I think I've crossed the line

I'm definitely planning to go sometime opening weekend, probably a
matinee, to avoid the crowds. Can't imagine not seeing it on the big
screen at least once - don't think we'll be seeing any other DS projects
with such big star-and-studio power anytime soon.

And it looks like I asked early enough to score the movie poster from
our local theatre - yay! <g>

Diva

--

DivaMagenta @}{~~>~~~>~~~>~~~~~

"Religion is man's futile attempt to reach out to God, trying to earn
His favor. Christianity is the good news that God has reached out in
love to us through His Son, because He knows that our arms are not long
enough..."

http://divamagenta.webbywarehouse.com

Z***@yahoo.com

2012-04-05 19:10:21 UTC

Post by Kishin
It was my original intention to see it on opening day. Now I am
definitely going to wait for the reviews. If it turns out to be more
comedy, I'm going to wait for DVD.

After seeing the trailer is it a comedy? No.
Does it have soem comedic elements? Yes.
But not enough to ruin the film.
I'll be seeing it opening day.

Marcovaldo

2012-04-05 19:43:49 UTC

Post by Kishin
It was my original intention to see it on opening day. Now I am
definitely going to wait for the reviews. If it turns out to be more
comedy, I'm going to wait for DVD.

After seeing the trailer is it a comedy? No.
Does it have soem comedic elements? Yes.
But not enough to ruin the film.
I'll be seeing it opening day.

Well, I hope you're right, but it looks to me like it is *intended* to be a comedy. I will probably go see it at the theater, but I'm not so sure about opening day.

Kishin

2012-04-06 04:38:33 UTC

Post by Marcovaldo

Post by Kishin
It was my original intention to see it on opening day. Now I am
definitely going to wait for the reviews. If it turns out to be more
comedy, I'm going to wait for DVD.

After seeing the trailer is it a comedy? No.
Does it have soem comedic elements? Yes.
But not enough to ruin the film.
I'll be seeing it opening day.

Well, I hope you're right, but it looks to me like it is *intended* to be a comedy. I will probably go see it at the theater, but I'm not so sure about opening day.

We're all still going on trailers. I'll wait for reviews to determine
the comedy content. All I've read has not sounded promising, and they
are certainly marketing it as a comedy.

--
Kishin

Mike S.

2012-04-07 05:43:26 UTC

Post by Z***@yahoo.com
After seeing the trailer is it a comedy? No.

Did we see the same trailer? It sure as hell looks like a comedy.

Wiseguy

2012-04-07 06:12:31 UTC

Post by Z***@yahoo.com
After seeing the trailer is it a comedy? No.

Did we see the same trailer? It sure as hell looks like a comedy.

People call Desperate Housewives a comedy. It wins Emmys as a comedy.
It's promoted as a comedy.

I call it a soap opera.

Mike S.

2012-04-07 11:43:28 UTC

Post by Wiseguy
People call Desperate Housewives a comedy. It wins Emmys as a comedy.
It's promoted as a comedy.
I call it a soap opera.

A series can be both comedic and a soap opera at the same time. A
movie can not both be serious and a comedic farce at the same time. I
wanted the former. Burton is giving me the later.

Dark Shadows is not, never has been, and never should be a comedy.
Period.

Kishin

2012-04-07 13:34:26 UTC

Post by Wiseguy
People call Desperate Housewives a comedy. It wins Emmys as a comedy.
It's promoted as a comedy.
I call it a soap opera.

A series can be both comedic and a soap opera at the same time. A
movie can not both be serious and a comedic farce at the same time. I
wanted the former. Burton is giving me the later.
Dark Shadows is not, never has been, and never should be a comedy.
Period.

I read an interview with the writer who said they were trying to make it
relevant to modern audiences. Am I mistaken, or have there not been a
number of very successful horror films that were not comedies? Barnabas
is a scary/tragic character. He should not be ridiculed, IMO.

--
Kishin

Mike S.

2012-04-07 14:10:48 UTC

Post by Kishin
I read an interview with the writer who said they were trying to make it
relevant to modern audiences. Am I mistaken, or have there not been a
number of very successful horror films that were not comedies? Barnabas
is a scary/tragic character. He should not be ridiculed, IMO.

Agreed completely. Angst ridden, reluctant vampires are *very*
relevant right now. This is exactly what Barnabas Collins is! WTF. I
don't get it.

Kishin

2012-04-07 14:24:59 UTC

Agreed completely. Angst ridden, reluctant vampires are *very*
relevant right now. This is exactly what Barnabas Collins is! WTF. I
don't get it.

I think Tim Burton just ain't right in the head. I was actually fairly
enjoying his "Alice" till the Mad Hatter did that ridiculous dance at
the end. Completely spoiled the rest of the film for me.

--
Kishin

Z***@yahoo.com

2012-04-07 16:54:58 UTC

Post by Wiseguy
People call Desperate Housewives a comedy. It wins Emmys as a comedy.
It's promoted as a comedy.
I call it a soap opera.

A series can be both comedic and a soap opera at the same time. A
movie can not both be serious and a comedic farce at the same time. I
wanted the former. Burton is giving me the later.
Dark Shadows is not, never has been, and never should be a comedy.
Period.

He is not being ridiculed, the film features comedy in this
character who was chained in a coffin 200 years ago and
has the shock of seeing Collinwood in the 1970s.

You can have comedic elements without ridiculing the
series. Things like him seeing a tV set for the first time.
If you came into the 1970s how do you think you'd react
after being in a coffin for 200 years?

My worst nightmare was that the new Dark Shadows movie
would be as bloody/gory/violent as a number of horror movies.
This trailer is a pleasant surprise for me. I'd rather have
some comedy than a ton of blood/violence/gore. When I
heard that they were makiing a Dark Shadows movie
my first visiion was of The Shining and blood
rushing out of the elevator.

Mike S.

2012-04-07 17:17:44 UTC

I want them to take it seriously. You know, like the original DS. I
want a supernatural drama. You know, like the original DS. I do *not*
want a horror movie with blood and gore either.

Kishin

2012-04-07 19:07:22 UTC

I want them to take it seriously. You know, like the original DS. I
want a supernatural drama. You know, like the original DS. I do *not*
want a horror movie with blood and gore either.

