This is off-topic but not without precedent since we've provided links to other published articles written by or about Forum members.

David Nahmod asked that his article, appearing in the San Francisco Sentinel and also published in San Jose, Sacramento and Portland papers, be mentioned here as it may be helpful to other DS fans.  Please send a PM to David if you'd like more information.

"Far From the Maddening Crowd" a gay man's musings on living with manic depressive illness

It just so happens that I'm posting this on his 50th birthday, but since it did work out that way, may you have many happy days ahead, David.

Luciaphil,
Happy Birthday to you!   

ShadowGram Online Dark Shadows News Updates List
Marcy Robin's Cyberspace "Dark Shadows" News Update List
An Internet Publication of SHADOWGRAM
< ShadowGram@aol.com >

Number 146.   January 22, 2006.
*********************************************
Hello, Dark Shadows Fan,

ShadowGram (SG), The Official Newsletter & News Source for Dark Shadows (DS), announces the following breaking news.


**** DARK SHADOWS 40th ANNIVERSARY WEEKEND

To commemorate 4 decades of DS, the DS Festival is presenting the show's official celebration August 25-27, 2006, at the newly-remodeled New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge. Over a dozen of the original DS actors will participate in this extra-special occasion, featuring dramatic performances by the stars, autograph sessions, new DS memorabilia, banquet dinner, and many surprises. Membership rates and specific guests and activities still are being planned.

This SG Online Updates List and the upcoming SG #107 print issue will announce confirmed details when they are set. A Fest postal mailing should be sent soon, at which time fans can also receive updates via the website www.darkshadowsfestival.com. Persons who send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to the Festival address will receive earliest notification. Send your SASE to Dark Shadows Festival, P.O. Box 92, Maplewood, NJ 07040.

It is highly recommended that all fans who plan to attend the 40th Anniversary event make hotel reservations immediately before the hotel sells out of rooms, as is usually the case with the DS conventions. Please note: The cut-off date for this room block is July 31. If rooms are needed after this date, they will be handled on a `first come, first served' basis, based upon the hotel's availability. So please make your reservations before the date indicated above.

You can receive the special, reduced DS sleeping room rate of  $153 + tax per night  (single-double occupancy) by making reservations online or by phone. The hotel provides the following information.

Online: Go to their website - www.brooklynmarriott.com  - and follow these instructions:
- On the opening Home Page you will see an information box titled; Check Rates & Availability.
- Enter arrival/departure information, and number of occupants staying in the room.
- Just below you'll see a section for; Optional Information.
- There is where you can enter your Marriott Rewards Number¢â‚¬¦and if you do not have one, please let them know so they can sign you up to start earning points or miles for every dollar that you spend with Marriott.
- Just below that is an area for your Group Code. Please enter the following 7-character code: DARDARA
- Then follow all other prompts and instructions.

By phone: You may call the Brooklyn Marriott directly on the phone to make reservations at toll-free number (888)-436-3759. Ask to be connected with the reservations department.
- Have a credit card and Marriott Rewards Number in hand¢â‚¬¦ and if you do not have one, let Marriott know so they can sign you up to start earning points or miles for every dollar that you spend with Marriott.
- Let the reservations person assisting you know that you would like to make a reservation for a group block, and give them the following information:
- Arrival/Departure information.
- Group Name: DARK SHADOWS
- Then answer all other questions pertaining to personal information.

Transportation: The Brooklyn Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge is just a couple of minutes from lower Manhattan and is easily reached via subway, buses, taxis, car services, and rental cars. A parking garage is adjacent and the hotel is accessible from JFK and LaGuardia Airports.

All fans joining us at the coming Fest are invited and encouraged to please share their photos and reports with SG.

The Dark Shadows 40th Anniversary promises to be one of the biggest and best-ever DS conventions, so don't miss out!


**** DONNA McKECHNIE IN ONE-NIGHT-ONLY EVENT

Donna (Amanda Harris, aka Olivia Corey) is scheduled to perform in the "The Public Sings: A 50th Anniversary Celebration," on Mon., Jan. 30 at 7:30 pm at The Public Theater City Center Main Stage in Manhattan.

