DARK SHADOWS FORUMS
General Discussions => Current Talk Archive => Current Talk '24 I => Current Talk '05 II => Topic started by: retzev on December 19, 2005, 05:42:11 PM
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(credit: Connie)
How has attending DS Festivals influenced your experience when watching DS, positively or negatively?
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Very little, if at all, actually.
I've only been to one Fest, at Tarrytown, last year. But I don't think it would be any different if I'd been to dozens. The simple fact is that the CHARACTERS are more real and more interesting than the performers are. I don't know much at all about the personal lives of the actors, and, frankly, don't care.
But the characters are another thing. I know a great deal about them and their lives. They're SO much more interesting than a bunch of actors!
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(credit: Connie)
How has attending DS Festivals influenced your experience when watching DS, positively or negatively?
Neither apply to me. When watching the show I know it's make believe, and when at the fests and seeing the stars, I know that's real. Whether or not I like or dislike a star has no bearing on whether or not I like a character. Case in point, I think Marie Wallace is THE nicest of all the stars, but I still hate Eve! LOL! ;) Similarly, not too fond of Frid, but love Barnabas and adore Bramwell.
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The simple fact is that the CHARACTERS are more real and more interesting than the performers are.
Definitely! But let's face it, it's pretty much that way in general - with ANY show or movie. The characters are larger than life.
Similarly, not too fond of Frid, but love Barnabas and adore Bramwell.
[lghy] I'm the opposite! Don't like Bramwell at all - think he's a jerk. And Barnabas can get on my nerves a LOT, but I love Jonathan Frid and enjoy watching him!
Yeah. The more I think about it, I DO have character/actor seepage problems.
Like in the case of Quentin. I love ALL the Quentins - even the less popular 1970 PT Quentin. The multi-dimensional aspects that Selby brings to them - a special vulnerability, good and evil co-existing in the character's heart, etc., makes me love the characters and be more sympathetic towards them.
[cold-weather]
Umm......THIS thing -------->> [8_2_59] is driving me up the wall! LOL
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Connie dear, I find ALL the Holiday smilies simply hellish! The can-can line you mention reminds me of those things in Yellow Submarine that stunned people by dropping apples on top of them. I repeat: Are there no workhouses??
I haven't noticed any inpact between my rather spotty Festival attendance and my viewing of the series. At the Festivals, I tend to be more focused on my friends than on the actors, with a few rare exceptions such as John Karlen and David Selby, with whom I've had actual conversations. I remember being thrilled talking to Diana Millay at an event about ten years ago. Chatting with Nancy Barrett after one of her off-site cabaret performances was fun.
I like Jonathan Frid just fine as a person, and I still love watching him on Dark Shadows. His non-verbal moments, in particular, can often induce a state of near trance!
This one makes me tired just looking at it:
[8_2_81]
Probably because I'm baggy-eyed after a busy evening last night of wrapping presents and occasionally watching snippets of the new Once upon a mattress (pure velveeta, but great songs, costumes, and the compulsively watchable Carol Burnett and Tracey Ullman).
G.
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I've reserved a room for '06, and I'm really looking forward to attending my first Fest, but I haven't seen the entire run of the show (I'm on ep#761) and I'm afraid I'm gonna hear some spoilers - [smiley_pale]
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Similarly, not too fond of Frid, but love Barnabas and adore Bramwell.
I've never been to a Fest and never intend to go. But, I did see a taped version of one. Seemed interesting and I would have loved to been involved in the questions and answers part. But, I don't want to get too close to these people as my enjoyment of DS means more to me than meeting those folks. Frid's website is funny in a high-brow college professor type way but sometimes he can get snippy so I'd just assume stay away from it. I concur that I love his acting on DS but not finding Frid too fascinating. Some comments attributed to him were calling (I'm assuming) KLS and Nancy Barrett "silly heroines". I found this comment a bit narrow-minded so ... I just won't go there. My admiration for his Barnabas is too high.
