Dark Shadows - General Discussion

[Collinwood]

Quentin was extremely popular.  His character had the same tragic quality as Barnabas.  I think it could be argued that he was as popular as Barnabas judging by fan mail and merchandise made with Quentin's picture.  A series of Dark Shadows novels also came out while the show was on that had the characters from the show but were not from the show storylines and many of them featured both Barnabas and Quentin.

[Collinwood]

Yes, Barnabas will be traveling back to 1897 where Quentin is very much alive.   This storyline is about Quentin becoming a werewolf, complete with a fur covered Quentin stunt double who is a foot shorter than David Selby.  One of the best storylines of the whole show IMO.  In future storylines David will have another female friend to experience gothic horror with, Hallie Stokes, the niece of professor Stokes.

[Collinwood]

If I remember correctly JK plays Carl Collins in the 1897 Time Travel storyline.  During one scene in the cemetery Carl will run into and knock over a couple of styrofoam tombstones.  That aside Carl Collins doesn't do very much that's interesting.

[Pete Martell]

Michael Maitland, who played one of the child versions of the Leviathan leader, recently passed away at the age of 57.

 

http://darkshadowsnews.blogspot.com/2014/05/michael-maitland-1956-2014.html

[Collinwood]

Thanks Pete for letting us know about this.  I don't keep up with the cast the way I should.

[Collinwood]

Yes, Quentin was a werewolf too.  Quentin was placed under a curse in 1897 by Magda because he left his wife Jenny who went mad.  Magda and Jenny were sisters.  The curse was placed not only on Quentin, but on his descendants.  What Magda did not realize is that Jenny had given birth to twins, one boy and one girl, she only knew about the boy who died.  Chris Jennings is a direct descendant of Quentin through his daughter with Jenny.  So Quentin is the original werewolf, not Chris.  And Chris is actually a member of the Collins family.

[Collinwood]

Magda Rakosi is played by Grayson Hall wearing heavy dark makeup and a long black wig.  Thayer David plays her husband Sandor and he also has the dark makeup and black wig.  Julia Calls herself Julia Collins when she time travels to 1897.  Grayson Hall only played real members of the Collins family in 1840 Parallel Time (Julia Collins) and in the brief 1680 Parallel Time sequence (Constance Collins).    While there are some good websites for Dark Shadows, I really like having the reference books around.  Sure, I spent too much money on them and they take up a lot of space, but hey it's Dark Shadows.  I can say the same things about the DVDs too. 

[Wilowy]

I love having you guys here. 

[morlock-rising]

Hi, new person here. I noticed that too. It seems like after 1897 things started to bounce around.

 

Glad to see a forum on this topic. So many of the ones I hunted for were old and unused. Glad to see something still alive and kicking!

[morlock-rising]

Ah, is that what happened? Glad to hear it. I didn't catch all of that story line, but then again, when I think of it, it sounds like something I might have wiped from my memory. (I have little fondness for Mr. Blair. ) ^_^

[morlock-rising]

I noticed the earrings issue as well. And thanks for the photograph. It is rather something!

[morlock-rising]

What I researched of Barnabas' relation with Angelique is he had a one-night-stand with her in lieu of believing Josette was refusing him. Later on he grabs at Angelique and pushes her away. I see this as having an inner turmoil with his own lust in a unique way. He believed himself to be honourable and was ashamed at this desire which his heart wasn't in. 

 

Later on he accepts the idea of marriage to Angelique (even though she conned him to agree to it) due to perhaps being able to present some justice to her now that Josette was beyond his grasp. Of course, when he discovers what Angelique was responsible for (Sarah's illness being a big, whopping reason) he decides to try for Josette again, or at least say farewell. Josette won't have that, and etc, etc, etc.

 

(Barnabas also shoots Angelique.)

[Collinwood]

Barnabas also refused to forgive Angelique for everything she had done to him and his family when she turned up in Collinwood as Cassandra.  Nicholas Blair became fed up with Angelique disobeying him and he took her powers and allowed her to become her true age.  He said he would restore her youth and let her live if she could get Barnabas to forgive her.  Angelique then went to Barnabas and pleaded with him to forgive her.  I think one of the best scenes Jonathan Frid and Lara Parker ever had was when Barnabas refused and told Angelique "You and I can never forgive each other."  She then died.  Temporarily.

