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Messages - CyrusL

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436

Polls Archive / Re: Accents galore.

« on: March 03, 2006, 11:31:40 PM »

I have to admit, accents can be quite sexy. French, Italian, and Russian and for that matter Australian can be quite affecting. Not to be a broken record, but Julianka had the best accent on the show, and I don't care how fake it was. It worked for me, lol.
Michael

437

Polls Archive / Re: Close encounters of the scary kind

« on: March 03, 2006, 11:25:37 PM »

I honestly think the Leviathan monster is pretty scary because its whatever you imagine it to be, your worst fear. So it for me probably has a big cobra head on a pseudo-human body and all drippy and scaly. Like Indiana Jones, "Snakes, it had to be snakes", they can really quake me.
Michael

438

Calendar Events / Announcements '06 I / Re: The Chilling Touch of Cold Steele

« on: March 03, 2006, 10:43:42 PM »

Quote

We had something similar here, only it was called 'Saturday Chiller' (afternoon) and 'Creature Feature' (late night). Both were on Channel 20 and hosted by a guy calling himself "Count GoreDeVore". Incidentally he was also "Captain 20" for the kiddie hour.

Cyrus/Michael, do you remember this guy?

Definitely Buzz. he went by Count Gore DeVol actually. I have a book on the history of horror TV hosts, and proudly have 6 signatures in it, including his, Zacherly, the Bowman Body, Dr. Madblood, Chilly Billy Cardille and Elvira. Would love to get Svengoolie.
Anyway, it should be noted Barbara and Dan Curtis have apparently remained friends. She worked in the production of both "Winds of War" and "War and Remembrance" and according to IMDB, also on the staff of "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy." Barabara was in the audience when they had "Dark Shadows" evening at the Director's Guild about 3-4 years ago.
Roger Corman used her in his second Price/Poe film, "The Pit and the Pendulum", filmed in the US. Probably her first color film.

The film Gothic mentioned is Castle of Blood, aka Danse Macabre. Poe is a character in the framing sequences of that film.

Michael

439

Polls Archive / Re: A few more DS lovelies

« on: March 02, 2006, 10:00:44 PM »

While I think Donna Wandrey is a very sweet woman and very nice to speak to at the festivals, I voted for Kate/Daphne for similar reasons to Buzz's. She has a very sweet beauty with a touch of the exotic in her eyes. While I think Alexandra is also very beautiful, and I know this will sound a little odd, she reminds me of my mother when I was very young and we watched the show together, so I'd be a little uncomfortably oedipal if I had chosen her. Now, I wish you had given me the choice of my favorite DS vixen, Julianka, who's appearences are far too brief.
Michael

440

Calendar Events / Announcements '06 I / The Chilling Touch of Cold Steele

« on: March 02, 2006, 09:43:10 PM »

Hello. We don't discuss the work of the '91 Revival series cast very often, although many of them like Roy Thiness have very interesting resumes. While plundering my local Suncoast, I ran across a vintage Barbara Steele film, "Castle of Blood." (Not to the confused with "Nightmare Castle", one of those titles considered to be in the public domain like "Little Shoppe of Horrors", "Last Man on Earth"or "The Terror", good films that sadly clog up the collections section at the end of the horror DVD section in endless variations of faded transfers. Okay, that's the editorial, now on with the point.) Anyway, I found this film, as well as the watershed "Black Sunday" which I already to be very enjoyable films. They both have great black and white photography, drenched in gothic atmosphere , very stylish and creepy. They have some of the feel of DS itself when it was black and white and were no doubt somewhat influential, with castles, witches, weird family secrets, ghosts and vampire-like creatures (mind you neither film has true vampires.) Barbara herself is a striking figure with large dark eyes, full lips and flowing hair but an aloof and otherworldly beauty. While often imperfectly dubbed, she seems as she was born to these works. I was wondering if anyone else here has an affection for these films and has any others of this era they like.

