Tim Burton’s DARK SHADOWS makes sense

Tim Burton’s DARK SHADOWS makes sense

Dec 09

Confirmed: Tim Burton will direct a film remake of the late-60s television drama Dark Shadows.
It will star Johnny Depp. Act surprised.

I have to stop and wonder– why does this news aggravate me so? It was a knee-jerk reaction to scoff and roll my eyes when I read the news that Mr. Burton’s remake of Dark Shadows was actually going ahead. I’m sure I’m not the only one. Why is that?

I guess it does seem like a very obvious and predictable choice. Although, outside of it being clearly a decision made to ride the wave of interest in Twilight (despite the project reportedly being in the works since 2007), the premise actually suits this man, doesn’t it? You know, all dark an ominous, strange and quirky– the elements that make up any Tim Burton film.

Is it perhaps because he hasn’t changed styles in so long? We generally know what to expect? Is it because he is taking chunks from previously original works and adding his own insane brush-strokes to them? (The worst offender so far being Charlie and the Chocolate Factory… we’ll wait and see how Alice in Wonderland turns out).

I’m thinking the biggest hurdle to conquer is that it is another Tim Burton film once again starring Johnny Depp who will once again play that strange-lead-character-type with even more mascara this time (it’s been getting darker every character, have you noticed?). We should probably expect a part for wife Helena Bonham Carter as well.

Still, if I were a fan of the show I might be excited by the prospect that at least it is Tim Burton who will have a hand in re-imagining it for today’s audience. Of all the films that have had the strange-Burton-touch-up lately, Dark Shadows probably makes the most sense. The strange style and dark texture he is capable of will be right at home on a project like this. The more I think about it, the more I’m willing to give the Burton-Depp team another chance to create magic without being overly skeptical.

Take a look at the original colour intro for Dark Shadows - it has Tim Burton written all over it (as far as music and obvious-font goes):