DARK SHADOWS FORUMS
General Discussions => Current Talk Archive => Current Talk '24 I => Current Talk '02 II => Topic started by: Julia99 on August 13, 2002, 06:54:57 AM
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Now this is all my opinion and i'm asking others to share theirs although i know right up front this might bend a few feathers. . .What are some of the most excrutiating DS scenes to watch? And i'm thinking you can't bear them because of quality or technical errors not scene content.
Today's lot of shows had 2 for me. .
1. the scene where B is telling J about Maggie's excape. . could more lines have been forgotten or flubbed by those 2? (someone came here and told us .. uhhh you mean Joe?? was he the someone???)
2. Harry's attempt to extort Nicholas. .again could Mr. Slocum have flubbed or forgotten more lines? Harry's constant "umms" and long pauses (i'm searching for the line. .) drove me insane!
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this was not one of uhhhh harry johnsons better.....uh....days.......seems he didnt uhhhh do his uhhhhh homework the previous uhhhh night..good thing nicholas was there uhhhhhh to bail uhhhhh him out.
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Since this is my first time around watching DS, today's show was new to me.. I wondered if Harry J. always acted this way or if he was just having an off day. Hopefully it was the latter. :-/
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Now this is all my opinion and i'm asking others to share theirs although i know right up front this might bend a few feathers. . .What are some of the most excrutiating DS scenes to watch? And i'm thinking you can't bear them because of quality or technical errors not scene content.
Today's lot of shows had 2 for me. .
1. the scene where B is telling J about Maggie's escape. . could more lines have been forgotten or flubbed by those 2? (someone came here and told us .. uhhh you mean Joe?? was he the someone???)
2. Harry's attempt to extort Nicholas. .again could Mr. Slocum have flubbed or forgotten more lines? Harry's constant "umms" and long pauses (i'm searching for the line. .) drove me insane!
I ummm agree with your uhhh train of ummm thought, this umm scene made uuhh Harry seem board with ummm someone he uuhh wanted money from. ;D
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Since this is my first time around watching DS, today's show was new to me.. I wondered if Harry J. always acted this way or if he was just having an off day. Hopefully it was the latter. :-/
I think he got better as time went on, but that was the day that he apparently either forgot all his lines or didn't know them to start with...Humbert told me that he had to ad-lib the entire scene with the guy.
Cheers,
Linda
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Since this is my first time around watching DS, today's show was new to me.. :-/
WOW! :o That must be so neat to be riding this train [well, roller coaster] for the first time! AND to have this great board/commuity to enjoy the show even more with!! When I was into it during the orig run, there were only 12 - 15 people that I knew at school who were into it, and it is a 'participation sport' here it seems! ya get so much more out of the show, to hear others perspectives, and there are some -scholars- on here that really know the details!
my most excrutiating scenes are: David
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. . .What are some of the most excrutiating DS scenes to watch? And i'm thinking you can't bear them because of quality or technical errors not scene content.
There were a few scenes featuring the first (and not-so-inimitable) Willie Loomis -- James Hall -- that were like fingernails on a chalkboard...he came up with about five or six different ways to pronounce "Loomis." (Loman, Lomas, Loumas, etc.) and I guess he got so excited during the scene where he got to touch Nancy Barrett's hair that he practically drooled.
Cheers,
Linda
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For me, *any* scene where Hallie Stokes speaks is excruciating to watch. ::)
MrsJ.
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It is easy to see why they replaced James Hall with Karlen- The difference in timing and verbal acuity was obvious from the start!
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2. Harry's attempt to extort Nicholas. .again could Mr. Slocum have flubbed or forgotten more lines? Harry's constant "umms" and long pauses (i'm searching for the line. .) drove me insane!
Harry and Bathia Mapes should get together. ;D
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Hi Linda, Humbert was wonderful in this scene, and in ALL his scenes on Dark Shadows.
I'm fascinated that he can recall taping that specific episode. What a gifted actor, and seems as if he is really nice offstage, too.
Just out of curiosity, did he ever mention experiences of working with Grayson Hall? I thought their scenes in this storyline (especially a couple that are coming up) were simply marvelous. Better than Turkish Delight.
