Happy 50th Anniversary, Night of Dark Shadows

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Revisiting the beginning of Scene 67A from DC's script:

And now Scene 67A (the piano scene, ...):

67A.   INT. DRAWING ROOM - 1810 - DAY - QUENTIN'S P.O.V.           67A        The piano is now on the other side of the room.        Angelique sits at the piano PLAYING QUENTIN'S THEME.        CAMERA BEGINS A SLOW TRUCK IN as a man enters the shot        right.  PAN UP to CHARLES COLLINS, who, except for a        scar on his face and a limp when he walks, looks amazingly        like Quentin.

And that's when today's quote -

Page 27/Scene 67A - Angelique: 'When I'm not with you...this is my way of feeling you near...I sit alone...and play this song...I see your smile.'

- comes up.

And as far as what's different with the dialogue, the descriptions, and the directions, we have no way of knowing at this point because this scene also doesn't appear in the film as it stands - though it does appear in the 129 minute version...

Continuing with Scene 67A:

They kiss.  Her playing falters, then stops, as the kiss        grows in intensity.  Suddenly, the door opens, Laura stands        there.  She looks as if she has finally seen something        she has tried not to think of before...but something that        has been in some part of her mind.  Quentin sees her, ends        the embrace with a smile.  He nods, turns toward Laura.        Angelique sees her.

And that's when today's first quote -

Page 27/Scene 67A - Charles: 'Did you enjoy watching us, my dearest wife?'

- comes up, followed by the script continuing with:

(Revised 3/31/71) 67A    CONTD                                         CONTD         67A

And that's when today's second quote -

Page 28/Scene 67A - Angelique: 'She must have...she didn't leave...'

- comes up.

... DC's script has a notation added to Charles' line that indicates he would turn toward Laura after he says "Did you enjoy watching us" and before he says "my dearest wife?"

It's also worth noting that so far as the script goes, this would have been the first time the audience sees Charles because the horse trampling of Strack and Charles' embracing of Angelique outside the cemetery, which, as far as the film stands, are parts of Quentin's dream on his first night at Collinwood, don't actually come up in the script until Scenes 145 & 146...

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Some things to revisit when it comes to Scene 67A:

...

Oh wow, the piano scene starts today.  Fab.  "Laura my darling, you need to SIT THE F&&& DOWN, beey*tch." LOL

I've given up hope of ever seeing this and the séance scene restored.  I am glad Darren was able to salvage the lost elements even if the rights owners don't allow the rest of us to enjoy the material.

Yes, as we'll see during the coming days, the dialogue is amazingly catty - it's the best thing about the scene. Charles and especially Angelique pull no punches when it comes to showing their disdain for Laura. I love it - and it's a terrible shame that the scene had to be sacrificed to the mandated cuts...

...

and since this scene was cut in its entirety, one thing the audience as it stands never comprehends is why the sound of fragmentary piano music keeps happening whenever Quentin starts to experience one of his mysterious flashback episodes.

Yes, way too many of the scenes that explained so many things got cut so that, as the film stands, several things just go right over viewers' heads or possibly even causes some to draw wrong conclusions...

More to come...

...

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Revisiting how the rest of Scene 67A is scripted:

Wrapping up Scene 67A, ... -

Scene 67A - Laura: 'How...how incredible you are...the two of you...what you do...in this house...'

- coming up, followed by Saturday's first quote -

Page 28/Scene 67A - Charles: 'In front of the family.'

- coming up, followed by Saturday's second quote -

Page 28/Scene 67A - Angelique: (laughing) 'Who knows who sees us...think of the servants...'

- coming up, followed by Sunday's quote -

Page 28/Scene 67A - Laura: 'You are a witch! Charles, can't you see? Are you so mesmerized that you don't even know what's happening to you?'

- coming up, followed by today's quote -

Page 28/Scene 67A - Angelique: 'Oh, he knows what's happening, Laura my darling, and for the first time in his life he's really enjoying it.'

- coming up.

End of scene.

And as far as what's different with the dialogue, the descriptions, and the directions, we have no way of knowing at this point because this scene also doesn't appear in the film as it stands - though it surely has to be one of the highlights of the 129 minute version. However, in DC's script it looks like he added a notation that before Charles throws back in Laura's face that he and Angelique do things in front of the family, Charles would cross to the front of the piano - but then it also looks like DC may have changed his mind about that because it almost looks like he started to erase the notation. Or maybe he just had a dull pencil. 

...

