Dark Shadows 2012--Anyone else excited?

[Cat]

LOVED IT!!!

I can’t wait to see it again! My husband and I both loved it. Such a sweeping story, inspiring ending, and for Catholics, wonderful tribute to motherhood.

I was completely won over by this movie.

I was and still am a huge fan of the orginal series, and I thought this movie did it proud! Depp was awesome and so was everyone else in the movie.

The one little puzzler for me was the treatment of Julia Hoffman in the story, but I’m guessing that this was done to set up a sequel.

I wouldn’t recommend this for children, but actually, compared to a lot of television and even cartoons, it was rather mild. Some blood, but no heads rolling or eyeballs popping or even stakes and hearts. There were some 4-letters. The “sex” was suggested, not graphic, and little ones probably wouldn’t understand some of the suggestions of oral sex.

The reason I wouldn’t recommend it for children is that it was honestly scary in places, especially the ending. I think that some of the images could truly disturb a small child.

Teens–YES! There were some hilarious parts, but the thing that was really neat for teens was the battle between good and evil throughout the film. Great heroes and villains.

I plan to email my grown children and say, “Go see this movie, because it will explain a lot about why their mother and father are the way they are.” (We grew up in the 1970s!)

 

[Mary_Gail_36]

LOVED IT!!!

I can’t wait to see it again! My husband and I both loved it. Such a sweeping story, inspiring ending, and for Catholics, wonderful tribute to motherhood.

I was completely won over by this movie.

I was and still am a huge fan of the orginal series, and I thought this movie did it proud! Depp was awesome and so was everyone else in the movie.

The one little puzzler for me was the treatment of Julia Hoffman in the story, but I’m guessing that this was done to set up a sequel.

I wouldn’t recommend this for children, but actually, compared to a lot of television and even cartoons, it was rather mild. Some blood, but no heads rolling or eyeballs popping or even stakes and hearts. There were some 4-letters. The “sex” was suggested, not graphic, and little ones probably wouldn’t understand some of the suggestions of oral sex.

The reason I wouldn’t recommend it for children is that it was honestly scary in places, especially the ending. I think that some of the images could truly disturb a small child.

Teens–YES! There were some hilarious parts, but the thing that was really neat for teens was the battle between good and evil throughout the film. Great heroes and villains.

I plan to email my grown children and say, “Go see this movie, because it will explain a lot about why their mother and father are the way they are.” (We grew up in the 1970s!)

Glad you liked it!

I was actually worried that it wouldn’t be to your liking when I saw how Johnny Depp looked, and vaguely remembering the original, it seemed “too much”

 

[Cat]

Glad you liked it!

I was actually worried that it wouldn’t be to your liking when I saw how Johnny Depp looked, and vaguely remembering the original, it seemed “too much”

No, it was perfect.

Frid looked the same way in the show during the times when he was a vampire. If you look at pictures (or watch the DVDs) of the 1897 flashback (Quentin and Beth), Frid’s “Barnabas” (a vampire during this time) was incredibly pale, with very dark, sunken eyes, and extremely hollow cheeks–very similiar to the Depp “Barnabas.”

Here’s a link (I hope) to a photo of Frid’s Barnabas during 1897 (with Beth Chavez): dark-shadows.spruz.com/view/photo/photos.htm?id=54667A85-1C26-467D-B453-935F1209C72C

Several times in the script, Depp’s Barnabas refers to himself (with much horror and regret) as a “monster,” and he is!

In an interview, Depp said that he was tired of seeing “monsters”, mainly vampires, portrayed as looking just like everyone else. Monsters have a physical condition, and it makes sense that they should be pale and gaunt and hollow-eyed, like the old Bela Lugosi “Dracula.”

I think Depp makes sense in this assessment!

As for the camp in the trailers, believe me–this trailer is SOOOOOO misleading. Depp’s Barnabas is just like Frid’s Barnabas–charming, good with children, and intelligent. Yes, there are funny scenes and situations, but what’s cool is that Depp’s Barnabas, just like Frid’s Barnabas, doesn’t realize that he is making a “mistake” and getting his 18th Century mixed up with his 20th Century. In the original series and in the 1990 mini-series, Barnabas had Willie and eventually Julia to help him out of these gaffes. In this film, he has Elizabeth to correct him. It’s sweet, not silly.

