Interesting article, thanks for posting is Lori!

I agree with much of what he's said except that whoever plays Vicki will be crucial too, especially if the story is written from her point of view entering Collinwood, much like all three series have begun. If it isn't, and Vicki is mostly a secondary character or worse, only seen a few times, who gives a hoot who plays her. But I think that she'll probably be important to the plot if they do it in the present.

This is a great question!

Personally, watching anything can improve your vocabulary in some fashion. You can learn something from nearly everything. But I'm with mscbryk in that the dialogue is what really catches me. I think that every character that was featured on the show had at least ONE great line of dialogue somewhere throughout their stint on the show. Some of the most memorable are Barnabas' story about Josette's death when he's telling it to Vicki and Carolyn just after he's arrived. Quentin always had a good quip to satisfy a grin. Judith, Namoi, and Elizabeth always had wonderfully awesome "repressed maiden" lines, or quick insults (in Judith and Elizabeth's case) to provide.

One line that I will always remember is one of Quentin's, that goes "Come into the parlor, said the spider to the fly," or something like that. I believe he says it to Judith during her reign of power. Excellent.

Buzz--

I love Dame Judi as Elizabeth, even though she is in her 70s, which is why I suggested Kate Hudson as Carolyn, because she's could believably play a 25-30 year old woman. I don't know her actual age, however. For me, I like to think of Elizabeth as the shuttered, lord-of-the-manner, aristocratic type, that isn't overly welcoming, but isn't completely insensitive and rude either. She's got secrets to keep, a family to protect, so from an outsiders POV, she's going to give a little shiver while being motherly at the same time. So I think Dame Judi or Helen Mirren would probably be able to convey this.

Angelique needs to stay a blonde, and I have to give a resounding NO to the idea of Angelique Jolie. She could play seductive, but we need someone who can be seductive, challenging, vindictive, bitchy, and smarmy all at once. After seeing Cate Blanchett in "Notes on a Scandal", I'd simply die to get her and Dame Judi in the same scene together again!

As for Julia, I think Moore or Janney could pull it off. Either one could be calculating, productive, lustful, and piercing all rolled up into one.

I'm afraid that I want and hope that the producers/casting directors shy heavily away from the younger Hollywood crowd--Hayden Panetierre, Lindsay Lohan, etc--because I just don't think any of them have the credentials or acting ability that would blow me away.

I think casting an unknown for Vicki would be preferable for me, because it would be more believable, I think. Also, I hope that when the movie goes through that we don't have one of those all-star casts where everyone who is big in Hollywood plays someone in the movie. I think that would take heavily away from the atmosphere and it wouldn't do justice to the film or the legacy of DS.

Damn, is this topic ever popular! I wonder what it is.....?

I too am hoping for a fresh take on things. But honestly, we can't expect it to be too fresh. I mean, there's only so many ways you can tell the basic story of Barnabas without completely mucking it up in some fashion or another. Because personally, I would be heavily offended if whoever was writing this dropped everything that we hold dear about our Barny, and went with something completely new.

As for Burton, I love him. I think that the issue of him bringing his "sillyness" or whatever it was called to the project is largely dependant on the producers involved and the state of the script they are using. Because, if you think about it, the director only takes the script and portrays his or her vision of it onto the screen. Basically they interpret the thing. So as long as the script is written well, I don't think Burton will be able to infuse his signature style into it too much. I'd love to see him direct. I think he's one of the few out there who could do justice to this project.

I have no doubt that Depp can play this part. I've loved every movie I've seen him in, and I believe he can play anything he sets his mind to. I mean, I completely abhor the Pirates movies, save for Depp's Captain Jack. And to think, Depp has said that he modeled Sparrow off of Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones. Man, that guy can act.

Speaking of the script, is there any information about who's writing the damn thing? I wonder if they've even commissioned a script of it at all?

Yes!

It was AMANDA HARRIS!

Josette, you guessed correctly! So now I pass the torch on to you! Have at it!

OMG!!! I about DIED laughing when I saw that Judah's head was going to be the immunity idol! HAHAHAHAHAHA