DARK SHADOWS FORUMS
General Discussions => Current Talk Archive => Current Talk '24 I => Current Talk '06 II => Topic started by: PennyDreadful on September 14, 2006, 06:33:24 AM
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New Audio Drama a Must Buy
by Penny Dreadful
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*****MANY SPOILERS FOLLOW*****
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I put the CD in with some trepidation. After all, I was rather disappointed by the highly anticipated ¢â‚¬ËœReturn to Collinwood.' The characters and situations in that particular audio production didn't, in my opinion, accurately capture the characters and feel of Dark Shadows. I worried these new dramas might suffer from similar problems.
There was no need for worry because the new Dark Shadows audio drama, ¢â‚¬ËœThe House of Despair' is excellent.
The writing is very good. The classic Dark Shadows characters are spot on, and are accurately depicted through well-written dialogue and first-rate acting. Quentin here is world-wise but still sarcastic and stubborn. He is not the full blown hero as in ¢â‚¬ËœReturn to Collinwood', but a man searching for answers who is still haunted by his past sins and by his poor choices. Whereas Willie served as comic relief in ¢â‚¬ËœReturn to Collinwood,' here he is an anxious, troubled man who has seen too many horrible things in his lifetime. Maggie now owns the Collinsport Diner, which was bought with help from Roger in an effort to keep her quiet about the things she had seen at Collinwood. Maggie is weary and very insistent on staying far away from the Collins family. Angelique, ever untrustworthy, is very aware of her power and has some of the most frightening moments in the audio play. Her disturbing outburst when Barnabas is discussed offers dark insights into the witch's heart. She is still utterly obsessed with Barnabas Collins. The script offers characterizations which are very much in keeping with those of the classic series. It is easy to imagine the characters progressing in the manner depicted in ¢â‚¬ËœThe House of Despair.' The writer, Stuart Manning, has a clear understanding of the subject matter, and has a firm grasp on the various nuances of Dark Shadows.
The audio drama also succeeds in evoking the atmosphere of mystery, dread and impending doom which was a hallmark of classic Dark Shadows. Big Finish got it right, even down to the cliffhangers at the end of each episode. The sound effects, music (some of which is Bob Cobert's) and acting offer an ominous, Gothic picture of modern Collinsport. Collinwood, which has been taken over by evil forces, looms alone on the hill - presumably abandoned long ago by the missing present-day Collins family. Quentin, trying to unravel the mystery of his missing family, seeks aid from both Willie and Angelique.
The actors do an amazing job of once again inhabiting their original roles. John Karlen especially brings the neurotic, troubled Willie to vivid life once again. Indeed, all of the actors really shine in ¢â‚¬ËœThe House of Despair.' David Selby, Lara Parker and Kathryn Leigh Scott all succeed marvelously in recreating their original series roles, and portray the characters as if several unpleasant years have gone by in Collinsport.
New characters also fare well. The Collinsport residents are appropriately suspicious and frightened when Quentin strolls into the Blue Whale. Quentin, in turn, is appropriately flippant in response.
In Mr Strix , the audio drama gives us a supernatural being hitherto unseen in the ¢â‚¬ËœDark Shadows' mythos - a strix or striga, which is a mythical Roman being often depicted as an evil flesh eating bird. The final confrontation with character leads to revelations about the whereabouts of Barnabas Collins.
The role of Barnabas has been recast in the audio drama. While many might not approve of this, the change is explained nicely in the story. Barnabas has been given a new body in ¢â‚¬ËœThe House of Despair.' I admit to wishing I could have heard Jonathan Frid deliver Barnabas' lines. However, Andrew Collins does an admirable job of filling some very large and very important shoes in the Dark Shadows universe. The explanation given for the different voice in the story makes it much easier to digest and accept a new actor as Barnabas. Giving Barnabas a new body almost seems appropriate since Big Finish helped to keep Doctor Who alive. Doctor Who, of course, is well known for periodically changing bodies.
