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Topics - Bob_the_Bartender

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Current Talk '12 II / Which DS Episode, Do You Think, Inspired Joanne Woodward To...

« on: September 13, 2012, 12:30:46 AM »

telegram the show, and proclaim: "Dark Shadows, I Love You!!!"?

Yes, gang, there are so many possible DS episodes, which may have prompted the great Academy Award-winning actress to express her admiration and fondness for everyone's favorite Gothic soap opera.

Perhaps it was the memorable early DS episode in which Barnabas, in planning to knock-off Dr. Julia Hoffman, has an extremely pesky fly land repeatedly on his face as he discusses Julia's impending fate with Willie Loomis in the Old House drawing room?

Then again, maybe it was one of those truly comedic (intentionally or otherwise) DS episodes, featuring the silver-tongued (and silver-haired) Dr. Eric Lang and his laidback and unfailingly self-effacing lab assistant, Mr. Jeff Clark? (I'd vote for one these timeless episodes as one that might have inspired Ms. Woodward to telegram Dan Curtis and company with her best wishes.)

Maybe Ms. Woodward particularly admired actor Dennis Patrick's particularly long and florid death scene after his character Paul Stoddard, had been "slimed" by Jeb Hawkes, in Jeb's "superior" Leviathan form, in Prof. Stokes' apartment?

Can you think of any other DS episodes/moments which may have inspired Ms. Woodward to proclaim her great affection for Dark Shadows?

Bob

Calendar Events / Announcements '12 II / Dark Shadows & I Never Sang For My Father

« on: July 31, 2012, 03:16:13 PM »

Hey gang,

I was watching this excellent film the other day and spotted several Dark Shadows alumni in the flick. Appearing along with Gene Hackman and the late Melvyn Douglas were Lovelady Powell (Portia Fitzsimmons) as Mr. Hackman's paramour, and Daniel Keyes (The Eagle Hill Cemetery caretaker) as a medical doctor.

Mr. Keyes portrayed a physician, who was assisting Mr. Hackman in finding a suitable nursing home for his elderly, and recently widowed father, Melvyn Douglas. It was strange seeing Mr. Keyes portraying a character who was so lucid and in command (so unlike the wonderfully spacey Eagle Hill Cemetery caretaker character).

You know, the film's title, "I Never Sang For My Father," could almost also apply to Barnabas' somewhat strained relationship with his own stern and domineering father, Joshua, imo.

Bob

Current Talk '12 II / Re: DS DVD Collection 6, Disc 4 and Bathia Mapes

« on: July 12, 2012, 08:45:13 PM »

Hey gang,

I happened to be watching the 1795 storyline flashback the other day on the above mentioned dvd, and I noticed during the famous DS scene, in which actress Anita Bolster, as Bathia Mapes, forgets her line of: "Then go to the house of the curse!," that MPI had apparently edited out actress Ms. Bolster's unfortunate faux pas.

On both the numerous, earlier PBS and the SCI-FI Channel broadcasts of "Dark Shadows," you can clearly hear the director (or some other member of the production crew) shouting that line to Ms. Bolster as both Louis Edmonds and Jonathan Frid, almost desperately, wait for her to tell Joshua Collins where to take the poor, cursed Barnabas to. (Thankfully, Ms. Bolster's blooper has been preserved, no doubt, on thousands of DS videotapes across America and the world for posterity's sake!)

It's kind of sad that future generations of DS fans (if they only watch the MPI dvds) will never get to hear, or possibly even be aware of, one of the show's classic bloopers on episode 451, which aired on March 18, 1968. (I personally think that the Bathia Mapes blooper is "Dark Shadows'" greatest blooper, bar none.)

Ironically, during those 1795 episodes, MPI was not able to edit out actor Joel Crothers' two contretemps, when, as the dashing, but dastardly Lt. Nathan Forbes, Mr. Crothers had difficulty in placing his coat and hat on the Collinwood foyer table (without them falling off of the table) and also when he later stormed out of Collinwood in a rage, slamming the door behind him (only to have the door open up behind him, forcing him to turn and close the door extremely slowly!)

