SHADOWGRAM NEWS UPDATE   # 316
 
April 22, 2014
 
Hello, Dark Shadows Fan,
 
ShadowGram (SG), The Official Newsletter & News Source for Dark Shadows (DS), announces the following key breaking news in this Official DS News Online Update "bulletin."
 
**** UPDATING:  2014 – 2015 DARK SHADOWS FESTIVAL EVENTS
--- “Dark Shadows Movie Night” – Wed, April 30 – Vista Theatre, Los Angeles
--- “DS Festival Weekend in Tarrytown” – Sat.-Sun., June 28-29
(updating hotel sleeping room availability & the optional fan tour of Sleepy Hollow Cemetery)
--- “Dark Shadows Caribbean Cruise to Martinique” – Jan. 10-17, 2015
 
 
*** “DARK SHADOWS FESTIVAL PRESENTS “MOVIE NIGHT” – “DOCTOR MABUSE 2” + DAN CURTIS’ “DRACULA” + "DARK SHADOWS" SURPRISE
Wed., Apr. 30 – 6:15pm–12:15am – Vista Theatre, 4473 Sunset Dr., Los Angeles 90027.
 
Tickets are $15.00 per person.
 
Fans who pre-order DS Movie Night tickets will receive a special DS gift at the theatre that evening. Tickets sold at the door are the same price of $15.00 per person.
 
Advance-order tickets still are available. Use PayPal or postal-mail (check / money order)
 
All advance ticket orders must be received no later than Fri., April 25 (a SASE – Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope – is appreciated). Your ticket(s) will be sent to you by postal-mail, postmarked no later than Sat., April 26.
 
--- PayPal – Use recipient address:   ShadowGram@aol.com
--- Check/Money Order payable to   ShadowGram   and send with SASE to:
ShadowGram / Dark Shadows, P.O. Box 1766, Temple City, CA 91780-7766
 
SG Online Updates have detailed this special event, featuring 4 DS actors as supernatural characters in a new dark thriller, “Doctor Mabuse 2: Etiopomar.” This also is the first American theatrical showing of Dan Curtis’ acclaimed 1974 adaptation of “Dracula.”
 
DS actors JERRY LACY, LARA PARKER, and CHRISTOPHER PENNOCK star in “Mabuse” and will attend this world premiere screening. KATHRYN LEIGH SCOTT also stars but is out of town and cannot attend. There will be free guest autographs and photo opportunities, plus a variety of DS items in auction and for purchase. Debuting: The restored high-definition “Dracula” on Blu Ray and the just-released “Dracula” soundtrack CD.
 
DS Music Composer ROBERT COBERT composed the “Dracula” musical score. He plans to attend and sign autographs. We also celebrate his upcoming 90th birthday!
 
This special evening is only days away, so we hope you can be there with all of us!
 
 
*** DS FESTIVAL’S “DS WEEKEND IN TARRYTOWN”
Sat.-Sun., June 28-29 – Lyndhurst Estate & Double Tree Hotel – Tarrytown, NY
 
The historic Lyndhurst Mansion & Estate and nearby Sleepy Hollow Cemetery were filming locations for “House of Dark Shadows” (1970) and “Night of Dark Shadows” (1971) – the first major studio movies based on a daytime TV series. The Weekend salutes both films, which will screen for the first time in high definition.
 
Guests: DAVID SELBY, JOHN KARLEN, NANCY BARRETT, LARA PARKER, JAMES STORM, KATHRYN LEIGH SCOTT, CHRISTOPHER PENNOCK, MARIE WALLACE, and SHARON SMYTH.
 
Saturday 12noon-9pm - “Day at Lyndhurst”: $40 Adults / $20 Children under 13
Sunday.11am-5pm – Double Tree Hotel:” Luncheon with the Stars”: $50 per person
 
Space is limited each day. The Fest recommends that interested fans send registration payments soon, as the DS Weekend likely will be sold out very soon. Payment for both days can be combined in one check / money order.
 