Event publicity: Saluting "the rich history of musicals," the event benefits NYC's Public Theater. "Legendary Public Theater artists" appear in "original musical interpretations of shows that engaged the social and political issues of their times." Featured shows include "A Chorus Line," for which Donna received the 1976 Best Actress in a Musical Tony Award for originating the role of "Cassie."

Ticket prices start at $20 and are available by calling CityTix® at 212-581-1212 or 1-877-581-1212 (outside metropolitan NYC, NJ, & CT); or through the City Center Box Office, on West 55th Street between 6th & 7th Avenues. http://www.nycitycenter.org/events/event_detail.cfm?event_code=PUB06

Fans attending this event are invited and encouraged to share their reports, program book, photos, and media coverage with SG so other fans can enjoy it through your experience. Please send all information to SG's e-mail or postal-mail addresses below.


**** KATHRYN LEIGH SCOTT APPEARS ON "HUFF" THIS SPRING

Kathryn (Maggie, Josette, Kitty, Rachel) asks SG to share her news that she guests on the season finale of the Showtime series "Huff." The episode should air later this spring. Her character "Swanson" is "a senior partner in Oliver Platt's law firm."


**** JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT STARS IN NEW MOVIE "BRICK"
 
Joe (1991 DS' David, Daniel) stars in "Brick," playing a teen outcast who plunges into the dark secrets of the high school crowd to find the killer of his ex-girlfriend. Recent SG print issues featured Joe's news and input about this role and his other current film projects; contact SG for information about those available issues.

"Brick" is released Mar. 24 through Focus Features, the distribution company that released "Brokeback Mountain" and "Pride & Prejudice," among others. Please send SG all publicity, reviews, and articles about the movie that you may find. SG addresses are later in this message.

Recent SG print issues also highlighted Joe's starring role in "Mysterious Skin," a widely-acclaimed exploration of the lasting effect of pedophilia on 2 young boys. The director, Gregg Araki, is nominated for the Film Independent's Independent Spirit Awards. The ceremony is March 4 (the day before the Academy Awards ceremony).


**** "NIGHT STALKER" TO RUN ON SCI FI CHANNEL

Dan Curtis (DS Creator/Producer/Director) was Consulting Producer for the new series based on his 1972 TV film of the same name and its 1973 sequel "The Night Strangler." He was not involved in the 1974-75 spin-off series. The new ABC program debuted Sept. 29 but was dropped abruptly by the network in November after the first half of a 2-part episode.

Sci Fi Channel plans to air all 10 episodes of the revival series, including the 2-parter and all unaired episodes, sometime this summer.


**** "OUR FATHERS" RELEASE ON DVD THIS TUESDAY

Dan's Showtime film OUR FATHERS comes out on Showtime DVD on Jan. 24. The fact-based drama debuted last May and earned several Emmy Award
nominations. He produced and directed the film about the Catholic Church's sexual child abuse scandal in the Boston diocese. Please share with SG any articles, reviews, or publicity materials you may
find.


**** DS ACTION FIGURES RELEASE DUE IN FEBRUARY

SG print issues and this SG News Updates List have reported and updated developments for the 2 new 12" action figures of Barnabas and Quentin. SG issues published premiere and advance pictures of the figures and detailed their accessories and features. They are being produced and marketed by Majestic Studios.

Majestic Studios' executive Bon Langer says: "We are looking at the first week of February to begin shipping the figures. It's taken a while but they are now going to market." Fans should "start checking their comic book and collectibles stores around the second week of February. If a store is not near them, they can go to www.monstersinmotion.com. There are other internet mail-order toy companies that will have them during the initial release, but that company has agreed to keep them in stock continuously after the initial release. A company like that the fans should support."