Well, you'd have to expect it to keep up with the times. Bela Lugosi's
"Dracula" spilled not a drop of blood, and he never was shown with
fangs. We did see fangs and a bit of blood and gore in the DS series
(think of the Ghost of Josette with her hanging eye ball), and much more
so in the original movie. I keep seeing stills of Depp's Barnabas with
his face covered in blood. It's the 21st century now, and you can hardly
have a movie about a creature that drinks blood without spilling a bit
of it on screen.

--
Kishin

Mike S.

2012-04-07 20:27:03 UTC

Post by Kishin
Well, you'd have to expect it to keep up with the times. Bela Lugosi's
"Dracula" spilled not a drop of blood, and he never was shown with
fangs. We did see fangs and a bit of blood and gore in the DS series
(think of the Ghost of Josette with her hanging eye ball), and much more
so in the original movie. I keep seeing stills of Depp's Barnabas with
his face covered in blood. It's the 21st century now, and you can hardly
have a movie about a creature that drinks blood without spilling a bit
of it on screen.

Well, I'm personally not a fan of horror movies, blood and guts and
all that but I don't disagree with your post at all. I would not
fault the Dark Shadows movie if it went the gory route and a R rating.
I'm faulting it for (seemingly at this point) going far far too much
in the opposite direction.

Z***@yahoo.com

2012-04-08 19:35:38 UTC

Of course you haven't seen the movie yet so you're assuming it goes
in the opposite direction.

You're judging it from a trailer that may or may not reflect the final
product.

All too many times Hollywood has a movie they spend $ millions
on and they have no clue how to sell it. And that often extends
to the trailer.

Mike S.

2012-04-08 22:28:53 UTC

Post by Z***@yahoo.com
You're judging it from a trailer that may or may not reflect the final
product.
All too many times Hollywood has a movie they spend $ millions
on and they have no clue how to sell it. And that often extends
to the trailer.

Its their job to get the trailer right, not mine. You are damn right I
am going by the trailer. There is nothing else to go on. If this
trailer did not look like a comedic farce, I would have happily went
in sight unseen, reviews unread. Now I won't. Believe me, I hope the
movie is nothing like what I saw in that trailer. I want you to be
right.

Z***@yahoo.com

2012-04-09 16:36:46 UTC

Post by Mike S.
Its their job to get the trailer right, not mine. You are damn right I
am going by the trailer. There is nothing else to go on. If this
trailer did not look like a comedic farce, I would have happily went
in sight unseen, reviews unread. Now I won't. Believe me, I hope the
movie is nothing like what I saw in that trailer. I want you to be
right.

Most of the time the trailer does not get it right.

The trailer should make me scream out i've got to see this movie
today. In reality it usually makes me scream out I want to miss the
movie.

The Dark Shadows trailer is one of the few that I actually want to
see.

Marcovaldo

2012-04-09 19:38:14 UTC

I want them to take it seriously. You know, like the original DS. I
want a supernatural drama. You know, like the original DS. I do *not*
want a horror movie with blood and gore either.

Didn't Renfield cut himself early in the movie, causing Dracula to leer at the blood? But I take your point. I was hoping for something eerie and spooky. Doesn't look like we'll get that.

Z***@yahoo.com

2012-04-10 17:13:25 UTC

On Mon, 9 Apr 2012 12:38:14 -0700 (PDT), Marcovaldo

Post by Marcovaldo
I was hoping for something eerie and spooky. Doesn't look like we'll get that.

Hollywood doesn't do eerie and spooky anymore. They instead go for
blood/guts/gore/violence.

Z***@yahoo.com

2012-04-08 19:24:55 UTC

I want them to take it seriously. You know, like the original DS.

Did you watch the same original series i did? It took itself as
serious as it could for a daily show in the 60s with no budget
and very crude speical effects. It also did it effetively with no
blood, almost no violence, but was still very effective.

Bear in mind the original Dark Shadows aired in a era when
TV actually had censors and a blood/Gore fest would never
have made it past the censors.

In short it was a very different era for TV and
entertainment. And remember too the best horror film of the
was made only a few short years earlier with very little blood,
very little violence. (Psycho)

I liike what I see in the new Dark Shadows and will go to see
it on opening day. You're more than welcome to do as you like.

Post by Mike S.
I
want a supernatural drama. You know, like the original DS. I do *not*
want a horror movie with blood and gore either.

Mike S.

2012-04-08 22:28:01 UTC

Post by Mike S.
I want them to take it seriously. You know, like the original DS.

Yes.. I agree completely. For a show about vampires, witches and
werewolves, Dark Shadows took itself pretty seriously. I'm glad it
did. I'm not sure where or even if you are disagreeing with me here.

Kishin

2012-04-07 19:04:21 UTC

Post by Wiseguy
People call Desperate Housewives a comedy. It wins Emmys as a comedy.
It's promoted as a comedy.
I call it a soap opera.

A series can be both comedic and a soap opera at the same time. A
movie can not both be serious and a comedic farce at the same time. I
wanted the former. Burton is giving me the later.
Dark Shadows is not, never has been, and never should be a comedy.
Period.

Well, he's a VAMPIRE, for goodness' sake, so I wouldn't expect much of
anything would shock him.

Post by Z***@yahoo.com
My worst nightmare was that the new Dark Shadows movie
would be as bloody/gory/violent as a number of horror movies.
This trailer is a pleasant surprise for me. I'd rather have
some comedy than a ton of blood/violence/gore. When I
heard that they were makiing a Dark Shadows movie
my first visiion was of The Shining and blood
rushing out of the elevator.

You probably didn't like Dan Curtis' DS movie, either, as it was much
bloodier than the show. I'm a horror fan, and that sort of thing doesn't
bother me a bit. I count "The Shinging" among my favorite films. But
making it a comedy would bother me. I'm still withholding judgement till
I hear some reputable reviews.

--
Kishin

Diva Magenta

2012-04-08 00:04:02 UTC

Almost forgot a Burton example of a perfect blending of drama and
comedy. His Batman was both a dark, haunting gothic tale and an
exciting superhero action flick, but also boasted Jack Nicholson's
deleriously mad Joker and his comic escapades.