Bob

Current Talk '12 I / 1968: The Great Year of Two Daily Doses of Dark Shadows!

« on: June 16, 2012, 09:28:12 PM »

Hey gang,

I remember when I used to be able to watch the same episode of Dark Shadows twice back in 1968. At the time, my family lived along the ocean on the beautiful New Jersey shore. As a result, we could pick up Channel 6, the local Philadelphia ABC affiliate, which aired Dark Shadows at 3:30PM every weekday.

At 4:00 PM, Channel 7, the local New York ABC affiliate aired that very same episode. Let me tell you, what great joy it was to see Dr. Eric Lang (portrayed by the late, great Addison Powell) interacting with his young lab assistant Jeff Clark (portrayed by the irrepressible Roger Davis) during the Adam and Eve storyline.

Just to watch Dr. Lang, on a twice daily basis, telling Jeff that he was going to give him "a 'treatment' for your problem," was an absolute treat to see!

(And let's not forget Jeff Clark's immortal Dark Shadows moment, when he showed up at Dr. Lang's laboratory, with that all-too-phony arm, packed in a box of ice!)

I wonder if any other Dark Shadows fans across the country had the opportunity to see the same episode of Dark Shadows twice back during those halcyon days? For example, perhaps Maine fans of the show were able to pick up Dark Shadows on both the Portland and Boston ABC stations during 1968?

Bob

Calendar Events / Announcements '12 I / Dark Passages: A Work of Fiction, a Roman A' Clef or, Somehow, Both?

« on: May 31, 2012, 09:47:16 PM »

Hey, gang,

I think that KLS' recent novel, "Dark Passages," is outstanding. Ms. Scott deftly combines her own experiences as an actress and Playboy Club bunny in New York City in the book, along with a very compelling supernatural storyline.

It was fun to "contrast" the fictional members of the cast of "Dark Passages" with the members of the cast of "Dark Shadows." Two "Dark Passages" characters, leading man Steve (Burke Devlin?) and Mr. Harrison (Sam Evans?), were very "outgoing" and even ribald individuals on and off camera!

Ms. Scott also incorporates the Cuban missile crisis and the assassination of President John F. Kennedy into her novel. (I remember one of my boyhood friend's fathers, a local policeman, clearing out his family home's basement in order to set up a makeshift bomb shelter in the event that Nikita Kruschev did fire missiles at New York City back then. I thought this was a bit silly, since we only lived about two miles from Times Square!)

Ian Fletcher/Sebastian Stanhope (Barnabas Collins?) was another terrific character with a European background in the novel. Mr. Fletcher and Margie Blatch (KLS' "real" name in the novel) also have a budding romance to go along with the supernatural intrigue.

I hope that Ms. Scott intends to write a sequel to "Dark Passages." Maybe Johnny Depp will even want to portray Ian Fletcher/Sebastian Stanhope in a screen version of ""Dark Passages" in a couple of years!?!

Bob

Calendar Events / Announcements '12 I / KLS On Coast-to-Coast AM This Upcoming Friday

« on: April 30, 2012, 11:57:30 PM »

Hey gang,

Kathryn Leigh Scott is scheduled to be a guest on the first half of the Friday, May 4, 2012 edition of Coast-to-Coast Am with host George Noory.

Ms. Scott will, of course, be discussing Dark Shadows, her two new DS books, the upcoming Tim Burton Dark Shadows film, and, certainly, the recent and extremely sad death of the great Jonathan Frid.

Coast-to-CoastAM airs from 1:00 AM until 5:00 AM on the east coast.

You can access the show's web page and station listings at www.coasttocoastam.com.

Bob

Calendar Events / Announcements '12 I / Regarding: The Six Degrees of Separation of Mark Twain and Portia Fitzsimmons

« on: April 28, 2012, 09:07:38 PM »

Hey gang,

I just finished a terrific book, entitled "Harold: The Boy Who Became Mark Twain, " an autobiography by the very distinguished actor, Hal Holbrook. We all know Mr. Holbrook from his memorable performances in such notable films as "All the President's Men," "Natural Enemies," and "Magnum Force" (one of my all-time favorites).

