The Original, the Revival, and You -

[retzev]

I'm slowly working my way through the '91 series, and I'm trying to judge it on it's own merits, but it's hard for me to keep from comparing it to the original...etc. etc.

So anyway, I got the idea for this poll -

[Amy Jennings Fan]

I was a fan of the original first and I like the revival series too.

[coterie-mc]

I lalso liked the revival series....especially certain actors & actress' were very good, Jonna Going, Lysette Anthony, Jim Fyfe and Adrian Paul.  it's been 14 years since i saw those episodes, didn't Roger & Maggie have something going?  the model they used for Collinwood was really lame thou.  they should have just used the long shots of the original collinwood.

[MagnusTrask]

I may just have not been in a DS mood then.    Or, the fact that the familiar old story was being REPEATED when i already knew it may have been a factor.   Lukewarm on the revival.

[Barnabas'sBride]

I voted "lukewarm" on the Revival series. I watched it for the first time when I bought it on dvd. The beginning was much too HoDS for me. I found myself rolling my eyes a few times at the dialogue, etc...because of how close it was to House. It isn't until 1790 that I think the show picks up a bit.

My favorite was Joanna Going as Victoria (& Josette). I've always liked Alexandra Moltke and feel she got the short end of the stick over the course of the original series, but Going was near absolute perfection in my eyes. She brought a maturity and intelligence to the role and I adored her. The revival is worth owning for her, IMHO. While I was watching, I found myself daydreaming about what it would've been like to see her act with some of the original series cast, like Frid, Karlen, Bennett, etc... Quick! Somebody build a stairway through time!

My feelings on the rest of the cast is mixed. I liked Jean Simmons as Elizabeth. I found Barbara Steele to be fine as Julia. She gave a more subtle, cold performance, but I thought it worked. I didn't mind Ely Pouget as Maggie because they gave her something different to do. Lysette Anthony as Angelique was more primal and simplistic, but that wasn't a bad thing. Roy Thinnes and Barbara Blackburn didn't make much of an impression. I couldn't warm up to Jim Fyfe as Willie. I found the character to be too silly, too comic relief. It wasn't just the actor though, but the writing as well. I admit I laughed a few times, but I didn't like the take on the character.

Ben Cross.... He's not a bad actor. I think he improved as the episodes went on and he was good with Joanna Going. A few scenes between them, as Barnabas & Victoria/Josette, I enjoyed. Overall though, he just doesn't do it for me. There was a kind of stiff distance with his portrayal and I found it hard to get involved emotionally with him. His Barnabas would never appeal to me the way Frid's Barnabas does.

My favorite moment in the revival is [spoiler]Victoria and Josette realizing that they are the same person.[/spoiler]

I chose "lukewarm" because besides Going, the Victoria/Josette angle & some of 1790, nothing else really left all that big of an impression.

[Julianka7]

I voted that I disliked the 1991 ds.
I remember watching the first couple of episodes
and just hating character changes.

[Satan]

I despise the Revival series. I can't believe how stupid it is. I am on episode two and there's a scene where [spoiler]Barnabas goes to comfort Elizabeth at Collinwood and there's this big mirror in front of them clearly showing everyone that Barnabas has no reflection. The only one that sees it is Julia. Elizabeth could have seen it, she was facing the mirror.[/spoiler] I can't believe Dan actually thought this series was a good idea. To me, this series makes the original look like a joke. And the actors are so stiffed. Why couldn't they show emotion on the show? I can't believe I spent more than two weeks downloading that trash. I'm glad I didn't buy the set because I would have regretted it for the rest of my life. I doubt I'll watch the remaining episodes. It's too painful watching especially since that show is nothing more than a repeat of House of Dark Shadows and the original show.

[OldSeaRock]

I'm not generally a fan of "revival" anything except Creedence Clearwater.  I've no inclination to see any of the DS "revival" shows. 

[Midnite]

Welcome, OldSeaRock!

[Janet the Wicked]

 I was a fan of the original first and haven't seen the revival series. And don't care if I ever do.

Janet

[Elmont]

  I loved the revival series. I thought that they did a great job of casting. The original series actor's were very good but some of the new cast brought their characters to the next level IMO. Ben Cross performance as Barnabas I felt was a little more powerful and his character a bit more emotional than that of Frid's. Don't get me wrong, I'm a die hard fan of the original series almost from day one. No one could ever replace the original cast members. They did an exceptional job with the budget they had. The revival series is definitely worth seeing, after all it is a Dan Curtis Production.   Elmont...

[Misa]

The original show is without a doubt the best, but there were some things I enjoyed about the revival. It is only possible in your imagination to give the original a big budget, but I have a great imagination. Jonathan Frid's portrayal of Barnabas was great! If he had, had the luxury of retakes his Barnabas would have been perfect. When the performance is good he is excellent.

The revival had some big problems; the biggest was that the only characters that were developed were Barnabas, Vicki, Daphne, and Willie. The other problems were the Barnabas waiting for his victim to meet him scenes. They were so bad. He looked like he was a hissing cat. I also didn't like the Angelique floating there scenes, maybe once but after that they were boring. Joanna Going was wonderful as Vicki.

I was also displeased with the HODS redo that was used on this show. Yuck! But without giving away to much of the plot for those who haven't seen the revival I can't say much more.

I really think that the revival had possibilities, and I wish it had been renewed. I watched every episode of it.

Misa

[stefan]

I watched a single 1991 revival show and was instantly bored but, from reading theses posts, I'm sure it was fine.
When I saw the original DS I was immediately drawn in. Couldn't tell you why, really.

[retzev]

I still haven't made it through the entire '91 series, so maybe I still haven't given it a fair shake, but I'm just not digging it - Cross's Barnabas was bland (except for that ridiculous pompadour), Fyfe's Willie was a cartoonish buffoon, whats-her-name was so-so as Victoria - the only credible reinterpretation is Barbara Steele's Julia (and DAMN was she still a FOX!).

The slick production values make the plot seem corny in contrast. It doesn't have that shoestring-budget quirkiness which made the original work.

[DSFan008]

I put lukewarm towards the revival series...

parts of it where good, Joanna Going was good as Vicki...Willie was good. and so was the guy who played roger.

some things were terrible...Ben Cross' stiffness as Barnabas, Barbra Steele's slightly upity/superior Julia. I wasn't a fan of the Victoria/Josette reincarnation, i stll thought it should have been done by the Maggie or the actress who had played the late Daphne Collins.

Also i thought they made David a little too freaky.

but it was still a decent show and i would have liked to see it continue