Think they'll have to have at least one Batman reference in the DS
movie? Yeah, me too... <g>

Diva

--

DivaMagenta @}{~~>~~~>~~~>~~~~~

"Religion is man's futile attempt to reach out to God, trying to earn
His favor. Christianity is the good news that God has reached out in
love to us through His Son, because He knows that our arms are not long
enough..."

http://divamagenta.webbywarehouse.com

Z***@yahoo.com

2012-04-08 19:39:04 UTC

Post by Wiseguy
People call Desperate Housewives a comedy. It wins Emmys as a comedy.
It's promoted as a comedy.
I call it a soap opera.

A series can be both comedic and a soap opera at the same time. A
movie can not both be serious and a comedic farce at the same time. I
wanted the former. Burton is giving me the later.
Dark Shadows is not, never has been, and never should be a comedy.
Period.

Well, he's a VAMPIRE, for goodness' sake, so I wouldn't expect much of
anything would shock him.

But the point is he won't be familiar with Cell phones, tv, radio,
airplanes, automobiles, etc.

I hated both Dark Shadows movies but loved the series.

My favorite Horror movies are films like Psycho.

Tim

2012-04-07 19:39:16 UTC

Post by Wiseguy
People call Desperate Housewives a comedy. It wins Emmys as a
comedy. It's promoted as a comedy.
I call it a soap opera.

A series can be both comedic and a soap opera at the same time. A
movie can not both be serious and a comedic farce at the same time.
I wanted the former. Burton is giving me the later.
Dark Shadows is not, never has been, and never should be a comedy.
Period.

I read an interview with the writer who said they were trying to make
it relevant to modern audiences. Am I mistaken, or have there not been
a number of very successful horror films that were not comedies?
Barnabas is a scary/tragic character. He should not be ridiculed, IMO.

He is not being ridiculed, the film features comedy in this
character who was chained in a coffin 200 years ago and
has the shock of seeing Collinwood in the 1970s.
You can have comedic elements without ridiculing the
series. Things like him seeing a tV set for the first time.
If you came into the 1970s how do you think you'd react
after being in a coffin for 200 years?
My worst nightmare was that the new Dark Shadows movie
would be as bloody/gory/violent as a number of horror movies.
This trailer is a pleasant surprise for me. I'd rather have
some comedy than a ton of blood/violence/gore. When I
heard that they were makiing a Dark Shadows movie
my first visiion was of The Shining and blood
rushing out of the elevator.

Come to think of it, an elevator would have made getting to the tower
room easier.

Tim

--
"That's the problem with goals. They become
the thing you talk about instead of the thing
you do."
~ Cherry Darling

Z***@yahoo.com

2012-04-07 16:46:23 UTC

Post by Wiseguy
People call Desperate Housewives a comedy. It wins Emmys as a comedy.
It's promoted as a comedy.
I call it a soap opera.

A series can be both comedic and a soap opera at the same time. A
movie can not both be serious and a comedic farce at the same time. I
wanted the former. Burton is giving me the later.
Dark Shadows is not, never has been, and never should be a comedy.
Period.

From the trailer I saw this is not a comedic farce. It has a little
comedy in it but not enough to qualify as a farce.

Mike S.

2012-04-07 17:26:02 UTC

Post by Z***@yahoo.com
From the trailer I saw this is not a comedic farce. It has a little
comedy in it but not enough to qualify as a farce.

A little comedy??? From that trailer? LOL!

Your little comedy is my mockery of the original DS. But hey, its all
relative, right? let's leave it at that.

Kishin

2012-04-07 19:08:34 UTC

Post by Z***@yahoo.com
From the trailer I saw this is not a comedic farce. It has a little
comedy in it but not enough to qualify as a farce.

A little comedy??? From that trailer? LOL!
Your little comedy is my mockery of the original DS. But hey, its all
relative, right? let's leave it at that.

As I've noted several times, we're still basing our judgements on a
trailer assembled by some marketing wonks. We won't know for sure till
the whole movie is released.

--
Kishin

Mike S.

2012-04-07 20:31:27 UTC

Post by Kishin
As I've noted several times, we're still basing our judgements on a
trailer assembled by some marketing wonks. We won't know for sure till
the whole movie is released.

Of course, but that lousy trailer took me from 'seeing this on opening
weekend' to 'wait and see'. The trailer did the exact opposite of what
a trailer is supposed to do. Compare it to the Hobbit trailer which
made want to see that movie even more.

Oberon

2012-04-07 21:04:24 UTC

Post by Kishin
As I've noted several times, we're still basing our judgements on a
trailer assembled by some marketing wonks. We won't know for sure till
the whole movie is released.

Yes, the original DS movie, "House of Dark Shadows" was far bloodier
and intense than the series. Supposed to be, since even than movies
and TV had rather different sensibilities. But most of the Hammer/
Christopher Lee Dracula movies had been around since 10 years before
DS and continued after ("Dracula 1972 AD" anyone?) and were certainly
as bloody or bloodier than "House".

It is possible that there are sub- "camps" of old school DS fans.
Those that like every thing and see it as mostly one thing altogether,
and perhaps those that separate the soap more from the movies (maybe
vice a versa, but I don't think in a significant way).

That said, the TV show relied more on the drama, the plots and plot
twists and the iconic-ness of characters like Barnabas and Quentin,
but also Count Petofi, Julia, Leticia Faye, the Rev. Trasks, etc.
Some great stuff happened in the TV, that even is not clearly
reflected in the film, but the film itself is iconic on various levels
too. I watched it on TCM a couple of months ago and it has aged...
not real unwell. Some scenes are still quiet unnerving (Willie's
beating, Carolyn haunting David, etc.).

I am holding on to a hope that the DS movie will serve the old school
well, and maybe prove its' worth to the current audience, but even so,
I imagine it will be a good movie, even as comedic.
It just won't be the Dark Shadows I had hoped for.

Oberon

Z***@yahoo.com

2012-04-08 19:53:12 UTC

Post by Oberon

Post by Kishin
As I've noted several times, we're still basing our judgements on a
trailer assembled by some marketing wonks. We won't know for sure till
the whole movie is released.

