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randall 
"I like to watch."
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 Posted - 01/16/2013 : 21:21:01
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I wasn't nuts for it, though it had many, many nice moments. Instead of being all-in on the "Barnabas misses 200 years until 1972 and has to confront contemporary life" gag, as were the remakes of THE BRADY BUNCH and THE ADDAMS FAMILY, there was only sporadic exploitation of this fecund comic potential, including beautiful needle-drop music from the early Seventies in hilarious innocent contrast with the darker on-stage doings.
But Tim Burton couldn't leave well enough alone, so the picture has a schizophrenic quality. There's some great magic dueling, including big floor effects, which look terrific, and Johnny Depp just chews the scenery as, you have to reflect, Edward Scissorhands, only he talks too. But the picture can't decide whether to be spooky or ooky, and once you step across the line [the Dan Curtis TV series never did...it was always as serious as a heart attack, the laughs occurred ironically in fraternity houses, etc., all over the country], you can't go back artfully.
Worth a rent, that's it. |
Edited by - randall on 01/17/2013 09:55:27 |
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ChocolateLady 
"500 Chocolate Delights"
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Posted - 01/17/2013 : 09:15:07
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| Hm... as a huge fan of the original show (never saw the Ben Cross remake), I'm not sure it sounds like it is even worth the rent. |
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BaftaBaby
"Always entranced by cinema."
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Posted - 01/17/2013 : 09:51:58
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quote:
Originally posted by randall
I wasn't nuts for it, though it had many, any nice moments.
That about sums it up nicely. I didn't even know there wuz a telly series, so I had neither comparisons nor expectations. I did laugh some, but prob'ly missed alotta jokes and/or ironic comments. Hey ho - and so it goes ...
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randall
"I like to watch."
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Posted - 01/17/2013 : 11:27:24
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quote:
Originally posted by ChocolateLady
Hm... as a huge fan of the original show (never saw the Ben Cross remake), I'm not sure it sounds like it is even worth the rent.
I too was a big fan, along with a buncha frat brothers who scheduled their classes specifically so they could see the show in the afternoons. If you can accept the fact that there's gonna be some ironic humor [which was absent in the series; it was absurd, but played deadpan] regarding the fish-out-of-water Barnabas, it's actually fun to watch how the producers replicated all those creepy characters with contemporary actors. Still, familiarity with the series is not necessary: they tell you everything you need to know. I stand by my conclusion: a fun rental. |
Edited by - randall on 01/17/2013 11:29:25 |
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Beanmimo 
"August review site"
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Posted - 01/19/2013 : 15:25:59
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Like Bafta I had never heard of the series and went to the cinema purely oo the basis of being a Tim Burton fan.
A weak one from him for sure.
A Darkly amusing Vampire (who breaks many traditional vampires rules), an ammost pantomime witch and a host of other twisted misfits.
Only a few laughs, but it satiated my inner burton appetite for the moment.
I'd even go further and wait until this comes out on TV.
My full review here with a bit of james joyce thrown in for flavour.
http://wp.me/p1MbTJ-a7 |
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chazbo 
"Outta This Fuckin' Place"
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Posted - 01/19/2013 : 16:41:20
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I don't get a chance to watch many new movies these days, but decided to go for this one from Burton and Depp, whose films I usually enjoy.
I had heard of the TV series before but knew absolutely nothing about it except that it was a "vampire soap opera." I'm sure that term doesn't do the series justice.
The movie started off interestingly, with some great atmospherics and designs, as you would expect from Burton. And I thought Depp was great as Barnabas, clearly having fun with his role. The scene with the hippies was one of the best darkly comic scenes I've seen from Burton in a while.
But the movie on the whole was bad, in my opinion. It succumbs to the usual Burton problems--poorly developed characters, weak plot, and an ending that descends into predictability and ridiculousness. By the end I felt that I was pushed outside a story that had much promise but seemed ultimately focused more on expensive effects and cheap thrills.
One thing I didn't get was why the cannery business was so important. I know it was a coastal town and the centuries-old vampire-witch clash played out on the business side too. But it seemed arbitrary and didn't really add anything to the story. Was this just something ported over from the TV show? Perhaps it had more meaning there.
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randall
"I like to watch."
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Posted - 01/19/2013 : 18:18:10
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quote:
Originally posted by Beanmimo
Like Bafta I had never heard of the series and went to the cinema purely oo the basis of being a Tim Burton fan.
A weak one from him for sure.
A Darkly amusing Vampire (who breaks many traditional vampires rules), an ammost pantomime witch and a host of other twisted misfits.
Only a few laughs, but it satiated my inner burton appetite for the moment.
I'd even go further and wait until this comes out on TV.
My full review here with a bit of james joyce thrown in for flavour.
http://wp.me/p1MbTJ-a7
Hey, that's a nice review: keep linking to 'em!
EDIT: No, better yet, I've just signed on to follow your blog. |
Edited by - randall on 01/19/2013 19:02:32 |
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Beanmimo
"August review site"
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Posted - 01/19/2013 : 23:04:26
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quote:
Originally posted by randall
EDIT: No, better yet, I've just signed on to follow your blog.
Thanks for the follow, just to warn you I mostly review movies, plays and books but then do the odd random blog or ones on social commentary... |
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randall
"I like to watch."
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Posted - 01/20/2013 : 02:19:36
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| That's exactly how I roll too! You can also find me on Wordpress if you dig down deep enough... |
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Dark Shadows
