Quote from: FireRose on March 10, 2005, 12:05:58 AM

As for what I hate about Dark Shadows... I hate that it was canceled.

Me too.

I was gonna say that--so I just did!! (Thanks, MB, for pointing out we can say it again, LOL.)

. . . it hit me that P was probably just another Sidney Greenstreet impersonation.    But I'm trying to work against this, and get it into my head that this wasn't all that derivative a character.

LOL. . .I don't remember Sidney Greenstreet wearing a silver/gray poodle-cut wig, or whiskers.  Thayer's wonderful gravelly voice is unique--not even close to our modern-day Harvey Fierstein's real gravel voice.  (To check out just how unique his voice is, watch THE MISSILES OF OCTOBER--it's clear that he is narrating the movie.  Another unique voice is, of course, Grayson Hall--nobody else matches her.)  Thayer's performance is only part of the Petofi character, though--there's also the great writing that Sam Hall, Gordon Russell, et al, did for this character.

Just my opinion as a DS fan from the old days (i.e., 1968-69. . .)

Brian

 
1970, Fairborn Theater, Fairborn, Ohio: seated in the front row on the day HODS opened: I can't say I even cared if Julia, Stokes, Willie, Liz, Roger. . .and on and one...were killed.  Ii was just thrilled to see my favorite show DARK SHADOWS on the "big screen."

My experience has been that the video quality of the DVDs is so far superior to the MPI VHS tapes (and even more so when compared to my home-taped VHS cassettes from Sci-Fi) that I prefer to buy on DVD all the shows I previously owned on VHS.  Of course, knowing that eventually the entire series would be on DVD, quite awhile back I sold all of my MPI VHS tapes (volumes 93-200) on eBay to various people who felt strongly enough about buying those tapes at about $2.00 each (when they were still around $10.00 each at MPI).  I took a loss dollar-wise, but that doesn't matter to me.  (I destroyed the earlier episodes that I had taped from Sci-Fi, since selling those would not have been legal.)

Since you have a combo player, you might want to buy a DVD with some of the same episodes you have on VHS, and then play an episode or two side by side, switching back and forth between formats to view the difference for yourself.  That might help you make a decision.

Good luck!

Brian

I can only say that the image quality on the DVDs is so far superior to the VHS releases (or what one could tape from SCiFi) that the DVDs are a necessity and not a luxury to any true DS fan.  When you can see the make-up on the actors faces, that's pretty darned good image quality.  I, too, bought a number of MPI VHS tapes, like the last half from tape number 93 to 200.  I'm well past the point on DVD  where VHS 93 began with the show and I don't regret the extra expense.  But--I don't order through MPI--I use Deep Discount DVD, and I am very pleased with the price and service.
Brian

I recently purchased via eBay a DVD of this rare French film (aka Who Are You, Polly Maggoo?) that features Grayson Hall.  It's available at www.5minutestolive.com/1D/WHOAREYOU.htm.

All I can say is:  it's the 60s again, as we've never seen that decade, though.  If you think the DS fashions from 1966-1968 are wild--or even the 1970 summer sequence--wait till you see the fashions in this film.  Unfortunately, the print used for this DVD is not the best, and it's in B&W (don't know if the film was shot in B&W or color.)  Also, it's only in French, but with English subtitles.

Now, about Grayson.  She has about 4 major scenes in the film, each one with her in costumes and makeup more wild and bizarre than each previous scene.  Grayson's character, Miss Maxwell, is a fashion critic modeled after Diana Vreeland.  Of course, Grayson speaks her lines in French, and quite well--and it is definitely Grayson's voice.  Of her DS characters, Miss Maxwell reminds me most of Magda in the larger-than-life way that Magda was portrayed.

As for the story, I couldn't tell you what the heck is going on, except it has something to do with a star model named Polly Maggoo who is interviewed by an American TV show called "WHO ARE YOU?"  I paid little attention to the subtitles and film except when Grayson was on screen.

Anyway, Grayson's fans might be interested in checking this out, since it is now available.

One final comment:

"Beep-Beep."

Brian

Just finished watching the 5th hour of the PBS mini about Broadway, and there's a nice brief interview with Donna McKechnie in the show, as well as clips of her and the OBC of CHORUS LINE.   Now I know it hasn't aired yet, so this is why I'm giving notice.  Watch it Thursday night on PBS (or do as I did and buy the DVD set, which also supports PBS).

Brian