DARK SHADOWS FORUMS
General Discussions => Current Talk Archive => Current Talk '24 I => Current Talk '11 I => Topic started by: Watching Project on June 28, 2011, 10:38:02 PM
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Robservations #2
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Petofi box!
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Elizabeth to Vicki about taking care of the forty-room mansion: "We have one man to do the heavy work, Miss Winters. The rest we do ourselves." Somehow the Mistress of Collinwood looks all the more regal as she says so.
Petofi box indeed! And Carolyn doing the frug at the Blue Whale!
Elizabeth is playing Chopin's Prelude in C Minor.
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you know it's funny that she would say that, when we NEVER really did see anyone BUT "Matthew" or "Mrs. Johnson" later do the work around the house.
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Elizabeth is distant and mysterious with Vicky, and I love it with the black evening get-up, and then she sets in to yell at Roger, and then she becomes all warm and maternal when she discovers it's Carolyn. I liked Joan Bennett today, and am trying to figure out how Elizabeth's going to manage when she's is in the same room with all three of them - Vicky, Roger, and Carolyn - at once.
40 rooms in the house, and there's an east wing and a west wing. So, maybe, a dozen rooms - six up, six down - per wing and 16 rooms - maybe nine up, seven down - for the main part of the house? It doesn't seem like so much when you break it down that way.
Vicky got the room that Elizabeth slept in until she got married. Why doesn't Carolyn have it?
Roger, who in yesterday's episode was telling Elizabeth what a fool she was for bringing a stranger into the house, today turned on the charm for that very stranger - and his charm is indeed charming. Too bad Vicky mentioned Burke Devlin's name.
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40 rooms in the house, and there's an east wing and a west wing. So, maybe, a dozen rooms - six up, six down - per wing and 16 rooms - maybe nine up, seven down - for the main part of the house? It doesn't seem like so much when you break it down that way.
Honestly, Lydia, until this moment I never gave the actual layout of the Great House any thought! It certainly seems big enough, even with only the main part open and the East and West wings closed. Sixteen rooms would be plenty for Elizabeth, Carolyn and Matthew to keep clean.
Vicky got the room that Elizabeth slept in until she got married. Why doesn't Carolyn have it?
Good question. Maybe it isn't on the sunnier side of the house, and I'm sure Carolyn would want lots of light so she could see every detail of her reflection in her mirror. [ghost_grin] I love how already Elizabeth warns Vicki that the catch on the window doesn't hold very well. And how she says she slept here "until ... until I was married."
Roger, who in yesterday's episode was telling Elizabeth what a fool she was for bringing a stranger into the house, today turned on the charm for that very stranger - and his charm is indeed charming.
Yes, Roger is extremely charming--when he wants to be. And I'm sure he doesn't turn it on just to be nice.
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Honestly, Lydia, until this moment I never gave the actual layout of the Great House any thought! It certainly seems big enough, even with only the main part open and the East and West wings closed. Sixteen rooms would be plenty for Elizabeth, Carolyn and Matthew to keep clean.
I agree that 16 rooms would be a lot to keep clean. But (jumping ahead, something I don't approve of, but here I go) – I'm trying to imagine secret passageways and the ability to lose track of rooms in the house as it was described today.
Also, are the attic and the basement included in the 40 rooms?
Yes, I'm nitpicking. But I love that house.
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Elizabeth is playing Chopin's Prelude in C Minor.
Did it make anyone think of Barry Manilow? No? [ghost_wink]
It's weird seeing pearls around Liz's neck and, uh, nothing else.
40 rooms in the house, and there's an east wing and a west wing. So, maybe, a dozen rooms - six up, six down - per wing and 16 rooms - maybe nine up, seven down - for the main part of the house? It doesn't seem like so much when you break it down that way.
It really doesn't now that you've put it that way. Maybe that's why the total will change?
Vicky got the room that Elizabeth slept in until she got married. Why doesn't Carolyn have it?
I think because that room is small and filled with old furniture-- roomy and full of history by Vicki's standards, but likely cramped and gloomy by Carolyn's. So, little Carolyn dreamed of being carried off by a white knight, and now an expensively-dressed man with super powers (can halt a nasty fight with one look) has appeared suddenly and taken charge of her. Yikes!
Strake: "I'm glad the fight's over, Mr. Devlin."
Burke: "It's just beginning, Mr. Strake."
Great stuff!!
Will Vicki EVER take off that trench coat?
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Will Vicki EVER take off that trench coat?
Yeah, that's what I was wondering.
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Isn't it explained at some point that the entire West Wing of Collinwood is closed off but only part of the East Wing - and the family lives in the part of the East Wing that isn't closed? And as for the basement, any rooms down there wouldn't be counted. But the rooms on the third floor would be.
Interestingly, the actual house is often described as having 65 rooms - though I can't say that I've ever counted them...
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Will Vicki EVER take off that trench coat?