Bob provided SG #105 (published September 2005) with publicity materials. "`Barnabas Collins, Vampire' collectible figures each include 3 interchangeable heads, 2 sets of hands, and a wolf's head cane accessory. The heads show his regular, vampire, and old man likenesses. You can choose the Barnabas figure with his modern day, or his 1795 era, formal dress suit and cape. The dark, brooding `Quentin Collins, From Ghost to Werewolf' figure includes 2 sets of hands and 2 heads, one regular likeness with his trademark muttonchop sideburns and the second as a ferociously wild werewolf."

Barnabas Present Day - Catalog #2615787. Barnabas 1795 Era - Catalog #2615788. Quentin - Catalog #2615789. "Each (is in a) window box with
front cover flap packaging" measuring approx. 15½" x 9+" x 3½." Suggested retail price of each: $39.95.

Bob adds that publicity for the figures should start appearing in late January-early February. This coverage may be specific or general, brief or extended, local or more widespread. Mentions may be found in print, online, or on-air media. Fans are invited and encouraged to please share all such references with SG's international readership. Please send the complete item via e-mail or postal-mail (use addresses below), indicating the source, date, and your name. Those sharing information will be named as Contributors in the upcoming SG #107 print issue. More details about SG follow later
in this message.

Thank you.
Marcy Robin
ShadowGram Editor / Publisher

Marcy Robin, P.O. Box 1766, Temple City, CA 91780-7766
E-mail: ShadowGram@aol.com

Part II -- Is she or isn't she a prositute?  The cops in the squad room have bets down on it.


In the interrogation room, Kojak suggestively offers Helen a drink and talks about making beautiful music with her.


She freaks out.


After seeing the other cops watching through the door, she realizes Kojak was testing her.

(to be cont'd)

Since today is the anniversary of Virginia Vestoff's final appearance on DS-- 34 years ago today (she appears in the home page montage in Episode #1192 for Jan. 19 and #1193 for Jan. 20)-- I thought I'd finally get those screen caps posted from her 1977 Kojak two-parter.  I don't know about the rest of you, but this is her only dramatic appearance that I've seen that was set in modern day.

From:  Re: Susan Sullivan, Virginia Vestoff on Kojak eps in Southern California :

I'd love to see a couple of captures of the fabulously talented Virginia Vestoff on that show.  Hope it was a good role for her.

It was a terrific role-- she was the original desperate housewife.  And as was the case with Grayson Hall, she and Telly Savalas had wonderful chemistry.

"Kojak's Days" is a classic and was unusual in that it depicted what happens to him in a typical day, from breakfast to [a late] dinner, and as always his private life and professional duties collided.  Since it involves several cases instead of just one, the cast was untypically large; the eps starred Maud Adams (Selby's "Girl in Blue") as Kojak's girlfriend; also William Hurt, Robert Picardo, and others.  Here are caps from Part I.  Enjoy!


Kojak enters, shouting about his parking space while carrying a little girl whose wealthy father
(Michael Storm, James' brother) was murdered by her mother while the girl hid in the house.
The mother ran away and is suicidal.


Helen:  "Who's that, Attila the hun?"


"If you had any guts you'd meet me in an alley on even terms.  I told ya,
I didn't roll nobody.  I told ya, I'm an entertainer."


"Hi.  What's a nice kid like you doing in a dump like this?"


Kojak learns she was arrested in a bar for rolling a tourist for $500.


The child is played by Danielle Brisebois.


Since he's hesitant about handing the girl over to a children's shelter (better
"the warm arms of a hooker"), he asks Helen to babsit as a favor. 

(continued in post#2)

Amy Jennings Fan,

May your birthday wishes come true!

This superb and timely review of the '91 series DVD (Happy 15th Anniversary!) was just published in Videoscope #57, available later this week at your local Barnes & Noble, Borders, Virgin Megastores, Tower, etc., is posted here with permission of the author.


Dark Shadows: The Revival (1991)
2 1/2 antennas
D: Dan Curtis, others. Ben Cross, Jean Simmons, Joanna Going, Barbara
Steele, Roy Thinnes, Jim Fyfe, Michael Weiss, Joseph Gordon Levitt,
Julianna McCarthy.
592 minutes. DVD
Sony Home Entertainment

     This is the short lived but superbly Hammer-esque revival of the legendary Gothic horror soap opera Dark Shadows. A wonderful produced show in it's own right, Dark Shadows: The Revival, like the late Mr. Dangerfield,  can't get no respect! Sony's abysmal presentation of the series' 13 episodes makes a 4 antenna production get a mere 2 1/2.

