DARK SHADOWS FORUMS
General Discussions => Current Talk Archive => Current Talk '26 I => Current Talk '02 II => Topic started by: Maggie Evans on August 03, 2002, 04:56:32 PM
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My 14 year old daughter watches Dark Shadows with me sometimes and the other day she suddenly got up and walked out of the room and made the remark"I can't take anymore of watching Julia wring her hands"....I never realized she did this ?!?
I have noticed lara parker's lips moving sometimes when she's not saying anything..and Kate Jackson's eyes never stop moving when she's talking someone..and Roger Davis trying to keep a straight face without busting out laughing during most of his scene's..and carolyn (ever so gently) placing her long hair behind her shoulders...are there anymore habits others have that I didn't notice? I'm not nit picking..I just thought it was kinda interesting the habits of some of the actors :)
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Well, from what I've seen, Lara blinks about 50 times per line. Nancy Barrett often licks her lips before speaking. Julia constantly tugs at her collar, but I haven't really noticed this with Grayson Hall's other characters.
You forgot to mention how Roger Davis touches his hair. ;)
ProfStokes
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Well, from what I've seen, Lara blinks about 50 times per line. Nancy Barrett often licks her lips before speaking. Julia constantly tugs at her collar, but I haven't really noticed this with Grayson Hall's other characters.
You forgot to mention how Roger Davis touches his hair. ;)
ProfStokes
yesssssssssss...he does~! :D
ok and how about my dear Barnabas and looking at the cue cards ?? :o
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Gosh I notice Julia's stammer and touching her throat. . but hand wringing I've not noticed. . ..::runs to VCR:::
Elizabeth and Barnabas THEY are always wringing their hands. . that I have noticed. . or at least holding them politely in front of their waists and rubbing their fingers. . .
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Don't call me stupid...but what exactly is hand wringing???
Adra ?!?
P.S...I have noticed Julia moving her left arm a lot while talking.
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Everyone has nervous little body quirks, but with actors and actresses, it's right there for the world to see. Barnabas was always rubbing his thumb over his forefinger. Julia gasps or has sharp intakes of breath. In early episodes, Carolyn was forever pushing her bangs away from her forehead (they tended to fall over her face, reminiscent of Veronica Lake).
Gad, I would hate to be scrutinized this way! I can imagine someone commenting on how often I touch my lips, or adjust my bra strap or turn my head from side to side (because my neck bothers me).
Those little quirks are fun to watch, IMHO. It helps make these characters human. Who has more to be nervous about than Barn and Julia?
:o
Love, Robin
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Everyone has nervous little body quirks, but with actors and actresses, it's right there for the world to see. Barnabas was always rubbing his thumb over his forefinger. Julia gasps or has sharp intakes of breath. In early episodes, Carolyn was forever pushing her bangs away from her forehead (they tended to fall over her face, reminiscent of Veronica Lake).
Gad, I would hate to be scrutinized this way! I can imagine someone commenting on how often I touch my lips, or adjust my bra strap or turn my head from side to side (because my neck bothers me).
Those little quirks are fun to watch, IMHO. It helps make these characters human. Who has more to be nervous about than Barn and Julia?
:o
Love, Robin
Robin..honestly..I'm not picking on them..I think it's cute some of the things they do~! ;)
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for me, would be barnabas hands, whenever you see him in a full shot, his hands never seem to be relaxed, especially as he speaks.
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Barnabas frequently clasps his hands together in front of his midsection (like he's an NFL referee signaling for a penalty).
Of course, when she's in fear of imminent danger, Julia Hoffman often throws up her arms, with her hands wide open, while squinting her eyes and opening her mouth wide open. ("Oh, Barnabas, where are you!?!")
My favorite Julia Hoffman line is that question she often asks in that wonderfully authoritative tone of hers: "Jeff, What are you doing here?" Or, as PT Ms. Hoffman to Mrs. Stoddard: "What are you doing in this room?" (in Angelique Stokes-Collins' room).
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Well, from what I've seen, Lara blinks about 50 times per line. Nancy Barrett often licks her lips before speaking. Julia constantly tugs at her collar, but I haven't really noticed this with Grayson Hall's other characters.
