REVIEW: 'The House of Despair' - Dark Shadows Audio Drama **SPOILERS**

Penny Dreadful, thanks so much for your great review, and explaining about Barnabas in it....your comments about wishing JF were in the final scene were very poignant.....[spoiler]but it is interesting how they explained the "new" Barnabas....[/spoiler]

Americans, by and large, are not acquainted with the audio drama.  In our culture, it seems to be, almost a lost art, a relic of the days of "Old Time Radio".  At least that's the stereotype.  For me, audio drama was a significant part of my childhood.  Although I grew up in the 60s and 70s and TV was a huge part of my lfe, there were also Power Records.  If anyone doesn't remember these, they were book and record sets containiing dramatizations of comic books.  They were also available as 33 RPM records that were packaged without the comic.  I had a huge collection of Marvel Superhero sets, Planet of the Apes, Star Trek, and various other Sci Fi titles.  I also collected TV on audio.

When DS aired, late night, in Boston, it was a rare treat for me to be able to watch it.  I'd rely on  friend who would record the episodes for me, once in a great while.  Later, in college, I bought copies of the audio tapes from various fans.  Adam, in my mind's eye, looked very different from Robert Rodan.  I pictured a HUGE bald headed guy,  Think Ruk (Ted Cassidy) from Star Trek & Lurch.

The effects were better too.  The infamous "shadow on the wall" was this all enveloping black hole that sucked the life from all who got stuck in its path.  Angelique, rising from the flames of the caretaker's cottage was an awesome sight.

In a way, the Big Finish series brings me back to my DS roots.  Yes, I did watch a few episodes in the 70s.  I even caught a couple in the 60s, but for the most part, it was an audio medium for me.  It worked surprisingly well, since much of the show is driven by dialogue.  That's part of the reaon I have high  hopes for the success of the audio series.   

Americans, by and large, are not acquainted with the audio drama. In our culture, it seems to be, almost a lost art, a relic of the days of "Old Time Radio". At least that's the stereotype.

this is so true.... the baby boomers missed that golden days of radio and the few of us luck enough to have stumbled on Radio Mystery Theater hosted by EG Marshall in the 70s and early 80s only got a taste. I have listened to the new DS audio dramas several times and can't wait for more.

LdyAnne
a Radio Mystery Theater junky

I studied Comm Arts at college and radio shows were the most interesting things we produced.  Radio presented challenges that never came up in Television and overcoming those creative challenges was always more satisfying, and more fun. 

A few years ago I discovered the Gunsmoke radio shows on ebay.  For about $45 I got over 400 eps of the series. Even though it wasn't the TV cast, the stories brought me back to the days when my dad and I watched the show in the 60s and early 70s.  I'm not takin g this too far away from DS, I hope, with this post.  It does relate, in a way.  In the case of Gunsmoke, I looked backward to the old time radio show.  Which by the way, don't sound hokey at all..just like TV without the pictures.  In fact many of the scriipts were later used for the TV show.  Hopefully, if this DS aoudio series continues, the reverse will happen with DS. We can look forward to the show continuing in "radio" format.

A few years ago I discovered the Gunsmoke radio shows on ebay.  For about $45 I got over 400 eps of the series. Even though it wasn't the TV cast, the stories brought me back to the days when my dad and I watched the show in the 60s and early 70s.  I'm not takin g this too far away from DS, I hope, with this post.  It does relate, in a way.  In the case of Gunsmoke, I looked backward to the old time radio show.  Which by the way, don't sound hokey at all..just like TV without the pictures.  In fact many of the scriipts were later used for the TV show.  Hopefully, if this DS audio series continues, the reverse will happen with DS. We can look forward to the show continuing in "radio" format.

Another old time radio fan here.  Matter of fact, I had a copy of the War of the Worlds broadcast with me to fly to LA for the Fest last year.  Be that as it may, I love the same things about it being radio that everyone else does.  Some things are just easier to do, not to mention more atmospheric, in radio.  Anyone here ever heard the radio version of Ray Bradbury's There Will Come Soft Rains ?.  It is bonechilling done for radio, since your mind is doing all the work.

