Thought I'd post this now in case I don't get to a computer tomorrow evening ...

In light of recent discussions about Edgar Allen Poe and the several movies inspired by his stories, I wanted to call attention to "The Tomb of Ligeia" airing on AMC on Wednesday night ... make that Thursday morning, to be more precise.  Central time, it's at 1 a.m.

Darren recently informed us that two of these movies, "The Haunted Palace" and "The Tomb of Ligeia" inspired aspects of DS.

I just viewed "Haunted Palace," and Darren is right.  I didn't care for this movie as much as "The Pit and the Pendulum," nor as much as "Night of Dark Shadows," which it seems to have a major influence on.

However, I'm excited about seeing "The Tomb of Ligeia" tomorrow night ... according to Darren it inspired the Angelique/Alexis storyline in 1970 (?) Parallel Time.

I was sitting on the edge of my seat just waiting for Barnabas and Joshua to hug....the scene between the two of them was so intense and emotional.  I could see them with their arms around one another in my mind.

Donna, now I think you're getting confused with "Ordinary People."

Your response is very well thought-out and presented, Chris.  And in fact I agreed with it before I saw the early episodes.  Prior to my viewing the early eps, I was exposed to the view on this forum that Elizabeth was Vicki's mother.  I was doubtful primarily because I just didn't see any indication in the relationship and interaction between them -- especially on Elizabeth/Joan Bennett's part -- that would give any indication whatsoever that Elizabeth was Victoria's mother.

What opened my mind to this possibility (I wasn't a fanatic convert) was seeing several subtle hints in Joan Bennett's performance in the early episodes, along with some visual clues such as Elizabeth coming down the stairs with her hair down like Vicki's, and before she comes clearly into view, she looks identical to Vicki.  I believe there were a few other hints, too.

Add to that Joan Bennett's testimony at one of the festivals that she played Elizabeth believing that Victoria was her child, and also the fact that Dan Curtis Productions authorized this revelation in the recent DS novel "Dreams of the Dark."

I also heard of a real-life case that was very similar, which made the possibility seem emotionally possible for Elizabeth (something else I had doubted).

Nevertheless, the case for Paul Stoddard as the father as you outline it is very strong, and I do find it less troubling.  So I'm not a hardliner on the issue (though you may find that others are!).

As an aside, in my "signature" line as part of my posting profile, I have excerpted a few lines from the novel "Bleak House" by Charles Dickens, which concerns, in part, an illegitimate young woman's search for identity. The passage quoted is from her meeting with the formidable Lady Deadlock, who she has been introduced to.   Her thoughts could be the very thoughts of Victoria Winters upon first meeting Elizabeth Collins Stoddard.

-Vlad

O.K., thanks everyone.

The ticket I found is a lot more than I paid to go to NY last year, but I may have to make a decision on it, if I'm going to go this year.

After printing out the info, I noticed that the flight is on an Airbus.  I asked someone at work what that was, and he said that was what had crashed in NYC last fall.  So know I'm nervous about taking that.  It just took a gust of wind and that plane broke apart.  Although the guy said he had just taken one to Spain last month.

How soon should someone going to the DS festival in June buy their plane tickets?  Do you think prices will go up, or down, between then and now?

Way to go, Castlebee!

And at least the anchorwoman's response showed she DID accurately remember the show ( ... it has probably never really left her, and is lurking in her subconscious like a frightful wraith, a fearful archetype ...)

Thank you, Midnite for all of the additional photos.  But, still, is there a way to place the main doors in context of the whole building?  For example, your first pictue (yesterday) shows a lot of it, including the tower, sort of in the middle.  But, on those long shots there's no way to see the close up parts, and I keep wondering where the doors would be!  That's one reason I suggested that maybe it's on the other side and can't be indicated in that view at all.

Josette,

Unless I'm misunderstanding your question, the front entry doors -- the double doors that appear in Midnite's photos (e.g., the one with the small portico) -- are on the opposite side of the house from the view we are usually shown. The view of Collinwood that we normally see (i.e., with the tower somewhat toward the left) is the back side of the house (which faces the ocean).

In our imaginations, at least, this is the side of the house that the drawing room windows look out upon.

If the servants' quarters are "too the left" when you exit the study (as Nathan Forbes directed Victoria when "escorting" her from the premises), then they might be located toward the right end of the house in these photos.

I think we only saw the actual front of the house, including the double doors, a couple of times early on in the B&W episodes shortly after Victoria Winter's arrival.

The window to the study would be somewhat to the left of these double doors.

Vlad