Yes, the original DS movie, "House of Dark Shadows" was far bloodier
and intense than the series. Supposed to be, since even than movies
and TV had rather different sensibilities. But most of the Hammer/
Christopher Lee Dracula movies had been around since 10 years before
DS and continued after ("Dracula 1972 AD" anyone?) and were certainly
as bloody or bloodier than "House".
It is possible that there are sub- "camps" of old school DS fans.
Those that like every thing and see it as mostly one thing altogether,
and perhaps those that separate the soap more from the movies (maybe
vice a versa, but I don't think in a significant way).
That said, the TV show relied more on the drama, the plots and plot
twists and the iconic-ness of characters like Barnabas and Quentin,
but also Count Petofi, Julia, Leticia Faye, the Rev. Trasks, etc.
Some great stuff happened in the TV, that even is not clearly
reflected in the film, but the film itself is iconic on various levels
too. I watched it on TCM a couple of months ago and it has aged...
not real unwell. Some scenes are still quiet unnerving (Willie's
beating, Carolyn haunting David, etc.).
I am holding on to a hope that the DS movie will serve the old school
well, and maybe prove its' worth to the current audience, but even so,
I imagine it will be a good movie, even as comedic.
It just won't be the Dark Shadows I had hoped for.
Oberon

It should be kept in mind that the Dark Shadows movies would naver
have gotten on TV past the 1960s censors.

As it is when it airs on TV today it's on cable. Even today If it
aired on broadcast TV they'd cut the hell out of it if for no other
reason than to cram in more commercials.

Kishin

2012-04-07 22:14:41 UTC

Post by Kishin
As I've noted several times, we're still basing our judgements on a
trailer assembled by some marketing wonks. We won't know for sure till
the whole movie is released.

I would say the same exact thing.

--
Kishin

Z***@yahoo.com

2012-04-08 19:56:19 UTC

Post by Kishin
As I've noted several times, we're still basing our judgements on a
trailer assembled by some marketing wonks. We won't know for sure till
the whole movie is released.

I would say the same exact thing.

There is a Hobbit trailer?

I desperately want to see the Hobbit, but I flately refuse to
do 3D which the Hobbit will be in.

And no there probably won't be a non 3D version, around
here Harry Potter was the only film that had a non 3D version.

Mike S.

2012-04-08 22:28:07 UTC

Post by Z***@yahoo.com
There is a Hobbit trailer?

Yes, just search for it on YouTube. Make sure you watch the HD
version.

Z***@yahoo.com

2012-04-08 19:44:24 UTC

Post by Z***@yahoo.com
From the trailer I saw this is not a comedic farce. It has a little
comedy in it but not enough to qualify as a farce.

A little comedy??? From that trailer? LOL!
Your little comedy is my mockery of the original DS. But hey, its all
relative, right? let's leave it at that.

As I've noted several times, we're still basing our judgements on a
trailer assembled by some marketing wonks. We won't know for sure till
the whole movie is released.

Bear in mind there have been trailers for movies that had
zero content from the actual film.

Some of the trailers are made before the first scene is even
shot.

Z***@yahoo.com

2012-04-08 19:42:12 UTC

Post by Z***@yahoo.com
From the trailer I saw this is not a comedic farce. It has a little
comedy in it but not enough to qualify as a farce.

A little comedy??? From that trailer? LOL!
Your little comedy is my mockery of the original DS. But hey, its all
relative, right? let's leave it at that.

And you're getting all this from a short Trailer that may or may not
reflect the final product.

Mike S.

2012-04-08 22:30:18 UTC

Post by Z***@yahoo.com
And you're getting all this from a short Trailer that may or may not
reflect the final product.

Yes. As I said elsewhere, if this trailer got the tone wrong, that's
their fault. I won't see the movie sight unseen at this point.. Now I
want reviews. What I saw in that trailer is not something I want to go
to the theater to see.

Z***@yahoo.com

2012-04-09 16:42:19 UTC

Post by Mike S.
Yes. As I said elsewhere, if this trailer got the tone wrong, that's
their fault. I won't see the movie sight unseen at this point.. Now I
want reviews. What I saw in that trailer is not something I want to go
to the theater to see.

So you want reviews............you'll get reviews from some clown who
starts out the review that he hates horror movies, hates
vampire movies, and hated Dark Shadows but will review this
film anyways.

Or he'll write the review having only seen the first twenty minutes
of the movie.

I don't trust a review unless the reviewer starts out that he
loved the original.

Mike S.

2012-04-09 17:10:22 UTC

Post by Z***@yahoo.com
So you want reviews............you'll get reviews from some clown who
starts out the review that he hates horror movies, hates
vampire movies, and hated Dark Shadows but will review this
film anyways.
Or he'll write the review having only seen the first twenty minutes
of the movie.
I don't trust a review unless the reviewer starts out that he
loved the original.

Oh, I don't mean professional reviews. I don't care about those at
all. I don't even mean people's personal opinion about whether the
movie is good or not. I don't give a damn what anyone thinks about a
movie to be honest with you.

I am checking usenet reviews here expressly to find out if this movie
is as silly as the trailer makes it out to be or not. That's it. I
normally do not read movie reviews at all.

Wiseguy

2012-04-11 03:40:38 UTC

So you want reviews............you'll get reviews from some clown who
starts out the review that he hates horror movies, hates
vampire movies, and hated Dark Shadows but will review this
film anyways.
Or he'll write the review having only seen the first twenty minutes
of the movie.
I don't trust a review unless the reviewer starts out that he
loved the original.

So you would rather read a review biased for DS than against?

Kishin

2012-04-11 04:52:28 UTC

So you want reviews............you'll get reviews from some clown who
starts out the review that he hates horror movies, hates
vampire movies, and hated Dark Shadows but will review this
film anyways.
Or he'll write the review having only seen the first twenty minutes
of the movie.
I don't trust a review unless the reviewer starts out that he
loved the original.

So you would rather read a review biased for DS than against?

