Dark Shadows

[Earth 2 Chris]

^And oddly enough, Alice was a Disney production, and their marketing dept. has been lambasted for mishandling John Carter.

I have said this all along, but I was really looking forward to this movie, even after seeing Depp's somewhat dubious makeup as Baranabas. Then I saw the trailer. I'm hearing the trailers are somewhat misleading (even folks who hate the movie seem to agree that the trailers overemphasize the comedy aspects), but I think this is another case of bad marketing killing a film. With decent marketing the film would have opened strong at least. Bad or mixed word of mouth may have killed it quickly, though.

Chris

[palitoy]

Alot of critics deem the series something our grandparents watched and that most of those original fans would not be alive to see this (which is bizarre).

DS was widely popular with children and teenagers because of it's after school timeslot. It's fan base is still alive and well.

I can't imagine there is an easier job than marketing a Burton/Depp joint in this day and age. Alice was a mediocre film at best and it grossed a billion dollars. I think the trailers harmed public opinion of the film and this was followed up by largely mixed reviews.

Alice got mixed reviews as well but it's ad campaign was pretty great IIRC.

[MIB41]

I personally think Warner Bros didn't know how widely familiar modern audiences would be with the Dark Shadows license. On many reviews, I certainly felt that gap in the depiction of the show. Alot of critics deem the series something our grandparents watched and that most of those original fans would not be alive to see this (which is bizarre). But I think the advertising department probably felt if they focused on the dark humor of the movie, that would pull in the Depp fans based on his last few outings which have been really popular. Obviously it didn't help that the film actually was nothing like the trailers. So you either had people with no knowledge of the Dark Shadows franchise coming in expecting a comedy and not getting one. Or you had the loyal fan base coming in loathing the project from the trailers but getting mixed reaction based on whatever their expectations were. I think it was doomed to failure because they never got the message to line up with the product. It's doing much better overseas (like most films) and will likely find a profit on the world tally. For myself I went in expecting some comedic aspects. But I also knew Burton's style so I knew there would be a pathos to the characters and a mood that served as the undercurrent to the film. So I never expected a full blown comedy. What I didn't know was how much of it would be told as a straight ahead horror film. So that part was surprising. I enjoyed it though. But I also understand why others didn't. The marketing absolutely colored people's expectation and so getting a mixed reaction was likely the best they could hope for, given that decision.

[Earth 2 Chris]

This movie is performing very poorly. Is it possible WB felt the movie was a mess and thus concoted the comedy marketing to try and sell it somehow?

Chris

[palitoy]

I finally got the opportunity to see this, wanted to love it but it's a mess.

It isn't the "fish out of water/Brady Bunch" movie it was advertised as, it's got humour but so did the Avengers. It has all the trappings of a great film especially the cast, sets, costumes etc et all.

However, I found the movie choppy and lacking certain character development. Perhaps the running time had to be cut but this felt uneven with too much crammed in. It's a fun movie and I did enjoy it but it's not Burton's best IMO. Maybe the DVD will include deleted scenes, I will be in for that.

[MIB41]

Dude, I think that's a bit harsh. I mean, thats harsher than the time I slammed MIB41 for not believing in Bigfoot, (sorry man). We can all have a difference of opinion here without fighting. Don't turn into a geoffrude kind'a guy.

It's all good! Hey, BTW, I have a friend of mine who is actually writing a book about Big Foot. I think you would find it engaging. He's examining the people that follow Big Foot through the ages and will try to separate the facts from the frauds. Sounds like a good read!

[johnmiic]

Yes, MIB41...that's EXACTLY what I meant. I'm clearly accusing you of intentionally misleading people...to what end...I'm sure I'll never know.

This is the third time you have twisted my words into something they were never intended to be. Frankly, I've had enough and would appreciate it if in the future you refrain from addressing me specifically in your postings.

Thank you.

Dude, I think that's a bit harsh. I mean, thats harsher than the time I slammed MIB41 for not believing in Bigfoot, (sorry man). We can all have a difference of opinion here without fighting. Don't turn into a geoffrude kind'a guy.

[Dark Shadow]

You are correct, as always, on all accounts. I bow to your uncanny insight into my intentions, motivations, limited capabilities & personal state of mind.

Thank you as well for the spelling lesson (psst...BarnabAs).

[emeraldknight47]

Awright youse guys---break it up 'fore I have to HULK out on your arses and pound ya's both inta the ground!!!

Not every movie is for every body, especially if it's a reimagining of a beloved franchise...

Now shake hands and make nice!!!

[MIB41]

Don't let some of these glowing reviews mislead those of you who anticipate a gothic thriller, this is not a serious gothic film at all.

This fragmented sentence states those with a positive opinion are misleading the forum because your perspective is right, while others are wrong. Gee, that's objectiveness at it's finest. What did you intend it to mean? And by the way, Gothic is capitalized. And to point out the contradiction, which is YOU, please read your statement to me below where you are CLEARLY offended...

Frankly, I've had enough and would appreciate it if in the future you refrain from addressing me specifically in your postings.

And then read as you say to Anthony...