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Another post worth revisiting regarding Scene 67A:

If you had a feeling that something about the photo used in yesterday's graphics for the slideshow looked -

- different from the cover of the DS Music Book (aside from a somewhat different tint in some of the colors) -

- when seeing them together the difference is obviously that candles in the candelabra were airbrushed out for the cover. Why? I suppose whoever did it felt the book's title would look better. A style choice to be sure (but more on that to come). And an interesting thing is that after the DS Music Book became available, the airbrushed version of the photo, minus the title/text, -

- became circulated, leading some, including myself, to believe that was the way the still from NoDS' piano scene should have appeared, and you'll also note that without the text it becomes clear that between the two frames in the background the wallpaper that's actually on the wall in that room was replaced during the airbrushing with, well, replaced with I don't know what to call it - it wasn't until after the DS Movies Book was published in 1998 and this appeared on page 215 to help to illustrate a portion of the script featuring part of Scene 67A -

- that I realized the candles had been airbrushed out (though I should have had I remembered something that I'll get into shortly) - and since that time various versions of the original still have appeared online - unfortunately, though, like this one -

(Click here for a 1280X1560 version)

- they've been cropped versions of the still...

But what is really fascinating is that back in May of 1996 when ShadowGram #76 shared an advance look at the cover of the DS Music Book, the candles -

- weren't airbrushed out, the wallpaper hadn't been altered, and, to me anyway, even given the title/text were placed in slightly different spots, it looks like the title was perfectly readable without the alterations to the still - but quite obviously someone thought otherwise at some point before the book was actually published...

(I wonder what the original cover markup with candles and correct wallpaper would go for if it ever surfaced?!

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Another post definitely worth revisiting:

Something I discovered online back in March:

NIGHT OF DARK SHADOWS-LARA PARKER & DAVID SELBY-MISSING SCENE- LOT OF 8-B/W 4X6

It's quite interesting that there's nothing of Diana Millay/Laura...

...

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Another post to revisit regarding Scene 67A:

... I want to get into something else members and long-time visitors to the forum may have noticed and that's that back in 2009 when we were doing a slideshow of the quotes from the Fest's 1999 Movies Calendar and then again in 2016 when we did a  slideshow devoted exclusively to NoDS, I'd used these graphics -

- for 2009 and 2016, respectively, to illustrate what was used of Laura's lines from Scene 67A. However, this time around I replaced the version of the still that I'd originally used with a much better version -

Interestingly enough, the version of the still that I originally used was published in the DS Movie Book but, oddly, its coloring was not correct. In the ensuing years since 2016 I've come across two different versions of varying quality that were shared online that feature the correct coloring, and after correcting for the angle in which the photo of the still was taken -

 - when it was used so long ago on worthpoint.com to sell an autographed photo of Diana Millay that the details of the sale are no longer indicated, I went with that one...

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

...

A great scene.  Ange's line to Laura is really quite a put-down.

Besides illuminating why Quentin's Theme pops up in the film, it definitely explains why Laura finds it so hysterically funny when Strack describes Angelique as Laura's "loyal and loving sister-in-law, and it gives Laura the motivation to want to see Angelique condemned as a witch, which, as the film stands, we simply accept on face value.

...

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Revisiting how DS's script's version of Scene 68 is scripted:

And setting up DC's script's version of Scene 68:

FLASH CUT TO: 68     INT. DRAWING ROOM - DAY - 1971                              68        Tracy stands in the doorway  She looks at Quentin.

And that's when today's quote -

Page 28/Scene 68 - Tracy (O.S.): 'Darling, are you all right?'

- comes up.

And as far as what's different with the dialogue, the descriptions, and the directions, we have no way of knowing for sure at this point because this scene also doesn't appear in the film as it stands - though it does appear in the 129 minute version - but DC's script has a notation that the scene would actually start on a close-up of Quentin and we would hear Tracy's voice off screen. And DC is actually the one who added the "(O.S.)" next to Tracy's name when it comes to today's quote.

And wrapping up DC's script's version of Scene 68, beginning with today's quote -

Page 28/Scene 68 - Quentin: 'Yes. Of course. Why wouldn't I be? I was just waiting for you.'

- coming up, followed by the script continuing with:

TRACY                  I'm ready.  Come on.  It's a beautiful                  day.

End of scene.

And as far as what's different with the dialogue, the descriptions, and the directions, as has already been said, we have no way of knowing for sure at this point - but DC's script has more notations. He indicates that Quentin would turn to Tracy after she asks if he's all right, and the camera would pan Quentin to a two shot.

...

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Revisiting how Scene 69 is scripted:

...

CUT TO:                                                     (Revised 3/31/71) 69     EXT  - GREENHOUSE - DAY                                     69        Quentin and Tracy are sitting on a blanket.  Their        two horses graze nearby.  Picnic things are in        evidence.  Quentin is busily sketching Tracy when        she finally gets up.

And that's when today's quote -

Page 28A/Scene 69 - Tracy: 'Come on. I don't care if it is dangerous. I want to look inside.'

- comes up, followed by the script continuing with:

Quentin AD LIBS OK and, getting up, takes her hand        as they cross to the greenhouse.