I would. I would expect that opinion to more closely match my own, and
when trying to figure out whether to take the time and money to see it
in the theater, that's what I want. If someone "gets" the series in a
way I do, and they enjoy it, then I suspect I would, too. Same if they
hate it. What some critic who never even saw the series thinks is of no
importance to me.

--
Kishin

Mike S.

2012-04-11 15:35:00 UTC

Post by Kishin
I would. I would expect that opinion to more closely match my own, and
when trying to figure out whether to take the time and money to see it
in the theater, that's what I want. If someone "gets" the series in a
way I do, and they enjoy it, then I suspect I would, too. Same if they
hate it. What some critic who never even saw the series thinks is of no
importance to me.

If I am understanding your post correctly, then I agree completely.

Someone who watched the original series and 'gets' it, as you say,
would very quickly point out if this movie is 'true' to the original,
or if it is just a comedy using the Dark Shadows name and characters.
That is the one and only thing I want to find out from the reviews.

Diva Magenta

2012-04-11 16:00:37 UTC

I don't think a reviewer would have to be a DS fan to give a fair review
of the film. It has to cross beyond current fandom to be successful,
and be able to stand on its own merits for those unfamiliar with the
original.

What *would* be a problem is a reviewer who comes into it with a strong
prejudicial chip on their shoulder, ready to dismiss it automatically.
Whether their distaste is against Burton or Depp, vampire flicks,
remakes of old TV shows or the horror genre in general, if they already
have their minds made up before the movie even starts, they're not
giving it a fair shot.

In fact, one of the worst scenarios would be a reviewer who is a big DS
fan that firmly believes attempting any type of remake of the original
is pure sacrilege.

Diva

--

DivaMagenta @}{~~>~~~>~~~>~~~~~

"Religion is man's futile attempt to reach out to God, trying to earn
His favor. Christianity is the good news that God has reached out in
love to us through His Son, because He knows that our arms are not long
enough..."

http://divamagenta.webbywarehouse.com

Z***@yahoo.com

2012-04-11 18:16:00 UTC

Post by Diva Magenta
In fact, one of the worst scenarios would be a reviewer who is a big DS
fan that firmly believes attempting any type of remake of the original
is pure sacrilege.

That is the way I felt when i saw the Mission Impossible remake.
What they did was pure sacrilege.

And i'd have to use sacrilege to describe many of the remakes from the
60s.

That may or may not apply to Dark Shadows but i'll wait until I see
the entire movie before I decide.

Remember a good director will produce a product that not only
sastisfies non fans but also satisifes die hard fans.

Post by Diva Magenta
Diva

Diva Magenta

2012-04-11 18:49:46 UTC

Post by Z***@yahoo.com
And i'd have to use sacrilege to describe
many of the remakes from the 60s.

Oh, I totally agree. Don't get me started on what they did to my
beloved John Steed and Mrs. Peel in that awful Avengers remake!

But my point was about those who already had their minds made up to give
a movie a bad review before they even saw it, not watching it and then
declaring that it sucks, which would be fair.

And let's not forget that, despite many truly awful remakes of TV shows,
there have been some that were actually pretty darn great, like the
Addams Family movies.

Diva

--

DivaMagenta @}{~~>~~~>~~~>~~~~~

"Religion is man's futile attempt to reach out to God, trying to earn
His favor. Christianity is the good news that God has reached out in
love to us through His Son, because He knows that our arms are not long
enough..."

http://divamagenta.webbywarehouse.com

Z***@yahoo.com

2012-04-12 16:09:57 UTC

Post by Diva Magenta
And let's not forget that, despite many truly awful remakes of TV shows,
there have been some that were actually pretty darn great, like the
Addams Family movies.
Diva

That may be the exception rather than the rule.

Most of them sucked.

Z***@yahoo.com

2012-04-12 16:32:57 UTC

Post by Diva Magenta
And let's not forget that, despite many truly awful remakes of TV shows,
there have been some that were actually pretty darn great, like the
Addams Family movies.

i can't blame fans of Dark Shadows for being skeptical as they
approach this remake of the show. With the exception of
the Adams Family the remakes have been dreadful. (And this
from someone who grew with all thse shows.)

Ken Arromdee

2012-04-19 15:17:22 UTC

Post by Z***@yahoo.com
i can't blame fans of Dark Shadows for being skeptical as they
approach this remake of the show. With the exception of
the Adams Family the remakes have been dreadful. (And this
from someone who grew with all thse shows.)

I actually liked the Charlie's Angel remake movies. (The TV show from
recently, though, was dreadful. They even had a story with beach scenes
that failed to show the Angels in bikinis.)

--
Ken Arromdee / arromdee_AT_rahul.net / http://www.rahul.net/arromdee

Obi-wan Kenobi: "Only a Sith deals in absolutes."
Yoda: "Do or do not. There is no 'try'."

Diva Magenta

2012-04-19 20:14:52 UTC

Post by Ken Arromdee
I actually liked the Charlie's Angel
remake movies.

Yes, those were well-done and very entertaining. The Addams Family
movies were probably the best TV remakes (IMHO), and I also loved the
modern-day-family-stuck-in-a-1960s-time-
warp spin they put on the Brady Bunch movies. The Mission: Impossible
flicks are good, too.

The two I remember as among the worst were The Avengers and The Saint.
I won't count the awful post-Burton/pre-Nolan Batman flicks,sincethey
were based on the comic books and graphic novels rather than the TV
show.

I have absolutely no intention of seeing the reportedly quite raunchy 21
Jump Street movie, but it's undeniably cool beyond cool that Johnny Depp
didn't think he was above making an appearance in it, despite his
superstar status.

Diva

--

DivaMagenta @}{~~>~~~>~~~>~~~~~

"Religion is man's futile attempt to reach out to God, trying to earn
His favor. Christianity is the good news that God has reached out in
love to us through His Son, because He knows that our arms are not long
enough..."

http://divamagenta.webbywarehouse.com

Marcovaldo

2012-04-20 00:27:50 UTC

Post by Diva Magenta
I have absolutely no intention of seeing the reportedly quite raunchy 21
Jump Street movie, but it's undeniably cool beyond cool that Johnny Depp
didn't think he was above making an appearance in it, despite his
superstar status.