The final scene in ¢â‚¬ËœThe House of Despair' is perfect. We end with Barnabas, Quentin and Angelique, the original series' three most well-known and immortal characters standing together in the Old House. They are all that is left of the Collins family, and none of them really trust each other. Each of these characters is unpredictable and capable of being quite dangerous. The very fact that the writer kept this in mind shows that he knows and understands the source material quite well. I do wish we could have had Jonathan Frid in this final scene. I can't help that. Selby and Parker are great here, and it just seems right that Frid would be there with them. However, I can accept the change, especially since there is a legitimate reason for it within the context of the story.
I should also add that the reworking of Robert Cobert's opening title theme is wonderfully eerie. The combination of Cobert's themes with original music by Joseph Fox gives ¢â‚¬ËœThe House of Despair' a newness, while still allowing listeners to keep one foot firmly planted in the classic mythos.
¢â‚¬ËœThe House of Despair' succeeds where other Dark Shadows updates, remakes and continuations did not. It truly captures the elusive, peculiar feel of the original Dark Shadows. I recommend that all Dark Shadows fans pick up a copy of this audio drama. I think this is the best thing to happen to Dark Shadows in a long time. I hope that the rest of the audio dramas are as excellent as this one.
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PennyD, what a marvelous review!
Another plus that I can't praise enough is the timeless quality of "The House of Despair." While the story takes place sometime before "Return to Collinwood," as I'm listening I can picture it occuring any time after the end of the series.
By avoiding references (for the most part) to current events, our beloved original became a timeless classic that was not defined by its broadcast era. This decision, I believe, helped pave the way for it to be enjoyed by generations to come. Yes, the clothing and equipment do date it somewhat, but I feel these aspects add to its nostalgic charm, whereas an avoidance of references to "current" events such as the Viet Nam war, the hippie culture {cough}, political assassinations, the Sexual Revolution, the Cold War, etc. serves to avoid trapping the story in its decade. "The House of Despair" and its sequel follow in these same timeless footsteps. Even when a familiar tune plays during a scene in "THOD," for example, I can imagine that we've gone back to the 60s just as easily as I can envision that the Collinsport Inn is playing "oldies" on its sound system.
Of course, writing is going to reflect the sensibilities of the writer and the times in which s/he lives, and this is also true of the style of DS. But these audio stories keep my interest because they have updated the plots to respect the listeners' modern expectations. To use the example of the Strix, while we may not have been ready for such a creature in the 1960s, it suits post-XFiles and Smallville audiences perfectly. The same can be said for [spoiler]the spell that brings Angelique back.[/spoiler]
"The House of Despair" and "The Book of Temptation," like the series, are about characters and themes. Story considerations are updated yet remain loyal to the original. They are also thankfully free of pop culture references; these worked well in Buffy, but it wouldn't have been Dark Shadows.
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I've enjoyed these reviews. I'm interested in hearing these audios now. What is a Strix? I understand it's some type of bird but what's the mystery or supernatural significance?
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You are absolutely right Midnite. Dark Shadows and other worlds of gothic horror exist on isolated planes of existence which are more or less devoid of overt cultural references. 'The House of Despair' definitely maintains this important aspect of the classic series.
There is a trend towards "reality-based" things nowadays and that style does not suit Dark Shadows at all. The references to eBay, Forbes Magazine, and other real cultural things in 'Return to Collinwood' and in the WB pilot strongly detract from the otherworldly quality of the DS universe. Such references shatter the artificial, macabre reality which must be constructed for the Gothic to be effective. This is why I was annoyed during the making of the WB pilot when I heard the WB wanted Collinsport to "be like any other modern city," even though the writer Mark Verheiden argued that this was inappropriate for Dark Shadows.
Another trend I've noticed in other DS continuations, and often in fan fiction as well, is the insistence that Barnabas, or someone else, must eventually install electricity and plumbing in the Old House. I can't see this happening. It's too optimistic for Dark Shadows. The Old House is almost an Undead thing unto itself. To give it "life" in the form of electricity is to shatter the Gothic atmosphere of the place.