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(credit: Connie)
How has attending DS Festivals influenced your experience when watching DS, positively or negatively?
Most of the actors that I've ever met and gotten to know, usually in a business/professional setting were never on DS but even so, I could like the actor and not like their work or a character they played. I could like the character and not care for the performer. There is one really popular Broadway actress whose work I can't bear to look at but she is a lovely person. The times I had to deal with her on behalf of a producer always made me feel guilty that I responded that way to looking at her sing/dance/act when she was/is so damn nice and considerate of everyone around her.
As for the DS actors I've met and those I've gotten to know, they are all far more interesting than their famous TV characters and that's saying a lot considering how interesting some of the DS characters were/are.
Nancy
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At the Festivals, I tend to be more focused on my friends than on the actors,
That's the only reason I attend festivals. I rarely ever go to the programmed events. Just about everyone I know from the festivals attend each year to meet up with their friends at the discounted hotel in a rather interesting city. They take it from there. It's a chance to catch up wtih some interesting friends.
Nancy
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when i attended my first fest i was speechless when i first saw our actors.
but after having met and spoken to them several times i have a more easygoing attitude towards them.
but they really haven't affected my viewing one way or the other.i can seperate the actor from the character.
sadly several of the actors whom i'd have really liked to meet are no longer with us and a few more never attend the fest.
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For me, watching DS and attending a Fest are two completely different universes. One doesn't really have an effect on the other - and like others have stated, I have no trouble separating the two. There are DS actors who are the sweetest people in real life and whose every character I love. There are actors who are the sweetest people in real life but whose character(s) I can't stand. There are actors who can be less than pleasant in real life but whose character(s) I still love in spite of that. And there are actors who can be less than pleasant in real life and I continue to dislike their character(s). It runs the full gamut. [santa_smiley]
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Umm......THIS thing -------->> (Rockettes Smilieys) is driving me up the wall! LOL
Then you know what that means, don't you? If not, you soon will... [santa_evil]
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Umm......THIS thing -------->> (Rockettes Smilieys) is driving me up the wall! LOL
Then you know what that means, don't you? If not, you soon will... (santa_evil)
Make it stop! LOL!
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Make it stop! LOL!
Oh, it will - eventually. [santa_wink]
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MB, dearest darling, the Spanish Inquisition missed out on a MARVELOUS resource in the fact that you were born several centuries too late to help out at the elbow of Cardinal Fang and the Comfy Chair...
*mopping brow*
Gothique
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I run screaming from those hellacious "rockettes".......so could someone explain how I seem to have managed to click on them 6 times already? [santa_angry]
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MB, dearest darling, the Spanish Inquisition missed out on a MARVELOUS resource in the fact that you were born several centuries too late to help out at the elbow of Cardinal Fang and the Comfy Chair...
In my own Carlotta-like way, I do what I can to keep the spirit of the Inquisition alive for certain of us. [b003] But like Quentin, I flatly state that I'm not Cardinal Fang. I love all of you! I'll always love all of you! And nothing can change that. And in that spirit, you'll note that the Rockettes Smileys have vanished. (Though that doesn't mean that they won't eventually be replaced by something else. In fact, I'd expect it sooner rather than later. [santa_wink])
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MB, dearest darling, the Spanish Inquisition missed out on a MARVELOUS resource in the fact that you were born several centuries too late to help out at the elbow of Cardinal Fang and the Comfy Chair...
[lghy]
Yes, he's certainly evil incarnate. (This is what watching DS for years can do to a man).
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Yes, he's certainly evil incarnate. (This is what watching DS for years can do to a man).
Well, I have admitted freely that Nicholas is one of my favorite DS characters. In fact, when Mark Rainey once compared me to Nicky, I took it as a compliment:
MB, you know, in this light you have marked resemblance to Nicholas Blair.
Why, thank you, Mark. ...
MB tends to be a WEE bit more benevolent than NB, at least when circumstances are right....
...
