New DARK SHADOWS Stills; Tim Burton Calls The Original Series "Awful"

New DARK SHADOWS Stills; Tim Burton Calls The Original Series "Awful"

Have a look at what the director has to say about adding comedy to his take on the old '60s show, and why he doesn't see it as a problem. There is also a new image of Johnny Depp as Barnabas, and a behind the scenes pic with Burton..

By MarkCassidy - Mar 23, 2012 12:03 PM EST
Filed Under: Horror
Source: Hero Complex



The first trailer for Dark Shadows has received a mixed response from many, particularly fans of the original show who are upset with the apparent comedy elements added by director Tim Burton. Well, while speaking to Hero Complex during their visit to the movie's set, Burton explains himself and possibly adds a bit of fuel to the fire - “I think,” Burton says in reference to the '60s soap opera, “you could say it was actually awful.”.

He continues, addressing the decision to bring in some lighter elemnets to the plot..

“It’s a different animal. If I go back and watch something like ‘Star Trek,’ it’s not that hard to analyze what the appeal was, and even if the show is dated you identify what it was that made it work. The ‘Dark Shadows’ appeal was a little more abstract. What I loved about it was the fact that it was a melodramatic soap opera, and, well, that flies in the face of any modern studio’s interests as far as moviemaking. But what we’ve gone for is a mixture, and that’s always what I’ve been interested in; I think most of my movies are mixtures of light and dark and serious things and things that have humor in them.”




There is much more from Burton, as well as Depp over at Hero Complex so be sure to click the link below to check it out.









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ksommer
ksommer - 3/23/2012, 12:58 PM
What a coincidence... I think Tim Burton is "awful". :)
imnotwearinghockeypants
imnotwearinghockeypants - 3/23/2012, 1:04 PM
Nothing wrong with honesty. It WAS awful.
SoulxAvenger
SoulxAvenger - 3/23/2012, 1:06 PM
I agree the show was awful, but thats what was good about it. it was funny how bad it was. This may be the first time an awful show is made into a more awful movie. the trailer looked like complete crap. Tim Burton disappoints once again.
headlopper
headlopper - 3/23/2012, 1:06 PM
If he thought it was awful, why bother with the property?

My mom said she loved this show!

Burton, buy some golf clubs and grow old like normal rich, white guys.
Oxion
Oxion - 3/23/2012, 1:09 PM
Don't turn into Michael Bay, takin up other properties, talking trash on it and raping it at the same time. Batman is still my favorite film of all time but don't turn into a douche...plz.
MarkCassidy
MarkCassidy - 3/23/2012, 1:12 PM
It was awful, but also very entertaining. I have only started watching recently and it's addictive.. like most soap operas if you allow them to suck you in. But please, even if you liked it don't attempt to actually argue its merits from any sort of critical standpoint because it was campy, badly acted and scripted hokum. IMO:)
HelaGood
HelaGood - 3/23/2012, 1:14 PM
thats it... count me OUT
Asterisk
Asterisk - 3/23/2012, 1:14 PM
I haven't actually seen the original show...but I like the trailer. Is the show worth the watch?
Gmoney84
Gmoney84 - 3/23/2012, 1:18 PM
The original show was like any other soap opera...very melodramatic and daily. Hell, if you missed a few episodes you were screwed.
Asterisk
Asterisk - 3/23/2012, 1:19 PM
Well I just thought it was humorous. I'd like to see if the TV show's drama is better.
Ha1frican
Ha1frican - 3/23/2012, 1:23 PM
Those in glass houses...
Asterisk
Asterisk - 3/23/2012, 1:25 PM
I DO agree, however, with the first post in "why bother to make a movie about a TV show you think is awful". It'd be like me making a movie about The Secret Life Of The American Teenager.
thewonderer
thewonderer - 3/23/2012, 1:31 PM
@NextHero

Your a moron. Burtons always been a douche

He screwed up Batman by making him kill and didn't read a single comic book for the role. He didn't care for Batman at all. He DEMANDED a pay raise for Returns and didn't ever even really want to do it

I love Nolan, he's read a ton of graphic novels and announces his admiration for them and the character.