In the book, Mr. Holbrook relates his experiences of growing up in Ohio, attending Dennison University and his US Army service during World War II. In addition, Mr. Holbrook recounts his many travels across the United States as a struggling actor, literally, from Goffstown, N.H. to Socorro, N.M., and from McMinnville, Oregon to Pascagoula, Miss., during which he first devised his wonderful portrayal of the legendary American humorist/author, Mark Twain (a/k/a Samuel Clemens).

Mr. Holbrook writes about his early experiences on a 1950s soap opera, called "The Brighter Day." However, he first became really noticed (by the great Ed Sullivan) during his appearances at a NYC nightclub called "Upstairs at the Duplex" during the late 1950s. Two of his college friends appeared with him onstage there: pianist Bruce Morton and a young and vivacious actress/singer named Lovelady Powell.

Mr. Holbrook relates that when he appeared onstage in his Mark Twain grey wig, moustache, and trademark white suit, the nightclub goers actually thought that he was Col. Harlan Sanders of Kentucky Fried Chicken fame! "Are we going to served chicken along with drinks?" they asked him.

Of course, that actress/singer, Lovelady Powell, would later become famous as the coolly beautiful Portia Fizsimmons, art dealer extraordinaire, on "Dark Shadows." (I believe that there had been speculation that Portia Fitzsimmons was Buzz Hackett's beckoner in a continuation of Angelique's infamous "Dream Curse" on this very web site several years ago, but I digress.)

In a Nov. 5, 1955 review of the performers of the "Upstairs at the Duplex," in "The New Yorker," the critic wrote: "Things pickup when a tall, slim and handsome brunette with the disturbing (emphasis added) name of Lovey Powell strides brislkly into view and delivers a group of superior songs in husky tones."

"Miss Powell is really no great shakes as a singer, but she is a talented actress, and I am certain they you will have no fault with her delivery of "Ten Cents a Dance," and "Stay Well," and several other attractive things."

Wow, I never knew that Ms. Powell was such a renowned nightclub entertainer, in addition to being an accomplished stage actress. It's too bad that she never got to sing some appropriately sultry torch song (like, for instance, "I Want to Dance With You"?) at The Blue Whale on "Dark Shadows"!

Then again, I regret that we never got to hear the late, great Louis Edmond deliver his, undoubtedly, soulful interprertation of "Try to Remember" or the wonderfully whimsical "Plant a Radish," both from the long-running, off-Broadway smash, "The Fantasticks," on "Dark Shadows" either. C'est la vie.

Bob

Current Talk '12 I / Some Possible Favorite TV Shows of the DS Characters

« on: March 10, 2012, 09:36:06 PM »

Hey gang,

During Dark Shadows' run, I believe that we only got to see one or two television sets in any of the DS characters' homes or apartments; I think that Buffie Harrington had a portable tv in her apartment room, for example.

I would have liked to have seen some of the characters, enjoying some "quality time," watching their favorite shows on the boob tube. For instance, it would have been fun to have seen Mrs. Stoddard, Carolyn and Vicky, sitting down in the Collinwood study (or perhaps the recreation room/den) and tuning into "Peyton Place" two nights a week on the local Collinsport ABC channel. Perhaps David enjoyed watching "The Monkees" or "The Invaders" with Amy Jennings? (Amy probably preferred "That Girl" to "The Invaders," imo.)

Then again, just once on the show, I would have liked to have seen a large tv set, hanging over the bar at The Blue Whale. Can you imagine Barnabas and Willie (on an extremely rare occasion when Barnabas accompanied Willie out for a night on the town) watching Monday Night Football on ABC? Oh, to see Willie trying to explain the arcane rules of professional football to Barnabas, a man of the 18th century! I suspect that Barnabas might have opined about sportscaster Howard Cosell to Willie: "That fellow, Cosell, is just the 'least' bit, aureate in his comments, I must say."

