I think the part of Madame Turveil (sp) (the young religious woman) is the hardest to make believable and sympathetic to a modern audience.  The only one who has succeeded, IMO, was Nastassia Kinski, but the writers toned down the religious tenor of the role.  Seeing how beautiful she was in this part I've been imagining if only she had played "Clarissa" - though the BBC production is powerful as it is; I'd rate it at least as high as the Close-Malkovich "Dangerous Liaisons."

Thanks, that gives me the information I need.

MB, please report back here after you've seen the play!  I would love to see this on stage (I've seen three film/television versions) and I think Michael T. Weiss should make a good Valmont.  (I was impressed the first time I saw John Malkovich in the 1988 movie, but then I saw him give the same performance in "Portrait of a Lady," and then in another movie, and in another movie ... )

Coincidentally, I have been watching the DVD of the BBC production of "Clarissa," one of those long 18th century novels I never got around to reading (though I did read "Pamela,"), and it's amazing how close the setup is in "Clarissa."  In fact, information on the production claims that 18th century French novelist Choderlos de Laclos (whose name always looked more Spanish to me) got the idea for "Les Liaisons Dangereuses" from "Clarissa."

Who is playing the Marquise de Merteuil?

P.S. If anyone has seen the full DVD version (in French) of the Catherine Deneuve/Rupert Everett version, please IM me ... I'm wondering if it is as much improved over the version that aired on the WE network as one commentator I've read claimed.  The DVD is becoming very hard to obtain by now but is very expensive.

I've heard good things about gmail (via google).  I decided to set up an account myself this week, but discovered that you have to have a mobile phone in order to set up an account.  They will then send you some sort of code over the phone that you must use in order to get the gmail account.  Sounds bizarre and excludes those few remaining people on the planet such as myself who do not have a cell phone.

I agree that the price of that house is a steal.  Can't imagine it being priced that low in either of "my" two states here in the Upper Midwest.  I've never heard of Belfast but am guessing it must be very remote ...

It is exciting to see that a house resembling the Old House really was built in the correct location - Maine - in the 1840s.  I wonder if  such a house COULD, theoretically, have been built there during the Revolutionary War, when the Old House was built.  Someone on the forum once described the homes dating from that era in Maine and they didn't seem to be much like what we see on DS.

I remember providing a link to an impressive house of the correct place (Maine) and time (late 1700s).  While lovely and impressive, though, the house didn't look very much like what we see on DS, but it was fun to get a sense of the times.

The topic of "Dracula" movies comes up from time to time - about two years ago it was mentioned that the 1977 BBC version "Count Dracula" with Louis Jourdain had been released on DVD by an educational division of the BBC.  By the time this information was mentioned on this forum, the DVD unfortunately was no longer available.  I had somehow missed the production when it originally aired - something I regretted ever since as I had savored Stoker's novel.  This BBC version was usually said to be the most faithful version to the novel unlike nearly every previous filmed version.  Dan Curtis' very well-done 1974 TV version starring Jack Palance with a screenplay by Richard Matheson came reasonably close.  Curtis and Matheson borrowed a theme from "Dark Shadows" and had Lucy Westenra the reincarnation of Dracula's lost love of centuries ago.  Though this theme is not present in the novel, I thought it made for an interesting element in the television adaptation.

The only other version before or since reasonably close to the novel was the Jess Franco "El Conde Dracula" ("Count Dracula") starring Christopher Lee.  The beginning and ending of that film followed the novel closely but the film deteriorates badly midway through - apparently the production ran out of money.

Someone on the forum suggested that I check e-bay for a pirated version of the Louis Jourdain "Count Dracula," but I was uncomfortable with the idea and uncomfortable with the whole ebay concept.  Just before Christmas, though, I ended up following a link to a guy's website who sells copies of it both from his website and through e-bay.  The price was reasonable (about $10) and no bidding was necessary, so I decided to go for it.  There are no indications that the film will ever be released on DVD in the U.S., so there is no other possibility of ever seeing it.  Having waited 29 years in vain, I decided I'd go for it this time.

I'm glad I did.  The quality is quite good, better than some cheap videos I've seen released (among them the aforementioned Christopher Lee "Count Dracula").  The picture quality is, IMO, about the same as you would get taping something on video in EP.  It's not too dark like some cheap video but there is a certain shimmering/wavy quality to some items in the background at times.  The sound quality is on the low side, though I've experienced that on a number of expensive, commercially produced DVDs (e.g, "The Others" with Nicole Kidman).

There are a few deviations from the novel (supporting character omissions, etc.) but on the whole this is very close to the novel, down to much of the dialogue coming straight from the book.  The biggest departure from the text, for me, was Jourdain's portrayal of Dracula.  He captures a very creep quality, but not the combination of fury and vigor one senses from the novel (and which Christopher Lee excells at).  The sets are excellent, evocative (interiors are shot on video, like DS), and there is location shooting in Whitby.  There are a few scenes that are eerier than any other Dracula movie, IMO.

This reminds me that I got the DS Collection 1 DVD set for Christmas, and I can't wait to re-watch the early Barnabas scenes.  The scenes where Barnabas meets Maggie in the coffee shop and soon begins preying on her reminded me a lot of "Dracula" when I first saw them a few years ago.  I thought they were among the eeriest scenes ever on DS.

-Vlad

No.

I have some interest in the Dark Shadows spinoffs, continuations, extensions, whatever - whether they are the novels or new series or HODS or NODS.  But only what happened on the show, between 1966 and 1971, is the true "Dark Shadows."

Interesting that the Sam Hall TV Guide article was brought up - I wouldn't have thought of that.  And I agree with the comments that it seems out of place with the tenor and events on the show.  I can't help wondering if it was written tongue in cheek.

The only way we would know what really happened after 1971 is if the series had continued.  Imagine the possibilities if the original show still continued uninterrupted today ...

 

OK, I had to come back here just to say that I read through the transcript of the online interview with Dan Curtis where he talks about doing "A Christmas Carol."  I don't remember having read it before, although Prof Stokes provided the link in the old thread (which MB has provided a link to in this thread).  I do prefer one of our forum member's casting suggestions though, i.e. David Selby as Scrooge's nephew (rather than DC's choice - Roger Davis).

I also thought Mr. Curtis's comment on his never having known Vicki's history was quite interesting in light of all the speculations we've had online.  I never knew he had said this.

-Vlad