we also learn around this scene that sam evans is committing tax fraud(aided by daphne)but whatever.business intrigue is not going to be part of the recipe.
i didn't think barnabas was that hot when i first watched this but he does have a certain appeal.
strange that they're already mentioning vampires in the pilot.takes a lot of the suspense and mystery out of the proceedings when people are already in on it
i have to get a few glaring incongruities out of the way first.the show is set in maine but was obviously filmed in the blazing california sun.the "town" of collinsport is soundstage.it looks too glossy.
strange that they're already mentioning vampires in the pilot.takes alot of the suspence and mystery out of the proceedings when people are already in on it.
we also learn around this scene that sam evans is committing tax fraud(aided by daphne)Forgive me, but where did you get that impression?!? The impression I get is that Sam is hopeless at accounting, and without Daphne's help (who seems to be the number cruncher of the Collins family), the books would be so mismanaged that he'd be in trouble (hence the humorous line that that without her help he'd be in jail). At no point is there any indication (to me anyway) that Sam and Daphne are trying to cheat the government.
Hmm...I can't see what's in the first post because my computer won't let me do that sort of thing. I've tried to reason with it, but it stands fast.
I think the part when Barney arrives at THE OLD HOUSE is actually where we stop watching for our first part.
The bats are scary - and, incidentally, are playing a role where I'm living now. I've never lived anywhere where there were large amounts of bats - until now. I wouldn't have known what the horrible sound was had not one of the movers told me "it sounds like bats out there." There must be thousands. As I left the clubhouse last night and was walking accross the green to my apartment just after dusk, I could see them flitting through the air. When they fly they make only a few twittering sounds. One of them brushed the top of my head. It wasn't scary seeing how small they are - but at night when it's warm, I have to shut my bedroom window because they are so loud when they are in the trees. It sounds like sort of a rubbery chomping.
I'm appreciating the 'pilot' a lot more than the first time around.
For those of you watching on DVD, here are several scenes not included in Sony's version that are just from the first hour!
In an extension of the scene in the drawing room, Elizabeth tells Roger that David needs a family,... and a father! He reveals that last night, he talked his son into joining him on a walk along the beach at dusk, though he was surprised David agreed. Roger talked about Europe, about his own childhood-- anything he could think of, but David was silent until he pulled on Roger's arm to ask one question-- if he liked him. "If I liked him," he repeats."I went down on my knees and grabbed him and squeezed him as hard as I could. I said, 'David... David, you're my son. I love you. I love you more than anything else in this world." Close - Elizabeth - There are tears in her eyes. Back to Roger, as he continues, "And you know what he did? He just pulled away from me and ran off up the beach... and disappeared over the rocks."
Elizabeth assures him that in time they'll get to know each other, but Roger says, "I'm not so sure, dear sister." Then, "I'll try to say this so that I'm still left with a shred of dignity," he adds, and confesses to feeling resentment that his son is alive; "May the Lord forgive me," he says, "but if it would have saved her sanity, I would have left him to die in that burning room." Elizabeth is speechless.
Joe leaves the Blue Whale to watch Vicki get into Willie's pickup. Willie: "Night, loverboy. Hee hee hee." Vicki waves, and Willie speeds off. Joe stomps inside, calling Willie a jerk who needs to learn some manners... "especially if he's gonna mess with someone crazier than him." He makes Daphne giggle, then slings her over his shoulder to carry her to his car for some "night fishing." Maggie calls it "just another night at the Blue Whale."Interior Car: As Joe pulls open the back door, dumps her on the seat, quickly climbs in, shutting the door behind him. Daphne, laughing, "Joe... You are crazy..." He grabs her, plants a hard, smouldering kiss on her. Daphne, quiet, more serious, "I thought you had to go." Joe, "I do." He kisses her again, softer and more earnest this time, "But that doesn't mean I want to." Daphne looks up at him, runs her fingers through his hair, then slowly pulls him back down on her. Daphne, "That's good..." They kiss, long and steaming this time.