Yes!! Lara Parker blinks like 9 miiiiillion times. Unless she's hypnotizing someone. OMG! And then she doesn't blink AT ALL! AHHHH! It freaks me out, I can't watch it. I literally turn my head away until I hear someone else's voice. It's sooo freaky. And then when she wants something, she'll go all flirtly on Nicholas and blink like forever in one line. AHH! It's crazy! She has skitzy eyes, lol.
NB licks her upper lip whenever someone else is talking, and she's thinking [hdscrt]
Liz, Julia, Carolyn, Vicki, Maggie .... OMG *everyone* holds their hands in front of them and plays with their fingers. Ugh. UGH!!! [angryf] [pissd] It's sooo annoying. I mean, I know people do it in real life, but it's sooo annoying to watch. [sick] I would think Carolyn would stand more with her hands on her hips in that kinda spoiled princess "I always get what I want" type of way. Or maybe she used to ..... I didn't notice it until ..... 1795, when Millicent had that lil handerchief thing. LOL And then we came back and Carolyn is doing it too. Bah! What else what else?
Barnabus and most of the men keep their hands at their sides, and then just twitch with their fingers. LOL It's funny. I love hands, so that's what I always watch. Barnabus has REALLY twitchy fingers, while Jeff's fingers doesn't twitch so much because he moves his arms more [to his hair .... can we get an emoticon of that??? Pleeeease? lol] [silly] Roger is kind of in the middle and David keeps his very straight ..... or so I remember.
Hehehe! I love this topic ^_^
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Well, from what I've seen, Lara blinks about 50 times per line.
ProfStokes
Maybe she is winking at the camera men! ;D
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Liz, Julia, Carolyn, Vicki, Maggie .... OMG *everyone* holds their hands in front of them and plays with their fingers.
[snip]
Hehehe! I love this topic ^_^
Do you mean to say that you don't like Joan Bennett's very best finishing school pose? ;)
Luciaphil
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I didn't notice it until ..... 1795, when Millicent had that lil handerchief thing. Hehehe! I love this topic
Millicent and her handkerchief drove me nuts.
And not a gesture or anything, but there is one word this show uses so much and I can't stand it: "fond"
"She was always so fond of him", etc. It really grates on my nerves because it was sounds so insincere IMHO.
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the one that gets me is "your very kind" arghhhhhhhh
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Millicent and her handkerchief drove me nuts.
And not a gesture or anything, but there is one word this show uses so much and I can't stand it: "fond"
"She was always so fond of him", etc. It really grates on my nerves because it was sounds so insincere IMHO.
ahhhhhhh yes..the dreaded "fond" word ;) right up there with the ole "perhaps"..everyone on the show said "perhaps"....
Perhaps "maybe" was considered slang? ?!?
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the one that gets me is "your very kind" arghhhhhhhh
I think the words they used the very most was "grave danger"...I think every character on the show used that one,especially prof stokes.. :P
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Don't call me stupid...but what exactly is hand wringing???
Adra ?!?
P.S...I have noticed Julia moving her left arm a lot while talking.
Hand wringing: (han ringin') a form of nervousness?..it's the art of putting your hands together..one hand grabs the other..the other one grabs back..etc..I figure it must be the way some people like to express the anxiety their character is feeling :-/
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Barnabas frequently clasps his hands together in front of his midsection (like he's an NFL referee signaling for a penalty).
Of course, when she's in fear of imminent danger, Julia Hoffman often throws up her arms, with her hands wide open, while squinting her eyes and opening her mouth wide open. ("Oh, Barnabas, where are you!?!")
My favorite Julia Hoffman line is that question she often asks in that wonderfully authoritative tone of hers: "Jeff, What are you doing here?" Or, as PT Ms. Hoffman to Mrs. Stoddard: "What are you doing in this room?" (in Angelique Stokes-Collins' room).
Yes I've seen Barnabas do that many a time..I also noticed that he has a bad case of the shakes alot..I always wondered if that was from..oh...say a party from the night before? :o
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the one that gets me is "your very kind" arghhhhhhhh
You're VERY KIND to point that out~! ;)
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The one that bothers me is "frightened". Someone never says their scared-they are always frightened. Never even afraid.
Another one is "destroyed". Julia will not be killed, she will be "destroyed". Barnabas is particularly fond of this expression.