Burtons even worse than Schumacher. While Schumacher sucked, at least he liked Batman
MarkCassidy
MarkCassidy - 3/23/2012, 1:36 PM
Because he didn't HATE it, he just recognized that it was a bit rubbish. I love lost of stuff I know suck..like WWE!
CaptainObvious
CaptainObvious - 3/23/2012, 1:57 PM
If you don't respect the source material, why bother making a movie about it?
NotThatGuy
NotThatGuy - 3/23/2012, 1:59 PM
Haha. This will likely be awful, too.
MarkCassidy
MarkCassidy - 3/23/2012, 2:40 PM
Every time scorpion posts he mentions something to do with being gay..just come out with it dude, nobody's gonna judge ya!
TheBatman938865
TheBatman938865 - 3/23/2012, 3:07 PM
......it was a show? did not know that lol
WebSlinger13
WebSlinger13 - 3/23/2012, 3:21 PM
I think people are taking this to hard (that's what she said). From where I'm standing it seems like this may be similar to when they did the starsky and hutch movie and made it a full blown comedy. And that was pretty decent.
BillyBatson1000
BillyBatson1000 - 3/23/2012, 3:35 PM
I think Burton is an incredibly gifted visualist - who got the biggest gig in town (80's Batman) and made a pretty decent movie, from a script that was incomplete before the camera's rolled. Scissorhands is a masterpiece. Love Sleepy Hollow, Corpse Bride, Beetlejuice, Sweeny Todd, Big Fish, Ed Wood etc. Yes he's made turkeys - his most glaring failure being the Planet of the Apes - reimagining, but he inherited that script at the last moment - the train wreck was alredy in progress. Yet guess what; no director has a straight A record. Orson Welles made Citizen Kane at the start of his career and ended making sherry commercials. The man who made the first two Godfather films made the third and 'Jack' (an insult to anyone with a single functioning brain cell) I don't think you should count anyone out. Hitchcock's final films are unwatchable. Burton will live to make another masterpiece. How many of the people writing on this site will make one memorable dent in any media.
thetrojan
thetrojan - 3/23/2012, 4:05 PM
this will be a great movie
look at johnny depp in that still above.it does not look like johnny depp,
more like klarion the witch boy.
SimyJo
SimyJo - 3/23/2012, 4:07 PM
Whether Tim Burton like it or not he should at least respect the original material.
Slagging off the original before your redux is released is not wise, and its certainly not gracious.
thetrojan
thetrojan - 3/23/2012, 4:07 PM
this is not going to be a comedy
its going to be a movie.
BillyBatson1000
BillyBatson1000 - 3/23/2012, 4:26 PM
@SimyJo - I'd be amazed if Burton was allowed free range on what he says to the media. These days the contracts are air-tight. Look at all the corporate BS that's written on screen at the start of DVD's/Blurays - distancing the film companies from the 'honest' remarks made on chat tracks. I'd guess Burton is playing tactics - establishing that the new film will not be like the TV show - which - I have to say - sucked donkey b*lls.
CPBuff22
CPBuff22 - 3/23/2012, 4:34 PM
Someone convince Tim Burton and Michael Bay to get on a space ship and shoot them to the moon. Please end this crap.
poop23
poop23 - 3/23/2012, 9:09 PM
This actually makes a lot of sense. And i wonder how many people are actually reading the article before posting? And also, who cares if he does mess this up, its not like this is a memorable show like the adams family or anything, plus, i wonder how many people on this site were actually around during the time that show was being aired.

and @thewonderer
Who cares if he didn't get all preachy with morals in his film. Tim Burton helped get the whole comic book film thing going. And back then it was like todays standards where people will get all bitchy about source material like these days (yes its good to have, but back then people weren't as obsessive). And the overall idea of a man dressing like a bat and fighting crime just sounds cartoony, which is exactly the way that film series went when Tim left the films ending up with riddler in a sparkly tight outfit, over the top 'freeze' puns, bat visa card, and so on
ISleepNow
ISleepNow - 3/23/2012, 9:28 PM
I read the quote. It's OK to talk shit but now he has to deliver or he can't expect any better treatment.

I'm personally not really a fan of the show either but I thought Jonathan Frid's portrayal of Barnabas Collins was truly iconic and I Do, however, enjoy the movie House of Dark Shadows very much. Let's see if Burton does as well..

loki668
loki668 - 3/24/2012, 1:24 AM
Believe me, Tim Burton knows from awful *cough-cough Planet of the (R)apes *cough-cough*.

It's been so long since Tim Burton has done anything of merit that didn't involve Helena Bonham-Carter or Johnny Depp that I'm surprised he opened his mouth. He's another overrated, one trick pony who's always trying to convince everyone how "artistic" and "unique" he is with his behavior.

Lord Loki has spoken
neonhero
neonhero - 3/24/2012, 8:37 AM
Never seen the original. I always heard it was good because it was so bad. As for the trailer, I was amused. I'll see the movie and hope for the best. Burton is hit or miss for me. I loved Sweeney Todd and of course Edward Scissorhands, and Big Fish was OK. Charlie and The Chocolate Factory/Planet of The Apes were pretty bad, though.
wde325
wde325 - 3/25/2012, 1:37 PM
I`ll pass. It seems like the sissification (new word!) of vampires is continuing; first, that necrophiliac crapfest twilight, and now this. Dark Shadows wasn`t all that great of a show, but at least Barnabas Collins was a "real" vampire, not a punkified (another new word!) undead BITCH like vampires are portrayed nowdays...and vampires DO NOT SPARKLE!
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