# Finally The Dark Shadows Movie **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 11, 2012, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-the-dark-shadows-movie/612542 "2012-02-11T19:12:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2012, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-the-dark-shadows-movie/612542/21 "2012-03-17T09:37:59Z")
This looks brilliant - reminds me a leeetle of _Hocus Pocus_. ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2012, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-the-dark-shadows-movie/612542/22 "2012-03-17T14:17:08Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > How many decades? A little over 4? > > [House of Dark Shadows 1970](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0065856/) I saw that in my small-town theater, apparently when I was 12 (I would have guessed I was older) with my sister. Scared the crap out of me - it was close to Xmas by the time it was shown in town - I honestly don’t think I would have been able to sleep for days afterward, except we had two electric candle wreaths in my bedroom window that served as night lights. Now I’m torn about spending 10 bucks to buy it at Amazon and see if it holds up at all (assuming I can summon my inner 12 year old). ---
**Author:** ![Lasciel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e79b87/32.png) [@Lasciel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lasciel)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2012, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-the-dark-shadows-movie/612542/23 "2012-03-17T14:58:54Z")
Saw the trailer yesterday also - I can’t wait! The original is such campy horribly-made crap, but it was fun to watch. All the overacting, all of the scenery falling down… I spent a summer watching it and laughing my ass off, but at the same time, I really did enjoy it - the story was fun, and I could see how back in the late 60s, that was really mind-bending to have a vampire as a person, rather than as monster of the week. I really hope that this one is good. I’m wanting to pair it up with The Addam’s Family for excellent representations of camp goth. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2012, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-the-dark-shadows-movie/612542/24 "2012-03-17T16:04:12Z")
Maybe it’s me, but I thought the trailer was horribly unfunny. I don’t know what I expected but that wasn’t it. Johnny Depp looks great though. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2012, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-the-dark-shadows-movie/612542/25 "2012-03-17T16:07:38Z")
Hah-hah! They say the year is 1972 but that Carpenters song on the TV is from 1973. Do I win a no-prize? ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2012, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-the-dark-shadows-movie/612542/26 "2012-03-17T16:07:54Z")
Submitted for you enjoyment: [Dark Shadows Bloopers #1](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UeZtYriyFk) [Dark Shadows Bloopers #2](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEClni8J2z4) [Dark Shadows Bloopers #3](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROp_u5U8POY&feature=related) [Dark Shadows Bloopers #4](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvCBgSO3kjw&feature=related) ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2012, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-the-dark-shadows-movie/612542/27 "2012-03-17T17:53:11Z")
My fiance has been writing a Dark Shadows blog that’s been growing in popularity for about a month now. He’s absolutely heartbroken about the movie trailer. ---
**Author:** ![Stauderhorse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Stauderhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stauderhorse)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2012, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-the-dark-shadows-movie/612542/28 "2012-03-17T17:59:33Z")
This looks both brilliant and ludicrously, hilariously bad. I look forward to it. ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2012, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-the-dark-shadows-movie/612542/29 "2012-03-17T18:18:26Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > Maybe it’s me, but I thought the trailer was horribly unfunny. It’s not just you. I’m not a fan of the notion of making DS a straight-up comedy\* anyway, but if you’re going to do it, you should at least make it funny. And who the fuck thought making Barnabas Collins into Jack Sparrow wearing Edward Scissorhands makeup was a good idea? Either Johnny or Tim needs to step away from the crack pipe. NOW. \*As opposed to the way the original show (and all soap operas) was funny–where everything is just so OOT melodramatic and overly seriously that you can’t help laughing your ass off. ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2012, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-the-dark-shadows-movie/612542/30 "2012-03-17T18:30:28Z")