All tickets are non-refundable and by advance mail-order only. Please include the full name of each person for whom you are paying and include a SASE (Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope).
 
You MUST use the official order form available on the Fest website, or send a SASE to the Fest postal-mail address below to request the order form.
 
All payments, completed order forms, and accompanying SASE must be received at the following address no later than Sat., June 21.
 
Dark Shadows Festival
P.O. Box 92
Maplewood, NJ 07040
www.darkshadowsfestival.com
 
Sorry, the Fest cannot accept PayPal or credit cards.
 
Lyndhurst is at 635 S. Broadway, Tarrytown, NY 10591.
The Tarrytown Double Tree Hotel, a few hundred yards from the Lyndhurst entrance, is at 455 S. Broadway, Tarrytown, NY 10591. 914-631-5700
 
---- Saturday at Lyndhurst:  A dramatic and musical Tribute to DS written and performed by David Selby, accompanied by his wife Chip on piano and Jim Storm on guitar. Our guests will reminisce about filming the movies and participate in Q&A talks, free autographs and photo opportunities. There will be DS merchandise sales, a charity auction, free mansion tours, and more. Food will be available onsite for purchase.
 
That evening at the Double Tree after 9:00, SHARON SMYTH plans to share ghost stories.
 
---- Sunday at the Double Tree Hotel: A stage performance by Marie, Lara, and Kathryn, full 3-course meal, DS goody bag for each attendee, door prizes, free autographs and photo opportunities, DS merchandise sales, and more.
 
After the 5:00 closing, fans can take an optional one-hour tour of nearby historic Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, where 2 “House of DS” scenes were filmed.  The famed cemetery (the setting for Washington Irving’s classic story “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow’ and the setting for ABC-TV’s popular TV series “Sleepy Hollow”) will have special extended hours to accommodate the tour. Attendees, please pay $10.00 cash admission per person at the cemetery.
 
---- Fans interested in the Sleepy Hollow tour: Please email or write a postal-mail note indicating how many adults / children would be in your party. Send this information to:
 
ShadowGram@aol.com
OR mail with a SASE to:
ShadowGram / Marcy Robin
P.O. Box 1766
Temple City, CA 91780-7766
 
 
--- TARRYTOWN HOTELS UPDATE:
 
The Double Tree Hotel reports that it is full.
 
However, the nearby Springhill Suites by Marriott has just offered Fest attendees a special reduced room rate of only $139 (+ tax) per night.
 
The Tarrytown Springhill Suites by Marriott offers all studio suites, which are "25% larger than standard hotel rooms, and come complete with modern accommodations and renowned customer service.”
 
The number of these discounted rooms is limited, so it is recommended that interested fans make room reservations as soon as possible by directly calling the hotel.  Please ask for the Dark Shadows Festival special room rate.
 
The SpringHill Suites by Marriott – Tarrytown is at 480 White Plains Rd., Tarrytown, NY 10591. For reservations, call  914-366-4600.   www.tarrytownspringhill.com
 
DS Weekend attendees may also search online for other hotels in the Tarrytown vicinity.
 
 
**** DARK SHADOWS CARIBBEAN CRUISE – JAN. 10-17, 2015
 
SG Updates reported this exciting week-long cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Jewel of the Seas ship, sailing round-trip from San Juan, Puerto Rico southeast to one-day-each stops at the islands of St. Thomas, Antigua, Martinique – the “sugar plantation home” of Josette and Andre DuPres and Angelique – plus St. Lucia and Granada.
 
You join DS stars JERRY LACY, KATHLEEN CODY, MARIE WALLACE, LARA PARKER, and KATHRYN LEIGH SCOTT for a variety of onboard DS activities, including a Costume Party (bring your costume), screenings, guest Q&As and interviews, autographs, photo opportunities, merchandise sales, and more.
 
