The spoilers from the John August script--you may never have read those, MB--included the note that Julia and Angelique hated one another for reasons that had nothing to do with Barnabas.  I hardly consider that comment a spoiler--more like a teaser--but then, some people have odd notions (odd to this writer, at least) as to what constitutes a spoiler.

Those spoilers were so off-the-wall in some cases in terms of what actually happened in the completed film that they must either have been based on an early draft of August's script--or been completely fabricated.  I have speculated that the fabrication might have been a deliberate act of disinformation by person or persons unknown.

Best,  G.

And needless to say, best wishes to John Karlen as he continues on his road back to health/wellness!

G.

I love Humbert Allen Astredo, and the 1968 Nicholas is my all time favorite Astredo performance. 

dom, I always thought that Cassandra was returned to Hell as a result of Trask's incantations (ridiculous though the idea seems on paper) because she had no actual mortal existence in 1968.  She was a displaced spirit who had a "body" that existed as a result of Witchcraft.  How or why the antics of a ghostly Elmer Gantry type could have any effect whatsoever in casting out such a powerful spirit whose magic, as she frequently told us, "came from the Devil himself," is never made clear.  My own glint of an idea is that because Trask came from the same era when Angelique (in the ORIGINAL storyline, not the subsequent revisions) had her mortal existence, that fact gave him the power to return her spirit to the darkness from which it had come.

I'll really have to re-watch to spot the pornographic antics between Roger Davis and Joel Crothers you mention...

So pleased you are enjoying Humbert and Nicholas!  He's a strong part of why 1968 is my forever personal favorite storyline.

G.

The topic of this article is "Buffy, the vampire slayer" (WARNING: spoilers for early seasons) but I think some of the general thoughts could be applied to why we love DS so much...

http://the-toast.net/2013/08/14/buffy-the-vampire-slayer-a-new-version-of-you/

Best,

G.

That's good to know, Quentin. 

G.

The 1821 death date for Naomi presumably carried over for the original backstory for Barnabas, in which his own death happened in the 1830s (I'm thinking 1832 or 1837 for some reason?).  I should write, THE PROP for Naomi's tablet in the crypt was a holdover from previous years and nobody probably bothered to think, "Hey, we changed the storyline, we need to fix this."

I remember reading long ago, in an issue of 16 I think, that in one scripting session around 1970, nobody in the room could remember what had happened when in a previous storyline.  They were baffled as to how to proceed and then somebody said, "Hey, the studio kids are outside--let's ask THEM!"  and of course, they were able to quote chapter and verse.

G.

I think the 1968 Cassandra period is the only time on DS when we see a Witch and Warlock shrink at the sight of the cross.  I personally find this just plain silly, but I won't belabor the forum with the reasons why.

Nicholas (when he eventually shows up) is right--Cassandra should have been able to handle Trask's ghost.  It's interesting to speculate why she ultimately fails to prevail over him.  The only answer that makes any sense is her growing emotional attachment to Barnabas AND the adulteration of her own powers with her indulgence of other emotions, such as gloating over Elizabeth's fate.

This was the 2nd episode I ever saw of DS and it made me an addict FOR LIFE.

G.

I heard this sad news a few hours ago on the international Social Networking Site.  I was shocked as I considered Ms. Black "too young to die."  She was about a year and a half younger than my own mother (and Lara Parker) as it happens.

I was thinking about Ms. Black a few weeks ago when a fan started a thread here about what role Ms. Black would have played had she been cast in the original series of Dark Shadows.  I had to smile because I recalled that many years ago now, when a gala was held at the Museum of Television and Radio in Dan Curtis's honor, many DS luminaries showed up, and Ms. Black made a late entrance to the room.  At the time it was reported that she was overheard to look around her, narrow her eyes, and demand of a flunky:  "Wait a minute, this isn't a Dark Shadows thing, is it?"  She was assured that it was indeed an evening in honor of DC and she proceded to her place onstage.

I also think of a performance art band, maybe based in NYC, about 23 years ago called "The Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black"--it was written up in Michael Musto's column and I believe Ms. Black may have eventually attended, or even participated in, a performance.

May she know true peace.  We'll miss her.

G.