> REVIEW
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Dark Shadows (2012)
Every summer has its demons…
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By Simon Francis | May 2012
DIRECTOR: Tim Burton
WRITER(s): Seth Grahame-Smith / John August (story) / Dan Curtis (source)
Over recent years it has become common practice for Tim Burton to give staples of literature the ‘Burton makeover’. With his ever-willing muse Johnny Depp by his side, the director has taken on Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Hugh Wheeler’s gothic musical Sweeney Todd and more recently Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland with mixed results. This time out the dynamic duo reprise Dan Curtis’ campy, cult 60s sitcom Dark Shadows.
Depp plays Barnabus Collins, a wealthy playboy and heir to the Collinwood Mansion whose world is turned eternal when he crosses love-scorned witch Angelique Bouchard (Eva Green); turning him into a vampire, Angelique buries the lovable rogue alive for 200 years, until he is accidentally released from his entombment in 1972.
Barnabus returns to his beloved, now somewhat neglected residence to find his distant relatives Elizabeth Collins Stoddard (Michelle Pfeiffer) and Roger Collins (Jonny Lee Miller) residing there. He soon vows to restore the family business to its former glory, but the immortal Angelique continues to stand in his way.
Burton proceeds with his usual flamboyant and gothic eccentricity and Depp’s depiction of Barnabus is one of the film’s few successes; his bumbling, fish-out-of-water attempts to conform to 1970’s society provides the narrative its comedic heartbeat.
And yet despite the unquestionable enthusiasm of Burton and Depp, which ensures the usual high (box-office) regard, Dark Shadows, much like their recent reincarnations, fails to reach expected standards.
Blame can be levelled at writer Seth Grahame-Smith who produces a flimsy, unimaginative script with predictable story threads and irritatingly clichéd characters: the moody teenager Carolyn Stoddard (a wasted Chloë Grace Moretz), the weird kid David Collins (Gulliver McGrath) and of course Helena Bonham Carter stealing a role as the live-in psychiatrist Dr. Julia Hoffman.
Bella Heathcote fares better as Depp’s love interest but the plot-line lacks depth for it to be truly engaging, while Eva Green steps up her game to compete with Depp, as Barnabus struggles to resist her viciously delicious advances. The pair show flashes of screen chemistry, even if their inevitable final conflict is about as flaccid as the 90-minute build up.
Much like their shallow take on Alice In Wonderland before it, Dark Shadows begs the question: with all Burton and Depp’s talents, is it not possible for them to create something new and exciting instead of re-creating cult classics in their own image?
Script…………………………………………………………………………………………….
A few amusing beats aside, Seth Grahame-Smith appears to try and squeeze
every episode of the 60s series into the 113mins runtime, culminating in a
forced, predictable and far too camp narrative. 2
Direction………………………………………………………………………………………..
Burton brings his unique and eccentric edge to proceedings, but even his
madcap enthusiasm can’t disguise the shoddy plotting and poor
characterisation. 3
Verdict…………………………………………………………………………………………..
Note to Tim and Johnny: Darkness and shadows aside, can we please have
something fresh and original next time. 2
