The Holy Trinity of Dark Shadows

[retzev]

The music of Robert Cobert, the production design of Sy Tomashoff, and the lighting direction of Mel Handelsman.

The combination of the contributions of these three men was...

I mean, the contributions of these three combined was...

I'm at a loss for words here, can somebody help me elaborate on this?

[adamsgirl]

The combination of the work of these three was what created the very feel of Dark Shadows -- its moodiness, darkness and Gothic atmosphere, captivating the audience.  How's that?

[retzev]

Adamsgirl! Yes!

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Thank you for starting this topic, retzev, because so many of us are guilty of rarely giving these three the credit they deserve for their immense contributions to the look and feel of the original DS. Colbert gets it from time to time. Tomashoff once in a great while. Handelsman practically never. Yet I can't imagine the original DS without any one of their contributions. And, in the case of Tomashoff in particular, one need only look at pictures/kinescopes of the other soaps that were running at the same time DS was originally on to see how amazingly different/realistic the DS sets were.

[loril54]

This is such a great topic.  The feel of DS was so different than any other soap opera at the time.  The music, sets, and lighting.  It had such high standards that I think that it couldn't keep doing better and better.  We were so bad, we expected more and more everyday.  It think that is why it is still a great show to watch today.

Plus we have to thank who ever decided to keep the copy of each show.  I remember that  it wasn't done back then.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Plus we have to thank who ever decided to keep the copy of each show.

Surprisingly enough, that would be ABC. 

[Brandon Collins]

I too have to give it up to these three men. I mean, these sets that they created are so real, that whenever I see a bad camera angle that reveals the lights above, or the end of a set (where we can see off the actual set and to the area surrounding it) I often look away because I don't want the world to be blown.

But then, often times my curiosity of wanting to know what it looked like OFF SET and around the studio get the better of me, so I will slow down my DVD player and go slowly through each frame to study what I can see. Oh well.

[BuzzH]

I agree with what everyone here has said, but must add that were it not for the INCOMPARABLE Art Wallace none of this would have happened in the first place.  His creating this wonderful world of DS gave the other gentlemen a place to play for nearly 5 years.  

[Mysterious Benefactor]

were it not for the INCOMPARABLE Art Wallace none of this would have happened in the first place.

That goes without saying. But at least Wallace often gets his due on the forum. And it's always nice to see that members make sure of that because Wallace is overlooked way too often when the supposedly "official" accolades are handed out.  :-

[Charles_Ellis]

Well, it was Wallace who created the story from Dan Curtis' concept, but let's not forget the two men who shaped the destiny of the Collinses for nearly four years and wrote most of the scripts- Sam Hall and Gordon Russell !!

[Sunny_Collins]

Surprisingly enough, that would be ABC. 

If it wasn't the practice at that time to keep the shows, why did ABC keep them? It's great they did! 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

ABC had the foresight to see that DS had syndication potential - not only in this country, but in others as well. And the potential to make money often motivates people to do all sorts of new and different things. 

Well, it was Wallace who created the story from Dan Curtis' concept, but let's not forget the two men who shaped the destiny of the Collinses for nearly four years and wrote most of the scripts- Sam Hall and Gordon Russell !!

Very true. But in their cases, those men are often credited with their contributions to DS, whereas Cobert, Tomashoff and Handelsman are not. And it's wonderful to see them get the recognition they deserve. Also, while Hall and Russell often came up with brilliant storylines/scripts, they were much less responsible for the look and feel of the show, much of which was well established by Cobert, Tomashoff and Handelsman before Hall and Russell ever came on board...