Absolutely great opening scene, then terrible!

Rating: 1/10 (18 May 2012)

Warning: a few spoilers but nothing about the ending: I have been a fan of Dark Shadows since the days of the late 1960's and running home from school to catch the show when I was 9. I tried to go into this with an open mind. I promised myself that I would realize this was not going to be my beloved Dark Shadows but hopefully something of value to see. The entire opening sequence, where young Barnabas leaves for the United States to the building of the Collinwood estate to Josette's jump off of widow's hill had me cheering in my seat-YES this was going to be fantastic (though all of the opening storyline was terribly rushed, including Angelique putting the curse on Barnabas).
Then Johnny Depp (Barnabas) was released from his coffin in 1972. And from that point on, which was most of the movie really, I thought it was the most ridiculous thing I had ever seen. I find it very hard to believe that Depp and Burton were also kids like me who ran home to see the original series. Why did they take this direction? I mean panties on Barnabas' face in his coffin? Carolyn saying "Yeah I am a werewolf, get over it" when the entire movie we knew nothing of her being a werewolf? I was never so ashamed of Burton and Depp like I was today.
The original cast members are there, for about 2-3 seconds, walking into a party, and in the background again for 2 seconds for a shot. They were flown to England to do cameos. For 2-3 seconds? I mean, come on! And the humor, some jokes were just plain awful.
If Burton and Depp had taken the route they took with Sleepy Hollow, this could have been one of the best stories in film this year. If they had stayed with the feeling one got in the first 7 or 8 minutes,this could have been an absolutely fantastic horror movie. Instead it not only insults (rather than respects) Dark Shadows fans, but it completely loses that great feeling that was there for the opening sequence, which I loved, when Depp is telling the history of the Collins family.
I was turned off by the rock music at the very end, why not have all the credits playing some of the original Dark Shadows music, and why couldn't Danny Elfman interweave the main theme of the original into his music somewhere. Instead, the action scenes had that "Mars Attacks" opening credits type score, which I do love, but not here. The opening credits, instead of a good horror score, had the Moody Blues? Geeeez! And Alice Cooper at a party given by the grand Elizabeth Stoddard? Unbelievable. I think someone like Glen Close or even Judy Dench would have played a better head of Collinwood, Phiffer was just too young even though she did a decent job and tried, but all she had were bad lines to work with.
Barnabas not having to sleep during the day in his coffin, but using a hat and umbrella with dark glasses to keep out the sun and the light? And couldn't Burton take a break from all the white faces again (and again and again)?
I find it hard to believe that some 18% of people gave this a 10. I guess these must be under 18. I can assure you than anyone who knows anything about the original Dark Shadows did not give this a 10. Why didn't they just make a vampire movie and leave Dark Shadows out of it and let someone make a real Dark Shadows film? If you want to see what Dark Shadows was and why it was so beloved, see the original film from MGM with the television series cast, "House of Dark Shadows." I hear Warner is going to release it at the same time they release this new piece of junk on video.