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For me, watching DS and attending a Fest are two completely different universes.
So true. Until I saw this post, I never thought about the effect of one on the other.
Except for the early days of my Fest attendance, I've never sought out autographs or tried to meet any of the celebrities. I do enjoy the Q&A sessions, though, because it's a chance to see the cast members as they "really" are. And I always try to catch any special performances or events. But now, the Fests are more about hanging with my "cousins" than anything else. (Although, I can never resist a well-stocked dealers' room...)
Personally, I always separate an artist's work from his/her personal life. If I allowed myself to enjoy someone's work solely on the condition that I liked/respected him/her as a person, then I'd end up missing out on a lot of great work. [santa_grin]
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Except for the early days of my Fest attendance, I've never sought out autographs or tried to meet any of the celebrities. But now, the Fests are more about hanging with my "cousins" than anything else.
True for me as well. My first couple Fests I was an autograph WHORE and would stand in line for HOURS to get the stars to sign my program (don't even walk around w/THAT anymore, LOL!) or a picture I bought in the dealor's room. I even stopped going to Fests from 98 until 02 'cause I got burned out. Now I hang w/my friends and assorted "cousins". The stars are an afterthought really. Not trying to dis them, but the most reaction you'll get out of me these days at a star sighting at a Fest is a dull, "Oh, there's Lara" (or David, or Johnny etc...)
Don't really bother w/the Q&A's, cast reunions, star readings/performances etc...However, one event that I MUST see every year is the Costume Gala on Saturday night! It's a HOOT! We mix our cocktails and have a blast, LOL! ;)
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I guess that's why I've never really enjoyed a Fest much. Don't have DS friends to hang out with.
Something I'd be interested in experiencing might be a good auction, but I have the feeling that any good, or rare, or odd items were probably auctioned off long ago.
What I'd love to see the most would be props from the sets. I suppose there were never much of those around? Anybody remember memorable things they saw at past Fest auctions?
[grinb]
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the Fests are more about hanging with my "cousins" than anything else.
I agree - they're a great way to see and spend time with friends that you only get to spend time with once a year or so during the Fests.
The stars are an afterthought really. Not trying to dis them, but the most reaction you'll get out of me these days at a star sighting at a Fest is a dull, "Oh, there's Lara" (or David, or Johnny etc...)
Same here. And even though the major thrill of seeing and/or speaking to them has waned since the first Fests I attended - I definitely still enjoy seeing them (well, more so for some than others [wink2]).
Personally, I always separate an artist's work from his/her personal life. If I allowed myself to enjoy someone's work solely on the condition that I liked/respected him/her as a person, then I'd end up missing out on a lot of great work.
Exactly.
And I always try to catch any special performances or events.
Definitely. Even though I've seen much of the recovered NoDS footage several times, I never miss one of Darren's presentations. And I'd never attended an LA Fest until this past one, and the reason I attended this year (beyond getting together with friends, of course) was to see the WB pilot because, supposedly, it was the only time it will be shown at a Fest (though I really hope that decision will be reconsidered because it deserves to be seen by as many fans as possible).
(Although, I can never resist a well-stocked dealers' room...)
I've been known to spend quite a bit of money in the dealers room, too. Although, I didn't spend a cent on anything at the last two Fests. In fact, now that I think about it, the last time I bought any sort of DS memorabilia at a Fest was when I bought the then new orange bordered card set in 2001. It has a few pictures that I had never seen before, and I can never resist buying something whenever that happens because it happens so rarely. (I really do wonder how "new" pictures can continue to surface after all these years - but who am I to complain? [lghy])
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And speaking of memorabilia and spending time & money... an autographed 8 x 10 photo of Don Briscoe just sold on E-Bay this week for $128.05!!!
I've been to one Fest, and had more fun hanging with the DS fans/friends than attending the actual planned events. Hanging around the piano in the hotel lobby, warbling Quentin's Theme with the group, was more exciting than posing for a photo with KLS. Nothing personal, Katie.