There's always HOPE in Dark Shadows, but in the end there is always tragedy. The characters can believe in that hope, but to actually fulfill it is to ruin the mood and structure of the DS universe. When something positive happens in DS, it is inevitably tempered by something dark and tragic shortly thereafter. It might sound negative, but if one looks at the series as a whole, this is always the case. That's why, for example, I can't see characters like Chris Jennings and Sabrina Stuart living happily ever after. There is no "happily ever after" on DS - only the hope that there might be.
"The House of Despair" accurately captures all of this very well indeed. I look forward to listening to "The Book of Temptation" sometime this week.
- Penny Dreadful -
PS - dsbarnabasfan - a strix or striga comes from Roman legend. The strix is often depicted as an evil nocturnal bird that feeds on the blood and flesh of human beings.
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PennyDreadful,
Excellent, excellent, excellent!
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Well done and thanks. In this country it couldn't be done. No one thinks anyone is interested in audio enough to produce anything like this. In the UK there seems to be more of a tradition of this. Or maybe Big Finish just barged its way in and created a tradition (with Doctor Who). Anyway, talk to most US horror and SF (etc) fans and the first aspect they bring up when discussing quality is special effects. It's a frighteningly empty culture. Apart from DS fans I'm not sure Americans would ever want productions with NO visuals of any kind.
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Well done and thanks. In this country it couldn't be done. No one thinks anyone is interested in audio enough to produce anything like this. In the UK there seems to be more of a tradition of this. Or maybe Big Finish just barged its way in and created a tradition (with Doctor Who). Anyway, talk to most US horror and SF (etc) fans and the first aspect they bring up when discussing quality is special effects. It's a frighteningly empty culture. Apart from DS fans I'm not sure Americans would ever want productions with NO visuals of any kind.
Well, the BBC have quite a vast radio output, so I guess audio drama is indeed more of a British tradition in that sense. As for special effects, I'm not sure Dark Shadows is a series dependent on absolutely no visuals at all. The difference between Dark Shadows and most other, modern horror series around - and what makes it ideal for audio, in that respect - is that the special effects are always used sparingly and legitimately within the plot, whilst always allowing the story's characters to dominate the action at any given moment.
But yes, you're quite right. Special effects should be just that - special - and now we're being bombarded with CGI left, right, and center, they're becoming anything but... Heyho!
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Hello Scott... I only meant that the new CDs are devoid of visuals, being CDs.
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Hello Scott... I only meant that the new CDs are devoid of visuals, being CDs.
Oh, I wasn't arguing with you at all... Just agreeing with your comment about the way horror and cult fans work nowadays! And yes, whilst the CDs do lack visuals, we can still try to incorporate interesting soundscapes and "special effects" in that sense. I guess it just depends how you define these terms.
Hello, by the way :)
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BF is very, very good at creating those sound landscapes. I don't know about elsewhere, but here viewers won't even accept black and white. They need glittering shiny effects swung in front of their faces. Julia could take us all over easily. By the way, I lay into Americans frequently than get all defensive when Brits do.
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Small correction -
They are standing in Collinwood at the end, not in the Old House.
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There is a trend towards "reality-based" things nowadays and that style does not suit Dark Shadows at all. The references to eBay, Forbes Magazine, and other real cultural things in 'Return to Collinwood' and in the WB pilot strongly detract from the otherworldly quality of the DS universe. Such references shatter the artificial, macabre reality which must be constructed for the Gothic to be effective.
Hi PennyD, you really have a way with words and are an excellent writer. I didn't read your review until I heard the CD and your review captivated me almost as much as the CD. Looking forward to your next!