I found 21 Jump Street pretty entertaining, but then I am not familiar with the original show.

Mike S.

2012-04-11 18:24:39 UTC

Post by Diva Magenta
I don't think a reviewer would have to be a DS fan to give a fair review
of the film. It has to cross beyond current fandom to be successful,
and be able to stand on its own merits for those unfamiliar with the
original.

I completely agree with you. But I don't think this kind of reviewer
is going to help me personally. I don't just want a good movie. I want
a good Dark Shadows movie. That can not happen (for me personally) if
the tone of the trailer is accurate.

Post by Diva Magenta
What *would* be a problem is a reviewer who comes into it with a strong
prejudicial chip on their shoulder, ready to dismiss it automatically.
Whether their distaste is against Burton or Depp, vampire flicks,
remakes of old TV shows or the horror genre in general, if they already
have their minds made up before the movie even starts, they're not
giving it a fair shot.

Are you hinting that some here in this newsgroup are this type? ;)

I'd like to believe I am not this type myself. Before this trailer, I
was really looking forward to this. Johnny Depp as Barnabas? Good.
Burton as director? Good fit I said. I was prepared to see this in
theaters. That's saying a lot for me. The last movie I saw in theaters
was Return of the King 10 years ago.

Post by Diva Magenta
In fact, one of the worst scenarios would be a reviewer who is a big DS
fan that firmly believes attempting any type of remake of the original
is pure sacrilege.

Agreed again. Bring on the DS remakes I say. Hopefully something good
will come along. I hope it is this movie. :)

Diva Magenta

2012-04-11 18:54:56 UTC

if they already have their minds made up
before the movie even starts, they're not
giving it a fair shot.
Are you hinting that some here in this
newsgroup are this type? ;)

ROFL! No, I was referring to professional critics in magazines,
newspapers, etc. who do this for a living.

Translation: You wouldn't want to ask me to write a review of the
latest gangsta rap CD. :)

Diva

--

DivaMagenta @}{~~>~~~>~~~>~~~~~

"Religion is man's futile attempt to reach out to God, trying to earn
His favor. Christianity is the good news that God has reached out in
love to us through His Son, because He knows that our arms are not long
enough..."

http://divamagenta.webbywarehouse.com

Z***@yahoo.com

2012-04-12 16:38:34 UTC

Post by Diva Magenta
ROFL! No, I was referring to professional critics in magazines,
newspapers, etc. who do this for a living.
Translation: You wouldn't want to ask me to write a review of the
latest gangsta rap CD. :)
Diva

Too many movie reviewers go into a film expeciting another Gone with
the Wind. if they don't get it they trash the moive.

(i have to wonder how many films get trashed because the reviewer
had a bad day getting stuck in traffic, not having his car start,
or having his wife ask for a divorce.)

Kishin

2012-04-12 17:49:06 UTC

Too many movie reviewers go into a film expeciting another Gone with
the Wind. if they don't get it they trash the moive.
(i have to wonder how many films get trashed because the reviewer
had a bad day getting stuck in traffic, not having his car start,
or having his wife ask for a divorce.)

A good comparison here, for me, at any rate, is "John Carter." As a huge
fan of the books, I really enjoyed the movie. Almost all of the reviews
I read by fellow fans were very positive. But only 1/2 of the movie
critics who saw it gave it a positive review. These reviews were rife
with criticism that this was generic sci-fi that we've seen 100 times
before in movies like "Star Wars" and "Avatar." None of them took into
account that these movies were inspired by the John Carter books. In
this case, I went with the reviews of fellow fans, and I agreed. If I
went by the general consensus, I would have skipped the movie. Sometimes
context is useful.

--
Kishin

Z***@yahoo.com

2012-04-13 20:45:05 UTC

Post by Kishin
A good comparison here, for me, at any rate, is "John Carter." As a huge
fan of the books, I really enjoyed the movie. Almost all of the reviews
I read by fellow fans were very positive. But only 1/2 of the movie
critics who saw it gave it a positive review.

Too many of these reviews are written by reviewers who hate science
fiction, don't understand sciecne fiction, and can't be bothered to
like a science fiction movie. And it is a good bet they won't have
read the book.

Anoter part of it is though studios have no clue how to sell a movie
once it is made.

Oberon

2012-04-11 19:19:11 UTC

Post by Diva Magenta
In fact, one of the worst scenarios would be a reviewer who is a big DS
fan that firmly believes attempting any type of remake of the original
is pure sacrilege.
Diva

Oberon: I don't believe too many of us long timers here are of that
sort of fan; seems most of us have patiently waited for whatever fell
our way - whether it was the hope of coming back in syndication on
SyFy then Chiller or the remake several years ago or any new
continuation. I think a lot of fans would like to see the storyline
progress, rather than rehash.
Thats why I like the Big Finish audios, though I've only had about
5, and also Stuart's new Dark Shadows comic book, which is a great
continuation from series endpoint.
But I for sure am keeping my fingers crossed and hoping this is the
movie we've all waited for.

Diva Magenta

2012-04-11 23:28:14 UTC

Post by Oberon
I think a lot of fans would like to see the
storyline progress, rather than rehash.

Actually, I think going with the 1795-slash-present storyline is a wise
move:

1. When most people - especially those who aren't huge DS fans - think
of the show, they think "Barnabas" and "vampires." Focusing on his
character and the vampire storyline is sure to stir up memories for
something they hadn't thought of in years, and many may go out of
nostalgic curiosity.

2. The Barnabas/Angelique/Josette triangle is the epitome of romantic
tragedy, and will appeal to the love story crowd.

3. The 1795 storyline is so rich and compelling, and IMHO is the very
heart of the show. Giving the audience that background, especially the
uninitiated, can help put into perspective the characters and their
motivations within the time constraints of a 2 hour (give or take) film.

