Bloopers DVD

[I Ching]

For any of you lucky enough to have picked up the new "Dark Shadows:  Bloopers and Treasures" DVD at the Fest, does it contain the most famous blooper of all--the one involving Bathis Mapes (played by Anita Bolster)?

[CyrusL]

Hi katsfan,
Yes, the new DVD contains pretty much the original "Blooper VHS," including that famous hottie, Bathia Mapes, although that section wasn't really expanded. (Although some MPI promo clip bloopers are included separately) For example, the Parallel Time ending credits with the crew guy eating his sandwich was NOT added for example.  The DVD is well worth it, tho. There's also the "Music Videos" as it was on VHS. (No fan videos included, wish they would have added Guy Haines video of the Pet Shop Boys "Always on My Mind," Julia and Barnabas tribute.) The old games shows are a genuine "Treasure", not the usual hype. This segment, previously seen in clips at fests, have three "What's My Line?" appearances, those of Joan Bennett, Jonathan Frid and Alex Stevens in character as the Werewolf. A much rarer show, "The Generation Gap," has three edits as well, Jonathan in character as Barnabas (1897 costume), Jonathan as a guest contestant, and David Henesey and his mom playing against each other. These segments are amazing time capsules, and its truly cool to see such other celebs as Soupy Sales (lots of Soupy!, and one of his sons), Sandy Baron (Seinfeld's Jack Klompus), Mom Cowsill, Alejandro Ray (looking like a Sergio Aragones caricature of himself, eh Sister Bertille?), Arlene Francis of course and more, all in their prime of (their game show) life. The clips are from '69-'70. Also included are two brief sketches from "Comedy Tonight" with Jerry Lacey, one with Diana Canova (from "Soap") and the late and dearly missed Madeline Khan, the latter of which is a Dark Shadows spoof; an all new segment of Lara Parker in Salem, Mass , a nicely produced look at the witch trials and the tourist industry there; some new promos for David Selby's book, and a very Gothic spot for the new audio dramas, a brief tease for the new CD box, Lara's new book, and MPI itself; and making its DVD debut, the amazing and almost indescribable "Dark Shadows Horror Heads" tv commercial! "Groovy! Cuddly! From Centsable Toys, who make lots of stuffed things for YOU!" 
Now, that as they say, is worth the price of admission....
Michael 

[Phil]

For example, the Parallel Time ending credits with the crew guy eating his sandwich was NOT added for example.

Is that on the VHS? I grabbed what looked like the last bloopers disc off the MPI table on Saturday, was so psyched to watch it with the wife. We cracked up. Can't wait to watch more eps and see these clips in context. We just hit the end of Collection 4, and the beginning of the 1795 story, and it's a blast so far.

[MagnusTrask]

For example, the Parallel Time ending credits with the crew guy eating his sandwich was NOT added for example.

All "bloopers" actually went out over the air, right?  So what episode is that?    To make things really easy for me, what tape number if anyone has it please?   I just saw PT again and missed it.

[Gerard]

All "bloopers" actually went out over the air, right? 

I guess not every blooper was aired; on some very rare occasions, if a blooper was really bad, they had no choice but to bite the financial bullet and reshoot a scene.  On one of the MPI videos - I don't remember which one - they showed a reshoot of a scene where Julia was having a conversation with Tony Peterson in his office, although I couldn't see what the blooper was.  Maybe it was something on the technical end, like a camera jamming or something.  I also heard, but wonder if it's just a DS urban legend, that once in a blue moon, when the performers really, really wanted a blown scene reshot, even though they were told that if things screwed up they just had to keep going, that they would stop, look into the camera and say an expletive.  Then there was no choice but to reshoot.  Like I said, as to whether or not this was true, I don't know.  But it makes for a good story.

Gerard

[BuzzH]

I also heard, but wonder if it's just a DS urban legend, that once in a blue moon, when the performers really, really wanted a blown scene reshot, even though they were told that if things screwed up they just had to keep going, that they would stop, look into the camera and say an expletive.  Then there was no choice but to reshoot.  Like I said, as to whether or not this was true, I don't know. 

Not urban legane, true.  Can't remember if it was in Scrapbook Memories or the DS Companion, or whether it was KLS or Lara who told the tale, although I'm really thinking Lara, that Jonathan would do this often.  According to her telling, he was the only one w/enough nerve to do it.

[Phil]

  On one of the MPI videos - I don't remember which one - they showed a reshoot of a scene where Julia was having a conversation with Tony Peterson in his office, although I couldn't see what the blooper was. 

That's included on the bloopers DVD under "Outtakes". The picture goes black for a second. An off camera voice says to take it from the top, and Grayson Hall icily says "WHY?".

I saw evidence of an edit recently - it's on collection 4, old house, Barnabas and (I think) Vicki, shortly before 1795 kicks in. It's an awkward cut from a medium shot of the two of them two another medium shot of the two of them in a slightly different position. It seems to be an edit that happened at the time, but I can't decipher the reason.

[I Ching]

Hi katsfan,
Yes, the new DVD contains pretty much the original "Blooper VHS," including that famous hottie, Bathia Mapes, although that section wasn't really expanded. 

Thanks for the report.  I'm really looking foreward to getting it in November.

[MsCriseyde]

Can't remember if it was in Scrapbook Memories or the DS Companion, or whether it was KLS or Lara who told the tale, although I'm really thinking Lara, that Jonathan would do this often.  According to her telling, he was the only one w/enough nerve to do it.

I don't know about who really did or didn't do it, but Selby told the story about this particular trick in the Q&A that followed his Lincoln and James performance at the 1997 Fest. He says Grayson Hall offered it as a bit of advice which she had supposedly received from Richard Burton when filiming Night of the Iguana. I think RJ's Grayson bio also mentions Burton passing this along to Grayson.

[MagnusTrask]

Anyone say which expletives?    And why wasn't KLS scooping those bits of edited tape out of the trash, like she did with Frid's hair?    Frid turning to the camera and saying F! in his rich round resonant voice would be a hot commodity now.

[MsCriseyde]

Anyone say which expletives?

The version Selby told involved using the word "shit."

[BuzzH]

Anyone say which expletives?

The version Selby told involved using the word "shit."

Yeah, Lara said Jonathan would say "Oh shit".  He does this in Seizure too, but I'm not 100% it wasn't scripted.  However, having said that, it IS a weird edit so I think he did go up and for whatever reason, the movie's editor missed that blooper and left it in.  

[Nancy]

The version Selby told involved using the word "shit."

That was probably the case. JF won't use the "F" word in front of women.  Usually.

Nancy

[Charles_Ellis]

Regarding Jerry Lacy's Comedy Tonight appearance- that wasn't Diana Canova but Judy Graubart, best known for The Electric Company, where she worked with Denise Nickerson post-DS.  Jerry himself confirmed it at the banquet last Sunday- his table was next to mine (actually we were back to back, and I had the delightful Kathryn Leigh  Scott as a table compaion, but that's another story.....).

[joe integlia]

that outake with grayson hall and jerry lacy was on the vhs mpi blooper tape and i hope its on the dvd as well. i think its rehearsal footage that accidentally wound up as the 1st scene in an episode when DS was 1st syndicated in the mid 70s. wwac in atlantic city was the last station to air it. then it was corrected when worldvision prepared new tapes for wnbc in new york. i saved the out take. years later jim pierson contacted me for a copy and i gave it to him. i got no credit on the vhs tape.  he did give me a free copy! thanks jim! i doubt i got credit on the dvd either. i will hold my breath waiting for my free copy of the dvd. lol