My Review of the Special Programs & Compilations from DS Collection Set 26

[Jackie]

On disc 3, we have "Special Programs and Compilations":

1. Dark Shadows Tribute: This thirtieth anniversary retrospective features cast interviews, coverage of the DS festival and other special footage.

---It starts with a preview of episode 1 with Victoria Winter's famous introduction.  "My name is Victoria Winters..."  and then Maggie's talk to Vicki calling her a "jerk".  Then we have the stars talk about their experiences of that particular viewing scenes.  According to the writer, Malcolm Marmorstein, the Phoenix storyline made it possible for Barnabas to get on the air because they renewed DS with the Phoenix.  The ratings went up after that.
---The attending actors/crew were Conrad Bain, John Karlen, Diana Millay, Denise Nickerson, Lara Parker, Dennis Patrick, Chris Pennock, Robert Rodan, Kathryn Leigh Scott, Michael Stroka, Marrie Wallace, Donna Wandrey, Malcolm Marmorstein, Sy Tomashoff
---Some comments about the panel:  One actor who stands out for me during the actors' panel is Conrad Bain.  He's so funny, joking around making everyone laugh.  One opening comment he said, "My memories of Dark Shadows are very dark."  A seven year old ask David Selby a question.  The boy was from Charleston, WV [where I lived for 5 years] and David just lite up!  His southern accent came out and that was amazing to watch him talk to the little guy.
---There are some fan interviews, a make-up artist making someone up into the "old" Barnabas makeup,
---Clips of interviews with JF, KLS and LP on A.M. Los Angeles; Joan Bennett on Mike Douglas Show; interview with Sam Hall about Grayson Hall; scenes from HODS; JF on Merv Griffin Show;
---Interviews with: Mitchell Ryan, John Karlen, Denise Nickerson, Kate Jackson, Louis Edmonds
---and near the end of the segment, they showed highlights of the entire series.  It was slightly over 1 hour.

2. Scariest Moments of Dark Shadows:

---A scene from PT1970, Alexis goes to Angelique's tomb
---Chris transforms into the werewolf in front of Joe
---Carolyn in the basement of the OH, opening the coffin and being confronted by Julia, then Old Barnabas
---Rachael attacked by zombie Quentin, 1897
---Edward finding vampire Dirk's coffin
---Dead Josette returns by way of Barnabas' summons
---Gerard's dream guided by Judah Zackery
---Jeremiah's ghost burying Angelique in a grave
---Aristede comes to kill Judith
---Amy and David find Quentin's skeleton
---Angelique and Barnabas on the fateful day
---Willie's dream curse and more and more!  30 mins

3. The Best of Barnabas:

---Many scenes of Barnabas and others that everyone loves!  The best part for me was the ending piece where JF has the music soliloquy of never being apart.   28mins.

4. Dark Shadows 25th Anniversary Special: The cast reunites for the 1991 Dark Shadows Festival fan convention.  Includes series Highlights.

---Similiar to the 30th Anniversary Tribute, clips of DS and stars talking about their experiences throughout the special
---Louis Edmonds is quit funny. Diana Millay talks about the phoenix; Louis Edmonds performs on stage-sings and cracks up the audience [he was the BEST!]; Marie Wallace's favorite character is Crazy Jenny;
---In attendence: Lara Parker, Louis Edmonds, Diana Millay, Kathryn Leigh Scott, Marie Wallace, Donna Wandrey, Chris Pennock, James Storm, Terry Crawford, Michael Stroka, John Karlen, Dennis Patrick, Robert Rodan, Roger David [what a ham], Jonathan Frid
---Showed a scene with Eve and Adam in spanish
---Donna Wandrey admits that all the actors took their acting very seriously and the humor is in watching it much later.  It was very technical stuff.  Live taping didn't allow them to crack up on the set.  They had to be serious most of the time.
---Q&A to James Storm, about fan mail as hate mail.  He received lizard feet in the mail.  [weird present!]
---Michael Stroka described a scene where he and David Selby had to improvise after their minds went blank on what to say.  Since they couldn't see the teleprompters they just "winged it" on what they could remember.  It was Michael's favorite blooper and they were soaking wet, he said.  LOL  Then they showed the scene.  It was the one where Aristede forces Quentin on the table with "dancing lady".
---Q&A with stars and clips to go with them
---Maria Wallace reminds Roger Davis about the scene where he threw her out of the scene. [Jeff pushes Eve away and she falls out of the scene]  She said, in response to his comment about laughing on the set, she didn't laugh when he did that to her!  Evidentally, during dress rehearsals he didn't do that but on the taping he did.  After the scene, he apologized that he just got too emotional and she said, on stage in front of the audience "and I never believed you!"  Everyone cracked up!  Love Marie!  Then Roger speaks up and says that's what you do [that's what HE does!] when you forget your lines, you fill the void with emotions.
---Jonathan Frid was announced after there was a Q&A time with the panel of stars.  Don't know why he wasn't with them, maybe he had other things to do or he wanted the questions to go to the other stars.  John Karlen gives JF a hug.  He tells the audience that he'll have a Q&A tomorrow and autographs and his "number".
---JF time on stage: tells his story of being "the new boy" on the show; getting that fateful call from his agent; his first time in CA in 1966 doing another show   40 mins.