Anyway, here a some shows, I think that DS characters might have enjoyed tuning into:

Adam - The Munsters and Maury

Alexander, the Leviathan child - Dennis-the-Menace

Angelique - Bewitched

Barnabas Collins, and his servant, Willie Loomis - This Old House and The Odd Couple

Nicholas Blair - Tales from the Crypt and Playboy After Dark

Ezra Braithwaite - The Lawrence Welk Show and Waiting For God

David Collins - The Wonder Years

Olivia Corey (a/k/a Amanda Harris) - How Do I Look?

Laura Collins - Divorce Court and Desperate Housewives

Roger Collins - To the Manor Born and Father Knows Best

Burke Devlin - Bonanza and Executive Suite

Roxanne Drew - The Vampire Diaries

The Eagle Hill Cemetery Caretaker - Six Feet under and Keeping Up With the Kardashians

Maggie Evans - Alice and Our Miss Brooks

Sam Evans - Sister Wendy's History of Art and Dark Passages

Buzz Hackett - The Mod Squad and Then Came Bronson

Bruno Hess - Have Gun, Will Travel

Dr. Julia Hoffman - The Elevnth Hour and Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman

Ms. Julia Hoffman - Downton Abbey

Chris Jennings - Being Human

Tom Jennings - Also, Being Human and Ask This Old House

Harry Johnson - It Takes A Thief

Mrs. Sarah Johnson - Hazel and Upstairs, Downstairs

Dr. Eric Lang - Nip-and-Tuck

Jason McGuire - Ballykissangel and Who Want's To Be A Millionaire?

Sheriff George Patterson - The Andy Griffith Show and Car 54: Where Are You?

Bob Rooney - Cheers and Ryan's Hope

Carolyn Stoddard - The Young and the Restless

Paul Stoddard - Run For Your Life and Make Room For Daddy

Hallie Stokes - Fear Factor

Prof. T. Elliott Stokes - The X-Files and Bachelor Father

Charles Delaware tate - Learn to Paint with Bob Ross and One Foot in the Grave

Phillip and Megan Todd - Antiques Roadshow and American Pickers

Mr. Wells - Fawlty Towers

Vicky Winters - Anne of Green Gables and Super Nanny

Dr. Dave Woodard - Marcus Welby, M.D. and Diagnosis Murder

John Yeager - What Not To Wear

Can you think of any other shows, which the DS characters might have enjoyed watching?

Bob

Current Talk '12 I / An Actual Instance of Bad Judgment on the Part of the Estimable Prof. Stokes?

« on: January 12, 2012, 07:28:27 PM »

Hey gang,

While watching the summer of 1970 Dark Shadows episodes recently, I wondered if the normally sage and perspicacious Prof. T. Elliott Stokes really screwed up royally with his decision to bring his young niece, Hallie Stokes, to stay at Collinwood so soon after the tragic death of Hallie's parents in a car accident?

After all, if Amy Jennings' prior experiences were any indication, Collinwood was hardly a safe and serene setting for a young person to live and develop emotionally in.

And, could Maggie Evans have been all that thrilled, that she would now have to be responsible for the education and guidance of two teenagers, both on the cusp of burgeoning adulthood?

I tell you, what bothers me most about the usually wise Prof. Stokes' decision to bring his niece to Collinwood, is that we all had to sit through dozens of Dark Shadows episodes in which we had to listen to the young Ms. Stokes' incessant moaning, whining and kvetching.

(Maybe Prof. Stokes should have asked just Dr. Hoffman to supply Hallie with some apparently much-needed prescriptions for Xanax and Remeron in order to help his jumpy niece with her seemingly unending anxiety attacks, while Hallie stayed with the professor at HIS home?)

Bob the Bartender

Current Talk '11 II / The Collinsport Inn: You Can Check Out Anytime You Want to...

« on: September 29, 2011, 10:30:40 PM »

but you can never leave (or so it seems).

