Happy 50th Anniversary, Night of Dark Shadows

[Mysterious Benefactor]

And revisiting another post related to Scene 159:

A B&W still of Tracy uncovering the painting -

(Click here for a 700X537 version)
The TV By Day caption for it reads: "In this scene, Kate Jackson as Tracey realizes that
her husband is having an affair with a ghost as she
uncovers the newly finished portrait of Angelique and
Charles Collins."

- a copy of which that is cropped on three sides but actually shows a bit more behind Tracy appeared as part of the December 1971 NoDS article in TV By Day Magazine. A slightly cropped copy appears on page 5 of the booklet for the movies' soundtrack CD. And another copy appeared as part of perhaps my favorite review of the film -

- the only sad thing about the review is they didn't get Lara Parker's name right...

You also may recall that this still is #18 in the NoDS Editor's Portfolio.

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Revisiting one last still associated with Scene 159:

... an extremely rare alternate B&W version of Tracy uncovering the painting:

(Click here for a 800X624 version)

And while we're still on the subject of the completed painting, I've often wondered what is the actual significance of this request to Charles from Angelique:

It cannot be a mere piece of simple dialogue in Scene 85, especially when a reworking of it is repeated in Scene 86 of the 129 minute version of the film (and we know that because it's accidentally a part of the DVD/Blu-ray release as well as the versions available online via Amazon and iTunes) -

- and there are at least two ways the request could be interpreted within the film - but, again, what is the actual significance...

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

   In another example of still being able to notice things that you hadn't noticed before, it wasn't until today that I heard the sounds of the rain in the second clip above. But then, even though it's not raining in the present while Quentin's looking at the painting, it was raining in his 1810 vision, so it makes sense that the rain can be heard when he recalls Angelique's words...

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Revisiting how Scenes 160 & 161 are scripted:

...

160    EXT - COLLINWOOD DRIVE - DAY - HIGH ANGLE          160        Quentin's car drives into the portico and stops.  In        a moment the door opens, and Quentin gets out.  As        he crosses to the house, PAN TO THE TOWER where Tracy        can be seen through the windows, still looking at the        picture.  She crosses to the windows where she stands        trying to puzzle it out.  Suddenly, she looks down and        reacts to the sight of Quentin's car. 161    INT - TOWER ROOM - DAY                             161        as Tracy moves quickly to the door and is about to        EXIT.  She hears the SOUND OF QUENTIN'S VOICE O.S.

And that's when today's first quote -

Page 74/Scene 161 - Quentin (O.S.): 'Carlotta -- have you seen my jacket? I can't buy a damn thing without my wallet.'

- comes up, followed by the script continuing with:

161    CONTD                                      CONTD   161        Quickly Tracy jumps back and closes the door from        inside.  She fumbles with the keys.  Before she can        put the key in the lock, the SOUND OF QUENTIN'S        VOICE can be heard -- this time at the base of the        Tower stairs.

And that's when today's second quote -

Page 75/Scene 161 - Quentin (O.S.): 'Never mind, Carlotta. I'll check the tower.'

- comes up, followed by the script continuing with:

She hears him coming up the steps.  Quickly, she   moves to the other side of the room, holding her   breath, staring at the door.

And when it comes to what's different with the dialogue, the interesting thing is that the words are pretty much as scripted but the order of the lines is changed because first Quentin says "Carlotta, have you seen my jacket?" and then he says "Never mind. I'll check the tower. Can't buy a damn thing without my wallet." And not all of it is delivered off screen, but more on that below...

