. . . and a belated congratulations on both of your books, which I obtained right after the festival. Both are very well done, professional, impressive ... and so full of information, what more could a DS fan ask for? Plus, the Grayson Hall biography deserves wider exposure beyond DS fandom!

1840 came as such a surprise to me when I was finally able to watch the entire series during its second run on the SciFi channel more than a decade ago. The prelude to 1840—the Summer of 1970 and 1990 Parallel Time--caught my excitement, and 1840 engaged my imagination from the start; my interest never flagged from that point on through the end of the series. It always surprises me when people complain about the inconsistencies of the summer of 1970 or, now, the implausibility of 1840, since implausibility could be said to characterize the entire DS series. And I've never minded that the series left so many loose ends rather than providing neat, satisfying answers to the many tantalizing questions that came up, beginning with Victoria Winters' unknown parentage. As viewers, we sometimes expect and demand neat answers and closure, but as in life and art, those answers and closure are often never to be found.

I loved the characters of Desmond Collins, Flora Collins, and Leticia Faye, as well as the house they lived in. The look of this time period was unique, as each of the time periods (1795, 1897) also was, as far as sets, costumes, and lighting. The idea of Rose Cottage and the mystery surrounding it was one of my favorite things about the entire series. One of the most moving moments in the entire series for me was seeing the aged Ben Stokes living at Collinwood with his granddaughter, and Ben's eventual reunion with Barnabas.

Gerard, I thought, was one of the most intriguing characters on the series: a man of the sea with a hidden past who is acceptable as a gentleman in polite society, displaying social graces and musical accomplishment; was he actually evil, or merely an opportunist as Leticia says at one point? Why was he singled out by Judah Zachary to be his victim of possession? Were they kindred spirits? It's interesting, too, how he has three identities: Ivan Miller, Gerard Stiles, and Judah Zachary.

The mysteries presented in this sequence (what happened in Bedford, for example) and the occult aspects were among the best in the series, in my opinion. 1840 was reminiscent of some of the better aspects of 1897 yet wholly original in how the material was approached and played out.  For example, the possession of the children recalled similar happenings in1897, but the details were very different.

The notion of beheading seemed far-fetched but thematically linked Quentin's trial with the events of Judah Zachary more than a century earlier. The living head had to be one of the creepiest aspects of the entire series and touches on mythological stories, as did the ritual mask donned by Gerard.

The claimed implausibility of a trial for witchcraft taking place in 1840 is explained legally: a deadly mix of local hysteria mixes with the fact that the witchcraft laws remained on the books—it would be fascinating to find out if that actually was the case anywhere in New England at the time. The body of a child was exhumed and beheaded in New England around 1850 as fear of vampirism swept the local countryside, and that's just one of many historical 19th century cases (see my posting elsewhere of a link to the current issue of "Smithsonian" magazine). If the beheading of a child's corpse could happen, a trial for witchcraft in a small town is not quite so absurd. As with all of the storylines, there are weaknesses; personally, I did not care for Kate Jackson at all, yet thought she was surprisingly good in "Night of Dark Shadows."

Thanks for the clarification! 

In case this review of the new collection hasn't been posted elsewhere:

http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/54328/dark-shadows-complete-original-series/

Besides giving an excellent and very appreciative overview of the series itself, this answers most of the questions raised about this collection, including a photo showing the inside of the individual cases - and yes, the DVDs do overlap one another within the plastic cases.

Some further impressions after returning home ...

I was thinking about Lara Parker's comments during her appearance on Saturday in the "big tent," and she referred to "Dark Shadows" as "our little show," in comparing it with the big, expensive, explosive Burton-Depp collaboration. She indicated that the new movie deviated greatly from the vision and tone of the original series. She was careful not to push that point into negativity, but one sensed a wistful disappointment from her. Her observation was that "our little show" would outlast (and probably has already outlasted) the blockbuster movie.