(Italian horror film regulars ==>)

Michael

441

Caption This! - Leviathans / Re: Episode #0960

« on: March 01, 2006, 08:18:52 PM »

Michael Stroka and Chris Pennock's screen test for ABC's exciting new western "Alias Smith and Jones."

442

Calendar Events / Announcements '06 I / Re: Happy Birthday to QuentinsGal

« on: March 01, 2006, 07:26:12 PM »

All the best for a great day to QuentinsGal!!!

Michael

443

Calendar Events / Announcements '06 I / As the Suncoast set, an opportunity for DS DVD collectors...

« on: March 01, 2006, 07:23:18 PM »

The Suncoast Video store chain is in the process of closing many of its stores or going out of business entirely, I'm not sure which. The store near where i work is now selling its stock at 30% off. This goes many of us an opportunity to get a nice discount on the MPI Dark Shadows DVD sets. Its also a good idea to review their used DVD sction. The store where I went to had 3 DS DVD sets used at a great price, unfortunately, I had all of these sets. Suncoast was a big outlet in the VHS days, for the MPI videos and has lost ground with the rise of the Best Buys, Circuit Cities, Wal-Marts as well as the amazon.coms. I finally got the wonderful "Wizard of Oz" 3 DVD box which was of great comfort to me last week when I was home from work 2 days with a pretty bad cold. Since the DS sets list at $59.95, the sets left there would run about $41.98. Seelection is limited tho. That equals or beats most places I know to pick up the DVDs.
By the way, does anyone know why MPI has never discounted any DVD sets at the DS Festivals? I know they are really cheap on the VHS now, but even when I first went to DS Festivals in the late '90s, they always had a convention discount and they have never done this on the DVDs at any show since they released them.

Michael

444

Calendar Events / Announcements '06 I / Re: Happy Birthday to LdyAnne!

« on: February 28, 2006, 04:29:00 PM »

All the best to LdyAnne!!! With great Birthday wishes!

Looking forward to seeing you and all in Brooklyn!
Michael and Diane

445

Calendar Events / Announcements '05 II / Re: Kolchak, why'd they dig you up?

« on: February 27, 2006, 06:10:32 AM »

Its been a sad and rather depressing weekend for many of us, with both Don Knotts and Darren McGavin passing away. First on Knotts, while he will no doubt be best remembered for Barney Phyfe, I must say that I have a very fond memory of seeing "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken" in first run as a kid and along with many, consider it to be one of the best horror-comedies of all time. The haunted house sequences with the blood on the organ keyboard and the shears piercing the throat on the painting were pretty chilling. ("...and they couldn't remove the bloodtstains, even with Bon Ami!") This and the fantasy "Mr. Limpet" are quite good and are standing the test of time as fun littl;e efforts.
Darren McGavin. So much to say as well. I like many of us here will never forget the impact of the first "Night Stalker" movie which stood vampire films on its head and took us to a whole new perspective on the genre. A great collaboative effort. Great Matheson script, great characters, great casting and pretty decent direction from Dan Curtis with a creepy Cobert score. I think we saw they that couldn't really reinvent the series last year. The original was just one of those moments where so much comes together.
I just watched "the Night Strangler" this evening and I love as much now as I did then. I think its pretty underrated. The great supporting cast-Wally Cox, John Carradine, Margaret Hamilton, (who has the best line.."if it (the youth serum) worked, I'd be sitting here in front of you ..an 80 year old sexpot."), the also recently departed Al Lewis, Scott Brady, Richard Anderson and the sexy Joann Pflug. (I can't put my finger on it, but there's something Lara Parker about here in that film. Of note that Curtis used her again in "Scream of the Wolf." That she manages to be so attractive in some wacky '70s outfits says something as well. Please see '70s fashions discussions elsehere on these boards) The DVD has a longer cut and well worth it. McGavin is brillant in this one, and as ever in the series, that great chemistry with Simon Oakland.The whole Seattle underground sequence is so deliciously creepy and gothic. This is some of the best stuff Dan Curtis ever directed. You can notice he sets up a lot of shots similar to the vampire wedding sequences in "House of Dark Shadows." The short bonus on the DVD of Dan speaking on the film is nice, if leaving you hungry for a bit more. I bet Dan underrates this effort a bit too, I find it holds up better than his "Dracula" ( a much more flawed screenplay from Matheson) but on par with Trilogy of Terror.
I mourn the loss of such great talent as Mcgavin and Knotts, but I don't feel as sad as I did this morning. The short but very sweet work we have of the original Kolchak continues to give me equal parts humor and horror. I know both Knotts and McGavin will be continuing to make people smile for many more years.

