Does ‘Dark Shadows’ continue the Tim Burton curse?

The cinematic duo of Tim Burton and Johnny Depp would seem on paper to be the perfect coupling to adapt the cult soap opera classic Dark Shadows for the big screen. The director-actor team is responsible for some mega-gothic hits, everything from Edward Scissorhands, Ed Wood, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Alice in Wonderland. Unfortunately, Dark Shadows starts with a bang and eventually winds its way to an inevitable ending. There’s not much creativity packed into these 113 minutes. That’s a shame for a variety of reasons, least of all that Burton is able to leave some of his trademark atmospheric quality in a few scenes.

Barnabas Collins (Depp) is turned into a vampire after he breaks the heart of Angelique Bouchard (Eva Green) in an 18th-century settlement on the coast of Maine. Barnabas has fallen for another lover, but Angelique, a witch, will never settle for second best. She not only turns Collins into a vampire, but locks him away in a coffin and buries the evidence.

Flash forward 200 years to 1971. The illustrious Collins family has fallen on hard times. Elizabeth Collins Stoddard (Michelle Pfeiffer) and her husband, Roger (Jonny Lee Miller), now own Collinswood, the mansion once inhabited by Barnabas. Their teenage daughter (Chloë Grace Moretz) can’t wait to break out of her family’s bonds and start exploring the world. Their nephew, David Collins (Gulliver McGrath), is an orphan with a penchant for talking to the ghost of his dead mother. Dr. Julia Hoffman (Helena Bonham Carter) lives in the mansion as well, supposedly taking care of David’s welfare, but she sees the bottom of a whisky glass more than anything else. Jackie Earle Haley plays Willie Loomis, the creepy caretaker of the un-homely abode, while Bella Heathcote plays the new governess who recently arrived at Collinswood.

After some nearby excavations bump into Barnabas’ coffin, the vampire is unleashed on the world once again. After satiating his thirst for blood, he moves back into the Collins mansion and begins to adapt to the weird, weird 1970s. But his tranquility is shattered when he finds out that Angelique has lived this entire time and now she owns a competing fishing company that threatens to take away the Collins fortune. It’s up to Barnabas and his distant relatives to join together and save the family farm.

The acting is all spot-on, finding that clever balance between camp and seriousness. Depp and Green are admirable adversaries, and Bonham Carter has a lot of fun with the doctor role. Pfeiffer starts off strong, but her character is largely forgotten when the plot kicks into motion. Grace Moretz is quickly becoming the Hollywood “It” girl, and for good reason.

The chief problem with Dark Shadows lies with the script by Seth Grahame-Smith, based on Dan Curtis’ original TV series. The story never fully commits to the comedy inherent in the Collins’ plight, and it also falls short in spinning an engaging tale. There’s a host of interesting characters, but they literally have nothing to do. Having Barnabas try to save the family’s fishing business feels so secondary and trite. He’s a vampire, after all, and his main villain is a witch. Why would they really care about making money from fishing boats?

The look of the film is characteristically beautiful, which has become the rule for most Burton films. He blends real-life sets with CGI to create a stunning tapestry of artistry. Dark Shadows is never hard to enjoy visually. The art direction and cinematography are unique and dazzling. Danny Elfman’s score is largely forgettable and overshadowed by a plethora of 1970s pop tunes.

Many fans have decried the seeming destruction of Burton as a filmmaker. His recent films certainly haven’t regained the glory of his early years, and Dark Shadows proves there may be something to that argument. There are always glimpses of greatness in his work, but nothing can compete with Edward Scissorhands, Ed Wood or Beetlejuice. He’s making OK films, but we all know he’s capable of so much more.

By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com

• Dark Shadows

• 2012

• Directed by Tim Burton

• Written by Seth Grahame-Smith; based on a story by Grahame-Smith and John August; based on the TV series by Dan Curtis

• Starring Johnny Depp, Jonny Lee Miller, Eva Green, Helena Bonham Carter, Jackie Early Haley, Michelle Pfeiffer, Chloë Grace Moretz, Gulliver McGrath and Bella Heathcote

• Running time: 113 minutes

• Rated PG-13 for comic horror violence, sexual content, some drug use, language and smoking

• Rating: