Michelle Pfeiffer and Tim Burton reunite in “Dark Shadows”
The big-screen adaptation of the supernatural soap opera marked the first collaboration in 20 years for the actress and director, who last worked together on the 1992 superhero sequel “Batman Returns.”
Michelle Pfeiffer broke one of her rules of Hollywood etiquette to reunite with Tim Burton for their first film project in two decades.
When she learned the Oscar-nominated director was going to make a movie based on the 1960s-‘70s supernatural soap opera “Dark Shadows,” she just had to phone him.
“I did, yeah, “I shamelessly called him,” Pfeiffer said, laughing sheepishly during a recent press conference at the swanky SLS Hotel.
“She hadn’t even ever called to say hello, so that was real major,” Burton said from the seat next to her.
“Just ‘give me a job’ after 20 years. It was really horrible. It’s not done,” she said with a laugh.
“I didn’t even know if there was a part for me, and it had been so long since I had seen the series, I didn’t even remember. I just said, ‘If there’s anything, I want to throw my hat in the ring.’ And then I hung up and thought, ‘I’ll never hear from him again.’ But I did.”
Indeed, Pfeiffer, 54, plays Elizabeth Collins Stoddard, the stalwart matriarch of the Collins family, whose ancestors established the hamlet of Collinsport, Maine, and built a proud fishing dynasty back in the 18th century when they immigrated to America. By 1972, though, the family has fallen on hard financial times.
The Collins clan gets a transfusion of fresh blood, so to speak, when construction workers unearth a steel coffin that for two centuries has been the resting place of the undead Barnabas Collins (Johnny Depp). Once the heir of the Collins fortune, Barnabas was turned into a vampire and trapped underground by a vengeful witch named Angelique (Eva Green). Revealing his supernatural nature only to Elizabeth, Barnabas emerges confused by American life in the early ‘70s but determined to restore the Collins name, mansion and business to their former glory.
“It was a real joy to get a call from Michelle and find out she was a closet ‘Dark Shadows’ fan. I knew that she was weird, but now it confirmed the whole situation,” Burton quipped. “(It) was great because between Michelle and Johnny, we were the only ones I think on the cast that knew ‘Dark Shadows.’ I don’t know if I showed it to anybody else because you can’t really show ‘Dark Shadows’ to anybody else that doesn’t know it ‘cause they’d probably run screaming out of the room. So it was nice that Michelle was playing the head of the family. And it just made me realize how much I enjoyed working with her.”
The movie version of the eccentric cult favorite marks the first time for Burton and Pfeiffer to collaborate since she played Catwoman in the director’s 1992 superhero sequel “Batman Returns.”
“It was weird because it reminded me how much I loved working with Michelle,” Burton said. “It was like a long time ago but it just flooded back … how impressed I remember being with Michelle. Like she learned how to use a whip and jump around on roofs in high-heeled shoes. Let live birds fly out of her mouth. Let cats eat her. I mean, very impressive stuff.”
“Only she did have trouble walking down the stairs in this movie. Some people’s powers have diminished somewhat,” he added teasingly.
With “Dark Shadows,” Burton immediately put Pfeiffer’s high-heel skills to the test.
“The first day of shooting, he had me in 8-inch platform shoes walking down that treacherous staircase, and I wasn’t allowed to look down,” she said.
“They didn’t look down in ‘Dynasty’ or ‘Dallas,’” Burton countered. “I’ve never seen them look down on the steps when they walked down.”
“Great laughs at my expense from Mr. Burton,” she said chuckling with the director and her castmates.
The filmmaker had more fun with the three-time Oscar-nominated leading lady when a reporter asked her thoughts about Anne Hathaway’s casting as Catwoman in Christopher Nolan’s upcoming Batman three-quel “The Dark Knight Rises.” Burton tried to no avail to start a catfight over Catwoman.
“Comment on something you haven’t seen. Make some kind of derogatory comment that shows you versus somebody else,” Burton said with a feline growl. “Catfight. … Let’s see it, c’mon. Give ‘em what they want.”
“I love Anne Hathaway. I’m a huge fan. And the nature of all of these characters is that they’re played by different people all the time,” Pfeiffer said, struggling not to laugh. “I think she’s great and I think she’s gonna be awesome.”
“It’s gonna be great,” Burton said, grinning and groaning in mock disappointment. “That was beautiful.”


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Just added over 250 pictures of Michelle at the Dark Shadows Los Angeles Premiere. Thanks to Jessica for some of the HQ pictures:)

“Dark Shadows” – Los Angeles Premiere – May 7

Michelle was at the Tonight Show With Jay Leno last night here’s the interview and some stills:)

The Tonight Show With Jay Leno – May 7

Just added the missing 2012 events in the gallery.

CinemaCon 2012 Awards Ceremony – April 26
“Dark Shadows” Press Conference – April 29