I think there's a reason all of the remakes have basically covered the
same ground. It's good stuff, plain and simple :)

JMHO

Diva

--

DivaMagenta @}{~~>~~~>~~~>~~~~~

"Religion is man's futile attempt to reach out to God, trying to earn
His favor. Christianity is the good news that God has reached out in
love to us through His Son, because He knows that our arms are not long
enough..."

http://divamagenta.webbywarehouse.com

Z***@yahoo.com

2012-04-12 16:45:24 UTC

Post by Oberon
Oberon: I don't believe too many of us long timers here are of that
sort of fan; seems most of us have patiently waited for whatever fell
our way - whether it was the hope of coming back in syndication on
SyFy then Chiller or the remake several years ago or any new
continuation. I think a lot of fans would like to see the storyline
progress, rather than rehash.

If we had a new Dark Shadows story line what would it look like?

Barnabas becoming the CEO of the Red Cross?
David beomng the CEO of Pep Boys?
Willie Loomis becoming the chief of police?

Marcovaldo

2012-04-12 19:43:41 UTC

Post by Z***@yahoo.com
Barnabas becoming the CEO of the Red Cross?
David beomng the CEO of Pep Boys?
Willie Loomis becoming the chief of police?

A producer signs Barnabas to be on reality show, but to his dismay, he finds that Barnabas' image won't appear on camera.

Tim

2012-04-12 22:34:40 UTC

If we had a new Dark Shadows story line what would it look like?
Barnabas becoming the CEO of the Red Cross?
David beomng the CEO of Pep Boys?
Willie Loomis becoming the chief of police?

Quentin becoming a silversmith apprentice at Braithwaite & Sons?

Tim

--
"That's the problem with goals. They become
the thing you talk about instead of the thing
you do."
~ Cherry Darling

Z***@yahoo.com

2012-04-11 18:07:51 UTC

So you want reviews............you'll get reviews from some clown who
starts out the review that he hates horror movies, hates
vampire movies, and hated Dark Shadows but will review this
film anyways.
Or he'll write the review having only seen the first twenty minutes
of the movie.
I don't trust a review unless the reviewer starts out that he
loved the original.

So you would rather read a review biased for DS than against?

You do realize that if the reviewer is not a Dark Shadows fan the
movie will absolutely get a bad review?

I've seen too many reviews where I had to ask did they see
the same movie it did?

Too many reviewers enter the theater convinced they are
going to hate the movie before it even starts.

Wiseguy

2012-04-12 01:54:32 UTC

So you want reviews............you'll get reviews from some clown who
starts out the review that he hates horror movies, hates
vampire movies, and hated Dark Shadows but will review this
film anyways.
Or he'll write the review having only seen the first twenty minutes
of the movie.
I don't trust a review unless the reviewer starts out that he
loved the original.

So you would rather read a review biased for DS than against?

You do realize that if the reviewer is not a Dark Shadows fan the
movie will absolutely get a bad review?

Bull. On so many levels. First, a reviewer isn't going to base whether
a movie is good or not on past movies, etc. If that were true, sequels
of good movies would always be good. Obviously not.
Second, a movie is not made just for fans. Otherwise, they wouldn't
start over again with the Barnabas storyline. A movie has to draw in
new fans and believe it or not, many people out there have never heard
of Dark Shadows. To say a reviewer has to be a DS fan to get a good
review is ridiculous. It just has to be a good movie.

Post by Z***@yahoo.com
I've seen too many reviews where I had to ask did they see
the same movie it did?

So if a reviewer who knows his job disagrees with you then they don't
know how to do their job.

Post by Z***@yahoo.com
Too many reviewers enter the theater convinced they are
going to hate the movie before it even starts.

And you know what the reviewer thinks how? Because their review doesn't
match yours?

Z***@yahoo.com

2012-04-12 16:57:58 UTC

Post by Mike S.
Yes. As I said elsewhere, if this trailer got the tone wrong, that's
their fault. I won't see the movie sight unseen at this point.. Now

Post by Mike S.
want reviews. What I saw in that trailer is not something I want to

Post by Mike S.
to the theater to see.

So you want reviews............you'll get reviews from some clown

who

Post by Z***@yahoo.com
starts out the review that he hates horror movies, hates
vampire movies, and hated Dark Shadows but will review this
film anyways.
Or he'll write the review having only seen the first twenty minutes
of the movie.
I don't trust a review unless the reviewer starts out that he
loved the original.

So you would rather read a review biased for DS than against?

You do realize that if the reviewer is not a Dark Shadows fan the
movie will absolutely get a bad review?

Bull. On so many levels. First, a reviewer isn't going to base whether
a movie is good or not on past movies, etc.

Do actually read reviews? Too many times the reviewer will state
he hated this movie as much as he hated movie x, y or z.

Post by Wiseguy
Second, a movie is not made just for fans.

A movie is made to make money, hopefully 85% of the gross the first
week.

Post by Wiseguy
Otherwise, they wouldn't
start over again with the Barnabas storyline. A movie has to draw in
new fans and believe it or not, many people out there have never heard
of Dark Shadows. To say a reviewer has to be a DS fan to get a good
review is ridiculous. It just has to be a good movie.

The film has to bring in $$$. As long as the customers fork over $$$
the studio doesn't care who they are.

Post by Z***@yahoo.com
I've seen too many reviews where I had to ask did they see
the same movie it did?

So if a reviewer who knows his job disagrees with you then they don't
know how to do their job.

The reviewer may know his job but he comes in with preconceived
opionions, hatred for certain genres, hatred for certain
actors/actresses/directors/studios, etc.

Post by Z***@yahoo.com
Too many reviewers enter the theater convinced they are
going to hate the movie before it even starts.

And you know what the reviewer thinks how? Because their review doesn't
match yours?

Because a number of them start their review with the statement they
hate xxxxxx type of films and this is no exception.

Also if you llisten/read a number of reviewers you quickly
learn what they hate.

Those biases show up over the course of years of reviews.

Diva Magenta

2012-04-07 23:40:46 UTC

And of course there was Moonlighting, which was billed as a "crime
drama" but was far more well-known for comedy :)

IMHO, some of the best shows and films are the ones which combine both
drama and comedy. I actually love Desperate Housewives, and the way it
utilizes both in such perfect balance. Laughing through the tears can
be a wonderful cinematic experience, when it's done well.
Some of Moonlighting's best moments were some of the more tender scenes
between Dave and Maddie, like their first kiss when he was going on the
run because he (mistakenly) believed he had accidentally killed someone,
and they thought they might never see each other again. It didn't
distract from the comedy, nor did the comedy lessen the effect of that
or similar moments. Together, they simply made for a richer story and
characters.