I especially like the scene in which Barnabas comes across a blacktop-paved road for the first time. I never would have thought of this, but of course, to someone from the 18th century who knows only dirt roads and paving blocks, blacktop must seem incredibly bizarre! Lest anyone thinks this is ridiculous–when my husband and I lived in North Carolina, we met a North Carolinean who had lived up in Northern Illinois for a while. She told us that when she first moved up, she couldn’t figure out why the farmers burned their fields every spring! Eventually someone explained to her that they didn’t burn their fields–the soil was black, which looked so different from the red soil that she was used to seeing down South! She told us she felt so stupid when she finally learned this.

There is one scene in which Depp does the exact same lines that Frid does in the original series. It has to do with Victoria Winters’ name. Barnabas doesn’t like her called “Vicki” and tells her that she should use every beautiful syllable in her name! It’s a nice tribute to the original series.

 

[Marchmain1987]

I give it two stars – style over plot.
But to be fair, this was common in the serial as well (hence the two stars).

What I disliked about it as a *Dark Shadows *fan:

1. The composite of Maggie Evans and Victoria Winters.
2. Roger’s character as a total good-for-nothing.
3. David’s mother as ghost (yeah – maybe a phoenix wouldn’t work for the big screen).
4. Carolyn Stoddard as a werewolf – it just seemed tacked on.
5. This version of Angelique – I wanted to like/hate her as I did Lara Parker’s Angelique (but I was just indifferent about her).
6. All the Barnabas jokes – they wore thin as the movie went on.
7. Alice Cooper seemed tacked on as well.

What I liked about it as a *Dark Shadows *fan:

1. Michelle Pfeiffer as Elizabeth Collins-Stoddard – perfect, perfect, perfect.
2. Jonathan Frid, Lara Parker, David Selby, and Kathryn Leigh Scott – the highlight of the movie for me.
3. Helena Bonham-Carter’s Dr. Julia Hoffman – perfect, perfect, perfect.
4. The removed sexual tension between Willie and Barnabas.
5. Because of the film, Lara Parker’s books were re-released in paperback.

6.         Collinwood - respectful but revamped. Great!

7.         The Carpenters - it was nice to Karen on the big screen, lol. :rolleyes:

I’m glad I watched it - but I don’t think I will watch it again. I will just stick to my DVD’s when I need my Dark Shadows/Joan Bennet fix.

 

[Sarabande]

I have never seen the original series, nor the remake in the 90s, but am looking forward to seeing it. My Dad loved the original as a teen and we grew up knowing a bit about it as kids from him. He’s a great whistler and would whistle the theme music all the time, especially at night and when we were out taking a moonlight walk in the woods. I’m humming the tune in my head now. lol!

 

[Cat]

I give it two stars – style over plot.
But to be fair, this was common in the serial as well (hence the two stars).

What I disliked about it as a *Dark Shadows *fan:

1. The composite of Maggie Evans and Victoria Winters.
2. Roger’s character as a total good-for-nothing.
3. David’s mother as ghost (yeah – maybe a phoenix wouldn’t work for the big screen).
4. Carolyn Stoddard as a werewolf – it just seemed tacked on.
5. This version of Angelique – I wanted to like/hate her as I did Lara Parker’s Angelique (but I was just indifferent about her).
6. All the Barnabas jokes – they wore thin as the movie went on.
7. Alice Cooper seemed tacked on as well.

What I liked about it as a *Dark Shadows *fan:

1. Michelle Pfeiffer as Elizabeth Collins-Stoddard – perfect, perfect, perfect.
2. Jonathan Frid, Lara Parker, David Selby, and Kathryn Leigh Scott – the highlight of the movie for me.
3. Helena Bonham-Carter’s Dr. Julia Hoffman – perfect, perfect, perfect.
4. The removed sexual tension between Willie and Barnabas.
5. Because of the film, Lara Parker’s books were re-released in paperback.

6.         Collinwood - respectful but revamped. Great!

7.         The Carpenters - it was nice to Karen on the big screen, lol. :rolleyes:

I’m glad I watched it - but I don’t think I will watch it again. I will just stick to my DVD’s when I need my Dark Shadows/Joan Bennet fix.

I liked the Maggie Evans/Victoria Winters mix. In the original series (and movie), Barnabas switched back and forth between “Victoria looks just like Josette” and “Maggie looks just like Josette!” I never understood that as a teenager.

Anyway, I thought that the blend of the two characters made sense, considering how fuzzy the original series was about “Josette.”