Did you ever get the feeling that the Collinsport Inn was not the most "salubrious" of quaint New England inns to stay at? It always seemed to me that the various guests at the inn over the show's run, did not have happy visits to Collinsport.

The very first guest we got to see at the Collinsport Inn was Burke Devlin, who seemed to take up permanent residence in the top floor room (or rooms) of the inn right up until the time his plane, tragically, went down in flames, somewhere over the vast Amazon jungle.

The next guest, albeit extremely briefly, was Roger Collins' "better" half, Laura Collins. (Okay, to be accurate, Laura checked into the inn, but immediately moved out when Mrs. Stoddard agreed to let her stay at Matthew Morgan's old cottage in order to be closer to young David.) "Sadly," Laura eventually went up in flames in that fishing shack on the Collinwood estate.

Of course, who can forget the beautiful actress Oliva Corey (a/k/a Amanda Harris), who after failing to restore Quentin Collins' ( a/k/a Grant Douglas') 1897 memory of her as Amanda, left the Collinsport Inn for limbo (?) after the mysterious Mr. Best called for her at the inn? (While Olivia/Amanda ultimately did not make it back from Never/Never Land, thankfully Grant/Quentin did.)

And, Paul Stoddard hardly had a "fun" time, while he was a guest at the Collinsport Inn. Do you remember all those creepy phone calls he kept receiving in his room, ostensibly from Mr. Strak (even with the receiver off of the hook)? Mr. Strak must have also snuck into the room and circled that fateful date on the wall calendar in Paul Stoddard's room.

Heck, the Collinsport Inn maid must have been really ticked-off when she found all of those those candles and that arcane pentagram symbol, etched onto the floor of the room, don't you think? It's just as well that the maid did not run into Mr. Stoddard and that sailor after that stunt! You knew that it would not turn out well for Mr. Stoddard after he eventually ended up in the basement of the Todds' antique shop, only to be "slimed" by Jeb Hawkes' "higher" form.

And, what of the good people, who worked at the Collinsport Inn? We all recall that it was while Maggie Evans was working at the inn's coffee shop, that Maggie first made the acquaintance of Mr. Barnabas Collins. (Things quickly took a turn for the extreme worse after that encounter for Ms. Evans.)

Finally, poor Mr. Wells, the Collinsport Inn desk clerk, who should have listened to Chris Jennings' request that he (Mr. Wells) ignore any strange noises coming out of Chris' room at the inn. Remember that Chris told Mr. Wells that he sometimes "acted out" his ideas for his book? (By the way, I wonder where "Chris" disposed of Mr. Wells body after their bloody and tragic encounter in that room?)

Can you imagine if Burke Devlin had still been a guest at Collinsport Inn when Chris "acted out" some of those ideas in that tiny room of his? Heck, Burke would have probably stormed down to Chris' room, pounded on the door and shouted, "Hey, buddy, why don't you cut out that 'expletive-deleted' racket, for Christ's sake!?!"

At least, Susie, the so-called silent waitress at the Collinsport Inn, did not also "share" in Maggie and Mr. Well's bad luck while working at the inn (as far as we know?).

Somehow, I don't think that either Arthur Frommer or the late, lamented Eugene Fodor would have given a four-star recommendation for the Collinsport Inn as a charming and relaxing destination while vacationing in Collinsport. Better to try your luck at the local Days Inn, if only to insure your peace of mind and survival.

Current Talk '11 II / Regarding the "Shoveler" in the Collinwood Foyer

« on: July 18, 2011, 05:13:43 PM »

Hey, gang,

Excuse me if this has been brought up before, but does anyone know if there is any significance (or backstory) to that statue of the man with the shovel in his hands in the Collinwood foyer?

I think that we got to see that man, sans the shirt, on the top of the table in the foyer for the entire run of the series. Do you think that Mrs. Stoddard or Roger purchased the statue at some tony gallery in Boston or, possibly, in town at a local yard sale over at the Eagle Hill Cemetery caretaker's cottage?

