LornaHansonForbes

also, it was nice to see that DARK SHADOWS in many ways did get a proper FINAL EPISODE, it's just that it's episode 1198 (I think the show has 1245 episodes in all.) that's actually the last time we see pretty much all the characters, and there is a surprisingly moving moment where the principles gather in the foyer and it's 1970 and no one has lizard tongues or anything. after that, it's alternate 1840 which seems to be an EMILE BRONTE-based universe and then, the end.

aha. so, i made it through 1840 and I see the showrunners got the memo that there needed to be CLOSURE to the storylines, along with, for a little variety, not just one, but multiple happy outcomes- which seem a little unsteady. the BEST CLOSURE comes from the one unhappy ending, for ANGELIQUE (by now, do I need to warn of spoilers?) it's a great close to HER AND BARNABAS'S tortured relationship and very true to the audacious spirit of TRUE SOAP OPERA where a character is willing to undergo an UTTER 180 and see the GOOD in someone who has heretofore been utterly and completely reprehensible to them.

I wonder if they filmed this on a nice summer day and the guy just walked home like that.

to me, it makes no nevermind whether or not they show the TITULAR demon at the climax of NIGHT OF THE DEMON, the movie JACQUES TOURNOUR (sp?) has directed up to that point has been so masterful and engrossing, that he can get away with a "shark swallowing a scuba tank moment." you may enjoy this audiobook of the source material; I also checked out THE CURSE OF THE CRIMSON ALTAR and I have to say- JESUS H. how many times did they remake HORROR HOTEL/CITY OF THE DEAD????? I think you do it some disservice in not mentioning the beefy guy in the INTERNATIONAL MALE CATALOGUE EXECUTIONER'S COSTUME, he was really out there doing his most for Queen and Country. Call me a pedant of the occult if you will, but i found the PHEASANT (?) FEATHERS in BARBARA STEELE'S headdress to be distracting anachronistic. (note: i think they were pheasant feathers, they were long and curled, maybe it's some British game bird, but the pattern on them looks like a pheasant to me; you ornithological pedants out there, feel free to correct me. ) i've just never known PHEASANTS, or any other ground-dwelling game bird to be associated with THE KINGDOM OF DARKNESS or THE DEVIL, feel free to correct me on that if I am wrong. it sort of speaks to me of an OUTDOORS CHALLENGE on DRAG RACE.

i seriously doubt GRAYSON asked. i kind of get the sense she maybe did it herself while having a psychotic break, but i don't wanna get too up in whatever she had going on at home.

I kid GRAYSON because I love GRAYSON... and it's been fun to follow her "hair journey" after the unfortunate "kindergarten scissors" SEVERE CROP she adopted right in the middle of her tenure on the show. I think she realized it was a mistake when some kids mistook her for MICK JAGGER and chased her for four blocks one rainy day when she couldn't catch a cab...it's grown out now to where they can comfortably tuck in a fall, as I presume she did when she assumed the identity of her 1970 PARALLEL TIME COUNTERPART "HOFFMAN" the MRS DANVERSESQUE HOUSEKEEPER

(THE HAIR IS EVEN SOMEWHAT ON-POINT)

"BARNABAS!"

I was watching an episode the other day where Grayson, bless her heart, hadn’t quite glued her false eyelashes on right and she had this one reaction shot that really reminded me of one of those baby dolls that when you lift it up the eyelids flap open, but sometimes one of the eyelids gets stuck so you have one eyelid welded shut and one eye wide-open and the babydoll looks like they’re coming off a methamphetamine binge... So in answer to your question, with all due respect Grayson, no I’m afraid I never saw her as the romantic lead of the show. but an entertaining presence throughout, absolutely!

To be fair, I have only seen a handful of her episodes, and they were all set when she went back in time, Where she is playing someone who is in shock and kind of stumbling around. So it’s entirely possible she was much better in other storylines.

