How so, mscbryk?  They only need the first story of the house as the rest is CGI. 

Speaking of which, I wonder what the web address for the film will be.  www.darkshadows.com is blank now and when you try for a page on the site, it gives you a strange message.  I wonder if WB bought the rights.

I was thinking that just because Victoria probably won't be the first person we see in the film, it doesn't necessarily mean we would go without some sort of monologue from Victoria.  Assuming she is just recently hired, she could be keeping a diary.  One scene could have her do the voiceover as she is writing the words down in the journal.  Of course, we don't know whether Vicki is just starting or not.  She could have been there for some time, a la Maggie in HoDS. 

I was thinking it would be funny if Vicki was in fact a waitress and Liz hired her to teach David out of the blue, like in the original with Maggie.  It would add to that dysfunctional element of the Collins family.   

A distraught, slightly drunken Roger confronts Elizabeth in the drawing room:
"But why turn to WEED, Liz?  Why???"
An arched eyebrow, a disdainful moue of the heavily lacquered lips, a pouting grimace as she turns, gives him a freezing look, and says:  "Because I *choose* to do so."

 

One of the greatest things I have ever read.  Thank you!

Actually, Cousin B, I think your comments about Liz and her pain are very astute and on the mark...  Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
G.

I agree. That was an extremely perceptive summation of the way Liz felt.  

Thanks for the kind words.  Yes, my inner-Liz fan is coming out.  I seriously feel that she was one of the best characters ever written for television (in her first year).  

...How the secrets the present day Collinses all apparently have will factor into the plot. I just hope that each secret will be given its due.

I certainly hope so.  It's hard to imagine being able to do all of that in one two-hour film, but if it did happen, it would be the first time ever that we actually got to see the Collins family and Barnabas on an equal playing field, which I believe they deserve to be.  Striking a balance between the first year and the latter years of the show is essential to a good telling.

(And, Cousin_Barnabas, you'll be happy to see that Michelle Pfeiffer gets mentioned but not Eva Green, so Pfeiffer is pulling closer to Green. )

I AM happy about that.  But, I was actually basing my earlier statement off of what all of the "insiders" were saying, those who visited the studio.  They all seem to mentioned Depp and Pfeiffer more than any other combination.  (Perhaps this is just me notcing Pfeiffer's name more.   )  But, from what I have seen and recall (or want to recall), most mentioned Pfeiffer as opposed to Carter or Green.  So, I was using that as my gauge rather than what the entertainment writers are printing.  

As for the billing, yes, I see a similar thing happening with Liz.  It's been tradition since HoDS.  But, my dream billing would go like this:


THOUGH

I expect that we may see something like this:

I agree 100% with that. Geeks are the first to get excited about a movie, but if they find one thing has been changed from the source material they are up in arms and boycott the movie. I say this a as huge film and comic geek myself, just not to the extreme of boycotting a movie because it doesn’t have a giant squid.

This, from the comments section of the article, also speaks to the Shadows debate.  Clearly a good deal has changed from the original source material.  Then again, considering that the original source material was also "film" and in a lengthy format, it does make sense to make changes.  I'm just really wondering how much of the original Shadows fanbase will "boycott" the film should it be revealed that there are changes.  While I would go see the movie no matter what (Unless Liz is smoking pot.  Then I would not attend this movie. ), if there were MAJOR and unnecessary character and basic plot changes, I would probably start bashing it.  There has to be something familiar about a work in order for it to be considered part of the original - and the characters and their stories are a big part of it.  So far, I have not heard anything I object to...  Burton is using the '70s to capture the "weird" vibe of the film.  It seems like a very good plot device.  Let us hope that this film, in its final incarnation, is true to the original and offers its own unique take.  I think that is all any of us, even the fan purists, can ask for. 

It may be in the 35th Ann. book.  Not sure, but I remember reading it about 10 years ago, so I think that may be a good culprit.

MB, looks like someone has been reading KLS, as I believe it is mentioned in one of the KLS books that Barnabas is 35 yo, putting his birthyear at 1760, (considering he died in 1795).