That's what makes radio great for something like DS -- same reason I think they decided on that format for Return to Collinwood.  What does it matter what the actors look like, or what creature you create when all that's needed to create it is the theater of the mind.  Oh, and a side note on this.  Radio drama in this country isn't what it is in the UK, but it's not dead by any means.  There is an organization, LATheaterworks, who adapts plays to be performed on the radio.  The cast lists on their website are a whos who of the acting profession, so apparently many actors love working in the medium here as much as they do in the UK.

PennyDreadful,

Excellent, excellent, excellent!

WHAT MIDNIGHT SAID!!!

I deliberately didn't come over to this topic until I had had the chance to listen to these and write my own review for my website.  I'm glad I didn't; your review is so wonderful that I would probably have subconsciously copied something.

Thanks for posting this, and thanks for spreading it around to publicize this great project.  The way I look at this, the best chance we have to keep getting more of these is to get the word out and have as many people as possible buy them.

BTW, if anyone wants to read my review, its up (with a few more Selby related reviews I finished in the last few months)on my Selby site.  The URL is in my sig line.

There is an organization, LATheaterworks, who adapts plays to be performed on the radio.  The cast lists on their website are a whos who of the acting profession, so apparently many actors love working in the medium here as much as they do in the UK.

I love LA Theater Works. I bought "The Crucible" to use in class and was impressed enough to look into other titles.  I was shocked to find "The Caine Mutiny" starring David Selby!  He was also in "The Perfectionist" and some other titles.  I bought quite a few of the discs and enjoyed them thoroughly.  I focused a lot on the plays he was in, but also listened to "Agnes of God" and a few others.

A disappointing incident occurred a few years ago.  I wrote to whatever publisher was putting out the Star Wars audio dramas to ask why they'd discontinued them.  They'd produced some plays adapted from some of the Cantina tales.  I finally got a call from someone who told me the plays sold fine.  There was only one problem.  They did not sell any better than the single reader audio books.  Since they cost more to produce, the feeling was that they could save the production cost and have one actor read the book.

I was reluctant at first to buy this when I attended the fest, but I saw that they were selling quickly, and the cover art and descriptions intrigued me. What's money anyway, right? You can't take it with you. I had also bought Return to Collinwood. I listened to that on the way home on the train. I was disappointed with a few things, but it was all right overall.

When I got home I used these new CDs as an incentive to work out. They're each about 68 minutes, with episode breaks, each disc contains I believe 3 episodes. This was great to work out to, and it made the time pass quickly. I didn't want to stop and wait for the next day, I wanted to keep going!

I am very happy with my purchase and have preordered the next two. I can't wait until they come out. I think these are worth the money you pay for them.  They are very well written, and the story is explained clearly and is easy to follow. It keeps true to the DS fashion, as others have stated, and the updated music is abosolutely welcome and such a treat! And ooohhh goosebumps!

I'll promote these where ever I can if it means that sales are boosted and they can make more!

Count me in as one of the people who skipped the review until they heard the plays for themselves. I admit that I was a bit skeptical about all this but I was proven dead wrong and was extremely happy about it.

These CDs are excellent. They have surpassed my expectations by miles. I really cannot praise them enough.

The acting was spot on. I thought John Karlen in particular jumped right back into his role. He opened his mouth and Willie came out. Not to say that the other actors weren't dead on because they are all fantastic, but I was particularly impressed by JK. [spoiler]The "new" Barnabas does an fine job in his role, though at times his voice reminds me more of Ben Cross than Jonathan Frid.[/spoiler]

I have only listened to the first "episode" in Book of Temptation, but am highly impressed with that as well, and am looking forward to your review PennyDreadful! What a marvelous way with words you have.

I've already pre-ordered the last two and am hoping that more are produced! If you are a Dark Shadows fan, and seriously who here isn't, I think you are doing a disservice to yourself not to give these CDs a try. They are that well done.

If you are a Dark Shadows fan, and seriously who here isn't, I think you are doing a disservice to yourself not to give these CDs a try. They are that well done.

I totally agree with this. I also preordered the last two as soon as I finished listening to the first two. A word of warning though: Don't compare the first CD with the second. They are completely different. Personally I think that Stuart more accurately captured DS in the first story, but Scott did an very good job with the second. I could relisten to them numerous times and not get tired of them.