Also, I think the Scream films have proven that comedy need not take
away from the horror aspects of a movie. They worked equally well on
both levels, with neither part lessened by the presence of the other.
Were they funny? You bet! Were they scary? Oh yeah.

A good DS-related example is Jim Fyfe's delightfully off-kilter
portrayal of Willie in the revival series. He was a wonderful comedic
counterpoint to the more creepy goings-on in Collinwood, but it never
took away from the gothic tragedy, it just made the whole thing more
fun.

I remember the episode (of the original series) where Julia was
screaming and screaming in terror because she knew Barnabas was coming
after her. Yes, it was supposed to be terrifying, but I found Grayson's
over-the-top wailing absolutely hilarious, and I couldn't stop laughing!
Did it render the whole show ridiculous, or make me love DS any less?
Not a bit...

Pretty sure we all have favorite DS moments like that, and I believe
that any such moments in the new film will be an affectioate, loving
homage from Burton and Depp. not a slap in the face of their fellow DS
fans.

JMHO

Diva

--

DivaMagenta @}{~~>~~~>~~~>~~~~~

"Religion is man's futile attempt to reach out to God, trying to earn
His favor. Christianity is the good news that God has reached out in
love to us through His Son, because He knows that our arms are not long
enough..."

http://divamagenta.webbywarehouse.com

Mike S.

2012-04-08 01:11:38 UTC

Post by Diva Magenta
A good DS-related example is Jim Fyfe's delightfully off-kilter
portrayal of Willie in the revival series. He was a wonderful comedic
counterpoint to the more creepy goings-on in Collinwood, but it never
took away from the gothic tragedy, it just made the whole thing more
fun.

I agree about Fyfe but...

A comedic element within your gothic drama does not make said gothic
drama a comedy. Its still gothic drama. The tone of the 1991 revival
was not comedy in any way, shape or form.

Post by Diva Magenta
I remember the episode (of the original series) where Julia was
screaming and screaming in terror because she knew Barnabas was coming
after her. Yes, it was supposed to be terrifying, but I found Grayson's
over-the-top wailing absolutely hilarious, and I couldn't stop laughing!
Did it render the whole show ridiculous, or make me love DS any less?
Not a bit...

That's the campy, cheesy aspect. The hammy acting. This is wholly
separate from what I disliked in the trailer.

Post by Diva Magenta
Pretty sure we all have favorite DS moments like that, and I believe
that any such moments in the new film will be an affectioate, loving
homage from Burton and Depp. not a slap in the face of their fellow DS
fans.

I hope so.

Z***@yahoo.com

2012-04-07 16:42:40 UTC

Post by Z***@yahoo.com
After seeing the trailer is it a comedy? No.

Did we see the same trailer? It sure as hell looks like a comedy.

People call Desperate Housewives a comedy. It wins Emmys as a comedy.
It's promoted as a comedy.
I call it a soap opera.

I call it crap. I tried to watch an episode of DH, it made watching
paint dry or grass grow look riviting.

m***@comcast.net

2012-04-08 06:31:39 UTC

After seeing the trailer is it a comedy? No.

Did we see the same trailer? It sure as hell looks like a comedy.

People call Desperate Housewives a comedy. It wins Emmys as a comedy.
It's promoted as a comedy.
I call it a soap opera.

i call it shit.. lol
Desperate Housewives that is....

Wiseguy

2012-04-08 09:16:25 UTC

Post by m***@comcast.net

innews:7ukvn71gjs2ihoc8rrpm48rl7elshkdcv

After seeing the trailer is it a comedy? No.

Did we see the same trailer? It sure as hell looks like a comedy.

People call Desperate Housewives a comedy. It wins Emmys as a comedy.
It's promoted as a comedy.
I call it a soap opera.

i call it shit.. lol
Desperate Housewives that is....

The point was some people see more comedy in things than others.

m***@comcast.net

2012-04-08 19:48:51 UTC

Post by m***@comcast.net

After seeing the trailer is it a comedy? No.

Did we see the same trailer? It sure as hell looks like a comedy.

People call Desperate Housewives a comedy. It wins Emmys as a comedy.
It's promoted as a comedy.
I call it a soap opera.

i call it shit.. lol
Desperate Housewives that is....

Oddly enough.. i was a big fan of the first few seasons of DH. They
lost me a few seasons back though.

vince garcia

2012-04-16 11:46:02 UTC

Post by Kishin
It was my original intention to see it on opening day. Now I am
definitely going to wait for the reviews. If it turns out to be more
comedy, I'm going to wait for DVD.
--
Kishin

I'm gonna wait for Windriver to critique it. Then decide

Kishin

2012-04-16 12:28:25 UTC

Post by vince garcia

Post by Kishin
It was my original intention to see it on opening day. Now I am
definitely going to wait for the reviews. If it turns out to be more
comedy, I'm going to wait for DVD.
--
Kishin

I'm gonna wait for Windriver to critique it. Then decide

That sounds like reasonable advice.

--
Kishin

Z***@yahoo.com

2012-04-16 17:26:31 UTC

Post by vince garcia

Post by Kishin
It was my original intention to see it on opening day. Now I am
definitely going to wait for the reviews. If it turns out to be more
comedy, I'm going to wait for DVD.
--
Kishin

I'm gonna wait for Windriver to critique it. Then decide

That sounds like reasonable advice.

i'm going to decide for myself and see it opening day.

Mike S.

2012-04-16 17:28:01 UTC

Post by Z***@yahoo.com
i'm going to decide for myself and see it opening day.

But then it's too late.

Z***@yahoo.com

2012-04-16 17:50:26 UTC

Post by Z***@yahoo.com
i'm going to decide for myself and see it opening day.

But then it's too late.

Let me put it this way...........the only movie reveiwer I trust died
a while back.

The rest are fulll of crap.

So on opening day i'll trudge down to the theater and see it for
myself.

Mike S.

2012-04-16 19:20:26 UTC