Michael

446

Current Talk '06 I / Re: Has DS ever influenced what YOU wear?

« on: February 25, 2006, 10:28:07 PM »

As I alluded to earlier, I piecked out my last 3 or 4 suits with influence by DS. I got a kind of olive toned suit that matched the colors of one of Barnabas/Frid's suits, a houndstooth sport jacket that I thought was very Roger/Burke, and a two blue/gray shaded suits, because I like the colors on Quentin. The later suit was cut a bit like Barnabas's three button suits that have a tighter lapel cut. I realy liked the way Barnabas's suits looked on the show. If I could find one of those silvery gentleman's dressing gowns, I know Diane would be delighted.
When I was a kid, I had a sweater vest that matched exactly one of David Collins, as well as his haircut for my middle school years as well.
Michael

447

Calendar Events / Announcements '06 I / Re: Happy Birthday To Abe Vigoda

« on: February 24, 2006, 11:25:05 PM »

Abe Vigoda has been at several fests, I think 97 and 99. I remember he got up and left the autograph table about 2-3 people in front of me and didn't return. As Homer would say, "DOOOHHHHHH!!!!! Abe was pretty aware of DS fandom as he was in the middle of it.

All the best to him and for another 85!
Michael

448

Calendar Events / Announcements '06 I / Re: Apparently PennyDreadful Is Too Modest To Tell Us...

« on: February 23, 2006, 08:14:26 PM »

Congratulations Penny on your media triumph. As someone who grew up with many great local horror hosts, Dr. Madblood of Norfolk, Count Gore Devol in DC area and my favorite, Petersburg VA's the Bowman Body, it is a great delight to see the spirit of those shows alive, or undead as it were. All the best from the cemeteries of the south. Or, from our mausoleum to yours,
Michael

449

Calendar Events / Announcements '06 I / Re: Today's Birthday-- ShadowsAtlanta

« on: February 20, 2006, 10:38:06 PM »

<Cake with candles, not fires set by Gen Sherman. Have a great and ShadowsAtlanta, just don't let Bobby Brown drag you into any "Gold Clubs"! All the best to you and one of my favorite cities!
Michael

450

Current Talk '06 I / Re: Sabastian "Jim Morrison" Shaw

« on: February 20, 2006, 10:18:56 PM »

While I personally find Chris Pennock one of my very favorites of the DS actors at the festivals, I have often wondered this. Had the series gone on longer, and we had come back to 1971 present day, if the fashions had continued to be "hip", "now" and "Happening", would some of the timlessness of DS be lost. Most of the fashions on the show in the contemporary eras haven't dated badly. Such as Joan Bennett's clothes or Roger's jackets. I have a couple of suits and sportcoats that are variants on something Louis or John may have worn. I think of the general contemporary era, some of the skirts are pretty short, but that has never bothered me. In many ways, '60s fashions seem more timeless that say '70s or '80s. (Among the worst examples of fashions that are just wrong are the later "Happy Days" episodes where Richie and the Fonz are trying to stay '50s but everyone else seems to be on come as you are day, especially Joanie and Chachi.) Anyway, some feedback?

Michael

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