Edited July 11, 2014 by Collinwood

[Collinwood]

I've checked the reference books which I found most useful and found that most of them are out of print.  The Dark Shadows Program Guide is the book I use the most often.  It is a thin softcover that was published in 1995.  I don't know how long it's been OP, but the used copies I found look a little pricey to me.  The Dark Shadows 25th Anniversary Company by Kathryn Leigh Scott (softcover) is very useful and far less expensive used.  The Dark Shadows Almanac Millennium Edition is also very useful and available used.  None of these books are thick and heavy.  It's only when you start buying things like the Dark Shadows Collectibles Book, The Dark Shadows Music Book, the biographies and autobiographies of the actors that space and money start to disappear.  Oh and there are self published Concordances to all the storylines written by Kathleen Resch (I think she still sells them).  And if you still have space and money there are several volumes called Transcending Time which contain photocopies of all (or nearly all) the interviews and articles written about Dark Shadows while it was on the air.  Most of these articles are from magazines like Tiger Beat and they are a hoot.  Happy shopping.

Edited July 11, 2014 by Collinwood

[Pete Martell]

I bought most of the guides when they came out. I haven't read them in years, but I thought they were so nicely put together, between the reference information, the photos, and some of the pieces the actors wrote. 

 

Magda was Grayson's favorite character. I loved her too, although as 1897 dragged on and on and on, Magda slowly became Gypsy Julia, with Grayson no longer trying to differentiate the characters. My favorite part of Magda's story was her trial. The whole thing felt so fresh for Dark Shadows. I really need to watch that again at some point.

 

Robert Costello, who was a producer for the first 900 or so episodes, recently passed away. KLS shared her thoughts on him.

 

http://darkshadowsnews.blogspot.com/2014/07/robert-costello-kathryn-leigh-scott.html

 

http://darkshadowsnews.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/robert-costello-1921-2014.html

Edited July 11, 2014 by Pete Martell

[morlock-rising]

Ah, yes indeed! I like that "temporarily". It always seems to be the way with that one. ;)

[Collinwood]

Did you know that when Barnabas first bit Willie and had him under his control that there were written notices from the network given to the writers and directors about not making the relationship look gay at all.  ABC was very vigilant about that.  Lines from scripts were scrutinized such as Jason MacGuire kidding Willie about doing "light housekeeping" for Barnabas (that line was kept but a memo was written about it) and male and female vampires could only be seen biting members of the opposite sex.  Barnabas was never shown actually biting Willie, and Willie's vampire marks were on his arm.  I sometimes wonder what Dark Shadows would be like if it were on daytime today.

Edited July 16, 2014 by Collinwood

[Collinwood]

Oh! Oh!  Angelique in 1897.  A famous blooper happens then, if I'm not mistaken.  Angelique enters the Drawing Room at Collinwood and looks around and calls it "Hollywood."  I'll have to check on that.  takeittotheBanks, have you gotten to the part when Barnbas brings Angelique to Collinwood yet?

 

WOOPS.  Angelique's slip up happens in the 1840 storyline when she is interfering with Barnabas' relationship with Roxanne.  Roxanne, by the way, becomes Barnabas' new love interest after KLS left the show in 1970.  After Rachel, Barnabas will have one more relationship with a Josette lookalike played by KLS.  That character is Lady Kitty Hampshire and she is also in the 1897 storyline.

Edited July 22, 2014 by Collinwood

[Collinwood]

takeittotheBanks, just wondered what you think of Grayson Hall as Magda.  I liked Magda because Grayson Hall seemed to having such a good time playing her.

[Collinwood]

I thought it was sad that Willie never got his own love interest.  At least not in "regular" time.  In Parallel Time William Loomis was married to Carolyn, but clearly that was not the same guy.  I suppose Willie had to remain unattached so he could be available whenever Barnabas or Dr. Hoffman needed him to kidnap someone or drive to Bangor and purchase medical supplies.

[Collinwood]

Clouds are starting to roll in this afternoon and it looks like we may have a storm.  Whenever we have weather like this, I think of DS.  Even back in the sixties I thought it was strange that there was so much thunder and lightning on the show but no one ever came inside looking wet or windblown.  Characters would put on heavy coats and lug umbrellas around but they never saw any actual weather other than rain on a window.  Also the show is set in Maine but we never see any snow covered scenery, in fact I can't even remember an episode in which snow was mentioned.

