Fresh from cinema.. ..Dark Shadows

Those of you who are my friends on facebook will know it - I watched a film I was waiting actually some years for on Thursday (the first day it was aired in Germany) in cinema:

DARK SHADOWS (USA, 2012) by Tim Burton

It's 1972 and 200 years after he was burried alive vampire Barnabas Collins (Johnny Depp) is finally freed. He returns to the family manor - and has not only to struggle with the spirit of the time but also with the witch who once turned him into a vampire: Angelique Buchard (Eva Green).

A little distraction in this fight is that the new governess on Collinwood Manor - Victoria (Bella Heathcote)  - looks exactly like Barnabas' fiancée Josette (again Bella Heathcote) - who died 200 years ago..

~ the main cast of the movie ~

If you are a fan of...

... non-sparkling vampires

... wicked witches and other females in amazingly beautiful shoes

... ghosts

... early 70's pop music (awesome soundtrack - just by the way..)

... goth kitsch mixed with 70's pop culture and a good share of humour

 please watch this film!

~ not gone for good: Josette - with Victoria following.. ... ~

I was never able to watch the original TV series - so I can't tell you anything about that. What I can tell you - and what I actually did tell my facebook friends: I am still highly in love with Helena Bonham Carter - who is in fact my number 1 favourite modern actress (together with Sally Hawkins - who unfortunately was not in DARK SHADOWS.. ...*hint - Mr. Burton! - hint*).

Helena Bonham Carter's part in this film was Dr. Julia Hofman who tried to help young David Collins (very impressiv young actor Gulliver McGrath) who since the death of his mother (Josephine Butler) sees her as a ghost. Of course that's not all about Dr. Julia Hofman - but I won't tell you much more besides that you can see in this film how marvellously Helena Bonham Carter plays one (or more..) hangover(s).. She is an amazing and really funny actress..

..That was my little song about her and now I'll behave again.. Promise.

~ Vampire rule #1: keep your teeth well-groomed. ~

One thing about Tim Burton - who is one of my most favourite recent directors) is that he usually picks actors who are great - and I have to confess that just because of him I started to take an interest into Anne Hathaway - who I by now like very much. I did not care for her before - but I hope she won't mind.. (I wonder if she cares at all..) After all it was not that I could not stand her - she simply did not interest me.. But things and minds change..

After saying this - I am afraid that this time Tim Burton and I disagree: I am still not too fond of Chloë Grace Moretz. Maybe it was just her film character - I really was annoyed by her.. Actually I would not mind at all if for the DVD version all her scenes were cut out.. (same goes for a certain overdone and by that boring sex scene..) By now the nicest thing I can say about her in this film is that she looks good in those short dresses we girls used to wear - for she has pretty legs.. Well.. at least Ms. Chloë Grace has in real live apparently a cat and other pets she loves.. (a plus in my book..) So who knows: maybe one day I will adore her and run into every film where she appears in - even if it was just a cameo.. But I really can not see that now..

~ Michelle Pfeiffer looking stunning
- in maybe the first film I ever saw her in wearing macramé (!) earrings.. ~

Speaking of cameos: Tim Burton and I (now - that does sound cool, doesn't it?? ...) not only both adore Vincent Price - we both like also Christopher Lee. And much to my pleasure Christopher Lee since some years now is a steady member of the "Tim Burton ensemble" and by that of course has a little part in DARK SHADOWS..

Some of the newer faces for Tim Burton films are real good picks - and I hope to seem them more regular in those:

What did not work for Chloë Grace Moretz and me worked with Johnny Lee Miller: I was not too much into him - but his part here is that unappealing and convincing that I actually can see a future in our "film-aficionada/actor" relationship.. He was great. 

I was of course very pleased with Michelle Pfeiffer who as always was just great - she has this wonderful though rare talent of mixing comedy with elegance. I just adore her. She is so very self-deprecating - and: well.. Who else could carry a young girl down some stairs that elegantly while wearing high heels??

~ finally we learn what Vampires eat for breakfast: waffles, of course.. ~

I also liked Bella Heathcote. Actually I never saw anything she did before (as far as I remember that is..) - and I was amazed that at least in one scene she resembled Tim Burton's CORPSE BRIDE very much - just that would have made me love her.. And another very private reason: she resembles a person who once was very important to me..

Fans of Johnny Depp will get their money's worth (esp. when they like to see some chest.. yes.. pun intended..) - and so will those who ever asked themselves how Jack Sparrow would act when he was a vampire.. ...

~ Eva Green - I love her and of course her outfits - esp. her heels.. ~

Still my second favourite (after Helena Bonham Carter to whom I can relate more) in this film is Eva Green who did an amazing job - and who has a formidable ability to control her body.. Very visibly in the scenes towards the end of the film when she shows "her real self".. Eva Green is another recent actress I like a lot so you might not be surprised by me raving about her.. 

Have a look:

The film itself is solid - though Tim Burton made better ones. Frankly I was left a little bit disappointed. It's a good film of course and I love this overdone kitsch which makes this film very funny - and so is the "culture clash" of this "18th century gent Barnabas Collins meeting the 1970's" plot.

I also love the soundtrack which has next to Danny Elfman's (who else??) great score some really cleverly picked 70's songs.. (Some of them still stuck in my head though it's two days since I watched this film..) And some of you might be happy to hear that the "ugliest woman I've ever seen" Alice Cooper has an appearance as himself..

And yes: actually a bit of blood will be shed - though done quite tame.. and again: the cast is great.. but still.. Well.. Enjoyable but not really mind-blowing 113 minutes of film.. You might should give it a try yourself..

Thank you very much for listening!

Yours

Irene