And when it comes to what's different with the descriptions and directions, ... when it comes to Scene 160, Quentin's car doesn't drive into the portico because it actually stops quite a bit -

- short of it, after which we do see Quentin get out and run toward the front door - and after the camera has panned to the tower, we actually see Tracy through the windows as she still stands at the easel trying to puzzle the painting out, and that's the only stuff that's shot from outside - when Tracy turns from the painting, things are back to being shot from inside the tower - and she doesn't cross to the windows to stand and puzzle things out because her intent is to leave as she moves by the window and toward the door, but she stops in her tracks when she sees (we don't) Quentin's car - and at the start of Scene 161, Tracy is still looking out the window when all of a sudden she hears Quentin's voice as he says "Carlotta, have you seen my jacket?" off screen, and she quickly turns -

- and moves down to close the door -

- as we hear Quentin say "Never mind. I'll check the tower" - however, we don't see Tracy fumble with the keys to try to put the key in the lock because immediately after Tracy closes the door the camera pans to the lower tower where we actually see Quentin approaching as -

- he says "Can't buy a damn thing without my wallet" - and when things switch back to inside the tower, we don't see Tracy quickly move to the other side of the room because what she actually does is -

- Tracy plaster herself against the wall by the door, holding her breath as she hears Quentin's footsteps coming up the stairs.

   And as far as "today's" quotes go, they were April 27th's this time around.

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

 

I forgot to mention the other day that in addition to what's noted in the above post, DC also added:

157A   3RD FL LANDING

But considering that he didn't write in any descriptions or directions for what might have happened there and that no scene takes place there in the film, I didn't bother to include it when I was typing up the script.

Revisiting how Scenes 162 through 164 are scripted:

And once again moving on to the next four scenes as scripted:

162    INT - TOWER STAIRS - DAY                           162        Quentin is at the door.  He reaches in his pocket for        his keys, suddenly remembers his keys are in his        jacket.  He turns and leaves. 163    INT - TOWER ROOM - DAY                             163        Tracy breathes a sigh of relief as the SOUND OF        QUENTIN'S FOOTSTEPS disappear.  PAN WITH HER as she        crosses to the door, and opening it, leaves the        tower, closing the door,  The SOUND of her LOCKING        IT can be heard. 164    INT - SECOND FLOOR LANDING - DAY                   164        as Carlotta comes TOWARD CAMERA.  She suddenly stops,        seeing Tracy descending the steps O.S.        TRACY - CARLOTTA'S P.O.V.        as she comes downstairs, the keys in her hand, and        is about to turn toward the gallery.  She suddenly        catches Carlotta out of the corner of her eye.  She        stops and looks at her.        CARLOTTA - TRACY'S P.O.V.        Carlotta stares back at her, then crosses to the        stairs and descends to the first floor without saying        a word.        INT - SECOND FLOOR CORRIDOR - DAY        Ignoring the brief moment with Carlotta, Tracy quickly        moves to the gallery.

...

And when it comes to what's different with the dialogue, unlike how Scene 164 is scripted without dialogue, it does contain a bit of dialogue in the film, but I'm going to hold off on getting into that ...

And when it comes to what's different with the descriptions and directions, in Scene 162 we only see Quentin pat his pockets, he doesn't reach into either one for his keys - and in Scene 163 Tracy does indeed breath a sigh of relief as the sounds of Quentin's footsteps disappear, but the camera has no need to pan with her as she crosses to the door because, as we got into last time, she never moved to the other side of the room - in fact, after Tracy breathes a sigh of relief as the sounds of Quentin's footsteps disappear, the scene ends in the film, so we never see Tracy open the door, or leave the tower, or close the door, and nor do we hear the sound of her locking the door - and Scene 164 plays altogether differently in the film because it's practically nothing like what's scripted, but I honestly believe it might just be the better for that fact because what does happen is quite simply one of the best scenes in the film, ...

...

... and when it comes to Scene 164, Grayson made some notes in her script that certainly still apply even though things were changed because she writes that Carlotta's attitude toward Tracy is "whatever you're doing, how dare you do it" and "your day is coming soon" ...

...

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

...

...and Scene 164 plays altogether differently in the film because it's practically nothing like what's scripted, but I honestly believe it might just be the better for that fact because what does happen is quite simply one of the best scenes in the film ...

...

And revisiting the subtitle and closed captioning for Scene 164:

...

... but as we know Carlotta does not simply stare at Tracy and then descend the stairs with saying a word - she does indeed speak - and what she says is acknowledged by the subtitles -

- and the closed captioning -

...

(ADMIN: Edited to replace a TV video screen capture)

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

...