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

 

They must have gotten some kind of a deal on the blue candles, but I didn't think they had blue candles in 1795. 

The blue candles and that damn polyester afghan always bugged me.

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

In one of the early episodes Elizabeth Stoddard was doing a very dramatic monologue. During the whole thing the camera dolly kept going SQUEEEEEEEK SQUEEEEEEK SQUEEEEK....  Joan Bennett did a good job ignoring it for a while, but eventually gave the cameraman a death glare, and eventually the squeaking stopped.

 

The grass at Eagle Hill cemetery would wrinkle when it was walked on and the wall at Collinwood would jiggle when the door was slammed.

 

Remember when Bathia Mapes totally forgot her lines and had to be prompted by Barnabas on the air?

I read somewhere that Dan Curtis left all that stuff in because he was too cheap to re-shoot the scenes. If the actors did something really mortifying and didn't want it shown on the air they'd say "fuck" or something to force a reshoot.

[funkopop]

I am watching this for the first time and I must admit I have enjoyed the Pre Barnabas/supernatural episodes a lot.  But I feel like there was a spooky otherworldly aspect from the beginning. Does anyone know just when they began crafting that element into the show?

Edited April 10, 2015 by funkopop

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

I seem to remember that it was about halfway through the first season - they were on the verge of being cancelled, so Dan Curtis said "what the hell - let's throw a ghost in there." The rest is history!

I don't recall whose ghost it was - maybe the Widow's Hill widows...

[Pete Martell]

I seem to remember that it was about halfway through the first season - they were on the verge of being cancelled, so Dan Curtis said "what the hell - let's throw a ghost in there." The rest is history!

I don't recall whose ghost it was - maybe the Widow's Hill widows...

 

I think it was Josette, and the quote was something like, "what the hell - we're already bombing." That also led to the Widows and the supernatural elements of Bill Malloy's death.

[Pete Martell]

Elizabeth Wilson, Mrs. Hopewell on Dark Shadows, has passed away. 

 

I'll never forget the first time I watched DS and said, "Is that the woman from 9 to 5?"

 

http://www.collinsporthistoricalsociety.com/2015/05/obituary-elizabeth-wilson.html

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/11/arts/television/elizabeth-wilson-a-character-actress-of-stage-screen-and-tv-dies-at-94.html?_r=1

[Guest]

Title is terrific.   So is Julia.

[Kev]

That's her, I think and RIP. 

[azshadowwalker]

The best blooper has to be the fire on set, where you hear the extinguishers in the background as they desperately try to put it out. The scene is Barnabas and Vicky (or Maggie?) talking in the foyer, with the extinguishers drowning out their dialog. Well, not the best. That would be Roger talking about his "incestors".

Edited September 23, 2015 by azshadowwalker

[hypnotoad]

I just started watching on hulu and the eps start with the Barnabas stuff. I am really enjoying this show. I don't remember my mom ever watching this soap, so this is really my first time seeing it. I did catch a few episodes on Sci Fi channel many years ago but I much prefer going in order with no commercials. I'll have to look around to find the episodes pre-Barnabas!

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

I just found this guy's blog and have been binge-reading all day. He does a recap of each episode, with pithy comments, screen caps, and blooper round-ups.  Love!

 

http://darkshadowseveryday.com/

[Brenogan]

They have quite a few episodes on YouTube and I have been binge watching so I can go to Hulu once I get to 210.  I'm on episode 62 right now, having found them all on YouTube.

Edited May 12, 2016 by Brenogan

[Almost 3000]

Quote

 

Watch quick because they'll probably disappear. I watched them a couple of years ago there and then they were removed.

[atomationage]

I don't think the copywright holders care enough about the first 209 episodes to get them taken down.  I'd like a video with every one of the opening narrations beginning "My name is Victoria Winters".   All the episodes may be available at your local public library.   People keep watching this show.  This summer, June 27th, will be the 50th anniversary of the beginning of the show. 

[Pete Martell]

I'd never seen this before - it's a short interview toward the end of this, Joan Bennett talking about nearly being cast as Scarlett O'Hara. It's a few years before she died, and I tend to wonder if it was filmed when she was at a Dark Shadows convention, as I recognize the outfit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVcths8K8RI

Edited May 16, 2016 by Pete Martell

[Pete Martell]

Nancy Barrett's Doctors run is now airing on Retro TV. If you don't get the channel you may want to write or contact your provider. If you want to see her episodes or Virginia Vestoff's episodes, PM me and I'll give a link.