And I love it that Humbert described Nicholas in an interview as "the Walter Huston role." Actually I think he was a more skilled actor with a wider range than Huston.
Gothick
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Linda said...
Humbert told me that he had to ad-lib the entire scene with the guy.
Linda,
You have personally met HAA? When was this as I know he hasn't been to any Fests lately. Do explain this meeting... [shyy]
-Lindsey
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this was not one of uhhhh harry johnsons better.....uh....days.......seems he didnt uhhhh do his uhhhhh homework the previous uhhhh night..good thing nicholas was there uhhhhhh to bail uhhhhh him out.
Uhhhhhhhh...well, with all this uh, talk about uhhhhh...ummmmm...what's his name...you know...Harry...(yeah, that's it)
My curiosity got the better of me and I just went and studied the scene in question.
Uhhh....LOL...actually I don't think it went THAT bad. (At least for me). I've seen a lot worse. Nicholas pulled him through it quite well. PLUS....Harry did NOT look at the teleprompter. That's what kills a scene for me - that damned teleprompter. (So naturally, many are the scenes with Barnabas (God love him) that leave me shaking my head). ROFL
Anyway, uhhhh.....Harry gets a couple of points for "No Teleprompter".
-CLC
Unqualified Scene Critic At Large
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For me, *any* scene where Hallie Stokes speaks is excruciating to watch. ::)
MrsJ.
I'll have to agree - the entire David/Hallie/Tad/Carrie thing was excruciating. Unfortunately, towards the end of the series, there were many excruciating moments, including any scene with Lee Beery (Joanna Mills).
Sadly, I have to say that in the last year of the show, scenes between Barnabas and Julia were excruciating to watch. It was clear that Jonathan Frid was losing interest and didn't feel challenged. He could still rise to the occassion if he seemed particularly interested in a certain scene every now and then, but the formulaic conversations between Barnabas and Julia had become so tiresome you could really see how little he cared for them, and his delivery suffered from it (i.e. more flubs than usual).
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Hi Linda, Humbert was wonderful in this scene, and in ALL his scenes on Dark Shadows.
I'm fascinated that he can recall taping that specific episode. What a gifted actor, and seems as if he is really nice offstage, too.
Yes, he has a remarkable memory, and is very witty. :) He definitely remembered it, though, because he found it frustrating that CS remembered none of his lines, and he had to make things up as they went along and adapt to whatever flew out of Slocum's mouth. He said, jokingly, that the situation came very close to bringing out the "real" Nicholas side of his personality. :D
He's a genuinely decent and kind man, though, and it's really uncharacteristic of him to say anything unflattering about anyone, so there may have been additional circumstances that irked him.
Just out of curiosity, did he ever mention experiences of working with Grayson Hall? I thought their scenes in this storyline (especially a couple that are coming up) were simply marvelous. Better than Turkish Delight.
He enjoyed working with her. We've only rarely talked about DS, but he did make a point of saying that he thought she was a marvelous actress, albeit overworked.
And I love it that Humbert described Nicholas in an interview as "the Walter Huston role." Actually I think he was a more skilled actor with a wider range than Huston.
Ah, yes, his oblique reference to The Devil and Daniel Webster in the Ron Barry interview. His sense of humor was on a roll that day. :D
I agree about his acting -- I would have loved to see his work on the stage.
Cheers,
Linda
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Linda said...
Humbert told me that he had to ad-lib the entire scene with the guy.
Linda,
You have personally met HAA? When was this as I know he hasn't been to any Fests lately. Do explain this meeting... [shyy]
-Lindsey
We haven't met personally -- we live on opposite sides of the country -- but have corresponded for quite some time. We have a few things in common...we both really like to read, and I do quite a bit of hiking in the Sierra Nevada mountains...his father and uncle were charter members of the Sierra club, and he spent a lot of time on mountain hiking trails when he was a boy. I've told him about hiking trips and he's told me about sailing, and we both talk a lot about books. :)
He went to one Fest years ago and said that was quite enough, thank you, so I would be very surprised if ANYONE ever meets him at one of those. :)
Cheers,
Linda
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could Mr. Slocum have flubbed or forgotten more lines? Harry's constant "umms" and long pauses (i'm searching for the line. .) drove me insane!