In the original series, Roger was a ne’er do well ratfink who womanized, drank too much, spent too much, and never bothered to go down to the canning factory to do his job of managing it. Elizabeth did all the work while her brother mooched off her. So I thought the movie was right on the money with this portrayal. (There is a good opening for sequel involving Roger–in the original series, Roger returned to Collinwood married to Cassandra, who was a new incarnation of Angelique–mayhem ensued.)

I didn’t mind the werewolf thing. There was always something surprising in Dark Shadows. My only regret is that Nancy Barrett, who originated the role of Carolyn, and has the honor of playing more characters than anyone on the original series, is probably wishing that she could have played a werewolf back then!

I didn’t mind the Barnabas jokes either. There were plenty of them in the original series, although since the show was spread out over several years, they didn’t come at us as fast.

And I honestly didn’t mind Alice Cooper. He was so popular back then, and controversial. It made sense that he would be the “guest” at the ball. So often, the plot was advanced in the series (and in the movie) by the Collins family hosting a “ball” or “party”, during which all kinds of secrets were revealed. Usually the party/ball ended with some kind of terrific murder or ghastly scene that dispersed all the townspeople and left the Collins family with a huge mess–not only the party, but a pile of bodies and a monster on the loose!

But it was so much fun for us to watch back then, as the parties meant lavish decor and beautiful costumes for the characters. One of my mother’s main reasons for liking the show was that everyone was so pretty (including the men!).

Interesting that you LIKED the Julia Hoffman in the movie. I’m still not sure about it. I thought that of all the actors in the original series, the one the would be hardest to follow is Grayson Hall. She was truly larger-than-life in her real life and in her on-set/on-stage performances. A gifted actress, Oscar-nominated–but what a personality! Kind of like Lady Gaga–she’s not going to be upstaged easily.

So I pitied the actress in the movie. And I thought that it would have been better to re-created the role, as Barbara Steele did in the 1990 mini-series. I didn’t get the whole “drunkard” thing–it didn’t fit with the series. I did get the desire to be forever young and beautiful–that was the problem in the series!–Julia wasn’t young or beautiful and she couldn’t begin to compete with Josette, Angelique, Victoria, Maggie, Roxanne, or Beth, or any of the women that Barnabas hankered after. So I get that. But I thought she seemed much too cold and inhuman, and that’s not what Julia was like in the original series.

I’m wondering if both Burton and Depp, who are several years younger than me, didn’t like Julia Hoffman back when they watched the show during their boyhood years. As a young teenager, I liked her very much, and I am a medical technologist today because of her–I got interested in lab science watching Julia play with her test tubes and look under the microscope.

Also, as a female, I liked Julia Hoffman because she was where EVERY WOMEN AND GIRL in the U.S. was back then–we all loved Barnabas, too, but we could never have him.

And of course, Depp and Burton, being boys, wouldn’t get this, since they weren’t “in love” with Barnabas like Julia and all the rest of us women/girls were!

So they didn’t like her because she was homely and loud and nervous-acting, not pretty and sweet and sexy like Kathryn Leigh Scott, Alexandra Moltke, and Donna Wandrey (of the famous “short hair!”) .

Anyway, if you have any insights as to why the Julia Hoffman characterization and script in the movie was good, please tell. I’m very interested in the alternative viewpoint to my own regarding this movie. Thanks.

 

[Marchmain1987]

With the Maggie/Victoria thing, I think my feeling is tied to the fact that the series (before Barnabas – and a little after) focused mainly on Vicki and her interactions (and I watched it from the beginning on DVD) with the natural and supernatural of Collinwood. Personally, I identified with Vicki and it was just hard to see Maggie and Vicki as the same character. And would that Vicki or Maggie or Josette ever really ask to be vampire? That was just too much of a change for me.

With Roger Collins, it just seemed a little too much of a caricature of Louis Edmonds (on *Dark Shadows *and All My Children). However much of a “bum” he was, Rodger really cared for David. I think they missed something with that – but I suppose you are right about it being left open for a sequel. Angelique will never just go away. With Angelique, I think it comes from her being my favorite character. Lara Parker is Angelique. Maybe I am just being a fan-snob, lol.

Am I the only one who thought Carolyn being a werewolf was tacked on?

I thought HBC stayed true to the spirit of Grayson Hall’s character (and the red hair). However, the “medicated” part seems to be a more modern take on the character. No main-stream theater audience would really like Hall’s Dr. Julia “Nervous –Screaming” Hoffman. I think the same for MP’s Elizabeth Collins-Stoddard. It wasn’t the same but it wasn’t so far off the mark for Joan Bennett (except the shotgun part).

