Originally posted by Vlad on February 23, 2002 at 15:30:07:

Gerard, what a great hobby! And very interesting info about the S.S. Moltke.

Actually, it shouldn't be too hard to find a connection with DS. Wasn't the 18th and 19th century Collins family involved in shipping (and only later, in the fishing business)? I recently watched the first 11 episodes of the 1991 revival series, and Joshua Collins says that he is a ship*builder* (something I didn't remember from the original 1795 episodes).

I think you could come up with some good background for us during these DS time periods! Please keep us informed and educated on the subject!

-Vlad

Posted by Vlad on February 21, 2002 at 19:28:18:
In Reply to: Re: Favorite Collinwood Libations posted by Julia99 on February 18, 2002 at 20:02:52:

Everyone's input here was inspiring (I won't say in what way)!

Yes, I do remember now that brandy was Quentin's drink (was it also the first Quentin's drink? ...), and I do remember being somewhat surprised at that. Why? Because I always thought of whiskey being a more "masculine" drink -- and would have guessed Quentin to be more of a Scotch man (Chivas Regal, Cutty Sark ...).

Reminds me that my dad always ordered Scotch and soda or a Manhattan, and my mom a vodka gimlet or old fashioned when we dined out ... And I've always preferred such drinks myself rather than the Kool-Aid variety the other kids (COLLEGE kids, mind you) seemed to prefer ... And those luscious frozen daiquiris my mom used to keep in the freezer all summer ... we kids were sometimes given a teaspoonful as a sample ...

I guess I never had a problem swallowing brandy (I always found it rather mellow), or even whiskey "neat"!

-Vlad

Originally posted by Vlad on February 21, 2002 at 18:54:43:

how does Jules know so much about seances

Did she take part in an earlier seance to contact Josette?

-Vlad

Originally posted by Vlad on February 19, 2002 at 18:08:01:
In Reply to: Re: Mr. Grayson Hall joins the show! posted by RingoCollins on February 15, 2002 at 13:14:52:

Does anyone read comments that are four days old and far, far down on the board, I wonder?

For what it's worth, I can't believe that Sam Hall joined the DS team AFTER Grayson Hall. I have read specifically in print in several sources that he was a writer on the show first and that Grayson joined afterwards. I am pretty sure that one source stating this was an interview with Sam Hall!!

-Vlad 

Originally posted by Vlad on February 19, 2002 at 17:40:18:
In Reply to: Re: Julia rocks, Julia rolls! posted by Julia99 on February 19, 2002 at 17:30:38:

The episode reminded me of a similar "tour de force" that Agnes Moorhead gave on an episode of "The Twilight Zone," I think it was, that I caught a while back. (She was being pursued by a tiny flying saucer or something.) It was similarly silly, but not *quite* so campy (can't believe I used that term in reference to DS, but there you go ¢â‚¬¦).

But learning of the association with "La Voix Humaine" does add some gravitas ¢â‚¬¦



-Vlad

Originally posted by Vlad on the Dark Shadows: General Discussion on February 18, 2002 at 18:06:52:

Has anyone catalogued what alcoholic beverage every character drinks in every time period on the show?

I think this would be an interesting exercise in trivia -- and just think what it might reveal about each character!

I've noticed in several posts recently that people have made references to brandy. Not having paid too much attention to this sort of thing during my previous viewings, I'm guessing that brandy is Roger Collins' drink of choice. I'm trying to remember what Naomi Collins liked to nip back in 1795. A complete list should expand beyond the dark-paneled walls of Collinwood, of course - The Blue Whale would open up a whole new vista into the characters' lives - What do Vicki and Carolyn order when they're kicking back or dancing to the one-tune jukebox? Better add the Evans cottage to the list  - Can't remember, did Matthew Morgan like to put back a few, too?

Last Friday, Barnabas hospitably offered Julia a glass of port when she dropped by for a chat about why he was terrorizing her. (Ahh, port and claret - I seem to remember those being mentioned in Jane Austen novels, Gone With the Wind -) A few days previously, I think, Elizabeth offered someone a sherry.

I have to blame Castlebee for getting me going on this - a while back she gave me directions for making a hot toddy - I finally got around to experimenting this past weekend (confidential to Castlebee: It happened again - getting carded, I mean - and is it really necessary to even add water??

And while I got around to buying the necessary ingredients for my hot toddy (now that the cold cold winter - not! - is finally about over [crossed fingers] - though I was happy with my hot mulled wine in the meantime), a memory flashed into my mind about Barnabas and Amontillado. So I checked for that while at the liquor store. I've never especially cared for sherry (though I've sipped it at the source, so to speak, in Jerez de la Frontera, and at countless English department functions in years past), I decided it might add a note of authenticity to my late-night viewings of DS. Needing to economize, I substituted a "dry" sherry for imported Amontillado, and found that - surprise of surprises, I actually liked it now!

Enough of my ramblings - (NOT the effects of imbibing, I hasten to add -- that was last weekend),

-Vlad

Originally posted by Vlad on February 14, 2002 at 16:57:07:
In Reply to: Re: Aunt Catherine posted by Luciaphil:

I was puzzled by the reference to "Aunt Catherine" too, and wondered if I had heard correctly. Trace's explanation is sensible, as are both of Luciaphil's.

Funny, I never stopped to think who Roger and Elizabeth's mother was. Could there have been a heritage as steeped in the supernatural on THAT side of the family, too, I wonder?

-Vlad