I think this is being greatly exaggerated. He made it through the scene, and kept focused. I love all of Craig Slocum's scenes, and this wasn't as bad as people are making it out to be, and he sure looked cute!! :-* Pardon my exaltation, but I think Craig Slocum's the best. I just love him. ;) I hate to see him represented disproportionately.
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I think this is being greatly exaggerated. He made it through the scene, and kept focused. I love all of Craig Slocum's scenes, and this wasn't as bad as people are making it out to be, and he sure looked cute!! :-* Pardon my exaltation, but I think Craig Slocum's the best. I just love him. ;) I hate to see him represented disproportionately.
I can't say that I share your enthusiasm for the guy, but in his defense, the taping schedule of soap operas in general was pretty grueling back then, and DC managed to take it to astonishing new stress levels -- it's likely that the atmosphere was pretty intimidating to a newcomer.
It's obvious that there were days when some of the show's seasoned performers had to rely on the teleprompter, and apparently, there were also days when the writers were rushing out new dialogue at about the same time the crew was turning on the cameras. I'm not sure how far into the series that began to occur, but even with all the "fun" the performers recount when retelling the didoes of bygone days, I can't believe they didn't get exasperated by a situation that meant they either a) had to be very quick studies, b) needed keen eyesight and instantaneous comprehension to make use of the cheat screen, or c) were screwed.
Although Humbert did say that the scene with CS was challenging, it was probably the conditions that vexed him as much as anything -- even the actors with great memories appreciated adequate rehearsal time. :)
Cheers,
Linda
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It is easy to see why they replaced James Hall with Karlen- The difference in timing and verbal acuity was obvious from the start!
Hall did give the character more of an edge, and, had he been able to act, would have portrayed an effective combination of menace and sleaze, especially in the con man scenes with Jason, but it was a demeanor that would have played false against Barnabas...I don't think Hall would have been able to pull off the air of post-vampire bite submission and quiet despair that Karlen managed so well.
Cheers,
Linda
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I just love him. ;) I hate to see him represented disproportionately.
Well, Cheryl, you are a loyal heart and that means a lot. I have to confess Craig REALLY bugged me last time around and I am almost liking him this time, perhaps due to your influence. I did find that scene to not be one of his best, though.
Mostly, I am VERY glad that it isn't Roger Davis you fell for! [king]
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I rather like that scene between Humbert and Craig. It reminds me of the scene in "Mommie Dearest" in which Joan Crawford attempts to fill in for her daughter on a soap opera. The rhythms of Faye Dunaway's and CS' line readings are surprisingly similar.
Regards,
John
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>>>>>>>He went to one Fest years ago and said that was quite enough, thank you, so I would be very surprised if ANYONE ever meets him at one of those.
Actually, Humbert has never been to a "Fest" exactly. The only time he ever appeared at a DS gathering was in 1979, at the SHADOWCON #3. This was the annual gathering for DS fans that was held in Los Angeles starting in 1977. They morphed into the FESTS that we know now in 1985. Humbert was on stage with Lara, Kathryn, John Karlen and Jerry Lacy. It was great event, and Humbert seemed to have a good time from what I can see. Of course back in 1979, the DS cons only attracted about 50 or so fans!
Someone in the audience asked Humbert what his favorite blooper was, and he replied that his favorite blooper was signing the contract for Dan Curtis! He did relate one incident he had with Nancy Barrett in 1968. (This one just aired the other day on Sci Fi.) Humbert said, he had a scene with Nancy where he was supposed to give her instructions. The camera was tight in a closeup of his face. He was supposed to say to her, "There are 3 things I want you to do". 1 blah, 2 blah, 3 blah. He said it perfectly until taping, and then he said, "There are FOUR things you must do", Tears started coming, and he said to Nancy something like 1 blah, 2 blah, 3 blah.....and 4, forget the other 3! They called cut and everyone died from laughter!
