Collinsport is the ancestral home of Barnabas Collins and his family. Local girl Josette is in love with Barnabas, but also is his maid Angelique, and knowing that she cannot compete for his affections, she makes sure that no-one else can. For Angelique is a witch, and uses her powers so that Josette will take her own life. With his loved one gone, Barnabas knows he cannot go on without her, so aims to take his own life too, but before he can complete the act, Angelique strikes again, and damns him for all eternity by making him a Vampire.
Once the local town folk found out, and with a little help from Angelique, he realises that he is out of luck, and they bury him in a coffin, where he will spend the rest of his undead life.
Jump forward to the 1970's and a new development sees the coffin being dug up, and Barnabas has to adjust to life two hundred years ahead of when he was buried.
Playing the part of Barnabas Collins is Johnny Depp, and it is the kind of role that he slips into rather effortlessly, for him it is like wearing a pair of old slippers. He does provide the film with the majority of its humour.
Eva Green is good as Angelique, she makes a most admirable femme fatale.
As for the rest of the cast, they have varying degrees of success in their roles, the one who fairs tyhe best is Helena Bonham-Carter as Dr. Hoffman, a local shrink trying to coax the Son of the house, David, into a 'normal' life.
The main problem with the film is that it cannot decide whether it wants to be a gothic thriller or a comedy, and does not really succeed in either area. It is enjoyable enough, but several of the laughs are given away in the trailer.
Could have been better, but Depp saves the day.....6 out of 10.
No comments:
Post a Comment