Does it seem that the makeup department was having a great time of it during the 1897 storyline? The layers of eye-shadow and rouge on everyone, especiallly the men, was exceptional. I noted some heavy light blue eye-powder on Louis Edmonds and the purple powder on the rest of them reminded me of Vogue eye-makeup ads. I got really distracted by all the blue eye-powder on Louis Edmonds when he was courting Kitty, it looked ridiculous to me. And, when Barnabas got whizzed back to 1795 you can tell how different he looked by his heavy cheek rouge, darker hair and heavy heavy purple eye makeup. Suprisingly, many of the women looked more natural. I noticed KLS seemed much less made up (no more fake eye lashes) but Nancy Barret had yucky eyebrow makeup looking really wierd. She even wore it as Millicent (in the 1795/1897 flashback scenes). What was up with all that?

Like Robert Rodan, Jerry Lacy is another competent actor I don't see much discussion about. Maybe it's because he completely inhibits his role without allot of ego or scene stealing. Don't know why he fades into the woodwork sometimes because the Reverend Trask is a pivotal DS character.
Can't say I have much of an opinion on his work as Ton Peterson but as Reverend Trask;

- I wonder if JL thought this character out very throroughly as Trask's lethal personality unfolds itself slowly. At first, despite the scary dark clothing, he is charming, quiet, reflective but scarily sure of himself.

- I think one of his best scenes was Trasks deceptively quiet interrogation of Daniel. His knowing smirks up into the sky when thunder claps is great stuff. JL never overplays it and if you're not paying attention you might not catch or understand why Trask obviously felt thunder was either a sign from the "Devil" or a sign from "God" leading him on.   

- he's a fanatic but his corporate persona is so intelligently interwoven in Trasks' personality that one can believe he has been able to execute at will suspected witches with the public's approval.

Any opinions on Lacy and Reverend Trask? Good or bad, don't care.

I've just got DS tape#44 (1795) and within Joshua collins and Countess Duprey summon the good witch, Bathia Mapes, to help rid Barnabas of his curse. I was so impressed with this actress that I did a web search and saw a Dark Shadows discussion stating how really baaad she was. I was stunned, because I found her to be excellent. Granted, she missed some lines and evidently couldn't see the monitor and I did hear someone off-screen shouting them to her, but geez she must have been over 70yrs old.

I wonder if Spielberg saw these episodes because this character kinda forshadows the future Poltergeist ghostbuster Tangina Barrons and she's just as good. Any opinions?

In all fairness to Mr. Frid I felt compelled to create a discussion in balance to the "JF bloopers" post. Yep, his dialogue flubs were doozies but I'd like to point out some JF highs, if I can.

i can think of lots but there is one scene that comes to mind:

1) 1795, Barnabas becomes a vampire and starts a killing spree on the town prostitues. Classic JF...early victim waterfront scene with high-spirited, mischievous but good-hearted Ruby Tate (who was that actress?). Barnabas approaches quietly in the fog as Ruby is expecting her married lover (or someone). In direct response to her cheerful nature Barnabas goes through all sorts of emotional turmoil. First he's quietly sadly menacing in his approach and like a smart vicitim (unknowingly) Ruby humanizes herself by recognizing him and stating his name. The dynamics change. After some dialogue they connect and laugh about Reverand Bland writng a sermon over her and looking like a duck. After a pause he is menacing again and asks if she's expecting someone. I especially enjoyed Barnabas'/JF's dry laugh when Ruby slyly tells him her lover isn't important, as anyway, he probably couldn't get away from his wife. Then, when Ruby giggles that she can't wait to tell the "girls" she's been out with Barnabas Collins he suddenly raises his voice in fear and, moving in closer, tells her she musn't tell anyone she's seen him. Dangerous and unpredictable... yet just as abruptly, haltingly, with those sad eyes, sais he has to leave. She flirtratiously coaxes "you don't REALLY want to leave, do you?" "no", he sais, his voice heavy and leering. Totally menacing now as the vampire he approaches her, she falls back in fear and into the water. He shouts in horror and sadness "Ruby!!".  Poor Barnabas, I'm thinking, and he was going to kill HER. What struck me so much about that scene was the amazing give-and-take chemistry between JF and the actress and JF's sensitivity that he was able to so cearly reveal Barnabas' traumatic internal struggles between the vampire and what was left over from his human self in the shadings of that performance. His human characteristics being a natural warmth and an obviously sympathy towards Ruby.

I did not sense any dialogue flubs, hesitations or wrong notes. It was simply perfect in every respect.

I'm still not quite sure why I just loved him as Barnabas. But was he sexy? My personal opinion is that the character of Barnabas could have been very very sexy and/or erotic indeed, but did JF play that potential up...nope, not in my opinion. And why was that? The times perhaps? His religious upbringing? Or was it that he was fearless in his interpretation of Barnabas in going anywhere except THERE.
Opinions anyone? Negative or positive, I'm curious.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!...by the way...
Hi, this is my first new topic post here. Since my enthusiasm for Dark Shadows centers around the 1795 storyline (though 1841 sounds interesting too) I'd like to start a 1795 discussion post on the story merits and weakness of that classic period. I am specifically targeting the writing but please feel free to add anything that interests you...I adore watching 1795 on tape but there are two major weaknesses in the story that always bothered me and wondered if anyone else felt the same...?

1. Jeramiah's ghost: What happened here? After doing a brilliant job introducing all new characters allowing for commitment and affection from the audience WHY was Jeramiah treated so callously after he became "Jeramiah's ghost"? Was it that the actor, Anthony George, left before his story ended thus making it neccessary for an elaborately bandaged stand-in? Was management angry at him and so dismissed the character who before that time was affectionately and warmly treated. I think Jeramiah's demise was the most tragic of them all because he was a total pawn and victim of the A/B/J triangle and whose humanity and life was cruelly snuffed out with hardly a thought from anyone except to be a "placeholder goul" until Barnabas took over that role as the vampire. Yes, Barnabas and Josette grieved somewhat but I feel the writing did not allow for the full implications of his death to be felt especially after his poor eye-popping ghost was dragged and used all over the old and new house by an incredibly unrepentant Angelique.

2) Why didn't Barnabas tell Josette that Angelique was the witch and that he had an affair with her back in Matinique and/or WHY couldn't they have had Josette figure it out for herself? Major MAJOR writing weakness. I feel that someone, either one of the Collins' or Vickie should have been allowed to figure out that Angelique might have been the witch. It was just too easy for Angelique. I mean, yes Vickie was a strange anomoly in that time but if she were that powerful why was she allowing herself to STAY in jail, be tried and executed. What did she have to gain by all the deaths and strange occurrances? The only person who did gain anything was Angelique. She got a new husband and large house while everyone else was suffering. I feel the story, especially at the end when Josette jumped off widows hill, would have been even more exciting if Barnabas had confided to Josette or Vickie about the witch. It was just screaming to be told.

Well, those are the two major issues that bothered me. Anyone else have comments?