the photograph of helena has absolutely nothing to do with the film...

it is an image from designer marc jacobs fall ad campaign. helena was chosen as his model.

episode 14?

believe it or not kids it's still day TWO.

the book "dark shadows:the first year" geniusly broke down victoria's days at collinwood from her arrival until barnabas' release. it worked out to FIFTY TWO days. less than 8 weeks in collinsport time.

episodes 1-4 are vicki's first night. her first full, action packed day lasted a staggering SIXTEEN episodes(5-20). so you've got 6 more until day three.

the first year pacing is one of it's odder qualities.

i've been viewing the early leviathan storyline and last night i watched some episodes where various characters(maggie, david, amy)come into the todd antique shop to visit carolyn while she "works" and browse around...

to my astonishment many of the "antiques" they pick up were props that had held significant meaning in previous storylines. notably sarah collins long forgotten doll(last seen with dr.woodard), barnabas' toy soldiers from 1795 and even pansy faye's pink feather boa from 1897...which maggie takes the opportunitie to swan about it.

speaking of maggie on a side fashion note before the storyline shifted to 1897 maggie looked very "1960's" but when it returns to the "present"(nine months later)suddenly she looks very "1970's". her hair's different. she wears pants(almost verboten for a DS ingenue). even her attitude's slightly changed.

totally diff.

you're right about the DS shoes midnite...vivier they ain't. them's some cheap shoes!

i think belle could actually make some reassess vicki's much-maligned wardrobe. on one of the DVD collections alexandra herself remarks on how ugly it was.

but again i don't think mostoller and company tried to make their heroine look bad. actually given the elaborateness of vicki's hairdo and the heaviness of her eye makeup(sometimes it looked like loscalzo used a trowel applying it)i think they were trying to make her...if not exactly chic... then fashionable and pretty. she's very belle.

b.t.w. i'm on the creative team at one of new york's toniest department stores(no, not ohrbachs!)and that's how people talk all day, midnite. to give you a little sampling(getting a bit OT)of what we're working on now my boss and i were put creatively in charge of some socialite's surprise birthday party that's being thrown for her in our store's fur salon. our theme for decor(china,linens,placesettings,etc.)is...get ready...leopard print, lavender, fur and dragonflies. there's informal modelling. somehow the waiters ties need to coordinate with the theme. and we have a budget of $15,000 to spend for a two hour luncheon for twelve women.

that's what i do all day.

i have heard...although not at this board...that there are fans who are actually upset that the movie is not using the original actors as it's stars.

to think that a group of obscure actors in their 60's, 70's and 80's could somehow carry this major film is rather unrealistic.

also i'm surprised that quentin's name(and potential casting)is still being bandied about. the cast list has been announced. the plot synopsis released. the film has started shooting. the movie is about BARNABAS' release and the ensuing events not about a much later character and storyline. i doubt johnny depp signed on to this project to share the screen with another male lead.

and guess who the "michael" was who sent the writer an e-mail questioning her assessment of the michelle pfieffer casting...

i'll have to give this episode another look lydia...

i don't recall an episode that didn't feature collinwood at least in part.

you bring up an interesting point about how this soap could have "gone in another direction". in a way the story we started out with went underexplored... and then it was abandoned entirely for something completely different.

like you i'm glad the show ultimately made the jump. but still i can't help but wonder how things could have played out differently. i enjoyed these episodes as much as anything that came once the show went supernatural. it had a charm all it's own.

given the show's overall scope these months are almost like an isolated series within a series.