Narratively speaking, “Dark Shadows” is a hot mess, but thanks to the goodwill generated by Johnny Depp, and the visual splendor supplied by director Tim Burton, there are moments to savor and a few chuckles to be had. View a slideshow, trailer and Read The Full Review
“Dark Shadows” is a campy and pruriently misbegotten attempt to turn a very popular and much loved afternoon soap/horror opera tv show (that had no intended humor) into a comedy. The plot is a screwed-up mess that should have a notation that “any similarity is purely coincidental”. Four of the cast from the series make an extremely short (and silent) appearance together, including Jonathan Frid (Barnabas) who died recently and is probably rolling over in his grave.
GRADES :
Depp fans (who never saw the show) = B-
Others who never saw the show = C-
Fans of the original = D or F