Am I the only one who feels as if KATHRYN LEIGH SCOTT was, oddly, never really allowed to become THE LEADING LADY of the show? After ALEXANDRA MOLTKE (who I find dull) left, it seems as if no one else really stepped into the PRIMARY ROMANTIC HEROINE part; and , starting with 1897, her appearances even become infrequent in whatever character she is playing, sometimes being curiously killed off (as in 1897)

The gay actor that I know of in the “dark shadows” reboot was Michael T Weiss, whose picture I posted above, and who later played “the pretender”. I don’t think I’m outing him or this is any kind of earth shattering news. yeah, JEAN SIMMONS Had a pretty fair amount to do, more so as the character of Naomi in the 1700s, Where she was inexplicably the mother of two 10-year-old children and one 45 year old son...

also also, the 1991 revival kept going with the longstanding tradition of casting GAY ACTORS in the male roles, at least in one case...

spoilers in re: THE 1991 REVIVAL OF DARK SHADOWS Two things that I still remember blowing my mind: THE INTRODUCTION OF THE CHARACTER OF PROFESSOR STOKES, who we assume is going to be THE HERO (whether we've seen the original series or not)...only he lasts about two episodes before he gets turned into a vampire! and the CHARACTER OF JOE is actually a good guy in the 1700's story as well as in the 20th century storyline- only he DIES SHOCKINGLY in the present day, which blew my mind then.

I'm glad to hear this, and me too. It was my introduction (at age 12 going on 13) to the world of DARK SHADOWS and really, my favorite thing about it was BARBARA STEELE- looking like OLIVE OYL'S malevolent cousin EEVILLE OYL- as DR. JULIA HOFFMAN The casting of the series was all-around excellent (as I recall), JOANNA GOING was so likeable as VICTORIA (I've never warmed to ALEXANDRA MOLTKE) and BEN CROSS was really pretty perfect, and a nice upgrade in the looks department. the only weak thing i recall about it is it's CONSTANT USE OF DAY-FOR-NIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY, which I read has been corrected in certain DVD(?0 releases. DAN CURTIS LOVED HIM some DAY FOR NIGHT and NO ONE ever had the heart to tell him no amount of Foley sounds of crickets or blue tint will hide the fact that it is CLEARLY NOON in AUGUST in SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA and not MIDNIGHT in MAINE. The man was FIRMLY AGAINST renting the lighting equipment to shoot at night and that was that.

!!!! !!!!! that’s different!

can you tell me what the story is with MAGGIE EVANS in the revival? I seem to recall she has a much smaller role and it's VICTORIA WINTERS who goes back in time and also is the reincarnation of JOSETTE. Also, they added a second COLLINS sister named DAPHNE?

I actually think one of the smarter things I have done has been to start watching blocks of the series out of sequence; it has helped me to deal with two of the shortcomings in the show: 1. the under-use of certain actors and characters and 2. the tendency to not bring longstanding stories to a satisfying conclusion. this way it's helped me to enjoy them more on their individual merits.

I also read and heard about the circumstances under which the show was canceled, (with next to no notice), and I wanted to see how abruptly the story ended. answer: pretty damn abruptly

Yes, I took inspiration from the show and have been skipping around in time. I’m glad I did, I was getting worn out after 1995, also I wanted to avoid being let down.

i have no idea why that video has no sound.

I remember we had a board game growing up called I VANT TO BITE YOUR FINGER (I think) and there was a little red ink bite-mark stamp that I wore out fast....

also, excuse the non sequitor, bit it occurred to me the other day that it would've made more sense if DAVID had been ELIZABETH'S son and CAROLYN had been ROGER's daughter.

warning: posted below is the final scene from the final episode of DARK SHADOWS (from April 2, 1971.) I am going to discuss some things about it after the clip RE: THE VERY TACKED-ON THAYER DAVID NARRATION THAT STARTS AT 1:40... "there was no vampire on the estate...for the first time the marks made were indeed the mark of an animal..." I BEG YOUR DAMN PARDON, DO WHAT NOW/???? What the Hell kind of MONSTER-A-GO-GO bull**** is this? Did a CANADA GOOSE leave two fang marks on her neck or do they have extra large horseflies in MAINE???? Sigh. I know the cancellation was a shock and everyone was tired and dejected, and maybe there was even a chance they were given very very little notice that this would be the final episode (although it seems as if they tried to use nearly all the major available players at the time in it) but I just wish the end had been less abrupt and more thought-out than this.

Legendré Méchant....?