something stated in the spoilers, you will note a discrepancy.[/spoiler]  Just something to consider.  (Spoiler for MB and others, as it refers to a specific spoiler - though it's not really a spoiler.  Just being safe.)  

MHT, absolutely!  I just disagree with those who would say that using more than 30 seconds of the original score would do anything to ward off modern audiences.  The main themes (Dark Shadows, Josette's Music Box, and Shadows of the Night) are timeless compositions of popular television and should be incorporated as much as they are relevant.  They needn't be reinvented, altered, changed, or minimized in the new film.  Elfman should embrace Cobert's work and use as much of it as he can.  There's no reason not to.

Otherwise, I suggest they promptly ditch him and give Cobert the job.  No.  This is not an important concern of mine at all.   

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Oops - missed this tweet this morning:

Phoenix_James
Super time on set with Johnny Depp & Eva Green yesterday @PinewoodStudios. Tim Burton is Awesome and Johnny is... something else! #Thankful
13 hours ago


And he's the actual tweet that was reported on by JOHNNYDEPPREADS:

@OhJohnnyKazren
They were not allowed to say what Johnny looked like, but Lara Parker said, "Beautiful" several times and "sexy."
Jul 22


And as for Bob Cobert scoring the Depp/DS film, he's made it quite clear that he doesn't want the job. And one can't really expect one artist to simply reinterpret another's work. Danny Elfman probably doesn't mind utilizing Cobert's main theme in the film, but one can't really expect him to rework/reinterpret Cobert's other pieces rather than write his own and put his own stamp on the film.

291 days 23 hours 51 minutes 45 seconds until the day the Depp/Burton DARK SHADOWS is released(ET)!!

[Cousin_Barnabas]

I can, MB.   

The music is as much a part of Dark Shadows as the characters of Barnabas and Victoria.  A Dark Shadows lacking the main themes is not really Dark Shadows.  I don't expect him to reinterpret Cobert's music for his whole score, though he did it for Psycho.  I don't need the incidentals.  But, I do expect him to channel Cobert in every way he can when it comes to established musical themes.  Unfortunately for Elfman, Dark Shadows isn't a new work.  It's a remake - not of a book, but of another piece of "film" - and with a remake of such a work comes certain expectations:  that all of the important elements of the original are held together so that it is recognizable as being based on the original.  They can be re-arranged or reinterpreted, but they should still be present.  The music is not something you can remove from Dark Shadows no matter how hard you try.  Like I said, I'm not asking for much, just that he uses established character themes if those characters are involved.  I'm more understanding if they aren't.  But it is inexcusable to create a completely different score for a work that already has an established repertoire of music, just as there is an established repertoire of characters, just because you want to put your own stamp on something.  If you have a burning desire to leave your mark, do it on something which hasn't been done before.  Otherwise, respect the original source material by using the important elements.  And, imo, there are few elements more important than Cobert's main themes. 

Take a look at Star Wars.  It is originally a film.  If you were to remake it, there would be the expectation that you include the main theme, of course.  But, the expectation is also inherent that you maintain "The Imperial March" and "The Force" themes.  Those themes are as important to the feel of Star Wars as Darth Vader and Han Solo.  Just as Cobert's other main themes are essential to Dark Shadows.  Trust me, if someone were to write a new piece to take the place of the Imperial March simply because he wanted to leave a mark on the new version, I can guarantee you that there would be blood spilled.  I feel that expecting any less of Elfman to maintain and utilize original themes is doing an injustice to the original source material, fans, and Cobert himself. 

And, yes, I know Cobert has declined the job, but he did mention royalties.     I'd hope for him that there are a great many royalties to be reaped. 

Again, just my very strong opinion on the matter.  But, I feel I have a right to have a strong opinion - as should other fans of the original and revival.  There are three things which have held Dark Shadows together in all of its various forms and through all of its plot lines:  The name Collins, the house called Collinwood, and Bob Cobert's music.  Nothing else - not even the presence of the supernatural (just some strong allusions to it).    

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

i was not aware that ms. scott had sold pomegranate press...

when did she sell?

From the article Lunch: Moguls, Mavens and a Vampire Primer, dated April 30, 2008:

"These days the absolutely ageless Kathryn, having sold her incredibly successful imprint Pomegranate Press which published countless tomes on Dark Shadows and other pop cultural touchstones, is concentrating her considerable talents on writing fiction. Her first novel, Murder in Primetime, was a hit and now she’s hard at work on her next thriller."

The article was first linked to here:

This article indicates in part that  Katheryn Leigh Scott sent Johnny Depp her entire DS book collection to help him prepare for the role of Barnabas Collins.

http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/lunch/lunch_moguls_mavens_and_a_vampire_primer_83683.asp

And the selling of Pom Press was first referenced on the forum here:

Interesting. The link also indicates that KLS has sold Pomegranate Press.

291 days 22 hours 33 minutes 21 seconds until the day the Depp/Burton DARK SHADOWS is released(ET)!!

[Mysterious Benefactor]

filming began in May and continues into the fall.

Hmmm - previous reports have given a completion date of August 12th or "sometime in August" for shooting. But August is not in the fall. Fall doesn't arrive until September 23rd.

Shooting from about mid-May into just about mid-August was already a long shoot. Going into September and possibly beyond will be REALLY long! Wow...

Though doesn't The Lone Ranger begin shooting in October? Not that Depp hasn't gone from one film right into another with very little time in between. And if what Thomas McDonell has lead us to believe is true, Depp would actually complete his portion of the film before McDonell even begins his. And in some of McDonell's interviews, he did say that he wouldn't begin shooting until fall (though he also said near the end of summer, which some reports took to mean late-August/early-September - and he also said the film was already shooting in April when it wasn't)...

But whatever - shooting will end when it ends.  

291 days 21 hours 47 minutes 39 seconds until the day the Depp/Burton DARK SHADOWS is released(ET)!!

[LdyAnne]

another thing about the article "Parker has her third "Angelique" book coming out, and it's based on both original and new characters. It's called The Salem Branch and is about Angelique's first incarnation as a witch in Salem, Massachusetts."  wasn't that the title and plot of her 2nd book?

[Cousin_Barnabas]

I also noticed that LdyAnne.  I'd really love to see a video of this panel so we could hear it all for ourselves.  Perhaps a third book was mentioned and then she name dropped the second book.  Who knows?  The author obviously mixed up some of her notes when writing the piece.