Dark Shadows: A Gothic Soap Opera with a Burtonesque Twist
A beautiful, vengeful witch (Eva Green) transforms a young man (Johnny Depp) who spurned her affections into a vampire. She then seals him in a coffin and buries him for 200 years. Emerging in 1972, the vampire discovers his descendants are weaklings who have ruined the family business and dilapidated the ancestral mansion. Now, he must take matters into his own hands.
It seemed the only thing missing from Tim Burton’s impressive filmography was a comedy about a family of ghouls. Ironically, when the director was at his peak, such a film was released: “The Addams Family.” Burton apparently regretted missing out on that project, and when rumors of an animated remake surfaced a few years ago, he reportedly supported the idea. Whether it fell through or he simply grew tired of waiting, “Dark Shadows” feels like his own version of “The Addams Family,” complete with Johnny Depp (the similarity extends to both stories originating as old American TV series).
A Promising Start
The unfulfilled passion for the subject matter is evident in the promising prologue. With Depp’s lively voiceover, he gestures dramatically, loses his bride, hits his head on a prop rock, is quickly torn apart by a mob, and finds himself in the 70s – all in five minutes. To top it off, the title card appears under idyllic forest panoramas and the iconic Moody Blues song. This isn’t just irony; it’s genuine coolness.
A Museum of Wax Figures
The introduction to the characters becomes a delightful tour of a wax museum. Eva Green is hilarious as a blonde with black eyebrows. Michelle Pfeiffer and Helena Bonham Carter convey everything with their eyes (the wider they get, the stronger the reaction). A slightly older Chloë Grace Moretz exudes such a dose of sassy femininity in her limited screen time that it’s frightening to imagine what awaits us in five years. A balding Jonny Lee Miller, an aging Alice Cooper playing his younger self – the list goes on.
Style Over Substance
However, any artist with a unique style eventually begins to shamelessly replicate it. Burton, having fully transitioned from storyteller to designer with “Alice in Wonderland” (earning over a billion at the box office), collaborates with “Amélie” and “Faust” cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel to create a world where the fireplace decor is more important than the events unfolding. Admiring the vintage drapery, the director neglects the actions and motivations of his beautiful characters. Towards the end, “Dark Shadows” becomes like a reunion of old friends: initial joy inevitably gives way to memories of why they hadn’t seen each other in so long, and awkwardness fills the air. Barnabas, the vampire, becomes a poignant portrait of his creator in 2012 – a funny and slightly absurd romantic from better times.
Final Verdict
Burton isn’t to blame for vampires and witches becoming tiresome pop culture tropes. It’s simply that his muse doesn’t seem to know any other stories.