-Lindsey
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Do you mean to say that you don't like Joan Bennett's very best finishing school pose? ;)
LMAO! Well it's very statuesque, and very dominating if she's standing still, or if she's at the window glaring at someone .... but whenever she moves and talks it's rather .... irritating. Really irritating. [vryangy]
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In the beginning episodes Barnabus appeared in he used to blink allot -
In future shows, KLS began to take a breathe and sign before each of her lines. ;)
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Julia's staring off to some unknown point with her mouth open and slightly pursed lips just kills me :o
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Julia's staring off to some unknown point with her mouth open and slightly pursed lips just kills me :o
lmao...I love it when she squints her eyes as if she's trying to see something (possibly the cue cards?) and tilts her head back~ There was only ONE Julia :D
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In the beginning episodes Barnabus appeared in he used to blink allot -
In future shows, KLS began to take a breathe and sign before each of her lines. ;)
I will have to wait to see KLS do that..I never noticed it before,now I will be be looking for it~ :P
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lmao...I love it when she squints her eyes as if she's trying to see something (possibly the cue cards?) and tilts her head back~ There was only ONE Julia :D
LOL.. I was just trying to imitate that pose ... grabbed my hand mirror and looked... just one word describes how I look.. RIDICULOUS [silly]
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barnabas and nicholas did use the word "destroy" a lot...sounds like they are talking about a car or a toy instead of a human being..(wait a minute, half the folks arent human beings)..." i shall destroy you" ;D
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LOL.. I was just trying to imitate that pose ... grabbed my hand mirror and looked... just one word describes how I look.. RIDICULOUS [silly]
LMAO~! hmmmm...Think you could be the next Julia??? :P
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Julia's staring off to some unknown point with her mouth open and slightly pursed lips just kills me :o
Yes! Also, when she's trying to think of something (like what to do about Adam), she looks up, like she's searching for something.
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What really gets me is when some poor soul who has been kept in the dark for sometime about something (usually mysterious) finally starts to see the light and will ask about it, only to be met with the usual reply back "NEVERMIND!!" Barnabas is famous for saying that one. ;)
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What really gets me is when some poor soul who has been kept in the dark for sometime about something (usually mysterious) finally starts to see the light and will ask about it, only to be met with the usual reply back "NEVERMIND!!" Barnabas is famous for saying that one. ;)
I know what you're talking about Cassandra...like Barnabas will always just say"There's no time time to explain it to you ..." ;)
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The one that bothers me is "frightened". Someone never says their scared-they are always frightened. Never even afraid.
Another one is "destroyed". Julia will not be killed, she will be "destroyed". Barnabas is particularly fond of this expression.
-Lindsey
Could you imagine ..oh say..Julia for instance.."Barnabas..I'm skeered!" ;D
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barnabas and nicholas did use the word "destroy" a lot...sounds like they are talking about a car or a toy instead of a human being..(wait a minute, half the folks arent human beings)..." i shall destroy you" ;D
lol...too funny~!
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"Thee Almightee" ....famous words of the great Reverend Trask...I cannot wait for the great Reverend Trask to show up again~
I don't know how the other actors kept a straight face while doing a scene with him..I don't think I could have done it :P
The man was absolutely hysterical!
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In the beginning...Barnabas...used to blink a lot...
Hey, you would too if you were chained up in a coffin for 175 years! ;) ;D
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What really gets me is when some poor soul who has been kept in the dark for sometime about something (usually mysterious) finally starts to see the light and will ask about it, only to be met with the usual reply back "NEVERMIND!!" Barnabas is famous for saying that one. ;)
LOL, whenever I hear that I think of Emily Litella on SNL. She would go off on some wild but well-meaning tangent and always finish with, "Oh. Never mind." :)
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Much of the "hand wringing" and other actor mannerisms discussed on this thread drive acting coaches and directors nuts! However, in the high stress world of semi-live tv, many of these quirks were useful for the actors in focusing themselves and dealing with their nerves(take note of how sometimes the hand-wringing, etc. becomes intensified when an actor has obviously "dries up," or forgotten their lines!).
And, as I'm sure you'll agree, many of these quirks became identifiable with the character, rather than the actor who played the role. An example of a more thought out mannerism would be Prof. Stokes use of his monocle, or the way that, say, Nicholas Blair moves through space as opposed to Willie (status can be illustrated through physicality).
