DARK SHADOWS FORUMS
General Discussions => Current Talk Archive => Current Talk '24 I => Current Talk '09 I => Topic started by: Watching Project on January 07, 2009, 09:47:02 PM
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Robservations #703
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Joan Bennett gave an unusually nice voiceover today.
Terry Crawford is perfect as Beth the ghost, but as Beth the flesh and blood housemaid she doesn't do much for me at all.
I took a closer look at Barnabas's spikes today. I think there may be as many as five on his right-hand side, but on his left-hand side the spikes don't seem terribly spiky at all. Perhaps there was some carelessness in the dressing of his hair today.
What a glorious production Magda put on in the Collinwood drawing room! And did Barnabas know she was going to describe him so unflatteringly? Surely he didn't expect her to tell the world that he was a creature of the night - but surely she knew that word would get back to him of what she said.
Nice headgear today. I liked Beth's bonnet, and I liked Judith's snood. It is a snood, isn't it?
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Yes, I always thought that Magda was, in some way, trying to expose Barnabas, or at least arouse suspicion about him. She certainly succeeded, with telling Quentin he would have the most to lose with the stranger's arrival. Barnabas arrives later on and Quentin confronts him with a sword! Even Judith seemed a bit frightened by Barnabas.
And yes, once Barnabas heard about what she said (and undoubtably he would) he would be none too happy with Magda. Which makes me wonder what made her think there wouldn't be hell to pay once he did find out.
Again, I enjoy the interaction between Quentin and Judith. They really despise each other, don't they?
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I like 1897 when Magda is resentful and finds ways to sabotage Barnabas, engaging in brinkmanship maybe.
[spoiler]Later, I still can't help liking 1897, but it seems that she settles into being a straightforward ally and helper of Barnabas, just because it was easier for the plot. They may not have wanted to deal with her later as the interwoven plot lines got more involved. It seemed that Magda settled down for "TV" reasons and became unrealistic. She became another Julia in a way, just there to be another pair of hands to carry outr Barnabas's agenda. Occasionally she'll stop to wonder at her cooperativeness, and she'll shrug and accept it.
I do like it much later when Barnabas protects Magda against the Gypsy Inquisition. That was welcome, finally a bit of warmth between them, and it cleaned up the problem of why she kept helping, a bit late however.[/spoiler]
By the way, Magda, great fringe character, even counter-cultural. The only series lately that I know of (because it's on broadcast TV) that goes out of its way to legitimize kinds of people whom the majority tends to shun would be Boston Legal. Magda is very sympathetic, gets pushed around by everyone, has more love in her than the Collinses when allowed to show it... not respectable, garish, scheming, not palatable to most, but better than those around her. A great character to show to middle-class viewers who might have as a major worry whether their bland lawn is perfectly mowed, and who wouldn't have given her the time of day in real life.
Lydia, I'm off for a happy adventure of snood-Googling. Other people, when wanting to learn more about the world, study Alan Greenspan or charmed quarks, but me, I hear there's such a thing as a "snood" and I gotta find out what that snood thing is. As a result my knowledge of the world is sort of hit and miss.
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Magda called Barnabas a vampire (!) in the previous ep, but when the scene was restaged, her line was changed to, "I know what you are." I wonder why.
Taking a conversation to the drawing room in order to have "complete privacy"? That's so laughable.
Perhaps there was some carelessness in the dressing of his hair today.
And his cape seriously needed some dusting off. Ugh.
What a glorious production Magda put on in the Collinwood drawing room! And did Barnabas know she was going to describe him so unflatteringly? Surely he didn't expect her to tell the world that he was a creature of the night - but surely she knew that word would get back to him of what she said.
I'd like to offer another scenario, though it's just my opinion. The scene ended before Barnabas and Magda discussed anything about her preceding him in visiting Collinwood the next day, so I think it's possible that he had no idea she would run to the family with news of his imminent arrival. We know she is greedy above all else--who else would allow their partner to languish as a vampire slave in exchange for her receiving jewels? Edith is the only person at Collinwood who takes her spiritual advice seriously, but the old woman is not long for this world. Judith, for one, believes Magda is a charlatan, and soon as Edith passes on, Magda and Sandor will in all probability be out on their keisters... unless she can prove her usefulness to the surviving Collinses, and one way to do this is to impress them with her abilities. Now she has intimate knowledge that a dark stranger will be visiting them later that day, pretending to be a relative; hmm, "mysterious" seems like a good word to use to describe him. He's a vampire, so it's a sure bet he will arrive after dark. Barnabas told her that he wanted to learn all he can about Quentin, even asking if he's dangerous, so it's also a safe call that Quentin should be especially wary of the stranger. So, she brings this "serious warning" to the family, saying it was in the cards AND does a little crystal ball demonstration to really wow 'em, and when Barnabas does arrive, Judith is suddenly telling Quentin, "Everything the gypsy said is true." Mission accomplished.