John
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penny,
you make an excellent point about the way the story is structured.the characters can always hope for a brighter tomorrow but in the end there is only tragedy.they are for the most part a fundamentally decent(if deeply flawed)group of people who fate has cast a black cloud over.
i remember one scene that expressed this mood rather poignantly.during vicki and jeff's ill-fated wedding roger comes to vicki's room to tell her jeff needs to see her on the terrace.sensing something is wrong she goes to him.when roger and liz are left alone liz stoically walks over to the dresser,stops,sighs and pronounces that "nothing ever works out for any of us does it?"
at the time it nearly brought tears to my eyes because it's so true.
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New Audio Drama a Must Buy
As I posted earlier, I enjoyed this review and was glad you posted it on Amazon. If I may suggest, you might want to post on amaon.co.uk as well. I'm hoping that this series will pick up a following in the UK.
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If I may suggest, you might want to post on amaon.co.uk as well. I'm hoping that this series will pick up a following in the UK.
Good idea. I just posted it on amazon.co.uk.
- Penny
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Penny Dreadful, thanks so much for your great review, and explaining about Barnabas in it....your comments about wishing JF were in the final scene were very poignant.....[spoiler]but it is interesting how they explained the "new" Barnabas....[/spoiler]
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Americans, by and large, are not acquainted with the audio drama. In our culture, it seems to be, almost a lost art, a relic of the days of "Old Time Radio". At least that's the stereotype. For me, audio drama was a significant part of my childhood. Although I grew up in the 60s and 70s and TV was a huge part of my lfe, there were also Power Records. If anyone doesn't remember these, they were book and record sets containiing dramatizations of comic books. They were also available as 33 RPM records that were packaged without the comic. I had a huge collection of Marvel Superhero sets, Planet of the Apes, Star Trek, and various other Sci Fi titles. I also collected TV on audio.
When DS aired, late night, in Boston, it was a rare treat for me to be able to watch it. I'd rely on friend who would record the episodes for me, once in a great while. Later, in college, I bought copies of the audio tapes from various fans. Adam, in my mind's eye, looked very different from Robert Rodan. I pictured a HUGE bald headed guy, Think Ruk (Ted Cassidy) from Star Trek & Lurch.
The effects were better too. The infamous "shadow on the wall" was this all enveloping black hole that sucked the life from all who got stuck in its path. Angelique, rising from the flames of the caretaker's cottage was an awesome sight.
In a way, the Big Finish series brings me back to my DS roots. Yes, I did watch a few episodes in the 70s. I even caught a couple in the 60s, but for the most part, it was an audio medium for me. It worked surprisingly well, since much of the show is driven by dialogue. That's part of the reaon I have high hopes for the success of the audio series.
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Americans, by and large, are not acquainted with the audio drama. In our culture, it seems to be, almost a lost art, a relic of the days of "Old Time Radio". At least that's the stereotype.
this is so true.... the baby boomers missed that golden days of radio and the few of us luck enough to have stumbled on Radio Mystery Theater hosted by EG Marshall in the 70s and early 80s only got a taste. I have listened to the new DS audio dramas several times and can't wait for more.
LdyAnne
a Radio Mystery Theater junky
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I studied Comm Arts at college and radio shows were the most interesting things we produced. Radio presented challenges that never came up in Television and overcoming those creative challenges was always more satisfying, and more fun. :D
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A few years ago I discovered the Gunsmoke radio shows on ebay. For about $45 I got over 400 eps of the series. Even though it wasn't the TV cast, the stories brought me back to the days when my dad and I watched the show in the 60s and early 70s. I'm not takin g this too far away from DS, I hope, with this post. It does relate, in a way. In the case of Gunsmoke, I looked backward to the old time radio show. Which by the way, don't sound hokey at all..just like TV without the pictures. In fact many of the scriipts were later used for the TV show. Hopefully, if this DS aoudio series continues, the reverse will happen with DS. We can look forward to the show continuing in "radio" format.