[Ubiquitous]

I noticed Roger Davis on the pilot of The Bionic Woman last week playing an officier at the base she was going to teach. He seemed a bit "hands on" here as well.

[Kim0820]

Been watching up to Season 11 on Hulu - where do people get the rest? 

I watched this as a child in 3rd grade - fortunately that seems to have been Seasons 9 and 10 or so.  I saw the air dates and was surprised.  I remember watching it but thought I must have been about 10 or so.  Anyway as a 3rd grader, I watched the 1795 story.  I remember Victoria being accused of being a witch and being hanged.  I may have continued through the summer and Fall as I remember Adam, but must have stopped soon after, as I don't remember Eve or Nicholas really.  

[Kim0820]

I don't get the title.  I never saw anything masculine about Julia.  I suppose that is what it means?

I always laugh when Julia freaks out.  She does that better than all 3 of the young ladies.  They all had the Scream down.  Which is funny, after a couple of years, it should have been harder to scare them - after all they had been through.  

Another great thing about Julia is that she was smart and would figure things out, finally moving the plot along! 

[Kim0820]

I had not recognized John Karlen as the one who played Harvey Lacey.  That was fun to find out!

[Kim0820]

I was thinking why didn't Angelique just put a spell on Barnabas to make him be in love with her, rather than having to win him over after putting a spell on Josette and Jeremiah to fall for each other.  But I guess that would have ruined the plot as it would have been too easy!

[Kim0820]

I liked Victoria as a child watching the shows live on TV after school.  I saw the 1795 storyline and hated when she was hanged!  But of course she came back to life in the modern day drawing room.  

Now I am liking Jeff Clark/Peter Bradford as her love interest, too.  

[Kim0820]

I wonder if the Collins' realized they were abnormal, lol.  Did they think everyone has problems with vampires and witches?  

[atomationage]

3 hours ago, Kim0820 said:

Been watching up to Season 11 on Hulu - where do people get the rest? 

Youtube, The Public Library, and some technically illegal sources.  Where I used to live, the public library had the series on VHS tapes, from about episode 200 on, then they replaced those with Dvds eventually, because the series is still so popular.  Then The Beginning series, the first 200, was released, and the whole series became available.  I think I watched about a thousand episodes.  I stopped watching when Quentin became the main character.  Victoria Winters was long gone. 

[atomationage]

4 hours ago, Kim0820 said:

I don't get the title.

Doctor Woodward kept referring to a Dr. Julian Hoffman.  Then Grayson Hall was cast, and Julian became Julia.   Her husband, Sam Hall, was one of the writers.  

[Kim0820]

29 minutes ago, atomationage said:

Doctor Woodward kept referring to a Dr. Julian Hoffman.  Then Grayson Hall was cast, and Julian became Julia.   Her husband, Sam Hall, was one of the writers.  

Oh thanks!  I didn't know that.  

Another interesting thing is that Julia came and stayed in the house without question for months on end and does not seem to have a practice or anything to do but attempt to cure vampirism and occasional first aid.  But who is paying her and buying her clothes?  lol.  

I'm just watching an episode where she is taking care of not-yet-onscreen Amy Jennings - took her to Windcliff.  Maybe she does have a practice going? 

[Kim0820]

59 minutes ago, atomationage said:

Youtube, The Public Library, and some technically illegal sources.  Where I used to live, the public library had the series on VHS tapes, from about episode 200 on, then they replaced those with Dvds eventually, because the series is still so popular.  Then The Beginning series, the first 200, was released, and the whole series became available.  I think I watched about a thousand episodes.  I stopped watching when Quentin became the main character.  Victoria Winters was long gone. 

Thanks!  

[Kim0820]

I remember her from watching live as a child - Angelique using voodoo was one of my early TV memories !  

It was funny watching it now and hearing Victoria say "I don't believe in witches."  But in her world, she's wrong!  There are witches, lol.

[atomationage]

My recollection is that Julia came to Collinwood pretending to be a historian studying the history of the Collins family, but she was actually studying Barnabas.  Her medical field was blood disorders.  I don't want to spoil you with anything.  This is from her wiki page:

Quote

A doctor in the fields of psychology and rare blood disorders and head of the Windcliff Sanitarium