On disc 4, we have Featurettes and More:

1. The Making of The Return of Collinwood: Original series actors talk about performing their characters again for the first time in decades.

---Actors talking about doing a radio drama, working with each other again, Jamison Selby writing and directing the performance.  All the fun, challenges, the rehearsals, the characters reliving again, the recording process  16 mins.

2. Can Curtis-Before the Shadows: The late creator and executive producer of Dark Shadows discusses his show business background. 4 1/2 mins.

3. The Mistress of Collinwood-Joan Bennett:  Colleagues fondly recall the former movie star who also played Elizabeth Collins Stoddard.

---Louis Edmonds starts talking about Joan and their on and off screen relationship as "brother and sister".
---KLS, Lela Swift, Nancy Barrett, Alexandra Isles talk about their affections and admiration for Joan
---Dennis Patrick talks about an incident during a scene where Jason is sitting at a table writing and Liz comes in.  On a sheet of paper at the desk there is something written on it: "twinkle twinkle little star, what a horse's ass you are."  After the scene, Dennis wondered who wrote it because he was embarrassed that Joan was leaning over him [during the scene] and he would not have said anything that "vulgar" in front of her.  He said, "who the hell wrote that" and she said, "I did."  She told him that one night after a late night shoot that note was pinned to her pillow and he was gone.  This was Patrick's memorable moments with Joan Bennett.
---Jerry Lacy says she was "real people and nice people and had a good set of standards"
---James Storm thought of her as down to earth   8 mins.

4. A Fan Remembers:  Jay Nass reflects on his New York childhood visiting the DS studio.  Includes home movies.

---He discusses his experience as a teenage kid in NY, standing around outside the studio for autographes, photos and seeing the starts.  Some interesting behind-the-scene pictures of the set, the actors outside the studio, make up, etc.   9 mins.

5. 1970 Dark Shadows Rehearsal & Pretape Segments with Lara Parker

---Lara Parker does the scene where Alexis and Angelique change places.  This is Ep. 1001 Only Lara is the only one there.

6. 1984 Dark Shadows PBS Promos with Jonathan Frid

---4 or 5 promos about 4 mins

7. 1969 ABC-TV Promotional Announcements

---1969 ABC-TV footage of credits and announcements at the end of the credits.  Some of the Apollo 11 announcements on the moon.  I guess history was important to someone for this filler.  Why?  I don't know.  It's ok I guess zzzzz.  4 mins.

9. The Beginning: A preview of the earliest DS episodes, before the arrival of vampire Barnabas Collins.
 
---Some exciting clips of Vicki's warm welcome from some scary characters like Matthew Morgan [#1], Sam Evans [#1], a few suspicious themes that peek interest... it works!!  4 1/2 mins.

10. Dark Shadows Vampire & Ghosts

---Scenes with the ghosts of Bill Mallory, Josette, and many scenes about the vampires, witches, and others from all the storylines.  1 hour

11. Movie Trailers: Vintage film previews featuring DS actors.

[BuzzH]

Have watched all the special features on boxset 26 and enjoyed them as much as the special features on the Bloopers DVD.  My favorite was A Fan Remembers where fan Jay Nass, an ex-'studio kid', talks about hanging out at the studio back in da day!  Great 16 mm footage of the stars coming and going and interesting tales from Jay too. 

HIGHLY reccomend this volume, just for the special features alone. 

[Jackie]

That was great to watch footage from the original time period of the actors arriving to the studio, walking and driving in a cab.  Some looked so different from the characters in make-up and period clothes.

I enjoyed that piece very much also!

 

[Gothick]

Wow!  the Jay Nass feature sounds pretty spectacular, even if it only clocks in at 9 minutes.

Nice to see that they honored Joan Bennett, as well.

G.