The ladies are having tea when Vicki asks how long David has been without his father. Elizabeth says about 6 years. She brought him back from England when his mother took ill, and it has been hard on him. She calls him a bright boy with an amazing imagination, and Carolyn responds, "If you can call putting garter snakes in my dresser imaginative." Vicki and Roger are introduced, and her compliment of Collinwood prompts Roger to explain that Elizabeth always had a gift for maintaining the house in the grand manner. Elizabeth says, "Style should be the dress of thought. It tempers life with grace." She looks to Vicki, who agrees and then asks if a painting on an easel is a Seurat. Elizabeth says it's a copy, and Roger interrupts with "it was painted by another artist." Vicki looks at it more closely and declares that it's very good. Roger asks if she enjoys art, and she answers that it's one of her favorite teaching subjects; "I think that children express themselves very well through drawing and painting." Roger says he supposes she gets to know them better, and Vicki says they get to know themselves-- that's the challenge. Roger tells her he thinks his son is as much a challenge as she can handle; he's certain he is different from any boy she has taught. Roger excuses himself for the night, and Carolyn smirks.
but other vampire genre shows/films have crept into my comments. That's okay isn't it?
There are also a few bits and pieces that were shot that are not even included on MPI's VHS. They are:
...
"I went down on my knees and grabbed him and squeezed him as hard as I could. I said, 'David... David, you're my son. I love you. I love you more than anything else in this world." Close - Elizabeth - There are tears in her eyes. Back to Roger, as he continues, "And you know what he did? He just pulled away from me and ran off up the beach... and disappeared over the rocks."
There are also a few bits and pieces that were shot that are not even included on MPI's VHS. They are:I got the distinct impression from both the dvd and the VHS (I found and watched Pilot part 1 earlier this afternoon) that there was something unseen in the pick up between Victoria and Willie.
BTW, I caught something on a 2nd viewing of the VHS that I can't believe I missed, but it should be included in my description of scenes not on the DVD. While Elizabeth attends to the ailing Daphne in the hospital, Carolyn makes a beeline for Joe, kissing his face while he pulls away. Now that is very telling!
The additional scenes greatly improve the part 1, being all character bits that make the show overall more interesting
the scene where daphne is walking to her car looked very fake to me.the grass was too green and glossy.perhaps "soundstage" was not the right word but to me it looked like a set.
the dry ice doesn't help.
nor do i consider myself to be "unsophisticated/unaware".
midnite...
...
i've lived in california and i've lived in maine.the play of the sunlight and the foliage are totally different.there's not mistaking that this was filmed in california.
...indicate to me that Collinsport is an occasional hotbed of weird activity... If it were, then why does Sam let Daphne walk out of the Blue Whale alone at night without a second thought.
and i find the tone of these comments,whether intended or not,to be quite insulting.I for one apologize for the harshness of my comment about tax fraud. No disdain or insult was intended. I simply did not see how you could read tax fraud into the playful banter of that scene, but even though you yourself dismissed the comment later, you put it out there. It's only fair that others will remark on it. (TBH, I'm surprised no one has blasted me for suggesting that Carolyn was trying to seduce Vicki .... [ghost_wink] )
Since you're watching on DVD, I'm wondering if what you're also seeing is due to their lightening the print during the DVD transfer so that nighttime events appear to take place in bright sunlight; it certainly affects my enjoyment of certain scenes. Barnabas should not be and was not in the woods at noon. <sigh>
Original with filtering: | DVD with filtering mistakenly "corrected": |
| (http://www.dsboards.com/dvdvhs/org-1.jpg) | (http://www.dsboards.com/dvdvhs/dvd-1.jpg) |
| (http://www.dsboards.com/dvdvhs/org-2.jpg) | (http://www.dsboards.com/dvdvhs/dvd-2.jpg) |
| (http://www.dsboards.com/dvdvhs/org-3.jpg) | (http://www.dsboards.com/dvdvhs/dvd-3.jpg) |
Actually, that entire sequence was shot outdoors on the Columbia Ranch. [ghost_smiley]
I think it was on the WB studio lot.