And as far as what's different with the dialogue, the descriptions, and the directions, we have no way of knowing at this point because this scene doesn't appear in the film as it stands - though it does appear in the 129 minute version. And this time around there are no notations in DC's script.

It's also worth noting that even though the page says this is part of the 3/31 rewrite, it isn't. Scene 69 as well as Scene 70 appear exactly as they were written in Grayson's earlier version of the script. It's just that because so much new material was added to DC's script that Scenes 69 & 70 extended onto page 28A, whereas in Grayson's script they're on page 28.

...

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Revisiting a post related to Scene 69:

... I'd like to share the full still that I used for ... graphic:

And previously I'd neglected to point out that a version of the still that shows more than the copy I have -

(Click here for a 635X700 version)

- appears on page 183 of the Millennium Edition of the DS Almanac.

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Revisiting another post related to Scene 69:

...

First up, a not exactly rare still, but definitely a very nice one:

(Click here for a 1630X1157 version)

But then, here's a fairly rare one:

(Click here for a 700X548 version)

I have to confess that ever since seeing that book entitled Mayfair being used as a prop, I've wonder why it was used? Was it being implied that Quentin was simply interested in the Mayfair section of London, or was there an artist named Mayfair whose work the prop department or even Selby himself felt Quentin might be interested in and/or influenced by? However, if the latter was the case, I've never been able to come across an artist named Mayfair, one who painted abstract art or otherwise. I suppose it may forever remain a mystery...

And apparently last time around I neglected to point out that the first still above appears on page 178 of The DS Movie Book.

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Revisiting yet another post related to Scene 69:

... here are some more stills related to Scene #69:

First up, from page 34 of the 30th Anniversary Tribute version of the DS Almanac, here's a still of DC directing the scene:

The lady wearing the kerchief is DC's assistant Debbie Smith.

And here's a rarely seen still of DC directing:

As I've mentioned before, I love Selby just lying there eating an apple! 

And finally here's a very rare still:

(Click here for a 700X476 version)

It's interesting that the script says Quentin is seen "busily sketching Tracy" yet he's not seen doing so in any of the stills I've ever come across. Though we do see his sketch pad in the second still I shared yesterday - and we do see Tracy fiddling with one of his paint brushes in the still above...

And there are some more stills related to shooting at the greenhouse, but I'm going to hold off sharing those until we reach Scenes 107-110...

 

[Midnite]

Revisiting another post related to Scene 69:

I have to confess that ever since seeing that book entitled Mayfair being used as a prop, I've wonder why it was used? Was it being implied that Quentin was simply interested in the Mayfair section of London, or was there an artist named Mayfair whose work the prop department or even Selby himself felt Quentin might be interested in and/or influenced by? However, if the latter was the case, I've never been able to come across an artist named Mayfair, one who painted abstract art or otherwise. I suppose it may forever remain a mystery...

A friend [thanks, Kosmo!] sent this link: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/199847302185873299/

It's apparently an assortment of Mayfair English style cookies from Nabisco. 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Revisiting how Scene 70 is scripted:

...

70     INT - GREENHOUSE - DAY                                     70        as they walk around looking it over.  TRUCK WITH        THEM and then let them EXIT SHOT.  HOLD FOR a        moment until in the distance, seen through the        distortion of the greenhouse glass, the figure of        a girl in a long period dress stands watching them. 70     CONTD                                     CONTD    70

And that's when today's quote -

Page 29/Scene 70 - Quentin (O.S.): (putting on airs, kidding) 'I'm getting bored. Shall we have drinks on the veranda?'

- comes up.

And as far as what's different with the dialogue, the descriptions, and the directions, you know the story already, so no need to repeat it again - though Scene 70 does appear in the 129 minute version. And there are no notations in DC's script for this scene.

It's also worth noting that this picnic sequence is what's referred to in the DS Companion as something they wished had been in the film as it was released so as to show scenes of Quentin and Tracy being happy. But alas...

(And as an aside, I'll be sharing another candid shot from the day Scenes 69 & 70 were shot - but because it also relates to upcoming stuff that begins with Scene 107, I'm going to hold off until after that scene comes up in the script...)

Wrapping up Scene 70 ... -

Page 29/Scene 70 - Tracy (O.S.): (joyfully laughing) 'Oh! I can't stand it! What a way to live!'

- coming up, ...

...

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

It's apparently an assortment of Mayfair English style cookies from Nabisco. 

Cookies?!

I NEVER would have guessed!! (Kosmo is a genius at tracking these things down. )

Though the evidence for it being a package of cookies is in the stills. There are cookies on the plates -

- and more than cookies on plates, there's an open package of the cookies -

- though at least the name on the package isn't as well seen in that still.

Thanks so much for clearing up the mystery, Midnite (and Kosmo).

The funny thing is now that I see them I think that back in the day my mom used to buy those cookies occasionally - but obviously the packaging didn't stay in my mind...