DARK SHADOWS FORUMS
General Discussions => Current Talk Archive => Current Talk '24 I => Current Talk '09 I => Topic started by: Julia99 on May 09, 2009, 08:38:58 PM
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Took a gander at the Chiller channel's airing of the '91 DS which I remember from so many years ago. The best thing is Willie --Jim Fyfe is hysterical-- the basement scene where he screams at Julia after she spouts French and tries to stab him
"you nuts or something?!"
I laughed out loud.
He reminds me a bit of Steve Buscemi
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I thought Jim Fyfe was pretty good as Willie, too.
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I'm of two minds regarding Fyfe's Willie Loomis. At times I find the interpretation of the character to be a bit over-the-top and just a bit goofy, as well as at odds with the "serious" (as it were) tone of the rest of the show. But aside from that, his performance is still great fun to watch.
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I've seen four eps of Fyfe's Willie (I've got the Chiller run on DVR). I think he's had the best moments on screen so far. None of the other cast members have drawn me in like he has. There's a scene (in ep 4, I believe) that ends with Barn touching Willie's face in a fond jesture and Fyfe's reaction is brilliant. Ditto for the scene when he goes to pick up Vicki at the Blue Whale in ep 1, when she shows him kindness during a 'pitchforks & torches' moment.
I'm still on the fence about the goof factor. It's there but I think it's okay to be there. It works 99.9% of the time. This Willie has a different history than Karlen's so I'm more open to this interpretation.
Up to this point, Willie's the only character I give a crap about and that totally engrosses me.
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I personally was totalled engrossed in Victoria and Julia. However, I adore B Steele and Joanna Going both respectively!
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I'm not having too much trouble with Going. I totally accept her as Vicki. I am having trouble with the writing and directing re: the character though.
I'm not getting into Steele at all as Julia, yet. I'm hoping to warm up to her as the eps progress and I'm hoping my dissatisfaction with the Vicki character will be resolved.
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dom, it would be great to see some expanded comments from you in the Watching Project topics for the '91 series.
I just love Jim Fyfe as Willie. The '91 series wasn't my cup of tea, but Willie was a major bright spot in it for me.
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That's my plan. [ghost_smiley]
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Awesome! [clap2]
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I also plan on Ressurecting a forum on the 1991 series because I never finished that project out! I have to do 8-12! I am gonn a try and work on that this week. Would also love to hear your comments Dom! :)
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Guess I am in the minority here-I can't stand Fyfe as Willie. Maybe it's because Karlen's interpretation is so dear to me that I can't imagine anyone else doing it as well. But he just makes my skin crawl to the point where I often turn on the mute when he is on! [ghost_tongue]
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As an actor, Fyfe did a wonderful job. He was given what he had to work with in the script as written, which made Willie much goofier and dumber than "our" Willie, so to speak. I especially like the endearing parts, when it's obvious Fyfe as Willie has grown to care for Barnabas (just like the original). However, the actual character itself bothered me. I'd have preferred something closer to the original.
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I don't think I really ever addressed the topic. I commented but didn't really talk about Fyfe! I was introduced to DS visually by the Revival so I feel very much attached to it, like you guys do the original. THAT is not to say I don't adore the original DS, but it entered into my lexicon after the Revival was cancelled!
As far as comparing Fyfe and Karlen, I personally like the original Willie the best. Although, as Adamsgirl said, there were some endearing parts written into the Revival. Willie growing fond of Barnabas and Barnabas and visa versa! One that stands out is where Barnabas pats Willie's face gently! It was very sweet! [ghost_wink]
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I also plan on Ressurecting a forum on the 1991 series because I never finished that project out! I have to do 8-12! I am gonn a try and work on that this week. Would also love to hear your comments Dom! :)
I'll try to watch the forum for this, Taeylor. I've been feeling guilty since last December because I dropped out of the viewing and discussion at about that time, too. Am rather relieved to know I wasn't the only one.
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Um, you weren't - I still haven't posted any of my remarks beyond Ep #02. [ghost_embarrassed] Maybe by this Christmas. [ghost_grin]
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Guess I am in the minority here-I can't stand Fyfe as Willie. Maybe it's because Karlen's interpretation is so dear to me that I can't imagine anyone else doing it as well. But he just makes my skin crawl to the point where I often turn on the mute when he is on! [ghost_tongue]
You're not alone, rainingwolf. I absolutely cannot stand Jim Fyfe's Willie Loomis. He portrayed him as a total idiot. In the original show, Willie may have done dumb things at time, but dumb he was not. John Karlen will always be THE Willie Loomis for me, far more complex than Fyfe's.
I will say that the revival showed a lot more friendly scenes between Barnabas and Willie than the original show did...however I think the sometimes good-often bad relationship between Barnabas and Willie in the orignial was more believable than the buddy-buddy one in the 91 show.