Magda is shrewd, greedy, deceitful, has unbelievable cojones... and you gotta love her!!
Magnus, did you enjoy your adventure in snood Googling? I peeked at the images it brings up and was horrified to see a pic of a doggie in a snood. What is wrong with some people??!
A good share of bloopers today with cameras and actors crossing into eyeshot.
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Midnite, of course your scenario with Magda makes perfect sense, and I don't know why it never occurred to me before.
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Midnite, I'm surprised they got Snood Pooch to stand still long enough to take her/his picture, but if he/she stood still for the snood in the first place...
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Oh, okay, Lydia. Yay!
Magnus, my rottie is trained to hold still. But I wouldn't dare give her a release command while in the same room after making her wear a stupid thing like that. [snow_wink]
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Magda called Barnabas a vampire (!) in the previous ep, but when the scene was restaged, her line was changed to, "I know what you are." I wonder why.
I also wondered about the changed line. Grayson's delivery seemes more subdued also.It seems they are playing up the more menacing side of Barnabas. I just love Magda. One of my Grandmother's many interests was fortune telling with cards, tea leaves and sometimes the crystal ball. It recalls many fond memories.
(edited to include quote)
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I love Magda, too. She's my favorite of Grayson's characters. [bigok] She sure was being gutsy when she put on a show for Quentin and Judith to alert them of Barnabas's arrival. She should have known that Barnabas would find out.
The scene when Quentin pulled the sword on Barnabas was very exciting. Barnabas really looked scared! [snow_shocked] I wonder if Barnabas would have died if Quentin had stabbed him in the heart or slashed his head off? After all, the sword was made of silver!
So now Quentin found out that Beth brought something into town, including a huge sum of money. It was entertaining to watch Beth be cagey with him and not tell him what was going on. [snow_wink]
Barnabas once again lied that he was a cousin from England. Deja Vu! [snow_rolleyes] But this time, he had a doubting Quentin to deal with! I know that Magda warned Quentin, but I have a feeling that Quentin would still have questioned Barnabas's claim. Quentin had just spent time in and returned from England, so he knew the boat schedules.
This was the episode when Jonathan Frid, carrying his street clothes, walked into the camera during the closing credits. [milestone] As soon as he noticed his mistake, he hastily stepped out of camera range. That was fun to watch! [snow_laugh]
----- Sally -----
[snow_bigglass] [hippy2]
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I wonder if Barnabas would have died if Quentin had stabbed him in the heart or slashed his head off? After all, the sword was made of silver!
Weren't sword blades made of steel? (Except golden scimitars. ;))
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Weren't sword blades made of steel? (Except golden scimitars. ;))
Let's not spoil the fun we can all have thinking about Quentin vigorously polishing his sword lest it tarnish.
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I doubt Quentin's, uh, "sword" was ever in danger of tarnishing. [snow_wink]
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You both crack me up!
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Weren't sword blades made of steel? (Except golden scimitars. ;))
Oh, yeah! They were made of steel! [signerror] But one question still stands: Would Quentin have been able to slash Barnabas's head off? Or... would it not have been possible, and the sword would have just gone right through his body (like it would in a hologram or a ghost)? [snow_huh]
----- Sally -----
[snow_bigglass] [hippy2]
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But one question still stands: Would Quentin have been able to slash Barnabas's head off? Or... would it not have been possible, and the sword would have just gone right through his body (like it would in a hologram or a ghost)? [snow_huh]
I'll take a stab at it. Ugh, sorry. ::)
1897 Barnabas is neither ghost nor hologram. That's Barnabas' [undead] physical body inhabited by his 1969 intelligence or astral self. It's different from the religious (?) experiences we hear about of immaterial beings that occur on an astral plane. So you CAN kill the body, though what would happen to his astral self while there's still a body in 1969 would be up for debate.