...and Scene 164 plays altogether differently in the film because it's practically nothing like what's scripted, but I honestly believe it might just be the better for that fact ... and I can't resist sharing the scene on video rather than simply provide captures and descriptions of how it differs -

(NOTE: Whenever I tried making the video back when this post was made, I was never satisfied with how it came out - plus, no matter what I tried, some members still had trouble trying to play it. But we've subsequently finally hit on both a MOD for the system and a video format that plays well:)

- Mrs. Collins, indeed!  ...

...

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Revisiting how Scene 165 is scripted:

...

165    INT - GALLERY - DAY                                165        As Tracy ENTERS, she quickly realizes that the jacket        is no longer there.  Panicked, she looks around, not        knowing what to do.

And that's when Sunday's first quote -

Page 76/Scene 165 - Quentin (O.S.): 'Tracy!'

- comes up, followed by the script continuing with:

He ENTERS from the bedroom.  Quickly, she hides the      keys behind her back.  Without saying a word, he      crosses directly to her.  His eyes are dark with      anger.  She stands there holding her breath.

And that's when Sunday's second quote -

Page 76/Scene 165 - Quentin: 'Have you...seen my jacket?'

- comes up, followed by Sunday's third quote -

Page 76/Scene 165 - Tracy (almost crying with relief): 'No -- I haven't. (quickly moving away from him as she looks toward the chair) I'll help you look for it.'

- coming up, followed by the script continuing with:

THE CHAIR - TRACY'S P.O.V.        On the floor, in back of the chair, the sleeve of        Quentin's jacket can be seen.        QUENTIN - TRACY        With the chair in the F.G., Tracy casually walks        toward it as Quentin crosses toward another part        of the room.  Tracy reaches for the jacket and        quickly slips the keys into the pocket.                              TRACY                  Oh, here it is, Quentin.        As she picks it up, Quentin crosses to her.  With a        curt nod, he takes it and EXITS down the hall.        TRUCK IN ON a much-relieved Tracy.

And when it comes to what's different with the dialogue, ... the only differences are that in Scene 165 Quentin doesn't pause when he asks "Have you seen my jacket?" - and Tracy's initial response is actually "No!", but after a pause she adds more calmly "No, I haven't", without the addition of "I'll help you look for it", which is dropped in the film - and "Oh, here it is, Quentin" is also dropped because in the film the second half of Scene 165 plays very differently from the way it's scripted.

And when it comes to what's different with the descriptions and directions, ... when it comes to Scene 165, things play out as scripted up to the point that Tracy is supposed to see the sleeve of Quentin's jacket on the floor in back of the chair - instead Quentin spot's that the jacket has somehow fallen down on the couch and as he begins to move toward, Tracy quickly moves to get to it first -

- but as she's trying to put the keys back in the pocket, they fall to the floor -

- after which Tracy and Quentin share an intense look -

- before Quentin picks up the keys -

- and they exchange another intense look -

- before Quentin proceeds to exit the room -

- leaving Tracy standing there -

   And as far as "Sunday's" quotes go, they were indeed this past Sunday's quotes, meaning they were April 28th's this time around.

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Reviting a still associated with Scene 165:

...

(Click here for a 700X476 version)

- and the only places I'm aware that it's ever been shared is that a cropped to just a head shot version appears on the back cover of the movies soundtrack case, but a better version (though still somewhat cropped) appears on the back covers of the NoDS DVD and Blu-ray packaging:

(Click here for a 1000X1411 version)

(Click here for a 1000X1163 version)

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Revisiting how Scenes 166 through 169 are scripted:

And moving on to the next five scenes as scripted:

