Quite simply this is one of the strangest films I have seen in a long time, and this was my reaction after going into the cinema knowing that this was a Tim Burton film, and based off a 1970’s supernatural soap opera. The film tells the story of the Collins family, and primarily Barnabus Collins (played by Johnny Depp), a family that moved to America 200 years before and built the family’s business and wealth on fishing. But when Barnabus becomes intimate with maid, Angelique (Eva Green), a witch, he sets in motion a series of events that will cause the deaths of the people he loves the most, and ultimately is transformed into a vampire by Angelique’s curse.
As with most Burton films, there is a unique look to it that
can only be identified as belonging to Tim Burton, some people often find his
worlds and characters somewhat over the top and overtly gothic, despite it
being an important and trademark part of his filmmaking style. Yet with this
film it seems to suit Dark Shadows, and suit it’s 1970’s setting, emphasising
certain characters looks, especially the colour that is associated with each
character, Barnabus’ character is almost black, while Hoffman (Helena Botham
Carter) is mostly dull coloured but for her bright orange hair, Angelique the
witch stands out in her bright coloured clothes and almost white hair. The
villain of the films, is the most brightly coloured character in the film, a
typical turn on conventions by Burton.
Despite being based on TV series (one I haven’t seen), the plot
of the film is thin. The main story seems to focus on Barnabus restoring his
family business to its former glory whilst dealing with Angelique’s rival firm.
This seems like an albeit but fairly standard story, but would have given the
film as a whole a solid direction in which to drive in, but instead numerous
other storylines are thrown in throughout the film, none of them truly fleshed
out. Perhaps it was an attempt to distil the essence of the show into the film,
but the very nature of a film prevents that, especially with Dark Shadows run
time of 113 minutes.
However erratic the plot, there is always a new fun scene or
sequence just around the corner. Some of them ranging from the amusing bizarre
to the brutally shocking and the cold blooded. Burtons mixes comic moments backed
by seventies classics with brutal actions, mostly performed by Barnabus
Collins, shot calmly and with a sharp eye for the final moments between the
predator and his prey.
The cast Burton has assembled, helps the film significantly.
With lesser performers, the film could have descended into a gothic farce. For the most, each actor/actress brings
their character to life in a realistic way, the outstanding performer is
probably Eva Green who mixes Angelique’s vengeful side, and her longing to be
loved by Barnabus. David Collins, played by the young Gulliver McGrath is
criminally underused, his is one of the stories that is introduced, but never
fully developed before it is closed in the climax of the film.
Johnny Depp, a Burton mainstay (this is their eight or ninth
collaboration) constructs another memorable character in a way that is uniquely
him. He skirts the edges of being the loveable hero, a cold blooded killer and
comic relief (a lot of the humour of the film comes from him adapting to a
world unlike anything he knows) brilliantly, giving us an interesting new
character, a new take on a vampire that differs from that currently seen in
modern mainstream films.
It’s often easy to judge how much you enjoyed a film by how
long you discuss it with the person you went with to see it. I discussed Dark
Shadows with my fiancée for about five minutes, roughly the point at which we
reached the car, for the rest of the journey we discussed the trailer for
Prometheus, that screened before the film, till we got home. Whether that means
the film is not worth thinking about, which I don’t believe is the case, or if
simply it didn’t connect with me, as it isn’t the kind of story or film that I
normally go and see (this is only the third Burton I have seen since Planet of
the Apes (2001), or if I simply found Burtons style of filmmaking and design
taking me out of the film, but I have enjoyed many of Burtons early films,
which share much of the same artistic vision as this, and his other films. I would say that is simply a case of
the story not being strong enough to hold the audiences attention, or encourage
discussion of the ideas and memorable moments in the film.
Finally, a lot of people seem to be saying that Burton
should try and cast someone else as his leading man other than Depp. But
perhaps it would be more of an idea to embrace more narrative-focused projects.
No one has ever doubted , or should Depp’s ability, nor should they doubt
Burton’s talent and vision. So
maybe it would be better to experiment with story, rather than cast for Burton.