At Lyndhurst, I was surveying some of the books behind locked glass doors in the tall bookcases in the library, and one ancient tome caught my eye, a red clothbound volume with gold lettering, I think it was, on the spine, that said "Linton's Witch Stories." A quick search this evening yielded only a little information, but the book was published in 1861, the author was Mrs. Eliza Lynn Linton, and the book concerns 17th century witch trials, though whether in America or England I don't know. She was a British author.

After checking out of my room on Monday and having a few hours before my flight out of Westchester County, I settled in the lobby and began reading a copy of "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" that I had purchased a few days earlier. I'm not certain whether I had actually read the original story years ago, though I know I had read a simplified children's version (possibly the Classics Illustrated version) growing up. So while I remembered every detail of the story, I felt that I was reading many long passages for the first time, including the two following:

"A drowsy, dreamy influence seems to hang over the land, and to pervade the very atmosphere. . . .  [T]he place still continues under the sway of some witching power, that holds a spell over the minds of the good people, causing them to walk in a continual reverie. They are given to all kinds of marvellous beliefs, are subject to trances and visions, and frequently see strange sights, and hear music and voices in the air. The whole neighborhood abounds with local tales, haunted spots, and twilight superstitions.

". . . [T]he visionary propensity I have mentioned is not confined to the native inhabitants of the valley, but is unconsciously imbibed by every one who resides there for a time. However wide awake they may have been before they entered that sleepy region, they are sure, in a little time, to inhale the witching influence of the air, and begin to grow imaginative, to dream dreams, and see apparitions."

I can't help feeling that my own experience of déjà vu going back to dreams I had a few years ago falls right into the bewitching influence surrounding Tarrytown that Washington Irving describes.

Thanks everyone for their comments ... I am somewhat surprised that no one else attending the fest has added their experiences here, but it may be because this event is shorter and there isn't a lot of time. Professor Stokes mentioned last night that she prefers the original format for the festivals, and that is certainly understandable. In my view, what the festival has lost in the number of panels by DS personnel and more dealers was balanced by the opportunity to have events held at Lyndhurst. That had more meaning in some ways than having everything in dark hotel ballrooms.

The photos someone mentioned concerning empty seats at the tent simply means that may have been at a non-peak time. There were 700 registrants for the festival and I heard of several people who were turned away from Lyndhurst. During the panels I attended, the seating was 90 percent full.

I neglected to mention that the opening to the tribute for Jonathan Frid was a recorded reading/video from David Selby. His words were beautifully expressed and ended to the effect that the night is long, but candles burn on in the night. I would like to get a copy of what he wrote.

Lara Parker spoke about the longevity of fandom for the original series - that though a new movie has come and gone, the festival was a testament to the enduring nature of the original show. At the banquet luncheon today, she gave the closing remarks, carefully giving credit to the talents of those involved with the new movie which was inspired by and ultimately a tribute to "our show" of so many decades ago.

Not finding anyone I knew at the vast banquet hall, I was invited to take a place at a table in the exact center of the floor, which turned out to be primarily volunteer staff. My appreciation to those who offered me the seat; it turned out that this was Marie Wallace's table. What a fun lady she is! I decided to buy her book later just to learn more about her career.

A highlight of the banquet was the performance of Nancy Barrett and Jerry Lacy. Ms. Barrett was as talented as ever, and Jerry Lacy's reading of his lines was so naturalistic you felt you were overhearing a conversation. The brief play, really one extended scene, returned to DS's roots as a character drama, with a chance meeting in the present day of Carolyn Stoddard and Tony Peterson at the Blue Whale, where they at first don't recognize one another. It was really very lovely with no supernatural overtones. Now something like that would make the basis for a DS updating that would interest me.

As far as announcements made by Jim Pierson, the restoration of NODS is proceeding - the upcoming October release of the two original movies on DVD hasn't stopped those plans, so that was exciting and welcome news. The other big announcement was that they are contemplating a new format for the festival next year -- a cruise somewhere off New York. That came as a surprise to everyone. New and surprising, but the more I think of it, personally I'm not sure I would want to be trapped on board with 700 DS fans, but then there would always be the next year.

