VARIOUS: Director Tim Burton and Johnny Depp bring star power to the red carpet in Tokyo as the two promote their comedic vampire film 'Dark Shadows'

Record ID: 220804

  • Title: VARIOUS: Director Tim Burton and Johnny Depp bring star power to the red carpet in Tokyo as the two promote their comedic vampire film 'Dark Shadows'
  • Date: 13th May 2012
  • Summary: EXPLOSIONS, SMOKE AND CONFETTI MARKING THE END OF RED CARPET EVENT
  • Embargoed: 28th May 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Japan
  • Country: Japan
  • Reuters ID: LVA8FRVLBTWU55FZRUYBOAQKV4SJ
  • Story Text: Several thousand fans packed into Tokyo's Roppongi Hills Arena on Saturday (May 12) to see Dark Shadows star Johnny Depp and director Tim Burton walk the red carpet.
    Gothic cosplayers and fans in vampire costume and make-up added to the festive atmosphere as droves of Burton fanatics imitated the "dark" style his characters often portray in his films.
    Strong gusts of wind did nothing to dampen the duo's enthusiasm as both celebrities spent nearly an hour signing autographs and giving interviews before speaking from the main stage.
    Fans were excited to see the director, many were crying and holding up hand-drawn pictures that paid homage to the Burton's well-known artistic skills.
    "I mean I just always love coming here, it's a very special place to me and if I could have every premier in Japan I would because people are very warm and always amazing to me. I have lots of friends so it's a very special place in my heart, Japan," Burton said.
    The film is based on a popular day-time soap opera that aired in the late sixties in America. Burton stated that film was inspired by the tv show and not a re-enact of it.
    "Well, I mean it's an inspiration but it's a soap-opera on TV so you can't really translate that to a movie so much. It was more about the spirit of it and more about the characters, you know. Both Johnny and I were fans of it when we were kids so it was the idea kinda of trying to create that feeling that we saw when we were watching it," Burton said.
    It's rare for a director to receive more attention than his leading actor, but in Tokyo it was clear that Burton outshone the Hollywood actor based on the fans' reactions and preparations for the event.
    Fans held signs reminiscent of another one of Burton's films the "Nightmare Before Christmas" as well as dressing up as characters from the director's distinctive style of movies.
    The film was significant for Depp as well, the long-time fan of the TV series stated it was his boyhood ambition to play the favourite character.
    "Playing Barnabas Collins was always a kind of dream of mine you know, even when I was a little kid I used to pretend to be this vampire Barnabas Collins so to be able to fulfil that dream and especially fulfil it with my friend and favourite filmmaker of all time is really a dream come true," Depp said to fans from the venue stage.
    "Dark Shadows" opens in theatres across Japan on May 19th. Johnny Depp and Tim Burton are scheduled to attend a news conference in Tokyo on Sunday (May 13) for the film.
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