166    INT - MASTER BEDROOM - DAY                         166        as Tracy ENTERS, she crosses to the window and looks        down at Quentin's car still parked in the drive.        Below, Quentin ENTERS THE SHOT.  The SOUND OF THE        MOTOR STARTING can be heard. 167    Suddenly Carlotta appears and crosses to the       167        driver's side of the car, where she begins to tell 167    CONTD                                       CONTD  167        him something.  After a moment, Quentin nods his        head, looks angrily up at the bedroom window as        Tracy shrinks back against the wall.  TRUCK IN ON        HER and HOLD until the SOUND OF QUENTIN'S CAR can        be heard driving off. 168    INT - MASTER BEDROOM - NIGHT                       168        Tracy lies on her side in bed, her back to the        CAMERA, as she stares out the window at the light in        the Tower Room.  Finally, unable to stand it any        longer, she turns TOWARD CAMERA and pulls the blanket        up around her neck.  her eyes are filled with tears.        HOLD FOR A MOMENT as the light in the Tower Room        goes out. 169    INT - TOWER ROOM STAIRS - NIGHT                    169        The Tower door opens as Quentin ENTERS THE SHOT,        closing and locking it behind him.  Pocketing the keys,        he comes TOWARD THE CAMERA and EXITS THE SHOT.

...

And when it comes to what's different with the descriptions and directions, for Scene 166 we don't actually see Tracy enter the Master Bedroom and cross to the window to look down at Quentin's car, nor do we see Quentin enter the shot because the scene begins with Quentin already in his car and starting the motor -

- and as Carlotta speaks to Quentin, we don't see him nod his head, but he does look up at the bedroom window, as does Carlotta -

- and it isn't until after that has occurred that we see Tracy in the Master Bedroom at the window and -

- her pull away (and unless someone actually recognizes the blue curtains as the ones in the Master Bedroom, they wouldn't even realize which window Tracy is looking from) - but after the camera does indeed truck in closer on Tracy, we don't actually hear Quentin's car driving off because what actually happens is that the shot of Tracy dissolves into Scene 168 - however, the scene doesn't quite begin as scripted, with Tracy lying on her side in bed with her back to the camera as she stares out the window at the light in the Tower Room, but rather it begins with the camera panning across the Master Bedroom until it comes upon Tracy -

- sitting on the edge of the bed with her back to the camera - and it isn't until after we see Tracy rub -

- her forehead and then look up -

- at the Tower Room -

- (and what an extremely talented person she is to be able to see the Tower Room from an angle that's impossible to see from any window in the Master Bedroom  ), that Tracy actually lies down on the bed -

 - but facing the camera, not with her back to it, and she doesn't pull the blanket up around her neck, and we don't see the light in the Tower Room go out - but believe it or not, Scene 169 actually plays exactly as scripted ...

...

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Another still worth revisiiting:

A still that I'm pretty sure is behind the scenes of shooting Scene 167 -

(Click here for a 556X700 version)

- and the reasons I say that are because 1) Grayson Hall and David Selby are outside the front of the house and that's where the scene is shot, and 2) they're both wearing the same clothes that Carlotta and Quentin wear in that scene (right down to DS having Quentin's jacket slung over his shoulder).

(And speaking of what Carlotta is wearing, it definitely follows the continuity of what she wears in Scene 164, so that is good - but has anyone ever wondered why, probably less than 30 minutes after what transpires between Carlotta and Tracy in the Gallery in Scene 153, Carlotta goes from wearing the orange dress in Scene 153 (seen in Reply #525 above) to the dress she wears in Scenes 164 & 167 (seen the video posted in Reply #535 and in the still in this post)? Maybe after exiting in Scene 153 Carlotta had a celebratory snack to mark her victory over Tracy and in the process managed to spill something on her dress, thus requiring a change? One can only wonder. But just think of the possibilities for a Why Did Carlotta Change Her Dress? fanfic! They might be endless!!  )

   reply #525 was fairly recently revisited as Reply #1720, and Reply #535 was recently revisited as Reply #1746.

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Revisiting and tying together the differences with certain sounds between the VHS/Laser version of the film versus the DVD/Blu-Ray and every streaming version:

...

Here we have the Laser version:

And here we have the Blu-ray to represent every other version:

...