In many ways, the actors who were under day-to-day stress of a more-or-less live show were employing whatever survival techniques they had at their disposal. By the way, knowing what to properly do(or not to do) with one's hands while onstage is among the trickiest skills to learn, along with practicing stillness, and just listening to the other actors! Many, though not all, of the actors who were "guilty" of nervous mannerisms on the show were actually quite inexperienced, particularly in the tv medium.
In spite of what many people think of Anthony George's performance on DS ("Burke Lite," etc.), you will note that his physical presence is consistently smooth and unhampered by these nervous ticks. Perhaps his previous experience in television aided him- or perhaps he had an acting coach that stressed physical discipline. Conversely, for all his physical discipline,he never really developed any distinctive, purposeful mannerisms that made viewing or listening to him more interesting.
Petofi
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Just finished re-reading a Fest Q and A with John Karlen (posted in the Archive) in which he commented on how little instruction he ever got from the directors.
You get the impression they just looked at him and said ..."and you.....you just....well, YOU know what Willie needs to do!" and left it at that!!
Rainey
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I love it when she squints her eyes as if she's trying to see something (possibly the cue cards?) and tilts her head back...There was only ONE Julia...
Grayson Hall had the best expressions in the whole world. If you will look to your left, you will see one of my favorite Julia moments: her reaction when Nicky Blair introduces himself as Cassandra's brother. How can you not love this woman?!
No one can convey horror, confusion, collusion, vulnerabilty and authority (often all at the same time) better than GH!
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Re Julia's handwriting: I often thought that it was because Grayson was feeling a bit on-edge and playing with a glove, the bedpost or whatever was a way of keeping herself on cue with the scene. The scenes were often revised at the very last minute, and the actors were often caught in a vise between getting their cues right, performing whatever camera blocking had been decided (sometimes not revised for the changed script), and dealing with any special FX or lighting tricks thrown into the mix.
I was impressed that as Hoffman, Grayson did not allow herself ANY of these mannerisms. She seems to have enjoyed the challenge of that role. But bear in mind that she played Hoffman in far fewer episodes than either Julia or Magda.
The handwringing was clearly in some cases part of the actual direction. The most effective use of it that comes to mind was a scene between Liz and Jason when Liz's hands were in the foreground of the shot--beautifully managed playing from Joan Bennett and beautiful work from the cameraman that day.
Gothick
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Just finished re-reading a Fest Q and A with John Karlen (posted in the Archive) in which he commented on how little instruction he ever got from the directors.
You get the impression they just looked at him and said ..."and you.....you just....well, YOU know what Willie needs to do!" and left it at that!!
Rainey
According to KLS' "My Scrapbook Memories of Dark Shadows," as the show became progressively more supernatural, rehearsal time was absorbed almost entirely by setting up special effects and camera tricks; and direction for the actors was limited to "When you see the skull, turn to camera 3 and scream." ;D
As for Julia, my favorite gesture is when she puts her hand up to her mouth, as in surprise and alarm (i.e. finding a dead body missing moments later) - she puts the back of her hand up to her mouth, as if to fend off the offensive sight before her. :o
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My favorite GH mannerism is the way she nervously purses her lips, sometimes after every other word: "Barnabas [PURSES LIPS]. We must [PURSES LIPS] find her [PURSES LIPS]. We must [PURSES LIPS]. Now [PURSES LIPS]!"
I have always been enthralled by the way Lara Parker can quaver her lips in anger. I have tried to do this myself without moving my jaw, but I just can't. It must be a fine-motor skill, like rolling one's r's. ;)
And as for words like "frightened" and "fond," the one that comes to my mind is "rest." No one ever sleeps at Collinwood. They "rest." And judging from how easy it is to find these folks at 3 a.m., up and about (and fully dressed), I don't think they even "rest"!
Ben
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Dr. Eric Lang said...
As for Julia, my favorite gesture is when she puts her hand up to her mouth, as in surprise and alarm (i.e. finding a dead body missing moments later) - she puts the back of her hand up to her mouth, as if to fend off the offensive sight before her.
Lol! My sister always does that now! She has the whole Julia look down now. And she almost looks like her!
-Lindsey
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The one that gets on my nerves is Maggie
when she sucks air through her teeth. I guess
you could say it's a gasp. This is usually followed
by "Oh Barnabas" or Joe or well I think you get
the drift.