     The dissing of the Dark Shadows revival began the night it's first episode aired on NBC, which was also the first night of the first Gulf War. NBC pre-empted the show for several weeks to cover the war. With no announcements whatsoever, they ran the show at 1AM, then shook their heads in disbelief when no one watched!!!! By the time Dark Shadows aired in it's normal timeslot, several weeks later, most people didn't even know  it was on!

     So NBC changed it's timeslot, again with no announcement! When it didn't immediately become NBC's #1 show, they cancelled it. Thousands of Dark Shadows fans held vigils at NBC affiliates all over the country. They were ignored, and one of the most promising horror series in years was gone after 13 episodes.

     It was a wonderful series. Unlike the stagebound, videotaped original, Dark Shadows: The Revival was shot on film in a real mansion. Cross played Barnabas Collins with the same tragic aura that Jonathan Frid displayed in the 1960s. But the younger, sexier Cross gave Barnabas an erotic intensity that Frid could never have conveyed. When Barnabas Collins feasted upon blood in the 1990s, the results were truly orgasmic, for both the vampire and the victim.

     Collinsport Maine in 1991 was a scary place! The residents actually ran through the storms that were, in the 1960s, only seen through windows. The thunder, lightning and howling winds were real, and terrifying.

     Former horror movie queen Steele played the lovelorn Dr. Julia Hoffman in 1991, who tries to cure Barnabas of vampirism while loving him from afar. Steele was about 53 when the series was shot. Still youthful and beautiful, she gave Julia a seriousness, and a sexiness, that the frumpy, over the top Grayson Hall failed to convey in the 60s. Going's Victoria Winters was no dummy, unlike Alexandra Moltke's earlier portrayal of the character. While Moltke's recurring line was "I don't understand! Help! Save Me!", Going's Victoria strong and savvy. But still vulnerable.

     Dark Shadows: The Revival took a wonderfully fun, sometimes cheesy but innovative show from 1960s daytime TV and gave it all the blood and thunder we saw in the best of the early Hammer Films.

     NBC, in their foolishness, destroyed it. And now, Sony Home Entertainment does the same.

     Sony's first blunder was to repeat NBC's mistake of burying the series. Dark Shadows: The Revival has been released on disc with no fanfare, no publicity. On Dark Shadows message boards, fans have been asking when/if the series will be released. You know the publicity department is not on the ball if the show's hardcore fans are not sure if it's even available!

     The second, and perhaps greatest mistake on the part of Sony is the presentation. The three discs that comprise this set are letterboxed. Why? The series was shot full screen for God's sake. This is a TV show, not a film. The purpose of letterbox bars is to preserve a director's visual images when a film is seen on the small screen. In this case, the letterbox bars DISTORT that image!! Worse, the show's opening and closing titles are boxed on all four sides! This makes the credits hard to read and is  annoying. What was Sony thinking?

     There are no extras. On other discs, Dark Shadows creator Dan Curtis made himself readily available for interviews. MPI home video had produced a very good behind the scenes doc on this series, Dark Shadows Resurrected. Surely there's material that Sony could have included on the discs, especially since the set costs $30.00!!! Sony was so cheap in their presentation, they didn't even include the sub-title options one finds on their other discs. Sony took Dark Shadows: The Revival, and threw it away.

     What makes this all the sadder is not only the superb quality of the series, but the vibrant colors and sound found in each episode. The print quality is incredible! This has got to be one of the biggest missed opportunities in the history of DVD!

     Sony, you are sitting on a potential goldmine. Recall these discs at once. Consider rereleasing Dark Shadows: The Revival next year, but do it right. Present it as it was shot, full screen. Give us those much needed extras.

     After 15 years, it's time to give Dark Shadows: The Revival the respect it deserves.
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