(ADMIN: Edited to replace VHS video with Laser video)

  I hadn't played those two videos back-to-back until today and didn't notice that each sound of the door slamming shut is slightly different. I wonder if that's because the copy of the film used for the Blu-ray/DVD (and all the other versions) was remastered and the copy for the VHS/Laser wasn't? Presumably the sound is the actual sound of the real door slamming and not an effect that was added. But who knows? If it was added, perhaps when the music cue was removed for the 94 minute version a slightly different effect replaced the one originally used? Though the sound of the door slamming near the end of Scene 149 occurs a short while before Scene 153 comes up so one would think removing the music cue at the beginning of Scene 153 wouldn't affect the door's sound in Scene 149 at all. But again, who knows? It's just yet another interesting thing about the different versions...

...

And another thing that points to removing the music cue from Scene 153 most probably having nothing to do with the differences with the sound of the tower door closing is that the same differences with the door closing that are heard with Scene 149 also happen at the beginning of Scene 169:

... each sound of the door slamming shut is slightly different. ...

This got me wondering about Scene 169, and sure enough:

Here we have the VHS version:

And here we have the Blu-ray to represent every other version:

Who knows...

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Revisiting how the start of Scene 170 is scripted:

...

170    INT - MASTER BEDROOM - NIGHT                       170        Tracy still lies huddled, her eyes wide, staring into        the CAMERA.  In the B.G. OF THE SHOT, the door quietly        opens as Quentin ENTERS and stands silhouetted in the        rectangle of light.  Tracy, now aware that he is        there, is afraid to move a muscle for fear of letting        him know she is awake.  The tension mounts as Quentin        stands just staring at the bed for what seems an        eternity.   Then very slowly he crosses to her side        of the bed and stares down at her.  Finally, she        can stand it no longer and raises her eyes to his.        The tears stream down her face as he kneels down        and very gently touches her hair.

And that's when the first part of Monday's quote -

Page 77/Scene 170 - Quentin: 'I know you went to the tower ...'

- comes up, followed by the script continuing with:

She begins to sob softly.

And that's when the second part of Monday's quote -

Page 77/Scene 170 - Quentin: 'It's all right, Trace...It's all right.'

- comes up, followed in the script by:

He takes her in his arms.

And that's when the third part of Monday's quote -

Page 77/Scene 170 - Quentin: 'Now, come on. Stop crying. It doesn't matter.'

- comes up.

And when it comes to what's different with the dialogue, rather than the first part of the quote, Quentin actually says "Now, it's all right", after which, rather than the second part of the quote, he actually says "I know you went to the tower room. It doesn't matter", and, rather than the third part of the quote, he actually says "Aw, don't cry. You're gonna flood the place" - and then he adds an unscripted "Come here."

And when it comes to what's different with the descriptions and directions, ... Scene 170 also pretty much begins as scripted (though we don't see Quentin open the door - he's just suddenly standing in the doorway) until the point after Quentin gets in bed with Tracy and before he tells her not to cry because he doesn't take her in his arms because what he actually does is wipe the tears -

- from her face and her eyes, and then after he says the unscripted "Come here" is when -

- Quentin takes Tracy in his arms.

   And as far as "Monday's" quotes go, they were indeed this past Monday's quotes, meaning they were April 29th's this time around.

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

THere is quite a bit of unscripted material at the start of Scene 170 - first up, Tracy lets out a sob/gasp when Quentin descends to her on their bed - however, the subtitles do not reflect that, but the closed captioning does -

- and after Quentin comforts Tracy by saying, "Now, it's all right," Quentin says an unscripted "Look..." -

- before he adds that it doesn't matter that Tracy went to the Tower Room, after which he says "Aw, don't cry" before he adds an unscripted "You're gonna flood the place" - and the subtitles get that perfectly -

- but the closed captioning, as per usual, insists on having things grammatically correct -

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Continuing with how the subtitles and closed captioning handle unscripted material for Scene 170, after Quentin tells Tracy not to cry because she's going to flood the place, the closed captioning indicates two pieces of unscripted dialogue that the subtitles don't - Quentin's -

- and Tracy's reply -

- but both the subtitles and the closed captioning reflect that next Quentin delivers an unscripted -

- and after that the subtitles ignore but the closed captioning acknowledges that Tracy lets out another sob/gasp -

- as Quentin embraces her...