DARK SHADOWS FORUMS
General Discussions => Current Talk Archive => Current Talk '24 I => Current Talk '14 II => Topic started by: MagnusTrask on November 21, 2014, 11:18:21 PM
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I've been trying to get through all novels that DS storylines have been based on, so please, could everyone help me put together a complete list? I've now listened to (on Talking Books) Jeckyl and Hyde, and Dorian Gray. Maybe one or two others, I forget just now. The Turn of the Screw... I'll Google that today, but I think it's a short story, by... Samuel Butler?? It might be hard to order, since I'm not sure Talking Books entries list short story contents of collections. Anyway, your help would be appreciated, DS friends...
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Here's a few off the top of my head, Magnus. I'm avoiding the obvious Dracula and Frankenstein stuff.
The Alexis/Angelique story is largely based on Poe's Tomb of Ligeia. Bring Maggie into it and there are things from Rebecca but also from Fritz Leiber's Conjure Wife. Also known as Burn, Witch, Burn.
The early Barnabas/Maggie story seems derived from John Fowles' novel The Collector.
Jane Eyre recurs throughout the series. Elizabeth's fear of being buried alive probably comes from The Premature Burial.
I'll post others as I think of them.
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I've pasted this from Dark Shadows Wiki regarding Leviathans:
This storyline is inspired by H. P. Lovecraft’s shared universe known as "The Cthulhu Mythos," and particularly on the short story "The Dunwich Horror."
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Vicki & Peter's time tripping love story: Robert Nathan's Portrait of Jennie (filmed in 1947)
Quentin's portrait: Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray
The Haunting of Collinwood: Henry James' The Turn of the Screw
Vicky's trial in 1795: Arthur Miller's The Crucible
Cyrus Longworth/John Yeager: Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde
Roxanne the vampire victimizing Maggie in 1970: Sheridan Le Fanu's Carmilla (filmed by Hammer as The Vampire Lovers)
Quentin's trial in 1840: The Devils of Loudon by Aldous Huxley (filmed as The Devils by Ken Russell)
And now for two film references:
Julia being haunted by Dr. Woodard's ghost: Robert Wise's film The Haunting (1963, the breathing door)
Julia trying to cure Barnabas: Universal's House of Dracula (1945)
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Thanks for that huge data dump, UncRog, dom, and David! That certainly seems exhaustive... Rebecca was the other one I did listen to.
These are all novels unless you all said otherwise, correct? I don't want to make a poor beleagurered volunteer at Talking Books look up books that are actually films or short stories...
It's too bad DS didn't invent the doctor treating a vampire idea. I always loved that they came up with that (I thought). Anyway, thanks very much, David, dom, Rog!
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The idea of the Dream Curse might have come from a short story, "The Room in the Tower," by E. F. Benson. (Carolyn's recurring dream about Jeb during Leviathans is a little closer to what is described in the original story.)
Barnabas's obsession with finding a reincarnation of Josette was probably inspired by the original 1932 film, THE MUMMY.
Lady Kitty slowly being taken over by Josette's personality might have been inspired by the final 1940s Mummy film--can't recall the title, but it might have been THE MUMMY'S GHOST.
G.
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There's a fairly comprehensive list of inspiring works on DS Wiki.
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Thanks Gothick, b&f!
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With the arrival of Lady Kitty, you might add a whole series of books to your list: John Galsworthy's Forsyte Saga. The TV series based on them was all the rage at the time, at least for me and my bffs.
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Wouldn't the 'Catherine/Bramwell' be sort of linked with 'Wuthering Heights'?
Also, which ever (close to the above) with Tracy is also?? 'Wuthering Heights'????
Patti
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Thanks, yes, Patti, Cathwell screams out Wuthering Heights in flashing neon letters! I forgot about that. Going on the list.... I know the Olivier movie, but haven't heard the book.
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The WH book is very good, Magnus. But the ending of the Laurence Olivier movie always makes me laugh now. There are other later versions--I'm thinking of one with Ralph Fiennes.
One more addition to your reading list: For the 1970 PT story, you definitely will want to get (re)acquainted with Daphne Du Maurier's peerless Rebecca, which Du Maurier herself described as a "study in jealousy."
Oh, and the Leviathans are rather broadly inspired by H. P. Lovecraft's Chthulu Mythos stories. There are some characters milling in there called Leviathans, but I haven't read the stories.
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Thanks, DL. I have now listened to the novel of Rebecca. I've heard one Lovecraft book of short stories.... I've been trying to get just one novel by each major author, so as to start to get to know as many as possible. I'm starting Gulliver's Travels now, and was surprised to hear in the intro that Jonathan Swift was reviled in the 19th century as a "misanthrope", but then that can happen if you satirize too well...
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Check out his essay "A Modest Proposal" and you'll see why he was called a misanthrope!
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I'm expecting to enjoy his misanthropy (word?). The later chapters of Gulliver apparently get pretty rough on humanity in general, according to the introductions...