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A few years ago I discovered the Gunsmoke radio shows on ebay. For about $45 I got over 400 eps of the series. Even though it wasn't the TV cast, the stories brought me back to the days when my dad and I watched the show in the 60s and early 70s. I'm not takin g this too far away from DS, I hope, with this post. It does relate, in a way. In the case of Gunsmoke, I looked backward to the old time radio show. Which by the way, don't sound hokey at all..just like TV without the pictures. In fact many of the scriipts were later used for the TV show. Hopefully, if this DS audio series continues, the reverse will happen with DS. We can look forward to the show continuing in "radio" format.
Another old time radio fan here. Matter of fact, I had a copy of the War of the Worlds broadcast with me to fly to LA for the Fest last year. Be that as it may, I love the same things about it being radio that everyone else does. Some things are just easier to do, not to mention more atmospheric, in radio. Anyone here ever heard the radio version of Ray Bradbury's There Will Come Soft Rains ?. It is bonechilling done for radio, since your mind is doing all the work.
That's what makes radio great for something like DS -- same reason I think they decided on that format for Return to Collinwood. What does it matter what the actors look like, or what creature you create when all that's needed to create it is the theater of the mind. Oh, and a side note on this. Radio drama in this country isn't what it is in the UK, but it's not dead by any means. There is an organization, LATheaterworks, who adapts plays to be performed on the radio. The cast lists on their website are a whos who of the acting profession, so apparently many actors love working in the medium here as much as they do in the UK.
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PennyDreadful,
Excellent, excellent, excellent!
WHAT MIDNIGHT SAID!!!
I deliberately didn't come over to this topic until I had had the chance to listen to these and write my own review for my website. I'm glad I didn't; your review is so wonderful that I would probably have subconsciously copied something.
Thanks for posting this, and thanks for spreading it around to publicize this great project. The way I look at this, the best chance we have to keep getting more of these is to get the word out and have as many people as possible buy them.
BTW, if anyone wants to read my review, its up (with a few more Selby related reviews I finished in the last few months)on my Selby site. The URL is in my sig line.
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There is an organization, LATheaterworks, who adapts plays to be performed on the radio. The cast lists on their website are a whos who of the acting profession, so apparently many actors love working in the medium here as much as they do in the UK.
I love LA Theater Works. I bought "The Crucible" to use in class and was impressed enough to look into other titles. I was shocked to find "The Caine Mutiny" starring David Selby! He was also in "The Perfectionist" and some other titles. I bought quite a few of the discs and enjoyed them thoroughly. I focused a lot on the plays he was in, but also listened to "Agnes of God" and a few others.
A disappointing incident occurred a few years ago. I wrote to whatever publisher was putting out the Star Wars audio dramas to ask why they'd discontinued them. They'd produced some plays adapted from some of the Cantina tales. I finally got a call from someone who told me the plays sold fine. There was only one problem. They did not sell any better than the single reader audio books. Since they cost more to produce, the feeling was that they could save the production cost and have one actor read the book.
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I was reluctant at first to buy this when I attended the fest, but I saw that they were selling quickly, and the cover art and descriptions intrigued me. What's money anyway, right? You can't take it with you. I had also bought Return to Collinwood. I listened to that on the way home on the train. I was disappointed with a few things, but it was all right overall.
When I got home I used these new CDs as an incentive to work out. They're each about 68 minutes, with episode breaks, each disc contains I believe 3 episodes. This was great to work out to, and it made the time pass quickly. I didn't want to stop and wait for the next day, I wanted to keep going!
I am very happy with my purchase and have preordered the next two. I can't wait until they come out. I think these are worth the money you pay for them. They are very well written, and the story is explained clearly and is easy to follow. It keeps true to the DS fashion, as others have stated, and the updated music is abosolutely welcome and such a treat! And ooohhh goosebumps!
I'll promote these where ever I can if it means that sales are boosted and they can make more!
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Count me in as one of the people who skipped the review until they heard the plays for themselves. I admit that I was a bit skeptical about all this but I was proven dead wrong and was extremely happy about it.