Great, now I’ll have to wait another 20 years for a serious Dark Shadows movie. Still it looks like it might be halfway decent, or at least reasonably funny. Can’t see anyone but a true Dark Shadows fan enjoying this though. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2012, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-the-dark-shadows-movie/612542/31 "2012-03-17T18:49:52Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > No, it’s deliberately funny. Burton is doing it as a comedy. [The trailer is hilarious](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTjD3rV27Go) – the best since **[Comedian](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVDzuT0fXro)** > > Barnabas: “How soon can the horses be ready?” > Mother: “We don’t have horses. We have a Chevy.” > > or > > Barnabas: “Reveal yourself! Tiny songstress!” > > It fits perfectly with what I saw about the show when it was on, but then, my experience was limited to reading “Barnabas Collins in a Funny Vein.” 🙂 > > I definitely want to see this. It’s going to be fun. That is a riot! I am so going. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2012, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-the-dark-shadows-movie/612542/32 "2012-03-17T19:41:42Z")
> [@furryman](#): > > Great, now I’ll have to wait another 20 years for a serious Dark Shadows movie. > Still it looks like it might be halfway decent, or at least reasonably funny. Can’t see anyone but a true Dark Shadows fan enjoying this though. And we can’t see any true Dark Shadows fan enjoying it at all, so one wonders what the audience is. ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2012, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-the-dark-shadows-movie/612542/33 "2012-03-17T19:58:47Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > And we can’t see any true Dark Shadows fan enjoying it at all, so one wonders what the audience is. Yeah, that was very weird. If it’s just going to be a time comedy, with a vampire, what’s the point? I want a disembodied head in a birdcage goshdarnit! ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2012, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-the-dark-shadows-movie/612542/34 "2012-03-17T20:26:07Z")
_Dark Shadows_, original flavor, was camp. _Dark Shadows_, 2012, is farce. That’s the problem. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2012, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-the-dark-shadows-movie/612542/35 "2012-03-17T21:56:10Z")
It looks pretty sad. TNAI Mrs. Plant no longer wants to see it at the theater. She’ll rent it perhaps, if it makes DVD. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2012, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-the-dark-shadows-movie/612542/36 "2012-03-18T04:49:39Z")
What’s with changing the genre when it comes to TV inspired movies? Dark Shadows and 21 Jump Street weren’t sitcoms, so why are the movies comedies? ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2012, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-the-dark-shadows-movie/612542/37 "2012-03-18T07:32:18Z")
Because the only people who appreciate those shows today do so ironically. They may not have been written as comedies, but that’s how they’re regarded today. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2012, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-the-dark-shadows-movie/612542/38 "2012-03-18T13:01:30Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Because the only people who appreciate those shows today do so ironically. They may not have been written as comedies, but that’s how they’re regarded today. “Ironically” doesn’t mean “comedically”. And that statement isn’t true, anyway. Now, you may not find a large enough demographic that appreciates 21JS or DS sincerely to actually market a major motion picture toward them, but they exist. May I suggest that “camp” doesn’t equal “farce”? Even those who enjoy these shows ironically don’t necessarily want the amusement they feel watching the originals to be cued in the remakes by slapstick or crudity. If you’re remaking a television show as a film because the show is undergoing a camp revival, then make the film camp, not farce. Making it farce when it should be camp is lazy writing. Yes, camp is harder to pull off than farce, but if you can’t manage it, don’t be a hack and throw it into the easy laugh category. Just don’t make that particular film. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2012, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-the-dark-shadows-movie/612542/39 "2012-03-18T13:07:12Z")
I’m not sure it’s even possible to achieve camp on purpose. Can you give me some examples? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2012, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-the-dark-shadows-movie/612542/40 "2012-03-18T13:20:02Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > I’m not sure it’s even possible to achieve camp on purpose. Can you give me some examples? You’ve never seen a John Waters film? ETA: Actually, an even better example is _Die, Mommy, Die!_, a Charles Pierce (not the political/sports commentator…the female impersonator) film. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-the-dark-shadows-movie/612542.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-the-dark-shadows-movie/612542.md?page=3)