On a side note, I made it into Tarrytown late in the day and walked to Sleepy Hollow but couldn't find the historic cemetery. I thought the vague line maps I had seen would be sufficient, but I should have researched it first. Back at the hotel now, I've been doing just that, and it would have been quite a ways further. The cemetery looks enormous and would take some advance planning to appreciate. Also, the burial ground in Washington Irving's story is actually the adjacent Old Dutch Church burying ground, not Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, which was founded later.

Thank you, Annie! I've just come from the hotel lobby to use one of the public computers, and Teresa says "hi" to everyone. Jimbo is here now and I saw Even Hanley among others in the lobby. Kathryn Leigh Scott looks lovely and sparkling with energy, and I found I was accidentally standing behind someone who had stopped who turned out to be Lara Parker; I walked by her nonchalantly (I hope). Annie, I'll mention your greeting if I see the others again later.

I didn't get into Tarrytown after all, but I did walk to Lyndhurst and my first glimpse of the Gothic house as I walked over a rise in the road was quite remarkable. I felt that the setting of Lyndhurst with the long road in off the main road really gave a feeling for what Collinwood must have been like. I can't compare it to the setting of Seaview Terrace since I haven't been there, but I think this is closer to what we imagine from the show itself. Yet approaching the house all the images that came to mind were those from the two DS movies, not the TV show. The way that I was able to reconcile the two different Collinwoods and the very different stories of the movies as compared with the TV series is that the movies represented a parallel time Collinwood. The same people were there, but they had made different choices and fate played out differently.

There seemed to be no one around the house and I had been told I would be able to get in. I tried the front door and it was locked, so I walked around and thought I could hear voices from the second floor but couldn't see anyone. I tried another door and that was locked too, so I continued walking around, viewing the tower from both the front and back of the house. I saw where Carlotta had jumped from and stood where her body must have landed. I looked for the tree where Angelique was hanged but couldn't tell which one it might have been.

There wasn't much else to do though I did see the large tent and believe Darren was probably one of the few people inside getting things ready but didn't want to disturb them. So I continued walking in the direction where I thought Washington Irving's estate, Sunnyside, would be. I walked what seemed to be about a mile on a packed dirt road; fortunately it was shade-covered because the day was getting hot.

Before I finally found Sunnyside, I had a strange deja vu experience. I came to the end of a street at the bottom of a hill marked "Dead End," but something compelled me to walk further. Before me was a smallish two story old home that I thought, oh, I've been here before, because I recongized it the house and remembered having been there. Then I realized that that was impossible because I've never been to Tarrytown in my life. I looked at the house very carefully and even tried to see the side of it where I remember being at an evening party, although by then I realized that I was remembering the house from a recurrent dream I've had some years ago. It wasn't anything from another era - in my dream it was just a place where I was with friends, and I remember a party taking place at dusk. What the explanation for this is, I don't know.

I retraced my steps and found the entrance of Sunnyside. This turned out to be a most interesting experience. I was just in time to join a small tour of about six people. By this time the sun was beating down and I was glad I had used sunscreen as someone had recommended and wished I had brought my cap - but it had looked like rain when I had left the hotel an hour or so earlier. The guide wore a period costume and presented very detailed historical information at every step. I came to find the house interesting in the context of Dark Shadows because I thought this must have been much like the Old House and the lifestyle there. The rooms were very small, close, and hot. Stairways were extremely narrow and very steep. Beds looked tiny and were often shared by relatives living there. I came away with a new interest in Washington Irving.

Events begin at Lyndhurst at noon tomorrow and the schedule is full until evening. The first event is a DS fan film filmed at Seaview Terrace. I just met Kim and Ken who made the movie, and was under the impression that information about it had been posted on this forum, but I didn't find it here. Both HODS and NODS will be shown Saturday night. The tribute to Jonathan Frid is at 5 p.m., I think. On Sunday, I was excited to see that Nancy Barrett will be giving a dramatic reading or performance with Jerry Lacey. This will be the first festival I've attended when Nancy Barrett has been there. Having always admired her acting, I think this will be something to really look forward to.