From now until MAY 1, there are special new “lower fares” when you “reserve your stateroom with full-refundable deposit.” These “significant savings” prices run from $818 to $1038 per person, "double occupancy.”  Rates include “all onboard meals, shipboard entertainment, port charges, DS registration, and government fees and taxes Final payment is due no later than 75 days prior to the cruise.”
 
Information: Call 800-828-4813 or visit http://www.hartfordholidays.com/dsfmartinique2015/Home.html

Marcy Robin

Fantastic!

This episode adds to our medical knowledge as Julia informs us that atropine is the antidote for strychnine. It strikes me that strychnine is rather an old-fashioned poison. Maybe Quentin hasn't had access to the latest medical research.werewolf curse.

Strychnine poisoning causes violent and immediate symptoms, which is probably why the DS writers used it in this scene-- and they're in good company: it's a plot device used by Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie, and many other authors.  Norman Bates is said to have used the poison in Psycho, too.  But then DS used dramatic license with the cure.  Strychnine poisoning has no antidote, and atropine would be useless.

SHADOWGRAM NEWS UPDATE   # 315
 
April 8, 2014
 
Hello, Dark Shadows Fan,
 
ShadowGram (SG), The Official Newsletter & News Source for Dark Shadows (DS) announces the following key breaking news in this Official DS News Online Update "bulletin."
 
**** MPI Home Video asks SG to please report the following notification.
 
“FROM MPI HOME VIDEO, the exclusive authorized distributor of the original 1966-71 DARK SHADOWS on DVD:
 
Dear Customer,
 
It has come to our attention that there are counterfeit sets being sold and distributed for Dark Shadows: The Complete Series Deluxe Edition (MPI item # DVD7991). These counterfeit sets appear nearly identical to the authentic sets. If you are experiencing playback issues with your discs, it is possible that you have purchased a counterfeit set. If so, please alert us as to where you purchased the set. The more detail you can provide us (seller, links, pictures, etc.), the more it will help us put a stop to this illegal distribution of the Dark Shadows Complete Series.
 
Below is a list of ways you can tell you have purchased a counterfeit set:
 
--- The authentic set is wrapped in a plastic polybag whereas the counterfeit set is shrink wrapped
 
--- The authentic set has a thread that prevents the coffin lid from opening too far. The counterfeit set will open all the way (i.e. no thread).
 
--- The colors are much purer on the authentic set (stronger reds and blacks)
 
--- The pages in the booklet are a thinner/poor quality whereas the authentic set is a thicker glossier stock
 
--- The box corners of the set might be banged up on the counterfeit set
 
--- MPI used eco-friendly trays in the plastic amaray cases that hold each DVD disc. The MPI cases have holes in them to save on plastic where the counterfeit sets have solid black plastic backing behind each disc.
 
--- The picture quality of the actual program will be poorer. The counterfeit sets use a single layer disc compressing the quality onto one disc whereas the authentic version contains dual layered discs
 
--- The counterfeit set will have defective discs whereas the authentic set should not
 
Below is a video of the authentic set which also explains the differences between the two:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4yr9UcIChU&feature=youtu.be
 
MPI is not responsible for the purchase or quality of counterfeit sets. If you have purchased an illegal set, we recommend contacting eBay and putting a claim against the seller of the counterfeit set. We also encourage you to make your purchases through established retailers such as Amazon.com. eBay is not a recommended outlet for this item, and MPI does not sell this item via eBay.
 
Sincerely,
MPI Home Video”
 
If you have any questions, please contact MPI directly at:
 
MPI Media Group, 16191 S. 108th Ave., Orland Park, IL 60407.  1-800-323-0442. (In Illinois: 708-469-0555)   www.mpihomevideo.com
 
---- For a description and full details about the MPI authorized coffin box set, “Dark Shadows: The Complete Original Series Deluxe Edition (DVD::
 
http://www.mpihomevideo.com/Store/Detail.asp?ProdID=11001

Marcy Robin
ShadowGram Editor / Publisher

Happy Birthday, ProfStokes!