 

[SMHW]

Julia wasn’t young or beautiful and she couldn’t begin to compete with Josette, Angelique, Victoria, Maggie, Roxanne, or Beth, or any of the women that Barnabas hankered after. So I get that. But I thought she seemed much too cold and inhuman, and that’s not what Julia was like in the original series

Also, as a female, I liked Julia Hoffman because she was where EVERY WOMEN AND GIRL in the U.S. was back then–we all loved Barnabas, too, but we could never have him.

I haven’t seen the movie and still feel a bit strange about it…

But I just wanted to say that, Cat, you are so right on about the Julia Hoffman character from the original series.

I used to feel so badly for Julia back then. She’d watch Barnabas fall for all these other women and there she was, on the sidelines again. And you are right about her being a female science roll model. I have heard people name Lt. Uhura from Star Trek as a female role model but Julia Hoffman was actually a scientist!

A few months after the series ended Sam Hall wrote a little article that was published in TV Guide magazine. It was a kind of follow-up on the characters. And in summary he has Barnabas and Julia getting married. That made me happy. (But I didn’t like that he had Chris Jennings kill Sabrina and I think Amy.)

Sadly I no longer have that TV Guide. I took it with me when visiting a friend who was a fellow DS lover. Unfortunately I forgot it and by the time I realized it her mother had thrown it away.

 

[Cat]

I haven’t seen the movie and still feel a bit strange about it…

But I just wanted to say that, Cat, you are so right on about the Julia Hoffman character from the original series.

I used to feel so badly for Julia back then. She’d watch Barnabas fall for all these other women and there she was, on the sidelines again. And you are right about her being a female science roll model. I have heard people name Lt. Uhura from Star Trek as a female role model but Julia Hoffman was actually a scientist!

A few months after the series ended Sam Hall wrote a little article that was published in TV Guide magazine. It was a kind of follow-up on the characters. And in summary he has Barnabas and Julia getting married. That made me happy. (But I didn’t like that he had Chris Jennings kill Sabrina and I think Amy.)

Sadly I no longer have that TV Guide. I took it with me when visiting a friend who was a fellow DS lover. Unfortunately I forgot it and by the time I realized it her mother had thrown it away.

I still have the article in one of my scrapbooks.

And I agree, I loved that article.

But I still Barnabas did best with Roxanne. They looked amazing together.

Oh, my, there certainly is a ton of material for sequels, isn’t there? I just hope that they are able to do sequels, and add the Quentin character.

 

[Cat]

With the Maggie/Victoria thing, I think my feeling is tied to the fact that the series (before Barnabas – and a little after) focused mainly on Vicki and her interactions (and I watched it from the beginning on DVD) with the natural and supernatural of Collinwood. Personally, I identified with Vicki and it was just hard to see Maggie and Vicki as the same character. And would that Vicki or Maggie or Josette ever really ask to be vampire? That was just too much of a change for me.

With Roger Collins, it just seemed a little too much of a caricature of Louis Edmonds (on *Dark Shadows *and All My Children). However much of a “bum” he was, Rodger really cared for David. I think they missed something with that – but I suppose you are right about it being left open for a sequel. Angelique will never just go away. With Angelique, I think it comes from her being my favorite character. Lara Parker is Angelique. Maybe I am just being a fan-snob, lol.

Am I the only one who thought Carolyn being a werewolf was tacked on?

I thought HBC stayed true to the spirit of Grayson Hall’s character (and the red hair). However, the “medicated” part seems to be a more modern take on the character. No main-stream theater audience would really like Hall’s Dr. Julia “Nervous –Screaming” Hoffman. I think the same for MP’s Elizabeth Collins-Stoddard. It wasn’t the same but it wasn’t so far off the mark for Joan Bennett (except the shotgun part).

I definitely agree that Lara Parker IS Angelique. Those glowing aqua-blue eyes were so beautiful. The bubbling laugh is delightful–she is always asked to do “the laugh” at Dark Shadows Festivals. She had a little girl-look on the show that made her evil seem even more evil. (She is a very tiny woman, BTW.)

I think that Eva Green’s Angelique was a little too beachy, if you know what I mean. And I think it’s interesting that the same kind of sexual energy was present between Angelique and Barnabas on the old series, but they never, ever showed them doing anything other than kissing. They didn’t need to show anything–the actors knew how to portray brooding sexual desire without being explicit about it.

