ATTENTION "DARK SHADOWS" FANS

[NeverMore]

I pulled the trigger and started putting the original series in my Netflix, starting with the pre Barnabas seasons. It's gonna take me a loooong time to get this series out of my queue.

[Murfreesboro]

I started watching the revival series on Hulu, one episode a day. It has only twelve, so it won't take me long.

I bought the "Best of Barnabas" DVD yesterday and just watched the first three on that one. They are from various points in the series, so there is no continuity, but it was fun to revisit Frid's Barnabas.

You know, for all the (justified) criticism of the original series, its poor production values, etc., it really did have a very inventive, interesting story. I believe it was seminal to so many subsequent vampire tales.

[NeverMore]

You know, for all the (justified) criticism of the original series, its poor production values, etc., it really did have a very inventive, interesting story. I believe it was seminal to so many subsequent vampire tales.

Struth. Some young'un who comes across that series these days would probably watch one episode and say "meh". During the original run it was groundbreaking, never done before. Much like Star Wars. A phenomenon when it first appeared, old hat these days.

[Murfreesboro]

Oh, yes, the context of the era had a great deal to do with the success of that show. That, and Frid's charismatic portrayal of Barnabas.

[Pumpkin_Man]

I think "Dark Shadows" was one of the most original and best shows that ever appeared on tv. Frid also really brought the tragic, reluctant monster to lite as well. Tome of the pre Barnabas Collins episodes are pretty cool, too. Before Barnabas Collins there was "The Pheonix," plenty of ghosts, and seances and the like. It does actualy start out as your typical 1960s Soap Opera, but it delves ever so deeper into the world of the supernatural as the show goes on.

The only thing that disappointed me about "Dark Shadows," is we never found out who Victoria Winter's parents really were, and how she was connected to Collinwood. I think Mr. Burton is going to provide us with an answer to that in his "Dark Shadows" rendition. The 1991 Revival Series did the same thing. In the original, Maggie Evans was the reincarnation of Josette Dupres. In the revival series it was Victoria Winters. IMHO Victoria Winters (Joanna Going in the revival series and Alexandra Moltke in the original) were the real beauties of "Dark Shadows." Of course, Daphanie Heridige, (Kate Jackson) was also a very attractive lady, too. The two people I really had crushes on in "Dark Shadows" were Victoria Winters and Daphanie Heridige. I liked Angelique as she was the entertainment aspect to it, and there were a few others. Carolyn Stoddard, Samantha Collins and in the very first "Paralell time" episode, they had a short lived character named Sukie Forbs.

But Vickie and Daphanie were my favorites.

On a less serious note, I remember my teachers being impressed with my vocabulary, because I use to try to emulate the way Barnabas Collins talked.

Mike

[Murfreesboro]

You're right, there was never any explanation of Victoria Winters' connection with Collinwood. I'd be interested to see how this new movie tries to explain it.

I first got into DS through the Maggie Evans story arc, so I was quite aware when they changed that aspect of the story line in the revival series. In a way, that made sense to me, though. Victoria started out to be the central character of the soap, I thought. And Maggie was more incidental in the original series, except that she became the focus of Barnabas, who surprised everyone by becoming the main draw of the show and staying on until the very end of the series. I think if the original writers had foreseen the popularity of Barnabas, they would most likely have made Vickie the focus of his attention from the get-go.

As a female viewer, I thought all the young women on Dark Shadows were lovely. As a girl I loved the corkscrew curls in the 1790s storyline. I tried to emulate them once or twice.

[scareviewzombies.com]

I never really got to see the original show and just recent saw some episodes of the early 1990s version on Chiller channel which felt like a dynasty like soap. Looking forward to the upcoming movie, I hear Alice Cooper is in it as well.

[Murfreesboro]

I've been watching the revival series on Hulu, for the first time in 20 years. I hadn't thought of the Dynasty comparison, but I can see what you are saying. Mainly, the production values were far superior to the original daytime soap, and, like the original, it took the story line seriously. However, it didn't catch on in prime time. Some fans have said that was because it aired at the same time as the first Gulf War, and most people were riveted by coverage of the war.

[witchy]

I've never seen the original so I bet I'll love this!! I can't wait 4 more days, YEAH!!!!

[scareviewzombies.com]

I've been watching the revival series on Hulu, for the first time in 20 years. I hadn't thought of the Dynasty comparison, but I can see what you are saying. Mainly, the production values were far superior to the original daytime soap, and, like the original, it took the story line seriously. However, it didn't catch on in prime time. Some fans have said that was because it aired at the same time as the first Gulf War, and most people were riveted by coverage of the war.

I didn't watch the revival series back in 1991 either

[jadewik]

They have an art contest for the film up at Deviant Art... they've just recently chosen semi-finalists.

http://moonbeam13.deviantart.com/journa ... -298689722

[Murfreesboro]

I think they are pushing this movie hard. I wonder if that means the producers lack confidence in it? Or does it mean they honestly think it can be a main-stream hit, like Pirates?

Johnny Depp fans will go, and Tim Burton fans will go. Maybe the vampire craze of recent years will produce some fans who are ready to see a send-up of the whole genre. I think the hard-core Dark Shadows fans are more ambivalent, but people like me will go in part to see Jonathan Frid's cameo, and just out of curiosity to see what on earth Burton & Depp have done with the material.

I wonder what the critical response is going to be?

[Pumpkin_Man]

IF all goes well, I am going to see it this very Friday night at the Harvest Moon Drive-In theatre. I plan to see the movie mainly because I am very much an avid "Dark Shadows" fan.

As for th e 1991 Revival Series, I agree. I think most people were more interested in the Gulf War then in a revival of a 1960s vintage soap opera, all though I never really "considered" "Dark Shadows" a 'soap opera' per se, because when I was a kid, the typical soap opera of the day was rather boring. IT didn't have vampires, wearwolvs, haunted houses and the like, it just had lovers cheating on each other, spouses cheating on each other, and they were typicaly very slow moving. "Dark Shadows," was anything but slow moving IMHO.

The revival series was beautifuly done, but unfortunately it was more of a retelling rather then an upgrade. They did pick THE PERFECT people to play the part of Barnabas Collins (Ben Cross) and Victoria Winters (Joanna Going).

Mike

[Murfreesboro]

No, I never considered it a soap, either, although I guess that was its format. The soaps of the day were deadly dull, always set either in court rooms or hospitals. That's because censorship was still active on American TV, and you couldn't show s.e.x. They didn't start doing that until the mid to late '70s. In the '60s, TV shows always had to imply the naughty goings-on.

The revival series, which I just finished re-watching today, condensed much of the original story line. I wonder where they intended to go with it.

[Pumpkin56]

I think they are pushing this movie hard. I wonder if that means the producers lack confidence in it? Or does it mean they honestly think it can be a main-stream hit, like Pirates?

Johnny Depp fans will go, and Tim Burton fans will go. Maybe the vampire craze of recent years will produce some fans who are ready to see a send-up of the whole genre. I think the hard-core Dark Shadows fans are more ambivalent, but people like me will go in part to see Jonathan Frid's cameo, and just out of curiosity to see what on earth Burton & Depp have done with the material.

I wonder what the critical response is going to be?

I'm sure it's being pushed hard because of the names that are in it and it's being released during blockbuster season. Some things like The Avengers and The Dark Knight Rises don't really need any kind of push to make tons of money, but I'm thinking Dark Shadows might. I think it will do just fine. Tim Burton and Johnny Depp--what more do you need?