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

I'm planning on attending the 40th Anniversary DS Haunted Halloween Party in East Hollywood this Thursday.  My hope is to buy the first of the CDs then.

Just received "The House of Despair" today and started listening this afternoon. So far, I'm hooked. Excellent re-recording of the main theme.

Oh, I didn't know about "Vengeance at Collinwood"... think there's any chance that will ever be released on CD?  What say those of you in the know??   

Oh, I didn't know about "Vengeance at Collinwood"... think there's any chance that will ever be released on CD?  What say those of you in the know??

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Re: Vengeance at Collinwood

Oh, I didn't know about "Vengeance at Collinwood"... think there's any chance that will ever be released on CD?  What say those of you in the know??   

I'd heard that the performance was recorded by the people at the Festival.  If there's enough interest, perhaps they could release the video of the live show.  I'm sure fans would be interested in the rough, live performance.  What do you all think?

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.

Stay tuned through the end of the season, Brandon. 

I've given a lot of thought as to the identity of the actor who recorded the surprise cameo in the fourth installment of the Big Finish series.  If you recall, we were told that it was someone who attended the latest festival.  The most obvious choice would seem to be Nancy Barrett as Carolyn.  It also crossed my mind that Betsy Durkin may reprise her role as Vickie and give the character a more satisfying ending than she had on the screen.  Ordinarily, I'd tend to discount this possibility out of hand, considering how unpopular she has been with fans.  However, I wonder if Vickie might not be tied up with the book, in some way.  It also crossed my mind that Millicent might also be a candidate, as she fits the description of those who have been ensnared by the book.  Then again, maybe it's going to be one of Quentin's old flames.  If that's the case, Marie Wallace as Jenny, Donna Mckechnie as Amanda, or Diana Millay as Laura (no pun intended here..I promise) could be possible.  These are just random musings.  Any thoughts as to who it might be?

I was just wondering where to buy this?  I just checked Amazon and didn't see it?  Thanks!!

Penny - that's an amazing review - I can't wait to read more from you! 

I was just wondering where to buy this?  I just checked Amazon and didn't see it?  Thanks!!

www.darkshadowsreborn.com

Also, DSReborn's announcement topic is pinned to the top of the current Calendar Events / Announcements board.

And welcome, Kristin!  

www.darkshadowsreborn.com

Also, DSReborn's announcement topic is pinned to the top of the current Calendar Events / Announcements board.

And welcome, Kristin!  

Thanks!!  I'm having a hard time navigating this place right now...

I'll go check that out...

And while the cultural references in RtC didn't bother me too badly, the original DS never did this outside of the clothing. 

I'm a little confused by your statement.  Are you saying you feel that what was then the "present time" DS never used any cultural references, or that NONE of the storylines did?

 One case I remember in Leviathan where cultural references were used was in the is Grant Douglas Quentin or not storyline?  They specifically have him make a comment about Jenny Lind, an operatic soprano who was world famous when Quentin was a boy.  Haven't seen many of the present day eps lately, so that may be an isolated case.

 However, with 1897, the storyline I am most familiar with, they used many many references, not to historical events, but to cultural norms of the day (one example I can think of offhand is one instance where Quentin tried to warn Edward about something, and Edward scoffed it off as an opium dream.  Opium and its derivatives like Laudanum were legal then and sold openly, as well as being amongst the recreational drugs of choice of the rich.)  The fact that they did this sort of thing as often as they did established the characters in a specific time and place, giving the created world depth.

And while the cultural references in RtC didn't bother me too badly, the original DS never did this outside of the clothing. 

I'm a little confused by your statement.  Are you saying you feel that what was then the "present time" DS never used any cultural references, or that NONE of the storylines did?

 One case I remember in Leviathan where cultural references were used was in the is Grant Douglas Quentin or not storyline?  They specifically have him make a comment about Jenny Lind, an operatic soprano who was world famous when Quentin was a boy.  Haven't seen many of the present day eps lately, so that may be an isolated case.

 However, with 1897, the storyline I am most familiar with, they used many many references, not to historical events, but to cultural norms of the day (one example I can think of offhand is one instance where Quentin tried to warn Edward about something, and Edward scoffed it off as an opium dream.  Opium and its derivatives like Laudanum were legal then and sold openly, as well as being amongst the recreational drugs of choice of the rich.)  The fact that they did this sort of thing as often as they did established the characters in a specific time and place, giving the created world depth.

I'll do my best to answer you here given that I wrote that post over a month ago, and even though I've reviewed it, that doesn't mean I remember my motivations behind writing it. lol.

I think what I was trying to say that the original DS episodes didn't really drop references to the outside world that much, or at least not ones that I noticed. You mention 1897 references. Though I'm interested in history, I'm no buff, so it's unlikely that I'd catch these references. And I didn't live in the 60s and 70s, though I can infer some references from what I do know about the time period, but again, some references may escape me. I used the clothing example because obviously the clothing worn in the original series was from the 60s and 70s, and that is the most obvious example of a reference to the outside world, although it couldn't really be helped.

Ultimately, what I was talking about or comparing was the fact that in the 04 Pilot Vicki mentions to Roger that she recognizes him from his article in Forbes magazine. You never heard any mention of something like Life magazine or any other magazine popular during the 60s and 70s. And in RtC someone, I think it's Willie, mentions eBay. The internet didn't exist in the 60s and 70s for large portions of the population, so they couldn't have mentioned it and expected people to know what they were talking about. But, they also never mentioned the Vietnam War, which was going on during that time.

Hope this helps to get my point across a little better.

Amy had a "Black Beauty" book in one episode.   When Willie is sick in the early Barnabas episodes, Roger thinks he is pretending and says something like "Sarah Bernhard" would be envious of your act".

Phillip Todd mentions the Moon landing in another episode.  Carl talks about his trip to Atlantic City and salt water taffy he bought there in 1897.