The Fifth Commandment Vis A Vis Dark Shadows 1968 & 2012

[Bob_the_Bartender]

Hey gang,

I was watching the new DS film again the other day, and I got to wondering about which version of Barnabas, specifically, Jonathan Frid's or Johnny Depp's version, violated the Fifth Commandment of "Thou Shalt Not Kill" (according to the Augustinian version ) more often.

Now, as best as I can remember, Mr. Frid's version of Barnabas "offed" around twenty people during the original series run on ABC back in the late 1960s/early 1970s.

After seeing the new Dark Shadows film several times, I believe that there were 11 hard hats, seven hippies (the same ones, who gave Vicky/Maggie/Josette a lift in that VW van at the beginning of the film), and, of course, one prominent member of the medical profession, who probably wished that they had not made Barnabas' acquaintance.   

So, which Barnabas do you think was more bloodthirsty, and what's worse (or possibly better): knocking-off twenty people (or so) over a span of nearly four years on television, or knocking-off twenty people (or so) over the span of a film lasting around 144 minutes?   

I'll let you decide.
 
Bob

[IluvBarnabas]

Jonathan Frid's Barnabas had a higher body count than Johnny Depps's. And I believe it was more than twenty...and also there are the killings that we didn't see on screen.

[Bob_the_Bartender]

Jonathan Frid's Barnabas had a higher body count than Johnny Depps's. And I believe it was more than twenty...and also there are the killings that we didn't see on screen.

ILuvBarnabas,

I don't know, but it still seems to me that Barnabas' "kill number" was around twenty departed souls or so.  I believe that Barnabas was most "prolific" in the killing department, during his time during the 1897 storyline.

Of course, in addition to putting the "bite" on most of his victims, Jonathan Frid's Barnabas also strangled several of his victims.  However, I believe that Johnny Depp's Barnabas strictly "imbibed" on his many victims.   Isn't is somewhat strange then, that none of the cinematic Barnabas' victims "returned" as members of the "living dead"?  (Well, there was one  certain vampire victim who did appear to "return" at the conclusion of Tim Burton's "Dark Shadows," but I'll say no more about that).

Bob

PS And don't get me going on the apparent failure of the cinematic "Dark Shadows"  to address either the use of a cross to fend off a vampire, or the use of a wooden stake to rid oneself of a member of the "living dead."  That being said, I still enjoyed Tim Burton's film immensely!