Discuss - Ep #0694

[Watching Project]

Robservations #694

[Lydia]

Collinwood should have been listed in the closing credits today, among the cast of characters.  The journey through the house at the end is one of the best things in the whole series.
 
Stokes is a quicker thinker than I am.  It never would have occurred to me to break the mirror.  And it doesn't make much sense to me.  Why did Quentin have to appear through a mirror?  Does that mean that the exorcism did have some effect?  No, it can't be that, because later Quentin appeared in person to David and then to Roger.  It may be that Stokes has some sort of power that kept Quentin from being as powerful with Stokes as he is with the others.  Once again, Stokes is mysterious.
 
Nice fire in the drapes.  It seemed to me that the drapes were really on fire, unlike so many other things that have been seen supposedly burning on Dark Shadows.  And a nice job with Quentin outside the Old House.  Things outside windows are scary in a special way.
 
Incidentally, today's scene in the Old House living room was the first there in a long time - since before Roger went to London, I think, which makes it several weeks.

[alwaysdavid]

It was very moving to see the Collins family leave the house in which they have lived for so long and then to see the camera sweeping though the empty rooms left to the ghosts.  Joan and Louis did an excellent job of conveying their sorrow at leaving their home.

[Midnite]

I. Love. This. Ep.

What alwaysdavid said about the great stuff from JB and LE!

Did they dress all those sets just for  this ep?-- three bedrooms, the storage room, and the hallway to the West Wing in addition to the drawing room and foyer set.  Oh, and the Old House drawing room too.  Wow.

[Lydia]

I. Love. This. Ep.

Nicely put.

[IluvBarnabas]

This WAS an awesome episode. I couldn't help but watch this episode again today.

I again felt like wanting to smack Roger one today, but once he saw Quentin's ghost he had no choice but to believe. If I recall, I think he more or less drops his skeptical attitude towards ghost and the supernatural from here on out after his encounter with Quentin.

I also loved how Roger said "We'll be back!" with pure conviction in his voice. It also sounded like a defiance to me, too.

I too say the shots of just about all the rooms in the house as Quentin's music is playing is one of the very best scenes of the entire show. Quentin's laughter once he is all alone and lording over the house up in the foyer is very chilling.

[EmeraldRose]

Excellent episode! One of the best! I loved the end, after everyone left, all the empty rooms were filled with Quentin's music, Quentin standing on the landing, and his laughter filling the house! Ooh! So chilling! Gives me goosebumps every time I see it.

Louis was excellent in this episode! First, when Roger was arrogantly doubtful of Quentin's presence; and then, especially, when he was "alone" in the drawing room, felt a presence, and actually saw Quentin's malevolent ghost! Quentin's appearance in front of Roger was so exciting! 

Poor David, at first being doubtful if Quentin was really gone; then, having Quentin appear to him! David was actually able to break free from Quentin's grasp and run away to the Old House. I was surprised that he was actually able to do that. He was just about to tell Barnabas everything, when Quentin appeared outside the window! Another scary moment! DH was such a wonderful actor! You wouldn't have thought he was just a child, he was so great.

The special effects of the burning drapes when Prof. Stokes was trapped in the bedroom were excellent! It really did look like they were on fire! It was impressive when he thought to break the mirror to get rid of Quentin's ghost - at least, from that room. That was pretty scary, but the Professor kept his cool.

I loved Roger's line at the end, "We'll be back."    So melodramatic and exciting. This was the first time, after people started living there, that Collinwood was abandoned by the family; also the first time (I think) that Quentin's laughter and his music filled the entire house; certainly, it was the first time that the empty rooms of Collinwood were shown so chillingly.

----- Sally -----

[Roland]

This is one of those times when I really wish DS didn't have that 5-actors-per-episode limit.  How great it would have been to have seen Carolyn, Maggie, Mrs. Johnson, Amy and Julia all loaded down with luggage and going out the front door as part of the group.

Fantastic tracking shot at the end.  Very French New Wave!

I agree with the idea of there being something especially spooky about figures peering through windows.  "The Innocents" and "Carnival of Souls" generated some of their scariest moments doing just that.