These CDs are excellent. They have surpassed my expectations by miles. I really cannot praise them enough.
The acting was spot on. I thought John Karlen in particular jumped right back into his role. He opened his mouth and Willie came out. Not to say that the other actors weren't dead on because they are all fantastic, but I was particularly impressed by JK. [spoiler]The "new" Barnabas does an fine job in his role, though at times his voice reminds me more of Ben Cross than Jonathan Frid.[/spoiler]
I have only listened to the first "episode" in Book of Temptation, but am highly impressed with that as well, and am looking forward to your review PennyDreadful! What a marvelous way with words you have.
I've already pre-ordered the last two and am hoping that more are produced! If you are a Dark Shadows fan, and seriously who here isn't, I think you are doing a disservice to yourself not to give these CDs a try. They are that well done.
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If you are a Dark Shadows fan, and seriously who here isn't, I think you are doing a disservice to yourself not to give these CDs a try. They are that well done.
I totally agree with this. I also preordered the last two as soon as I finished listening to the first two. A word of warning though: Don't compare the first CD with the second. They are completely different. Personally I think that Stuart more accurately captured DS in the first story, but Scott did an very good job with the second. I could relisten to them numerous times and not get tired of them.
I hope the continue with this series because it is a great medium for DS to live on in. And I too also thought that Johnny Karlen did exceptionally well with Willie! I think he was the best of the four, with David Selby being in a close second. Don't get me wrong, everyone did a great job, but I think that JK and DS really brought their roles back vividly. Lara Parker did a very nice job as Angelique once again, though I thought the banter between her and Quentin was little much at times, although entertaining.
Unfortunately, IMO, I thought Maggie was simply dull. LIVEN HER UP PEOPLE!!! Give her something to really scream about. Make her fight off a demon, kill a vampire, do something. She needs to take some lessons from Buffy and stop being the victim.
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Oh, and a side note on this. Radio drama in this country isn't what it is in the UK, but it's not dead by any means. There is an organization, LATheaterworks, who adapts plays to be performed on the radio. The cast lists on their website are a whos who of the acting profession, so apparently many actors love working in the medium here as much as they do in the UK.
A friend of mine just turned me on to a long running of audio plays adapted from Louis L'Aamour stories. These westerns have apparently been running for a while, so I guess audio drama is availablle in the US. You just have to look for it.
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I love LA Theater Works. I bought "The Crucible" to use in class and was impressed enough to look into other titles. I was shocked to find "The Caine Mutiny" starring David Selby! He was also in "The Perfectionist" and some other titles. I bought quite a few of the discs and enjoyed them thoroughly. I focused a lot on the plays he was in, but also listened to "Agnes of God" and a few others.
A disappointing incident occurred a few years ago. I wrote to whatever publisher was putting out the Star Wars audio dramas to ask why they'd discontinued them. They'd produced some plays adapted from some of the Cantina tales. I finally got a call from someone who told me the plays sold fine. There was only one problem. They did not sell any better than the single reader audio books. Since they cost more to produce, the feeling was that they could save the production cost and have one actor read the book.
Wasn't Caine Mutiny great? That was the first one of theirs that I got, simply because I wanted to see what Selby would do with a role so identified with another actor (in this case Bogart). If you are interested I have reviews of all but two of the plays on my David Selby website -- http://jwmediafanfiction.com/jeanniesdavidselbysite.
Pity about those SW radio shows. I'm not familiar with the ones you mention; the only ones I have are the recorded versions of the dramatizations of the first three movies that were broadcast on NPR.
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Okay, looks like I'm a minority here, but here goes....
I listened to all three of the currently released audio dramas (Return to Collinwood, House of Despair, and Book of Temptation) over the weekend, and I have to say that I strongly prefer Return to Collinwood.