This was taken from the VIP tour tram, so sorry it's not the greatest, but I'm 98% sure it's the same house in MB's screen grabs (p. 3).
I have no idea where the building is that was used as the Blue Whale.
I do, however, know exactly where its neon sign is. ;)
David is a little monster. He's probably extremely lonely, if he's "been without his Father" for six years, where was Roger? Did he dump him off at Collinwood?
I generally think that in places the writing of the pilot (though credited to I think four writer's, including DC) has DCs fingerprints all over it, and shows DC's willingness to sacrifice character and exposition and suspense, to "hurry up and get his vampire freak on."
David is a little monster. He's probably extremely lonely, if he's "been without his Father" for six years, where was Roger? Did he dump him off at Collinwood?
Wasn't David living with his mother, Laura, in England? I thought Liz went to get him and bring him back to Collinwood, but not sure here.
Now they're one and the same, but it was once owned by Columbia. Check out:
The exterior is also on the WB Burbank backlot - somewhere. However, Tin Horn Flats, also in Burbank, was used for the interior in the pilot.
and i find the tone of these comments,whether intended or not,to be quite insulting.I for one apologize for the harshness of my comment about tax fraud. No disdain or insult was intended. I simply did not see how you could read tax fraud into the playful banter of that scene, but even though you yourself dismissed the comment later, you put it out there. It's only fair that others will remark on it. (TBH, I'm surprised no one has blasted me for suggesting that Carolyn was trying to seduce Vicki .... [ghost_wink] )
...does anyone else think it strange that Barnabas' coffin is so exposed? Anyone walking down the basement stairs would easily see it, and why is it on some sort of pedestal? You'd think it would have been hidden a little more out of sight...If it were me, that coffin would be behind several locked doors, hidden behind furniture and most certainly covered with a tarp or something. Plus it wouldn't be exposed to the sunlight!
Has anyone else ever noted or commented on the irony of an actor named "Cross" being cast as a vampire? [ghost_tongue2]
I rewatched "Scene 5" last night and thought it was well done ... but now I can't remember anything about it! Except, does anyone else think it strange that Barnabas' coffin is so exposed? Anyone walking down the basement stairs would easily see it, and why is it on some sort of pedestal? You'd think it would have been hidden a little more out of sight.
One thing I couldn't figure out is what season of the year is all of this supposed to be happening? There's a scene in which Vicki is wearing a heavy coat and gloves, I think. Yet the trees have green leaves on them. Kind of an oversight in my book, but not as glaring as the obvious 'day-for-night' shots near the end of the episode.
but - honestly - if the vampire is trying to be, shall we say, discreet, one would think he would prefer having his resting chamber buried and hidden under boxes of saved Coolwhip bowls and Christmas decorations, blending in with the don't-throw-it-out-because-you'll-never-know-when-you'll-need-to-use-it bricabrac found in everyone's basement.
My Joanna Going is one lovely woman and I think there was no other actress who could have played Victoria '91. Or maybe I am just parcel?? LOL
"I can't believe it! Our family's first home in America come back to life" Elizabeth "Yeeeeeeeeeeees" Barnabas I absolutely loved how Ben Cross delivered that line.
If you meant Chapter 5, could you please hold that thought until next week's discussion? This week's episode completes the DVD's Chapter 4.
the Collinses don't know how many rooms are in their family home.Carolyn: I'll have my staff get back to you on that....
I'm figuring the rule in this case is: "MB gets to it when he gets to it."
The topic to discuss the first half of the pilot will be on this board, it will be clearly identified, and it will be started tomorrow night. [ghost_smiley]