If you wish to jump on MIB's bandwagon and take a personal offense from where none was intended...God love ya!

Gee... Isn't that what YOU just did with me? You not only took ridiculous offense to my simple request not to pull other people's opinions into your critiques, but then you go on some INSANE rant that I purposely "twisted" what you've said on THREE separate occasions? Wow...And you were actually counting? Did you lose sleep on those too? That's not only comical, it's clinical. But if your little feelings are too flustered to continue any additional discussions with me, I have no problem with that. Your incapable of having a free form discussion anyway without feeling like you have to 'prove' your points like it's a court case. Of course that request is only honored as long as you show the same courtesy to me. I'm not holding my breath, since your application of the double standard is well on display.

[Dark Shadow]

Actually WB absolutely intended for this to be a franchise...many execs have been on the record stating such. Whether or not Depp or Burton were expected to remain on board for subsequent projects I do not know.

Also, I think you misunderstand. I do not wish this movie had never been made. It's been a fun 5 year journey for me following all the ups & downs, twists & turns, maybe's & definites of this production. Never anticipated a coming attraction this much before...and probably never will again.

I sat through three viewings of this film, so obviously I found something redeeming in it and truly wanted to enjoy it completely. I gave it a 5, which means I enjoyed about half of what I saw. I'm grateful for the 50% that I enjoyed, and disappointed in the 50% of wasted screen time. I just happen to be more vocal about my disappointments than I am about my satisfactions.

One of the little things I enjoyed in this film that I did not mention before were the way they showed the waves crashing against the rocks...awesome effect, totally DS.

One of the little things that annoyed me about this film that I did not mention before was the complete lack of thunder/lightning. Not a single storm at Collinwood! Madness I say! (The only storm I noticed was during the flashback of Maggie's escape from Windcliffe).

[The Toyroom]

I'm not sure the intent ever was a franchise. With the exception of the pirates of the carribean movies, Johnny Depp tends to bounce from one high profile project to another. Same for Burton. I think they just needed to get Dark Shadows out of their system. And let's face it without their names attached to the project it probably never would have been made. So I for one am glad that something came out of there collaboration, even if it couldve been better.

[Dark Shadow]

Yes, MIB41...that's EXACTLY what I meant. I'm clearly accusing you of intentionally misleading people...to what end...I'm sure I'll never know.

This is the third time you have twisted my words into something they were never intended to be. Frankly, I've had enough and would appreciate it if in the future you refrain from addressing me specifically in your postings.

Thank you.


Toyroom - That's the sad part...most of the jokes are really bad and fall completely flat with the audience. I often laugh at the Revival series as well, especially when Ben Cross is snarling in the shadows and the camera is angled up from beneath him...it's hard for me not to think of Al Bundy's infamous scoul. When it comes to the original show, no one more than the fans can truly appreciate its wealth of flaws. I'm saddened by the missed opportunity to shore up those flaws and deliver a more palatable product for this age. I gave it a well deserved midgrade which is essentially what your "could be better, could be worse" summation is. If you wish to jump on MIB's bandwagon and take a personal offense from where none was intended...God love ya!

FigureMod73 - That is the crux of my disappointment, the wasted potential for future installments. If less time were spent on the silly 1972 pop culture references & bad jokes and more time dedicated to the depth of the characters this could have launched a successful series.

[Figuremod73]

With much lower expectations i'll probably see it in a week or two. It does seem to be a disappointment based on the trailors alone. I just hope for a DECENT film.

If you're a DS fan and you're on the fence, I'd say go and get it out of your system...just go with lowered expectations. There are glimmers of the great film this could have been, traces of the original story by August, I think, prior to Grahame's comedic tweaks. Those glimmers are well worth seeing...just don't expect a great film, by any stretch.

No matter what, its a waste of a protential great film series.

I watched the '91 revival on Chiller this weekend and the '66 intro of Barnabas on Netflix this weekend and I think I laughed outloud at those more than I did at the 2012 movie...

After a few episodes its easy to get back into the original. Its best to watch it from the beginning or its "What the heck?", for a number of episodes.

Watching the revival is annoying. Once the show really picks up, its ended. I can no longer watch it based on that alone. I liked the cast.

[The Toyroom]

I can appreciate a different point of view, but please don't advertise that people with a different perspective than yours are out to "MISLEAD" this forum simply because it didn't meet with your lofty expectations. Thanks!

Yeah that was a little pretenious...

I enjoyed the film, as Dark Shadows fan I thought it did a decent job, all things considered. Could it have been better? Sure. Could it have been worse? Most definitely. Bottom line is even though the trailers portray it as a straight-on comedy it is not. Every joke seen in the trailers was not met with laughter in the theatre. Maybe a couple of under the breath chuckles but the movie moved forward with such a pace that it was more than just stringing the jokes together. There was an actual plot that at least was different from the "House of Dark Shadows" approach that was done in the past.

I watched the '91 revival on Chiller this weekend and the '66 intro of Barnabas on Netflix this weekend and I think I laughed outloud at those more than I did at the 2012 movie...