Yeah, that's what I was wondering.
A better point for me is why will they allow Alexandra Moltke to wear the trench coat[spoiler]in Ep #12 with a top button missing and with the threads for it flapping in the breeze?[/spoiler][ghost_huh]
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Isn't it explained at some point that the entire West Wing of Collinwood is closed off but only part of the East Wing - and the family lives in the part of the East Wing that isn't closed?
No, I'm sure Elizabeth said in today's episode that the east wing is closed off and they use only part of the west wing. I took that to mean that mostly they lived in the main part of the house, which is neither the east wing nor the west wing.
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No, I know what Liz said in this ep. But my point was, like almost everything else about these early eps, doesn't the explanation of what's closed and what's lived in change down the line?
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Ah. Yes, it does. Which is why I disapprove of jumping ahead. I shouldn't have done it.
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I so wish there had been at least one scene of Liz, dressed to the nines, running one of those old style Hoover vacuum cleaners, perhaps while humming the melody of that Chopin Prelude.
Of course it would have been a trial if she had had to empty the bag while making sure not to get dust and particles all over her fabulous black cocktail gown. But challenges such as these are daily fare for one with the steel backbone of the Mistress of Collinwood. (!)
G.
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challenges such as these are daily fare for one with the steel backbone of the Mistress of Collinwood. (!)
And that's exactly what I love about her!
Personally, I think the more rooms the Great House has, the better. I do like the idea of closed-off East and West wings, with the family living in the middle. I don't remember anyone saying there are 65 rooms, but my memory may be faulty.
I doubt Elizabeth ever let anyone else clean the basement and probably reserved that job for herself--while dressed to the nines, of course.
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Hi Dark Lady, I think MB meant that Seaview itself has 65 rooms. I have been there several times... there are a lot of rooms!
G.
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Ah, I get it--that's the REAL Seaview! [ghost_cheesy]
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to my best of knowledge it stayed with the number of 40 rooms. you know i don't normally think about if they actually Do clean the house like Liz says they do. but i can't see David doing much of anything when it comes to cleaning. his room yes.
but in these early episodes he was kid you just wanted to hit upside the head cause on how much of a little runt to keep it clean he was in these episodes. I can see Carolyn helping out with the house during the day of course. but i can't see Liz doing it cause on how she normally dresses. on how fancy she dresses i mean, i can't see her doing much dusting or
as you said vacumming. sorry for my spelling. Vicki i can see cleaning of course. Roger NEVER i can hear him say i WON"T HAVE ANY OF THAT! or something along those lines. he he. i think it also would have been interesting had they done had more people stay there at least during a sweeps week so those rooms could be filled. but than all of would prolly look the same. cause on how little budget they were able to use per episode. what i'm trying to say is i think it would have been fun to see the house with more people it in at least for a short time.
like have them throw a party or something. anyways one question what episode does Liz start to wear that key? each time i watch these early episodes i try & pay attention to notice it. but i than get so entranced with the show that
i completely forget about it!
i also try & pay attention on how many episodes one nite can actually takes place in. an example would be the 1st episode which takes place for a couple of them at the very least. if not a few of them perhaps?
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This was the first episode for Joe and Carolyn. [milestone] I sure did feel sorry for Joe while I was watching the scenes of Carolyn dancing at the bar. [ghost_sad] I don't blame him for getting angry. [ghost_mad] Carolyn was pretty selfish and immature. She sure could wiggle, though! [ghost_wink]
The first continuity problem happened in this episode. [milestone] Elizabeth told Vicki that Jeremiah was her great-grandfather and that he built Collinwood. But we find out later that that is wrong. [signerror]
I wonder if Joan Bennett REALLY played the piano or if she was just pretending. [ghost_undecided] It was smart of Vicki to not disturb Elizabeth while she was so upset.
It's fun to watch DS from the beginning and see how the story unfolds, knowing what will happen later on. [ghost_cheesy]
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First time the announcer says: Dark Shadows has been a Dan Curtis Production
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Thanks, Midnite. That deserves a milestone! [milestone]
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The first continuity problem happened in this episode. Elizabeth told Vicki that Jeremiah was her great-grandfather and that he built Collinwood. But we find out later that that is wrong.
I don't think it's fair to state categorically that the continuity problem happened in this episode. You can argue that it happened when we learn more later. Or you can argue (or anyway, I certainly can) that the discrepancy we encounter later is not a continuity error but rather a result of events within the Dark Shadows universe.
