Here there be SPOILERS...

My favorite scene with Tom is when Barnabas destroys Tom with the crossed candlesticks. If you watch closely right after Barnabas crosses the candlesticks, Tom appears to slip him the middle digit. Great sentiment from the vampire with an attitude.

LOL, B!  I had to pull out my tape to catch that, and there it was.  It seemed to have happened while contorting his fingers in reaction to his rather delicate dilemma (cross vs. sunlight, ay yi yi) but hey, you never know!

Did you know that this scene was ripped, er, borrowed from Horror of Dracula?  In the climax scene in HOD, a nimble Peter Cushing as Van Helsing leaps onto a table to rip open the curtains, then jumps onto a table again to cross 2 candlesticks [see photo] and thus drive Dracula into the light where he crumbles to dust.


The way it plays in DS is that Barnabas is gazing out a window at the approaching dawn when Tom grabs him from behind, they struggle, and then Barnabas grabs 2 candlesticks and crosses them to force Tom backwards where he must remain until the sunlight has him screaming in agony before he fades away.

Since it's well-known that Cushing devised that scene in Horror of Dracula, I guess that means that DS actually copied HIS idea.  But there are other DS scenes lifted directly from HOD as well.

jennifer's

I wish they had had a split screen and Tom and Chris were on together!!  

Great idea-- like All My Children does with Adam/Stuart Chandler! Especially when you consider the limitations in pulling that off back then, I think the scene that cuts back and forth between Chris talking to Nicholas about his brother's disappearance and Tom at the window is one of the creepiest on the show.

To answer the question, my favorite Briscoe character would have to be Chris.  He played the guilt and confusion over his affliction to perfection and very differently from David Selby's approach, the latter knowing full well why and how it happened.  And besides, I'm a sucker for a good werewolf story.

But I can certainly understand why some would choose Tom because the scenes with Tom as predator and Julia as prey are quite amazing.  And he plays it kinda kinky, which is fun too.  Perhaps if he'd been allowed to sink his fangs into Betsy Durkin, I might've chosen him as my fave, heheh.


OT -- Darren, if you read this, do you know why Horror of Dracula isn't available on DVD though DVD versions of the later Hammer/Dracula movies are relatively easy to find?

Brian, a poster mentioned that they found the blue in your message above unreadable.  I can change it for you if you'd like.

But unfortunately, the wording of the request warranted removal, and I'll add that if they'd like to continue to enjoy posting privileges on this board, even when doing so as a guest, I recommend they follow the forum guidelines they agreed to when they registered.

So Midnite you also are a product of Catholic  education-How many years? I had 12 ::)years with the penguins!

Hee hee! Twelve here also, and 2 more with a Marymount College before I left parochial schools behind. I must've been a glutton for punishment.

I say that jokingly, but it breaks my heart now to watch recent news about the Church.

Cell Phones

Yes, I would miss the convenience of my cell phone, but  I think it's a plus that in 1795 you could eat, shop, wait, walk, etc. without the person next to you shouting a one-way conversation.

When you all come out for the Fest you'll see what I mean.  Most Angelenos have had phones surgically implanted onto their faces and they're not afraid to use them.

Midnite -- what a sad commentary on teachers!

Ack, I should add that I think teachers are fantastic and whenever possible I'll give them my support.  We entrust our young people to them and if paid according to their responsibilities, I think they should be making the same as doctors and lawyers, if not more.  And I owe much to my former teachers (I can picture a certain nun frowning at me for starting this sentence with the "and" ), and perhaps it's MY hangup, but I tend to hold teachers to higher standards-- for example, an English teacher when it comes to writing-- just as I would expect another Registered Nurse to not make a medication error if I'm his or her patient.

I apologize if it seemed like I was bashing the profession.

This photo was posted on the 1st VantageNet board, which was corrupted ages ago, so I'm bringing it back for ProfStokes and others to enjoy.  The source is Frid's scrapbook, and it was generously shared by Nancy.

I called him a couple of weeks ago and he's okay-- just unable to keep in touch right now.  While he may not reply, I'm sure he'd appreciate notes from caring friends.

If someone needs an addy to email him, just send me a message.