And, just what is that enigmatic man shoveling (dirt, coal, or something "else," usually found in great "quantity" in rural areas)?

Perhaps that mesomorphic man is just as ubiquitous as that Count Petofi Hand-in-the-Box or that portrait of that 19th century man with the handlebar moustache were on "Dark Shadows"?

Bob

Calendar Events / Announcements '11 I / Ode to NJN

« on: June 29, 2011, 08:39:08 PM »

Hey gang,

I just wanted to bid farewell to New Jersey Network, the Garden State's own public network television station, which is going off the air after nearly forty years of broadcasting. Sadly, due to budget difficulties, NJN will cease broadcasting after tomorrow night.

Of course, I believe that NJN was one of the first PBS stations in the US to broadcast Dark Shadows, starting way back in 1983. NJN began its airing of Dark Shadows with the classic episode featuring Mrs. Johnson answering the front door at Collinwood and meeting Barnabas Collins, that very-much unexpected "cousin from England."

NJN continued to air Dark Shadows for the next several years, right up to Parallel Time episode number 1006, in which actor John Harkins (as chemist Horace Gladstone) declared dramatically to actor Christopher Pennock (as Dr. Cyrus Longworth): "Cyrus Longworth is John Yeager, and John Yeager is Cyrus Longworth!" Regrettably, all of the New Jersey/New York/Pennsylvania DS fans (including yours truly), who used to tune into NJN every night to catch the latest goings-on with Barnabas, Julia, Willie, etc., had to wait for far too many years to finally see what happened during the remaining 239 episodes of the program over on the Sci-Fi Channel.

Still, it was great to see Dark Shadows aired again in 1983, after not having seen the much-beloved show since its cancellation in April of 1971.

Au revoir, New Jersey Network. Thanks for the great memories of Dark Shadows on New Jersey's PBS station.

Current Talk '11 I / Do You think Anyone Bothered to Attend Matthew Morgan's Service?

« on: June 17, 2011, 12:35:14 AM »

Hey gang,

Watching the first year episodes of "Dark Shadows" recently (which are very good, seeing many of the beloved DS characters leading so-called "normal" lives before Mr. B. eventually showed up in town), I wondered if after Matthew Morgan departed this mortal coil, did the Collinses or anyone from town take the time to say au revoir to ol' Matthew? (A stone-cold-dead Matthew had barely hit the floor of the drawing room in the Old House, when Laura Collins showed up, and it was almost as if Matthew had never existed, imo.)

I mean, Matthew was "hardly" the Andy Hardy or even the Regis Philbin of Collinsport, don't you agree? Certainly, Vicky Winters and Burke Devlin (not to mention the recently departed and beloved Bill Malloy) had little reason to mourn the surly Matthew's passing. However, since Matthew had been a loyal employee/servant for the Collins family for many years, maybe a magnanimous Mrs. Stoddard, along with a reluctant Roger, a bored Carolyn, and Matthew's little playmate, David, did attend "Mr. Sunshine's" funeral ceremony?

Previous to working as a handyman at Collinwood, I couldn't remember if Matthew had just worked in the Collins Cannery or had also worked as a fisherman on one of the Collins fishing boats. If Matthew had been a fisherman (possibly, along with Joe Haskell's late father), perhaps Mrs. Stoddard arranged for Matthew's body to be buried at sea from one of the Collins fishing boats?

I can see it now: Matthew's tightly-wrapped corpse, being ever-so-gently and ever-so-respectfully lowered into the sea by Ezra Ahearn, Joe Haskell and some of the other longtime fishermen of the Collins Fishing Fleet, as Sheriff Patterson and his deputies discharged a solemn volley of gunshots from their service revolvers in a final tribute to the curmudgeonly, old man of the sea and the cannery.

And, of course, Mrs. Stoddard, in an almost tristful and pensive manner, would toss a bouquet of flowers into the sea; flowers which Matthew used to so diligently and lovingly cultivate on the grounds surrounding the great house of Collinwood.

I tell you, Matthew's possible burial at sea might have rivalled the late, unlamented Osama bin Laden's impromptu dumping into the Red Sea for solemnity and dignity.