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::)I liked petofi's and gothick's replies to this subject. I know I really couldn't watch a show in which the characters annoyed me---of course, minor things will happen. I notice that Carolyn very often stutters the word "I" at the beginning of a sentence. Also Julia and Barnabas use the word MUST as a logical reason for doing something. "Why are we doing this?" "We MUST!"
So many mannerisms of the cast add charm to the show, I think. It's what DS is all about.
Forever a fan, Misty
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What really gets me is when some poor soul who has been kept in the dark for sometime about something (usually mysterious) finally starts to see the light and will ask about it, only to be met with the usual reply back "NEVERMIND!!" Barnabas is famous for saying that one. ;)
Oh yes, and ALSO "We will tell you about it all.....LATER!" How many times have we heard THAT one? Prof. Stokes ain't buying it, that's fur sure!
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and of course we have to ask the most famous gesture by Roger and Liz both.."can I offer you a brandy"? :P
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And as for words like "frightened" and "fond," the one that comes to my mind is "rest." No one ever sleeps at Collinwood. They "rest." And judging from how easy it is to find these folks at 3 a.m., up and about (and fully dressed), I don't think they even "rest"!
They don't seem to "rest" unless they have one of Julia's sedatives..or they are vampires and have to avoid the sunlight ;)
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The mannerisms that come to mind immediately are Barnabas with his steepled fingers and Julia thrusting her hands into her pockets or wringing her gloves. I don't think Grayson could have done some of those scenes without a dress or coat with pockets. :-*
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The mannerisms that come to mind immediately are Barnabas with his steepled fingers and Julia thrusting her hands into her pockets or wringing her gloves. I don't think Grayson could have done some of those scenes without a dress or coat with pockets. :-*
Yes..yes...as I always say..there's only one Julia.. :D
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okay..another one..While doing the experiment (Adam's still on the slab)..Julia's working the equipment..turning knobs..squinting eyes..looking out just past the cue cards..trying to keep up with the sound effects..turning more knobs..standing there (still squinting eyes) ..that cracked me up :P
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And lets not forget that 4 word sentence that's famous on DS, WHAT DO YOU MEAN??
I also noticed that whenever Julia gets really upset or angry about something, (like in yesterday's scene when she discovered Angelique exiting Nickolas Blair's house)she covers her upper lip entirely with her lower lip.
Professor Stokes also does this when he's quietly thinking about something important. ;)
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Julia's working the equipment..turning knobs..squinting eyes..looking out just past the cue cards..trying to keep up with the sound effects..turning more knobs..standing there (still squinting eyes) ..that cracked me up :P
Me, too! And don't forget the switch-on, switch-off stuff.
You'd think the writers could have concocted a little technical theory into their storyline beyond merely "transferring" the life force. Someone could have made up something about what those knobs are supposed to do ... or what the the oscilloscope readings mean (they could have hired my seventh grade science teacher as a consultant).
It was as if all the direction Julia and any other "scientists" on the show got was to turn the knobs intently. And when in doubt, turn those knobs even more intently. Turn this knob and that knob. And this knob again. Squint. Switch-on, switch-off. Frown.
It all looks so random to me. ::) How fun. ;D
Ben
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And lets not forget that 4 word sentence that's famous on DS, WHAT DO YOU MEAN??
I also noticed that whenever Julia gets really upset or angry about something, (like in yesterday's scene when she discovered Angelique exiting Nickolas Blair's house)she covers her upper lip entirely with her lower lip.
Professor Stokes also does this when he's quietly thinking about something important. ;)
Yes Cassandra..I've seen that alot..she's funny ;D
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Me, too! And don't forget the switch-on, switch-off stuff.
You'd think the writers could have concocted a little technical theory into their storyline beyond merely "transferring" the life force. Someone could have made up something about what those knobs are supposed to do ... or what the the oscilloscope readings mean (they could have hired my seventh grade science teacher as a consultant).
It was as if all the direction Julia and any other "scientists" on the show got was to turn the knobs intently. And when in doubt, turn those knobs even more intently. Turn this knob and that knob. And this knob again. Squint. Switch-on, switch-off. Frown.
It all looks so random to me. ::) How fun. ;D
LOL..random and out of sync..I dunno though..wonder if I could have done as good as job as she did with trying to keep up with the sound effects :P
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aaaaaaaaaaaaand....Ever notice Roger davis can't seem to make it through a scene without a snicker popping on his face?....he does this alot..almost as if he's going to break out in laughter.. ;D