Friday, October 5, 2012

John August Discusses Unused Shadows Script

Screenwriter John August has spoken for the first time about his unused Dark Shadows screenplay. August wrote the first draft of the film's script, before the assignment was taken over by Seth Grahame Smith. "It was before Twilight had come out and before True Blood," he tells ShockTilYouDrop

"They said, 'Let's make a big gothic, vampire drama.' I pitched that and I wrote a Godfather-like saga of the Collins family and Barnabas was at the centre of it all... but it played itself straight." Citing delays in production and the current proliferation of vampires in films for the change in direction, he concludes: "I think it's one of the best scripts I've written. But I totally get why, at the time they went off to make it, they didn't make that version."

Meanwhile, the Dark Shadows movie has just been released on DVD and Blu-Ray and is performing strongly in the US marketplace. PhillyBurbs reports that the film is currently the number one film home rental and number two retail title, behind The Avengers. Dark Shadows can be ordered on DVD by clicking here and special edition Blu-Ray by clicking here.

13 comments:

Travis said...

Thanks for the info! I would have loved to have seen/read this version than the way the actual movie turned out. =/ There's been an explosion of vampires over the past years and I feel they've lost their "creepiness".

Ron_Daisy said...

I'd give anything to see the script.

Unknown said...

Me too.

My DVD of DS came yesterday. Christmas in October. I was out of the communicating world for two hours--loved it!!

David Elijah Nahmod said...

Perhaps HBO can be convinced to do the August script as a TV film or miniseries.

Ron_Daisy said...

David, I like your thinking.

Ron_Daisy said...

David, I like your thinking. Who would you cast?

Richard said...

Robert Downey Jr as Barnabas Collins

David said...

I would LOVE to read the August version. I am sure it was sublime. The Graham-Smith version is a mess. The first third (until Angelique shows up) is damned good. But the rest is a confusing and disappointing mash-up. Depp is still marvelous. As is Michelle Pfeiffer, Jackie Earle Haley, Gulliver McGrath, and Bella Heathcote - not to mention the stunning visuals of Collinsport and Collinwood. However, I mourn the loss of the August version -- and the missed opportunities (Charlize Theron as Angelique)

Unknown said...

Good choice

Tom said...

YES! Robert Downey Jr. as Barnabas! I would love to see that!

Richard said...

I wish it was Christopher Nolan's next trilogy. Robert Downey Jr as, Barnabas, Charlize Theron as Angelique. I want to see Nicholas Blair in the second installment. Joaquin Phoenix should be in it, maybe as Blair, or as a Collins.

The Loneliest Guy said...

I think that Ben Cross should reprise the role!

kryystoff said...

They promised a more in-depth follow-up interview with August -- please post here about that when it's published. Thanks as always!