So long, Matthew. We hardly knew ye!

PS Maybe Mrs. Johnson, puffing on one of her Lucky Strikes out there on the fishing boat, shed a tear for poor, old Matthew?

Current Talk '11 I / Regarding the End Credits of the "Dark Shadows: The Beginning" DVDs

« on: June 14, 2011, 07:36:43 PM »

Hey gang,

I get a big kick out of hearing the announcer at the end of the "pre-Barnabas" episodes, mentioning some of the ABC shows that were being broadcast back during 1966/1967 while watching the final DS credits on those first year, black-and-white episodes.

That wonderfully resonant-sounding announcer (who initially intoned the immortal words: "Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis Production" at the end of each show before the DS cast members eventually did the honors) might say something like: "Tonight, on ABC see 'Bewitched' and 'Combat' in Color!" (Yes color was a big deal in 1966!)

Wow, do those promos bring back wonderful memories of such 1960s' ABC night time classics as "Peyton Place," the aforementioned "Combat" (which my brothers and I loved to watch with our late, World War II US Army veteran father) and the cool and thought-provoking sci-fi series, "The Invaders," featuring the always terrific Roy Thinnes, the future Roger Collins of NBC's 1990 Dark Shadows revival series.

Ah, yes, the halcyon days of Dark Shadows, The Avengers, Combat and so many other superb series on ABC during the 1960s. Sadly, we'll never see their great likes again....

Bob

PS Does anyone know the name of that silver-toned ABC announcer on the Dark Shadows episodes?

Calendar Events / Announcements '11 I / Collinsport, ME and Whitewood, MA.: Possible Sister Cities?

« on: May 12, 2011, 12:24:12 AM »

Hey gang,

I recently watched a new dvd copy of a British 1960 supernatural thriller film, entitled "The City of the Dead." The star of the film is the truly great, Sir Christopher Lee.

Basically, the film deals with a coven of witches, who, since 1692, have gathered together to conduct a human sacrifice on every Candlemas Eve (February 1) to honor their "boss' and to renew their immortality for another year.

Sir Christopher portrays Prof. Alan Driscoll, an expert in the occult (and a not-so-nice version of Prof. T. Elliott Stokes), who urges one of his comely, young female students to travel to Whitewood in order to gain a better "insight" into the history and legends of witchcraft in New England. (I don't want to spoil the plot, but suffice it to say, that that impromptu academic field trip ends rather badly for the young coed.)

The village of Whitewood, Massachusetts reminded me very much of the beloved Collinsport, Maine; most of the the residents seem to be very creepy and there always seems to be an incredible amount of fog, rising up from the streets and sidewalks of the town (very much like the pea soup-like stuff Barnabas encountered when he first met the Leviathans on his way along the path to the Old House).

Of course, there is an especially nasty witch around, named Elizabeth Selwyn (shades of Angelique), who was previously burned at the stake in 1692, right around the same time that Judah Zachery had his head lopped off after his own witchcraft trial.

The film was directed by veteran director John Lllewllyn Moxey, who directed such memorable television series as "Mission Impossible," "Kung Fu," "Magnum P.I.," and the superb British spy series, "The Avengers," starring the wonderful Patrick MacNee and the remarkable Dame Diana Rigg.

Oh yeah, Mr. Moxey also directed the 1972 cult supernatural t.v. film, "The Night Stalker," starring Darrin McGavin and the beautiful Carol Lynley, and produced by one Mr. Dan Curtis, a prolific giant of both American film and television, and who once also produced a Gothic daytime soap opera, which we all may have seen, from time to time, over the years.

The dvd also features commentaries by both Sir Christopher Lee and Mr. Moxey, and also an in-depth interview with the United Kingdom's greatest film Dracula. I first saw this film on John Zacherle's Friday night horror show on Channel 11 in NYC way back during the 1960s, and I wholeheartedly recommend this genuinely spooky film to all of my Dark Shadows cousins today.

Bob