I only wish Humbert could come to a Fest today because he was a delight in his 1979 appearance.
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I didn't think the scene between Nickolas & Harry went all that bad. I honestly thought that Harry's nervousness was suppose to be part of that scene. I mean if I was locked in someone else's house and had a disembodied hand coming towards me, I probably wouldn't be able to speak a word at that point either. ;)
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It reminds me of the scene in "Mommie Dearest" in which Joan Crawford attempts to fill in for her daughter on a soap opera.
Regards,
John
Wish I saw that Soap Opera when J.C. filled in. Now that's something that I'd love to see!! ;)
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Well, Cheryl, you are a loyal heart and that means a lot.
Yes, BRAVO for you Cheryl that you so strongly support Mr. Slocum.
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Oh God, there are just far too many scenes for me to pick . . . let me just put it this way.
There haven't been any Idle Thoughts in awhile because while I was taking notes, the vitriol burned the paper. Watching the Stooges, er . . . Barnabas, Julia, and Adam bringing Eve to life (thank God, because Marie Wallace saves this stupid, stupid storyline) just so disgusted me that I went and found a nice soothing cooking show to watch 8)
Luciaphil
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>>>>>>>I only wish Humbert could come to a Fest today because he was a delight in his 1979 appearance.
Yes, he's very charming. :) However, he's been asked repeatedly, and has always refused.
He's not the sort to ruin anyone's good time while he's participating in an event, but the demeanor of actors in front of a crowd isn't always an accurate barometer for how they really feel about something, and his refusals aren't a pose; if he says no, then he really doesn't want to go.
Cheers,
Linda
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There haven't been any Idle Thoughts in awhile because while I was taking notes, the vitriol burned the paper. Watching the Stooges, er . . . Barnabas, Julia, and Adam bringing Eve to life (thank God, because Marie Wallace saves this stupid, stupid storyline) just so disgusted me that I went and found a nice soothing cooking show to watch 8)
So that's it Luciaphil, I've been wondering where you've been lately. :)
Thank Goodness they finally got this experiment right so we don't have to watch it over and over again. ::)
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>:(The scenes involving the Rev. Trask yelling and screeching were too much for me. I was always happy when he wasn't on that day (during the original run, that is). Now I just tune him out!!!
With ringing ears, Misty
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Yes, BRAVO for you Cheryl that you so strongly support Mr. Slocum.
Thanks! I cherish the memory of him. :)
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As time went on and Mr. Frid had more to do (such as personal appearances on TV and in person) that caused him to have trouble fully memorizing his lines, I used to lean forward and wince when he was having a particularly tough time, as though I could somehow, magically, feed him the missing words. I used to cringe on his behalf, and always prayed that he would have an easier time when I saw him next.
I'm one of those people who hates watching the DS blooper tape, especially those line screw-ups. Knowing the grueling, inhuman schedule, I just feel so sorry for everyone!
Love, Robin
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I'm one of those people who hates watching the DS blooper tape, especially those line screw-ups. Knowing the grueling, inhuman schedule, I just feel so sorry for everyone!
Love, Robin
I have to admit that I also have a soft spot ...
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Any scene with Jeff Clark makes me want to scream and turn off the t.v. He just drives me mad! All it is is "Vicky, Vicky, Vicky!" and "Me, me, me!" And of course, "Who am I?" [kaiokn]
-Lindsey
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Harry's constant "umms" and long pauses (i'm searching for the line. .) drove me insane!
I couldn't help but think Harry was...uhh, umm...stoned.
[pimp][roll3][smokn][sleep]
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The shots that are painful to watch for me are plentiful. They involve that ridiculous skeleton that looks like a reject from a defunct classroom and somebody shrieking AAAIIIIEEEE!!! at the sight of it!
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How about that dreadful footage of bats used during the Dream Curse segments? It's like everyone was freaked by a National Geographic documentary.
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How about that dreadful footage of bats used during the Dream Curse segments? It's like everyone was freaked by a National Geographic documentary.
