Thanks for explaining these options, Joe. (I knew that if you saw my question, I could count on you to know the answer!)

Recording from the DVR to the VCR sounds simple enough (if I can figure out how to use my VCR with the new setup) ... although, once making the proper connections you describe between the DVR and the VCR, I have to wonder, what do you do next? (If it's too complicated to explain here, can you suggest how I'd find out how to do this? I could also ask them at BestBuy.)

I may have to price DVD recorders, but I probably can't afford one right now.

A discussion on another thread prodded me to check my boxes for my DS books, which I was sure to bring with me the last time I moved. I was thrilled to find how many DS books I had, several of which I had forgotten about. (The only one missing was the Episode Guide, which saddens me, but I think it's at my mother's house.) I wish I had hours to spend with these books.

At any rate, in "The Dark Shadows Almanac: 30th Anniversary Tribute," there is a page titled "Dark Shadows Sources," and it lists a story by an unknown author, "The Dream Deceivers," as the inspiration for the 1968 Dream curse instigated by Cassandra Blair.

Does anyone know anything about this story? I've done a google search and didn't come up with anything.

This Italian practice was news to me. Mama mia!
 

It was interesting to read your thoughts on "Burnt Offerings," ProfStokes. Perhaps if I had read the book prior to seeing the movie, my views might have been closer to yours. To take the music, while I understand your point, I don't fully agree. I can think of only two "scary" movies that used music (or the lack thereof) in the manner you suggest. One is "The Birds," for which Alfred Hitchcock decided against having any musical score altogether. An interesting experiment, and an effectively scary movie even without any music. The second I can think of is "The Other," which opens with idyllic country scenes and a lush, melodic score, little hinting at the horrors to come. Yet even in the opening credits, there are some discordant notes in this score, suggesting that all is not as lovely and perfect as the scenery suggests.

Now I'm sure there are other examples where the score has been restrained in a frightening movie. But if you compare Cobert's music in "Burnt Offerings" with something more recent like "Sleepy Hollow," which is typical of the bombastic - sledgehammer effect of a lot of today's scores, Cobert's is downright subtle. I found it was noticeable but complemented the screen events well. It would be interesting to re-watch "Psycho" and "Jaws" with their terrifying music and see how early in those movies the scary music begins.

I don't have a problem with the ominous music themes starting early on in "Burnt Offerings." After all, the audience already knows that this is going to be a scary movie. And I found it an interesting counterpoint to the early shots of the beautiful house; it signals an ominous undercurrent to the innocuous appearance of things.

Regarding the music box theme for "Burnt Offerings," which plays in the closing credits - no, it was not used in "Dark Shadows."

Speaking of "Sleepy Hollow," which was on my mind since I just saw that for the first time ... I can't think of a director less suited to direct "Dark Shadows." I mean, Burton is very good at what he does, but his style and form are worlds away from DS.

P.S. to Gerard ... not sure what you meant about the ending possibly leaving you puzzled. What I didn't like was [spoiler]the much too obvious "Psycho" homage to the little old lady sitting in the rocking chair. Although, Karen Black's subsequent embodiment of the old lady wasn't bad.[/spoiler]

Arashi - re: the gore at the end. Yes, that was truly shocking. I don't know which came first, this or "The Omen," but the innovative ways of killing people was rather similar.

MB - interesting to hear about the professional reviews. Guess I'd disagree. I didn't find it trite at all. And considering how often some of the ideas have since been re-worked (The Shining and Rose Red, to name two), triteness has gotten a lot of mileage since "Burnt Offerings." I wonder what some of those critics would say today if they sat down and re-watched "Burnt Offerings," and compared it with more recent "horror" movies.

I mistakenly thought that "Burnt Offerings" had been a TV movie or miniseries (which is why I originally mistakenly posted this under the "Television Horrors of Dan Curtis" thread). I probably got it mixed up with "Harvest Home," which I hadn't (and haven't) seen either, and which I believe also starred Bette Davis.

But as a followup on "Burnt Offerings," I was puzzled to see how poorly this was rated on imdb.com. But when I started to read some of the reviews and the comments forum there, I now understand. A lot of the commentators are very immature and their remarks show them to be rather, well, unsophisticated, viewers who were expecting blood and gore throughout. "Burnt Offerings" is more evocative and moody.

I also thought of the parallels with "The Shining" right away (not to mention "The Amityville Horror," and was pleased to see this wasn't a ripoff of Stephen King. In fact, King apparently has given credit in print to "Burnt Offerings" as inspiring "The Shining."

In my view "Burnt Offerings" deserves more recognition. I think it stands up better today than "The Amityville Horror." I was also reminded somewhat of "The Haunting" (the Robert Wise film with Julie Harris) and actually like this better. I was never particularly creeped out by "The Haunting," whereas I genuinely was with "Burnt Offerings."

And that music box melody is hauntingly lovely.

I just saw "Burnt Offerings" for the first time today; I'm not sure which channel aired it.

It was quite good and kept things mysterious and skin-crawly through most of it. I did guess the ending just before the ending since it was almost identical to what happens at the end of "Night of Dark Shadows."

Dan Curtis really got the stellar cast with this one - Bette Davis, Eileen Heckert, Burgess Meredith, Karen Black, Oliver Reed. Amazing!

I wasn't sure when it started if it was a Dan Curtis production or not, but as soon as I heard the music, I knew it was Robert Cobert. And I must say the music was extremely effective in setting the proper atmosphere. It's really quite amazing when you think of it - how do you make a beautiful house, not spooky in itself, become very ominous? Partly through the music, partly through the direction, and partly through the acting. I'd say that all three worked very well here.

I did have one criticism in that I think Mr. Curtis sometimes tries to draw out the suspense too long in a few scenes to be realistic - for example, when someone in real life would move very quickly in response to a situation, but in the moview they hesitate and then move very slowly. I thought that was a mistake at the end of "Dorian Gray," too, when Linda Kelsey begins to mount the stairs at the end. She hesitates and then moves very slowly, I'm sure under Mr. Curtis's direction. In real life, I think she would have rushed up the stairs as quickly as she possibly could.

david selby was probably confused about the use of quentins theme. it was not used earlier in DARK SHADOWS but it was used in 1 of dan curtis earlier productions. ... i also believe that some of these memories are things that took place during rehearsals and they are remembering them as taking place during the taping.

Those explanations sound very plausible, Joe.

I don't know how to explain two vivid memories I always had from my childhood viewing of Dark Shadows. One concerned either Angelique or Cassandra and I believe took place in the present day (I don't think I ever saw any of the other time periods). In the drawing room of Collinwood, a Bible was open on a table, possibly with a knife stuck into it. Somehow, a verse was indicated which was read aloud: "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live!" If not from DS, I don't know where I would have gotten that at such an early age (elementary school). Nothing like that was ever read in church, and even if it had been, the King James Bible was simply not used. I wonder if that verse was in "The House of the Seven Gables" - either I or my sister had the Classics Illustrated comic version of that.

The other memory is of Julia poised over Barnabas' coffin with a stake in her hand. Her agony of mind was vivid as she struggled with what she knew she had to do: drive a stake through Barnabas' heart.

If anyone can validate either of these scenes, I'd feel much better!