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i don't think it's an error at this point. & it shouldn't be counted as that, because i think even the writers & "Dan Curtis" said they lost track on what the hell all went on during the show's run & lost track of what they did in the past. i don't mean storywise i mean stuff like saying
who Liz's Great Great Grand Father was. please put a spoiler on this part, i'd do it but i'm about to head off to bed to be honest & i'm just to tired to do that., anyways during the era i'm on NOW. [spoiler]"Barnabas" tells the story of "Josette"
to "Julia" & says that "Jossette" was married to "Jerimiah" which did later on happen. but the version he said changed not to long after they went back in time.[/spoiler] my point is i just get a kick out of that.
my other point is really this, when writing that episode my guess was that how it was going to be. but they changed it. to me it feels like since i'm sure they talked about what to add to the show.
like all shows do, you'd think they would have paid more attention to what as said by this or that character at least only a month or so before. but to be fair. if you look at any tv show from any era
they make those mistakes as well. anyone ever notice that?
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B.Collins, the spoiler tags are created for you when you click the button labeled "Sp" in the top row of boxes that are above the white reply window. Your cursor will already be in place between the two spoiler tags, so all you have to do is start typing your spoilery text. Hope that helped.
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i'll try to remember that. i wasn't sure what all had to be spoiled! he he. plus i've never used it before either. now i just hope i can remember what thread i posted that in! he he thank you by the way.
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You're welcome. [ghost_smiley]
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Is it wrong that Jerimiah (I saw this spelling once) was in charge of the construction of Collinwood? I think he had to have gone many generations further back than Liz is saying, so maybe we're meant to think she's leaving out a few "grands"...
As for the changing backstory, if [spoiler]it all had unfolded exactly as it was "supposed" to from all the earlier accounts, wouldn't we the viewers be a bit bored by that? They probably had that in mind. Besides, when has history been written in a strictly accurate way, especially when it's a wealthy family writing about its own skeletons... or not?[/spoiler]
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Jerimiah (I saw this spelling once)
It's on his tombstone. [ghost_cheesy]
How about the fact that he won't look anything like his portrait?
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i think that may have occured to them when he did actually come onto the show. i am curious what they would change if the show was on today though. i'm hoping that along with a great video came that will come to all the various consoles. that we also get a NEW updated tv series out of this. fall of next year! but
have it done by people who love the show & care about it. & NOT done by people who want to earn an extra buck to milk it to death. sorry for going off topic for a bit. going back on topic i wonder how many mistakes there actually are. also i've wondered what episode is it that someone farts in? i'm curious. ya know i'm a HUGE Fan of "Harvey Keitel" & in i forget what episodes IMDB & tv.com says he's in as a patron in "The Blue Whale' i can honestly NEVER can find him!
it's kinda hard to do so when he had no dialog. plus the fact that trying to look for the guy you loose track of the dialog that IS indeed going on!
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I like the low camera angles. It really makes the foyer seem grand. I wonder how they shot that considering the bulky cameras of that time. It's so low that it seems as if it were shot from a well.
Carolyn really seems to give no thought to anyone but herself and in particular no thought to Joe. The Blue Whale seems such a contrast to Collinwood which is probably why Carolyn seems so happy there. It must have been lonley for her to live in that big house with just her mother.
The different exterior shots of the house are fun to see.
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It made me think of the rocks and the water in black and white. Did they have to reshoot it. I will have to check it out in the future.
I like the way that vicki, went in and went out again. It was like she felt like she was intruding. She went out the back door to go to the cliff. It must have been a walk to go around the house. Carolyn was spoiled, it must have been fun for Nancy to be that way. The dancing really took me back.
One question, has anyone ever done a floor plan of Collinwood?
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lori54, I think there have been floor plans done, but I don't think it is possible to do a definitive one, because the locations of the study and the Tower don't stay the same. And, of course, even stranger problems arise further on in the show.
As for Vicky going out the back door, I was assuming that she did so because that was the shortest route to the cliff, but I like the idea that maybe she felt she was supposed to use the servants’ entrance. I'm not sure it's correct, but I like it anyway.
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It made me think of the rocks and the water in black and white. Did they have to reshoot it. I will have to check it out in the future.
No, since most of the original location footage, including the waves off of Newport, were filmed in color. (Don't read further if you want to discover the difference for yourself...) The title sequences at the start of the series and after the show went to color do contain some of the same shots. What changes is the DS title, which in the color eps mimics the movement of the waves.
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I knew about the wavey letters. I hadn't paid attention for awhile. Thanks.
DC was thinking ahead. Little did he know. :)
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Elizabeth is playing Chopin's Prelude in C Minor.
When I saw this for the first time just a couple weeks ago, I was quite taken by surprise. It was just such a darkly gothic scene. Delicious! Wow, DS really was something, right from the very start!
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I like the low camera angles. It really makes the foyer seem grand. I wonder how they shot that considering the bulky cameras of that time. It's so low that it seems as if it were shot from a well.
How surprising to see that what would become DC's own trademark shooting style was used by Lela Swift in the beginning of DS. I wonder if that was a look that she had come up with? I have the feeling that Dan's directing style was heavily influenced by the directors of DS (since he didn't begin directing until HoDS--although I remember reading something about him directing a few episodes of DS in preparation for the movie; is that true?).