Dark Shadows, the 2012 movie version, is now in theaters. Have you seen it? I haven't had the courage to go and sit through it. Sadly, I think this will have to wait until Netflix has it available. And that is hard to say because I saw the first Twilight movie in the theater. (Didn't love it, but had to see it.)
I've liked Johnny Depp before, but I loved him since Donnie Brasco (1997). And, I watched the 1991 version of Dark Shadows when it was on TV. (The original daytime soap version was before my time, so the series was new to me.) I remember watching it alone, since no one else in my family shared my love of vampires or quirky TV shows. (Twin Peaks? Yep, loved that, too!)
So, I was very excited when I heard Johnny Depp was going to be playing Barnabas Collins. His ability to play dark, moody characters seemed like the perfect fit. The timing was perfect, at the height of the Twilight/Vampire Diaries craze, still riding the Pirates of the Caribbean crest. This dramatic story will have new life breathed into it, I thought. After casting was announced, I waited to see how the movie would turn out. I was delighted when I got the chance to see the movie trailer.
Only, it sucked.
But not in that great "vampire-y" sort of way.
Here is a movie review, with links to the 1973 and 1991 TV versions.
How could they take Dark Shadows and turn it into a comedy? How could both Tim Burton and Johnny Depp sell out and disappoint? This should have been dark, scary and sexy. This should have put Twilight to shame with its sparkly vampires. This should have reaffirmed vampires as the go-to genre. This should have been big-- epic, even. But, alas, it will be just one more movie that will easily be forgotten before summer rolls around and vampires go back to sparkling in the sun.
