Dark Shadows (2012)
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A 18th-century vampire is unearthed in 1972 and must navigate the complexities of modern life while dealing with a vengeful witch.
The story
In 1760, Barnabas Collins and his family establish a presence in Maine, but a betrayal by a witch named Angelique leads to Barnas being cursed as a vampire and buried alive. In 1972, a construction crew accidentally frees him from his tomb. Barnabas awakens in the modern era and finds himself in the Collinwood Mansion, where he encounters the current residents, including a governess named Victoria Winters who bears a striking resemblance to his lost love. As he attempts to navigate the 1970s and reclaim his family's fortune, he must contend with the lingering presence of the witch Angelique, who seeks to reclaim her power and destroy those who oppose her.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1760, Barnabas Collins is cursed by the witch Angelique after he rejects her advances, turning him into a vampire and causing his family to fall into ruin. He is buried alive until 1972, when a construction crew frees him. Barnabas awakens in the modern era and finds himself at Collinwood Mansion. He discovers that the current governess, Victoria Winters, looks exactly like his former love, Josette. While Barnabas tries to adapt to the 1970s and reclaim his family's wealth, he faces threats from Angelique, who still rules the local area as a business mogul. He also discovers that the family's psychiatrist, Dr. Julia Hoffman, is actually a vampire who deceived him. After a series of confrontations, Barnabas reveals his true nature to the family. A final confrontation occurs when Angelique attacks the manor, leading to a battle involving the family, including a werewolf daughter. After Angelique is defeated, Barnabas and Victoria end up at Widows' Hill; Barnabas bites her, turning her into a vampire and restoring her identity as Josette. Simultaneously, Dr. Hoffman is resurrected as a vampire by Barnabas' blood.
- First release year
- 2012
- Runtime (minutes)
- 114
- Production countries
- United States; Australia
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Tim Burton
- Writers
- Seth Grahame-Smith · screenplay; John August · story; Seth Grahame-Smith · story
- Cast and characters
- Johnny Depp · Barnabas Collins; Michelle Pfeiffer · Elizabeth Collins Stoddard; Helena Bonham Carter · Dr. Julia Hoffman; Eva Green · Angelique "Angie" Bouchard; Jackie Earle Haley · Willie Loomis; Jonny Lee Miller · Roger Collins; Chloë Grace Moretz · Carolyn Stoddard; Bella Heathcote · Victoria Winters / Josette du Pres
- Genres
- Gothic horror comedy; comedy horror; fantasy comedy; supernatural
- Themes
- Time; Identity; Legacy
- Tone and mood
- Gothic; Campy; Whimsical
- Premise and plot tags
- Vampire; Witchcraft; Werewolf; Time Jump; Supernatural
- Source material / true-story basis
- Gothic television soap opera
- Content notes
- Violence
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews; critics praised its visual style and humor but criticized the lack of a focused plot and character development.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 35% · scale: percentage · review count: 263; Metacritic · score: 55 · scale: 100 · review count: 42
- Production trivia
- Christopher Lee's 200th film appearance; Richard D. Zanuck died two months after release
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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