I doubt that Quentin, even at this ruthless stage in his life, would have attempted to cut off his head, or for that matter I suspect he wouldn't have had the strength. (And, as explained in Zahir's "Rules of DS Vampires" on this board, we're never told that cutting off a vampire's head to destroy it is one of them.) But anyway, wasn't Quentin's threat that he would run him through? I think it's questionable that he would have actually done it, but if he had, I'm imagining that Barnabas would have to fake a mortal wound, or for fun I'm seeing a Holy Grail/Spamalotesque skit (which I can't spell out cuz it would be fan fiction) that would be along the lines of Quentin announcing that B is dead and Barnabas saying that he's not and Quentin saying that he just ran him through with the sword and Barnabas saying that Q missed him... etc. :P
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LOL! [snow_laugh]
Thanks for the explanation, Midnite. You really got to the point. [snow_wink]
----- Sally -----
[snow_bigglass] [hippy2]
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Ow!
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I love Magda, too. She's my favorite of Grayson's characters. [bigok] She sure was being gutsy when she put on a show for Quentin and Judith to alert them of Barnabas's arrival. She should have known that Barnabas would find out.
Got to love Magda -- playing both sides against the middle so they're covered no matter how it plays out.
The scene when Quentin pulled the sword on Barnabas was very exciting. Barnabas really looked scared!snow_shocked]
Yes that scene was nicely played, and lol no crockery was broken this time. [laughing_devil] Barnabas DID look terrified. And Quentin looked like a cat playing with a mouse. My guess is he did some of his quick thinking and realized from his own travels what pieces didn't fit. He had no clue what's up of course, but being the sweet trusting soul that he is [laughing6] wasn't taking any chances that something would come back and bite him.
OH and did anyone else spot what looked like the Petofi box on the mantel under the portrait?
So now Quentin found out that Beth brought something into town, including a huge sum of money. It was entertaining to watch Beth be cagey with him and not tell him what was going on. [snow_wink]
Loved those scenes, the early Beth with a backbone. She's one of the few people gets away with standing up to him. So much is made of her being the crying,put upon victim, it gets overlooked that she does NOT take crap from Quentin at the beginning -- and over time that seems to make him want her respect. I also noticed that after she slaps him and he asks her if it's guilt or anger, she says anger, and her voice is shaking like she's one of those people who, when they get totally furious, tends to cry.
LOVE Joan Bennett's costumes and hair. They are so right for the period and her social class. Ramse Mostoller is still credited for costuming. I'm sure I remember somewhere that she did costumes for one or more of the Merchant Ivory movies, or am I misremembering?
And a costuming glitch which I did notice was Quentin's suit. The greyor navy frockcoat and vest keep being worn with very light grey trousers during these eps. Wonder what the rationale was? Late Victorian males went for the dark and matching look for suits, not like the 1840s with the pastels.
Jeannie
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Got to love Magda -- playing both sides against the middle so they're covered no matter how it plays out.
OH and did anyone else spot what looked like the Petofi box on the mantel under the portrait?
Loved those scenes, the early Beth with a backbone. She's one of the few people gets away with standing up to him. So much is made of her being the crying, put upon victim...
And a costuming glitch which I did notice was Quentin's suit. The greyor navy frockcoat and vest keep being worn with very light grey trousers during these eps. Wonder what the rationale was? Late Victorian males went for the dark and matching look for suits, not like the 1840s with the pastels.
You've made me take note of the fact that I've never understood the expression "playing both sides against the middle"-- the "against the middle" part, that is. What or who is "the middle"? Am I just overanalyzing?
I've been watching these episodes for the last couple of days, and yes, I did spot Petofi Box atop the mantle, and for once I was sure that it was Petofi Box and not The Box I Keep Mistaking For The Petofi Box (accept no substitutes). this predates my earlier earliest pre-Petofi 1897 Petofi Box sighting, in the carriage house later.
I always think of Beth having backbone, except that everyone with a backbone has those circumstances under which the backbone is compromised.
I'm not given to costuming talk (and so much of the board is now devoted to it that I'm finding it harder to participate), but I noticed that you said pastels were big in the 1840s-- in Collinsport apparently that was only true in PT.