Burton Wants "Dark Shadows" to be "Human and Personal"

In the March/April issue of HorrorHound Magazine, Tim Burton discussed his approach to Dark Shadows.

“The reason I liked Dark Shadows was that it was a weird family story. It just happened to have supernatural qualities to it,” Burton said of the original TV series.

Responding to reports that the film will feature comedic elements, Burton said: "It's news to me... I always start things with the most serious of intentions. I sometimes find humour in things that aren't funny and vice versa."

On Johnny Depp's look for the vampire Barnabas Collins, Burton explained: "We wound up with a nod to [original actor] Jonathan Frid's Barnabas," and explains the inspiration for the character's elongated fingernails. "Because of the sensitive nature of the character, I liked the idea of his fingernails being long, a bit more tactile."

As post-production nears completion (the film will be released in May), Burton also says Dark Shadows will use special effects sparingly. "I want to rely on the characters... We were trying to keep it as human and personal as possible. Every effect should not seem like an effect."