I hope the continue with this series because it is a great medium for DS to live on in. And I too also thought that Johnny Karlen did exceptionally well with Willie! I think he was the best of the four, with David Selby being in a close second. Don't get me wrong, everyone did a great job, but I think that JK and DS really brought their roles back vividly. Lara Parker did a very nice job as Angelique once again, though I thought the banter between her and Quentin was little much at times, although entertaining.

Unfortunately, IMO, I thought Maggie was simply dull. LIVEN HER UP PEOPLE!!! Give her something to really scream about. Make her fight off a demon, kill a vampire, do something. She needs to take some lessons from Buffy and stop being the victim.

Oh, and a side note on this.  Radio drama in this country isn't what it is in the UK, but it's not dead by any means.  There is an organization, LATheaterworks, who adapts plays to be performed on the radio.  The cast lists on their website are a whos who of the acting profession, so apparently many actors love working in the medium here as much as they do in the UK.

A friend of mine just turned me on to a long running of audio plays adapted from Louis L'Aamour stories.  These westerns have apparently been running for a while, so I guess audio drama is availablle in the US.  You just have to look for it.

I love LA Theater Works. I bought "The Crucible" to use in class and was impressed enough to look into other titles.  I was shocked to find "The Caine Mutiny" starring David Selby!  He was also in "The Perfectionist" and some other titles.  I bought quite a few of the discs and enjoyed them thoroughly.  I focused a lot on the plays he was in, but also listened to "Agnes of God" and a few others.

A disappointing incident occurred a few years ago.  I wrote to whatever publisher was putting out the Star Wars audio dramas to ask why they'd discontinued them.  They'd produced some plays adapted from some of the Cantina tales.  I finally got a call from someone who told me the plays sold fine.  There was only one problem.  They did not sell any better than the single reader audio books.  Since they cost more to produce, the feeling was that they could save the production cost and have one actor read the book.

Wasn't Caine Mutiny great?  That was the first one of theirs that I got, simply because I wanted to see what Selby would do with a role so identified with another actor (in this case Bogart).  If you are interested I have reviews of all but two of the plays on my David Selby website --  http://jwmediafanfiction.com/jeanniesdavidselbysite.

Pity about those SW radio shows.  I'm not familiar with the ones you mention; the only ones I have are the recorded versions of the dramatizations of the first three movies that were broadcast on NPR.

Okay, looks like I'm a minority here, but here goes....

I listened to all three of the currently released audio dramas (Return to Collinwood, House of Despair, and Book of Temptation) over the weekend, and I have to say that I strongly prefer Return to Collinwood.

I liked the way that RtC included a good dose of humor and didn't take itself too seriously.  I also like the way it took the liberty of wrapping up some loose ends from the original tv series.  It seemed to really contribute to the DS universe in a meaningful way.  And I don't think that the cultural references detracted from it at all (ex. eBay, plasma tvs, etc.)... I mean, the characters are all 35+ years older now and live in a much different world. 

I think the two more recent dramas take themselves too seriously and try too hard to recreate the mood of the original series.  I mean, haven't the characters been through enough at this point to deserve a little humor in their lives and their circumstances?  Not that the newest dramas are bad, I just think that RtC struck a better balance on mutiple fronts.

Also...

[spoiler]  I liked the way RtC let the Barnabas character rest for a while.  I thought the BoD approach was unnecessary and was the basis for too much "been there done that" drama with Angelique.  Why can't the characters just move on?  Plus, didn't RtC establish that Barnabas and Julia were travelling the world together?  It'll be interesting to see how this latest series wraps back around to that happening... assuming that all of these audio dramas exist in the same time stream... and they are supposed to, right?[/spoiler]

Opinions??   

To answer your question, ShadowsAtlanta, I believe the stories for the new audio dramas by Big Finish are supposed to take place sometime between the end of the series and RtC. That being said.....

I didn't think that RtC was so abhorrently awful. It was okay, and I'll take DS that is produced in any form. But what I really an disappointed about is the way they left it hanging, and as of this point, they have no plans to release the sequel, Vengeance at Collinwood. I'd like to see how the story leaves our beloved characters, not left hanging. Especially with the money I paid to hear it in the first place.

I do prefer the BF audios though. I think they accurately recapture the feel of the original series. And while the cultural references in RtC didn't bother me too badly, the original DS never did this outside of the clothing.