'Dark Shadows'

Hailey Nelson

In Dark Shadows, a film that made its debut in 2012, director Tim Burton recreates the original quirky 1960' soap opera set in Collinsport, Maine.

The film’s prologue opens in the 1760 Liverpool. We see main character Barnabas Collins, played by Johnny Depp, as a young boy boarding an English ship headed to America. Heartbroken by Barnabas, witch Angelique Bouchard, played by Eva Green, spends two centuries destroying his life. Bouchard exterminates his love and turns Barnabas into an immortal vampire who stays buried until 1972. Barnabas must rebirth the town of Collinsport and bring success back into the family fishing business, which was overrun by Angelique’s “Angel Bay” over the two centuries. This backstory is all set up within a matter of minutes.

In a desperate attempt to prevent the past from repeating, Barnabas mends his dysfunctional descendants and restores the family's fortune. The actors are accompanied by a gothic set, colorful clothing, and a killer soundtrack including “Top of the World” by The Carpenters. Simple insults are turned into comical masterpieces when used in old English dialect.

While returning the Collins family to their former grandeur, Barnabas must work around his new animalistic instincts. When betrayed by the lazy, drunken family psychiatrist, Barnabas sacrifices his good name to protect his family. When Julia Hoffman, played by the witty Helena Bonham Carter, is found using Barnabas’s blood, the consequences remind us of his Vampire nature (as if the clothing didn’t). Carter’s performance is done so seamlessly we almost feel bad for her oblivious, desperate character. One might forget one-third of the cast bears thick European accents because of their uncanny acting abilities.

Barnabus is driven by his passion for Victoria Winters, the new family nanny at the Collinwood mansion. He must resist continuous temptation from his former lover and present doomer, Angelique, in order to win over “Vikki’s” love and fulfill his ultimate goal of restoring their relationship. Winters, played by Bella Heathcote, is the spitting image of a woman Angelique cursed 200 years prior. This same woman, Josephine, was madly in love with Barnabas and ultimately led to his cursed state. Angelique's desperate nature and envy drive her forward as the townspeople begin to learn her dark secret. If there is anything viewers take away from this film let it be summed up in one quote: “Family is the only real wealth and love the only justification needed.”

Overall, this film is visually hypnotizing to any viewers who adore period clothing or Tim Burton's trademark directing. Though this is my favorite movie, the character development is a bit predictable, however, I believe it stands overall as an extremely entertaining film due to the acting, set, script, music, and special effects. If this film was produced with half the budget, I am not sure I would be as attracted to it. Regardless, this film radiates strange humor and an appealing plot, making this film successfully stand out among others at the time.