While not as much an ancient as Barnabas Collins, I grew up alongside the original show and remember it fondly. As result it retains a special place in that corner of my mind that is generally reserved for those things that “go bump in the night”. I’m not lying about this. My mother loved the program and I would eventually get to enjoy its premise when I got older and could see it in syndication. I had to say that I preferred the happenings of the vampire Barnabas much more than anything else that was offered up on afternoon television (the mainstream soap operas and win big game shows). Well, outside of the classic Monster Week on the 4:30 Movie at least. It’s premise was unusual for its time and while I never felt the program was the strongest in every acting role, it was still much cooler than what else was out there. It appealed to the young comics and horror fan that I was inside.

That being said I had some excitement when I learned how there would be a new “Dark Shadows” feature film coming out in 2012. I learned this from the folks at Hermes Press who I met at the Book Expo America last year. “Cool” I said, “Who’s Barnabas going to be played by…..Johnny Depp????” The publicist at the table smiled and said yes. That made sense since he is in almost every Tim Burton movie that ever happens. Since I liked Depp as an actor I felt he might do some justice to the role and I would await the trailer like the rest of the fan boys or should I say “Fang Boys”? (I’m sorry that was too easy). The other day I learned that the trailer was online and I am posting a link to it here for you all and well, please judge for yourself.

I’ll be honest and say that I am less than thrilled with this as the output. Yes the show had some camp moments to it but that was by accident and not design. I really wanted to see a development from what we got when Ben Cross had played the role of Barnabas in the 70’s for the stellar drama series. That show lasted 13 episodes and can be owned in full on a 2 DVD edition while the classic original series in its entirety is coming out soon. That one will be pricy but something right up the fans alley. I’ve pasted links to Amazon.com so either one can be ordered. So what did you readers think of the clip? Am I wrong about thinking this is dreadful? Should this be treated as a farce instead of something edgy and dark? My problem is that I don’t see the classic fans being supportive of this at all as it insults the memory of the show and its characters. I like Tim Burton but cannot stand by him with this one. What’s next Tim? A Broadway sing along redo of “The Highlander”?

Official Film Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_Shadows_(film)