Oh yes! And the bat-on-a-stick, with Barney waithing patiently for it to bite! :P
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Anyway, uhhhh.....Harry gets a couple of points for "No Teleprompter".
I have to agree with you there, Connie. [winkb]
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He enjoyed working with her [GRAYSON HALL]. We've only rarely talked about DS, but he did make a point of saying that he thought she was a marvelous actress, albeit overworked.
Overworked huh? A fellow castmember openly acknowledged that? I'd have thought there might be a little. .i dunno jealousy over the amount of work Frid and Hall got versus other actors? You know you can certainly tell when those two got a few days off too. . .the first episode after their breaks are always better . .calmer, lines almost flawless or something .. ??
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Overworked huh? A fellow castmember openly acknowledged that? I'd have thought there might be a little. .i dunno jealousy over the amount of work Frid and Hall got versus other actors? You know you can certainly tell when those two got a few days off too. . .the first episode after their breaks are always better . .calmer, lines almost flawless or something .. ??
The impression I got at the William Paley Festival, when Dan Curtis and about 16 members of the cast were on stage, was that during the run of the show it was one happy family. They talked about how everyone would go to dinner after the work of the day...
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There's an anecdote that I've always found rather amusing. Apparently at a Fest during one of those panel thingys, KLS was going on and on about how well everyone got along and the happy family thing, etc. and Joan Bennett turned to her and asked, "And what show were you on, dear?"
Luciaphil
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I agree. . i get along with most people from work and there are those of us who go out to drink and stuff but that doesn't mean there aren't tensions and jealousies and that sort of thing. . Actors being actors and wanting to be in the spotlight .. there had to be plenty of Curtis and the other producers 'counseling' the actors .. .and i'm sure there was some jealousy about some actors getting more screen time (aka more $$$). . .I mean the show was otherwordly but not the cast and crew. . .
I luv Joan's comment. . .I think that tells you quite a bit about many things. ..
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There's an anecdote that I've always found rather amusing. Apparently at a Fest during one of those panel thingys, KLS was going on and on about how well everyone got along and the happy family thing, etc. and Joan Bennett turned to her and asked, "And what show were you on, dear?"
What a gal :)
we have someone at work that is always saying that and one day i said "Where else do you work?" well some
people can't take a joke but copying Joan made my day!
jennifer
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Overworked huh? A fellow castmember openly acknowledged that? I'd have thought there might be a little. .i dunno jealousy over the amount of work Frid and Hall got versus other actors? You know you can certainly tell when those two got a few days off too. . .the first episode after their breaks are always better . .calmer, lines almost flawless or something .. ??
Yes, "overworked" was the word he used, although in the context of what we were talking about, it was simply a matter-of-fact comment. I never bought the perky "one big happy family" thing -- especially given some of the personalities involved -- but his remark wasn't uttered in a jealous vein at all. In one of my letters, I described a few DS scenes I had found particularly amusing, and one of them happened to be Grayson over-emoting as Magda, waving her arms around and peering off into the distance...IIRC, I'd asked jokingly if she was searching frantically for the teleprompter, and he replied, "Grayson? A fine actress, but overworked"...the suggestion being that yeah, she probably was, but for good reason.
Cheers,
Linda
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What are some of the most excrutiating DS scenes to watch? And i'm thinking you can't bear them because of quality or technical errors not scene content.
I was losing patience with today's sheriff. It really didn't seem as though the actor knew his lines. Yes, it must have been difficult to be the new guy on such a rigorous show as DS. Still, it was distracting to hear him pause so often and repeat words. ("Well, Mr. uh, um Collins...Dr. uh, Hoffman tells me the, the...medicine was, ah, was poisoned.") I'm not surprised that he played the role only one time...
By the way, is Sheriff Patterson the part most often re-cast on this show?
ProfStokes
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By the way, is Sheriff Patterson the part most often re-cast on this show?
Yes, the character of Sheriff Patterson is played by FOUR actors: Dana Elcar, Vince O' Brien, Angus Cairns, and Alfred Sandor. (source for reference is DARK SHADOWS ALMANAC MILLENNIUM EDITION)