Film Notes

Busy day at work and then two films to watch tonight in time for tomorrow's show; 'Dark Shadows' at CineWorld and then 'Damsels in Distress' at the Picture House (with a free ticket thanks to Toby, our show's exec producer).

'Dark Shadows' is the latest film from Tim Burton with his long-time collaborator, a certain Johnny Depp, in the lead role of Barnabus Collins, a wealthy landowner-turned-vampire, cursed by his forbidden love, the witch Angelique (Eva Green). Based on a 60's soap opera (which started off as your usual one and started added ghosts and ghouls a little way in!) it tells the story of his return to the Collins household in the 70s and rejoins his family, only to find them cursed by the very same witch. Under the guidance of the matriarch Elizabeth Collins (Michelle Pfeiffer) Barnabus attempts to take charge of his (un)life, restoring the family's good name and at the same time dealing with the still alive and vengeance-driven witch.

The film is basically an extended soap in itself, which is good because that's what it should be - from Danny Elfman's incidental music to the plethora of 70's awesomeness it sets the tone brilliantly. Tim Burton's use of clever blocking and melodrama from his cast also helps to lend a cheesy soap opera atmosphere to the whole proceeding. The story is quite nice in itself, although it does suffer from being a bit too soapy at the beginning - i.e. I nearl dozed off (as I always will when forced to watch a soap!).

Happily in the final third of the film Tim Burton's full-on Burtonesque touch is unleashed and before long the vampirical Barnabus is seemingly the most normal thing about the Collins family! All in all it was a good laugh, particularly thanks to the actors playing exactly the way they should, just needs an open mind to embrace the concept and you should do fine.

The second film tonight, 'Damsels in Distress', is a different kettle of fish entirely. A light-hearted comedy it deals with the attempts of a group of girls at a male dominated campus to raise standards, stop depression and bad odours, and generally navigate their way through college. The script in this case was whip-sharp and the cast handled it superbly, the interplay between the four lead 'Damsels' was particularly brilliant with most of the best lines coming that way.

I don't want to write much more because I need to say it all tomorrow and argue with Kevin about it on-air! Needless to say I liked it a lot, I don't think it's the best film of this week's show (that's the new Jason Statham film, 'Safe', oddly enough!) but it's a very good comedy - and I didn't get soap dozey again either!