I personally liked Lysette Anthony’s Angelique (in the 1990 mini-series) better than Eva Green’s Angelique. Here’s a link to Anthony’s picture–hope it works. google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://images.wikia.com/darkshadows/images/c/c0/Angelique1991.jpg&imgrefurl=http://darkshadows.wikia.com/wiki/Angelique_Bouchard&h=634&w=370&sz=17&tbnid=opPn_W6TxlTsqM:&tbnh=103&tbnw=60&prev=/search%3Fq%3DAngelique%2BLysette%2BAnthony%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=Angelique+Lysette+Anthony&docid=UU-GDuKu8_HHHM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=ukywT9rNBonA8AS5pu3UCA&ved=0CG8Q9QEwBQ&dur=328

 

[Marchmain1987]

I definitely agree that Lara Parker IS Angelique. Those glowing aqua-blue eyes were so beautiful. The bubbling laugh is delightful–she is always asked to do “the laugh” at Dark Shadows Festivals. She had a little girl-look on the show that made her evil seem even more evil. (She is a very tiny woman, BTW.)

I think that Eva Green’s Angelique was a little too beachy, if you know what I mean. And I think it’s interesting that the same kind of sexual energy was present between Angelique and Barnabas on the old series, but they never, ever showed them doing anything other than kissing. They didn’t need to show anything–the actors knew how to portray brooding sexual desire without being explicit about it.

I personally liked Lysette Anthony’s Angelique (in the 1990 mini-series) better than Eva Green’s Angelique. Here’s a link to Anthony’s picture–hope it works. google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://images.wikia.com/darkshadows/images/c/c0/Angelique1991.jpg&imgrefurl=http://darkshadows.wikia.com/wiki/Angelique_Bouchard&h=634&w=370&sz=17&tbnid=opPn_W6TxlTsqM:&tbnh=103&tbnw=60&prev=/search%3Fq%3DAngelique%2BLysette%2BAnthony%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=Angelique+Lysette+Anthony&docid=UU-GDuKu8_HHHM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=ukywT9rNBonA8AS5pu3UCA&ved=0CG8Q9QEwBQ&dur=328

Me too for the Revival Show’s Angelique! I started with the revival series and that is how I came to the original series. And I agree about Barnabas and Angelique’s relationship. You could really tell how much she loved him (albeit in a twisted way). With Eva Green’s Angelique I was also just put-off off by the personality (with a b replacing the w thing in witch).

I was in college on a budget. I wanted an apartment (by myself) so I didn’t have a cable, satellite or high speed internet there. My mom suggested soaps to keep me going when I wanted something to watch. So I hooked myself on *Dark Shadows *and Dallas.

I forgot about Grayson Hall in Dan Curtis’ two movies. Even she toned Hoffman down a bit in NODS and her Drake character from HODS. But she is wonderful – don’t get me wrong. I remember when Carolyn was under Barnabas’ power and was after Julia’s book – I actually talked back to the TV. I got involved in my “stories” as my grandmother would say. (I think both of those films are, finally, coming to DVD in 2013). She is wonderful in *Night of the Iguana *(she really should have won the Academy Award).

I really thought I wouldn’t like MP as Liz. I loved Joan Bennett.

If they do make a squeal, I hope the Rev. Trask or Abigail Collins makes an appearance.

Have you read Lara Parker’s two books? The third one is coming out in October. I bought them but they are still in my “to-read-pile.” I am thinking I should have bought the audio book.

 

[Cat]

Me too for the Revival Show’s Angelique! I started with the revival series and that is how I came to the original series. And I agree about Barnabas and Angelique’s relationship. You could really tell how much she loved him (albeit in a twisted way). With Eva Green’s Angelique I was also just put-off off by the personality (with a b replacing the w thing in witch).

I was in college on a budget. I wanted an apartment (by myself) so I didn’t have a cable, satellite or high speed internet there. My mom suggested soaps to keep me going when I wanted something to watch. So I hooked myself on *Dark Shadows *and Dallas.

I forgot about Grayson Hall in Dan Curtis’ two movies. Even she toned Hoffman down a bit in NODS and her Drake character from HODS. But she is wonderful – don’t get me wrong. I remember when Carolyn was under Barnabas’ power and was after Julia’s book – I actually talked back to the TV. I got involved in my “stories” as my grandmother would say. (I think both of those films are, finally, coming to DVD in 2013). She is wonderful in *Night of the Iguana *(she really should have won the Academy Award).