I liked the way that RtC included a good dose of humor and didn't take itself too seriously. I also like the way it took the liberty of wrapping up some loose ends from the original tv series. It seemed to really contribute to the DS universe in a meaningful way. And I don't think that the cultural references detracted from it at all (ex. eBay, plasma tvs, etc.)... I mean, the characters are all 35+ years older now and live in a much different world.
I think the two more recent dramas take themselves too seriously and try too hard to recreate the mood of the original series. I mean, haven't the characters been through enough at this point to deserve a little humor in their lives and their circumstances? Not that the newest dramas are bad, I just think that RtC struck a better balance on mutiple fronts.
Also...
[spoiler] I liked the way RtC let the Barnabas character rest for a while. I thought the BoD approach was unnecessary and was the basis for too much "been there done that" drama with Angelique. Why can't the characters just move on? Plus, didn't RtC establish that Barnabas and Julia were travelling the world together? It'll be interesting to see how this latest series wraps back around to that happening... assuming that all of these audio dramas exist in the same time stream... and they are supposed to, right?[/spoiler]
Opinions?? :)
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To answer your question, ShadowsAtlanta, I believe the stories for the new audio dramas by Big Finish are supposed to take place sometime between the end of the series and RtC. That being said.....
I didn't think that RtC was so abhorrently awful. It was okay, and I'll take DS that is produced in any form. But what I really an disappointed about is the way they left it hanging, and as of this point, they have no plans to release the sequel, Vengeance at Collinwood. I'd like to see how the story leaves our beloved characters, not left hanging. Especially with the money I paid to hear it in the first place.
I do prefer the BF audios though. I think they accurately recapture the feel of the original series. And while the cultural references in RtC didn't bother me too badly, the original DS never did this outside of the clothing. [female_skull]
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I'm planning on attending the 40th Anniversary DS Haunted Halloween Party in East Hollywood this Thursday. My hope is to buy the first of the CDs then.
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Just received "The House of Despair" today and started listening this afternoon. So far, I'm hooked. Excellent re-recording of the main theme.
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Oh, I didn't know about "Vengeance at Collinwood"... think there's any chance that will ever be released on CD? What say those of you in the know?? [dancing_bones]
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Oh, I didn't know about "Vengeance at Collinwood"... think there's any chance that will ever be released on CD? What say those of you in the know??
Click:
Re: Vengeance at Collinwood
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Oh, I didn't know about "Vengeance at Collinwood"... think there's any chance that will ever be released on CD? What say those of you in the know?? [dancing_bones]
I'd heard that the performance was recorded by the people at the Festival. If there's enough interest, perhaps they could release the video of the live show. I'm sure fans would be interested in the rough, live performance. What do you all think?
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Unfortunately, IMO, I thought Maggie was simply dull. LIVEN HER UP PEOPLE!!! Give her something to really scream about. Make her fight off a demon, kill a vampire, do something. She needs to take some lessons from Buffy and stop being the victim.
Stay tuned through the end of the season, Brandon. [hall_wink]
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I've given a lot of thought as to the identity of the actor who recorded the surprise cameo in the fourth installment of the Big Finish series. If you recall, we were told that it was someone who attended the latest festival. The most obvious choice would seem to be Nancy Barrett as Carolyn. It also crossed my mind that Betsy Durkin may reprise her role as Vickie and give the character a more satisfying ending than she had on the screen. Ordinarily, I'd tend to discount this possibility out of hand, considering how unpopular she has been with fans. However, I wonder if Vickie might not be tied up with the book, in some way. It also crossed my mind that Millicent might also be a candidate, as she fits the description of those who have been ensnared by the book. Then again, maybe it's going to be one of Quentin's old flames. If that's the case, Marie Wallace as Jenny, Donna Mckechnie as Amanda, or Diana Millay as Laura (no pun intended here..I promise) could be possible. These are just random musings. Any thoughts as to who it might be?
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I was just wondering where to buy this? I just checked Amazon and didn't see it? Thanks!!
Penny - that's an amazing review - I can't wait to read more from you!
