By Lisa Fary
I’m so tired of vampires that I can’t even get excited about Johnny Depp as Barnabas Collins.
An adaptation of Dark Shadows, directed by Tim Burton, is in pre-production and is on track to shoot next fall. Being a Burton film, it’s naturally starring Johnny Depp.
I love Dark Shadows, used to rush home from fourth grade to watch it on the local station with my mom. She’d have a snack plate of Triscuits and cheese ready when I walked in; we’d sit down, snack, watch Dark Shadows, then I’d do my homework.
And I loved the short lived revival on NBC in the early 1990s. So disappointed when that was cancelled.
I should be thrilled to hear about Burton’s movie. It’s Burton, it’s Depp, it’s effing Dark Shadows!
It’s more gorram vampires. And there are more on the horizon in addition to Dark Shadows: having had so much success with Twilight, Summit Entertainment is now working on a remake – dare I say another re-imagining – of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, titled Vlad.
With 30 Days of Night, Twilight, True Blood, Vampire Diaries, Underworld, Blood Ties, Van Helsing, the upcoming remake of Let the Right One In, Daybreakers (and many, many more) any number of books I’ve read recently featuring vampires. . . I’m feeling burnt out.
Is it just me?
Lisa Fary is a graduate of the creative writing program at Florida State University and holds an advanced degree in Special Education. Her earliest influences are Princess Leia, Rainbow Bright, Astronaut Barbie, and her 6th grade teacher, Ms. Palmer. She’s angry that it’s almost 2010 and she still doesn’t have a hovercraft, but will accept a jetpack as consolation. That jetpack had better be pink with a rhinestone monogram.
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Lisa Fary's earliest influences are Princess Leia, Rainbow Bright, Astronaut Barbie, and her 6th grade teacher, Ms. Palmer. She's angry that it's 2011 and she still doesn't have a hovercraft, but will accept a jetpack as consolation. That jetpack had better be pink with a rhinestone monogram. 
I'm more sick of the current fashionable romantic portrayal of vampires than of vampires themselves. The moody, broody, trying but failing dismally to be sexy, morally ambiguous "I must feed but it breaks my heart, whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa I'm so loooooooooooooooonely!!" kinda vampire. 30 Days of Night's uncomplicated bloodsuckers were a breath of fresh air.
Zombies don't have a romantic side and I can't see myself ever getting sick of them (except when Romero's trying to use them symbolically that is).
I once heard someone say that the state of vampires reflect the state of ourselves as a society. Example: Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire showed the vampire as conflicted about what he had to do to survive. At that same time, the Vietnam war was going on and people were really conflicted, etc. I think that theory works to an extent – maybe only in that particular instance.
Perhaps today it represents society's fear of anything original. I mean say what you like about vamps that sparkle, at least it was something new but it's the thing that seems to get people most up in arms.
yes, i never thought i'd see the day when i rolled my eyes at the existence of another vampire tv show or movie. vampires were my FAVORITE of supernatural creatures! particularly because i'm genuinely terrified of most depictions of zombies (they move so slow; i just can't get over the creepiness.)
but johnny depp? always excited for him!
ps. triscuits + cheese + dark shadows, all in the company of your mom? yeah. that's AWESOME.
Yeah, and my teachers wondered why I was so dark!
I'm actually sick of Tim Burton. Tim Burton has ceased to be cool for me for a long time. I miss the days of his real quirk, like his Ed Wood and Pee-Wee's Big Adventure days. Nowadays, all his movies have this slick goth look about them that makes them more TIM BURTON&trade
Amen! I was trying to put my finger on what was starting to bother me about his stuff lately. I think "Tim Burton TM" is exactly right.
Though I do still want to go to the MoMA Exhibit of his stuff here in NYC. Though it's gotten mixed reviews…
It's nice to know that I'm not alone in being tired of Tim Burton.
Hee! This is exactly why I'm creating The Pack (http://www.thepackseries.com or follow us on Twitter @ThePackSeries).
It's all about how all the other supernatural beings are getting shafted because the vampires can't stop hogging the limelight. Hopefully, this will be just what you need.
Because seriously? I'm sick of them too. Except the ones on True Blood. They can stay.
Those vampire are really just needy, self-centered twerps!
Those vampires really are just needy, self-centered twerps!
i agree i can't stand vamps anymore the twilight did me in. never read the books but the movies draw way to much attention >.> and they sparkle. its alright thought i've always been a true lover of werewolves <3
I was a teenager when "The Vampire Diaries" were released, and I loved them. I was obsessed with vampires at the time. Now though…what was romantic and thrillingly angsty as a teen now reads as melodramatic and whiny. (and from what I know of Twilght…oh my God). One thing this culture has gotten very good at is oversaturation, so luckily this trend will die out as quickly as the many before it.
I'm not as tired of vampires as I am with zombies. The zombie thing got overdone for a few years and I'm actually at least a little relieved to see a swing back to vampires, if for no other reason than just being something a little different.