I really thought I wouldn’t like MP as Liz. I loved Joan Bennett.

If they do make a squeal, I hope the Rev. Trask or Abigail Collins makes an appearance.

Have you read Lara Parker’s two books? The third one is coming out in October. I bought them but they are still in my “to-read-pile.” I am thinking I should have bought the audio book.

Yes, I’ve read Parker’s two novels. The first one is fine, the second one I found confusing. But they do round out the characters.

I’m surprised that more Dark Shadows novels haven’t been done recently. There are dozens and dozens of Star Trek and Star Wars novels by many different authors. Perhaps the same will happen with DS now. I have the 32 Marilyn Ross novels, and have read all of them many times–lots of fun!

Rev. Gregory Trask-yes!! I would like to see Robert Patrick cast as Rev. Trask. I think his glacial pale blue eyes and intensity would make that part really scary! And I think he would romp through the role and probably steal the show!

I don’t think Clarice Blackburn could ever be replaced as Abigail Collins. Grayson Hall was hard enough, but Blackburn was stellar in any part she played. It would be a tough role to cast. Did you know that she was actually a writer, and went on after Dark Shadows to write for several TV shows?

Interesting that in the new movie, Mrs. Johnson, played by Clarice Blackburn, was a non-speaking part present mainly to provide a few laughs. In the original, Mrs. Johnson wove in and out of the plot and often gave the impression of being the most sinister character in the show. Certainly she knew the most!

 

[Marchmain1987]

Interesting that in the new movie, Mrs. Johnson, played by Clarice Blackburn, was a non-speaking part present mainly to provide a few laughs. In the original, Mrs. Johnson wove in and out of the plot and often gave the impression of being the most sinister character in the show. Certainly she knew the most!

Didn’t know that - wow.

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

I didn’t mind the werewolf thing. There was always something surprising in Dark Shadows. My only regret is that Nancy Barrett, who originated the role of Carolyn, and has the honor of playing more characters than anyone on the original series, is probably wishing that she could have played a werewolf back then!

I can see how it felt tacked on but one thing I liked about that scene was that it sort of expressed just how cursed the family was. You not only have an angsty werewolf girl, you also have a boy whose mother becomes a sort of vengeful, ghostly guardian, and then spoiler warning the vampires Barnabas and Josette themselves.

I mean I don’t even know much about the original but I never get tired of seeing so many horror archetypes duking it out in one place.

 

[KevinAK]

Interesting that in the new movie, Mrs. Johnson, played by Clarice Blackburn, was a non-speaking part present mainly to provide a few laughs. In the original, Mrs. Johnson wove in and out of the plot and often gave the impression of being the most sinister character in the show. Certainly she knew the most!

According to IMDB Mrs. Johnson was not played by Clarice Blackburn:

imdb.com/name/nm4709261/

 

[SMHW]

According to IMDB Mrs. Johnson was not played by Clarice Blackburn:

imdb.com/name/nm4709261/

I think what Cat intended to convey was that Clarice Blackburn played Mrs. Johnson back in the 1960’s and 1970’s.

 

[Marchmain1987]

I think what Cat intended to convey was that Clarice Blackburn played Mrs. Johnson back in the 1960’s and 1970’s.

Yeah - I see that now.

 

[Cat]

I can see how it felt tacked on but one thing I liked about that scene was that it sort of expressed just how cursed the family was. You not only have an angsty werewolf girl, you also have a boy whose mother becomes a sort of vengeful, ghostly guardian, and then spoiler warning the vampires Barnabas and Josette themselves.

I mean I don’t even know much about the original but I never get tired of seeing so many horror archetypes duking it out in one place.

SPOILER ALERT!!
I am wondering if it’s accidental, or if Burton and Depp meant to present all these monsters (family curse), but to demonstrate that they are nothing to be upset about compared to the worse monster of them all, a very real monster that many families are destroyed by today–a deserting father who cares more for money and women than his own child.

To me, that was a very powerful and meaningful scene in the film.

 

[SMHW]

I finally saw the movie today.

There were things I would have done a bit differently but all in all, I liked it.

 

[tabycat]

:The first thing I did after hearing that Johnny Depp was playing Barnabas was to cough up a big heirball. I’m not a big Depp fan and he does not the the cheek bones for the part. I don’t know if I’m going to the movie.

One piece of trivea: the actor (can’t think of his name) that played the sharriff on Dark Shadows was on McGiver(s?).