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I was just wondering where to buy this? I just checked Amazon and didn't see it? Thanks!!
www.darkshadowsreborn.com
Also, DSReborn's announcement topic is pinned to the top of the current Calendar Events / Announcements board.
And welcome, Kristin! [wave]
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www.darkshadowsreborn.com
Also, DSReborn's announcement topic is pinned to the top of the current Calendar Events / Announcements board.
And welcome, Kristin! [wave]
Thanks!! I'm having a hard time navigating this place right now...
I'll go check that out...
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And while the cultural references in RtC didn't bother me too badly, the original DS never did this outside of the clothing. [female_skull]
I'm a little confused by your statement. Are you saying you feel that what was then the "present time" DS never used any cultural references, or that NONE of the storylines did?
One case I remember in Leviathan where cultural references were used was in the is Grant Douglas Quentin or not storyline? They specifically have him make a comment about Jenny Lind, an operatic soprano who was world famous when Quentin was a boy. Haven't seen many of the present day eps lately, so that may be an isolated case.
However, with 1897, the storyline I am most familiar with, they used many many references, not to historical events, but to cultural norms of the day (one example I can think of offhand is one instance where Quentin tried to warn Edward about something, and Edward scoffed it off as an opium dream. Opium and its derivatives like Laudanum were legal then and sold openly, as well as being amongst the recreational drugs of choice of the rich.) The fact that they did this sort of thing as often as they did established the characters in a specific time and place, giving the created world depth.
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And while the cultural references in RtC didn't bother me too badly, the original DS never did this outside of the clothing. [female_skull]
I'm a little confused by your statement. Are you saying you feel that what was then the "present time" DS never used any cultural references, or that NONE of the storylines did?
One case I remember in Leviathan where cultural references were used was in the is Grant Douglas Quentin or not storyline? They specifically have him make a comment about Jenny Lind, an operatic soprano who was world famous when Quentin was a boy. Haven't seen many of the present day eps lately, so that may be an isolated case.
However, with 1897, the storyline I am most familiar with, they used many many references, not to historical events, but to cultural norms of the day (one example I can think of offhand is one instance where Quentin tried to warn Edward about something, and Edward scoffed it off as an opium dream. Opium and its derivatives like Laudanum were legal then and sold openly, as well as being amongst the recreational drugs of choice of the rich.) The fact that they did this sort of thing as often as they did established the characters in a specific time and place, giving the created world depth.
I'll do my best to answer you here given that I wrote that post over a month ago, and even though I've reviewed it, that doesn't mean I remember my motivations behind writing it. lol.
I think what I was trying to say that the original DS episodes didn't really drop references to the outside world that much, or at least not ones that I noticed. You mention 1897 references. Though I'm interested in history, I'm no buff, so it's unlikely that I'd catch these references. And I didn't live in the 60s and 70s, though I can infer some references from what I do know about the time period, but again, some references may escape me. I used the clothing example because obviously the clothing worn in the original series was from the 60s and 70s, and that is the most obvious example of a reference to the outside world, although it couldn't really be helped.
Ultimately, what I was talking about or comparing was the fact that in the 04 Pilot Vicki mentions to Roger that she recognizes him from his article in Forbes magazine. You never heard any mention of something like Life magazine or any other magazine popular during the 60s and 70s. And in RtC someone, I think it's Willie, mentions eBay. The internet didn't exist in the 60s and 70s for large portions of the population, so they couldn't have mentioned it and expected people to know what they were talking about. But, they also never mentioned the Vietnam War, which was going on during that time.
Hope this helps to get my point across a little better.
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Amy had a "Black Beauty" book in one episode. When Willie is sick in the early Barnabas episodes, Roger thinks he is pretending and says something like "Sarah Bernhard" would be envious of your act".
Phillip Todd mentions the Moon landing in another episode. Carl talks about his trip to Atlantic City and salt water taffy he bought there in 1897.