And Yet Another New Slideshow

[Cousin_Barnabas]

I think we can all agree on that last thought, MB.  Plus, Mrs. Johnson is constantly referenced, and Angelique is at the center of the plot, so it probably makes up for lost screen-time.

Like I said, there is a ton of stuff in the film relating to Vicki, but it's so low-key, it gets pushed to the wayside.  I think if Vicki were more central to the plot, I'd feel better about her place and her "destiny."  If nothing else, Twilight probably sealed the deal with downplaying Vicki's part and upsizing the presence of Angelique. 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Well, some might suppose that it's hard not to come across as a bit low-key when your rival is as large a character as Angelique, Twilight or no Twilight.    Woe to any of Angelique's rivals in any version of DS. 


But getting back to the slideshow, this was almost the capture to accompany today's quote:

But ultimately I decided to go with the sinister smirk:

1972 - Barnabas: 'Madam. I am neither good nor gentle, and
I do not forgive.'

While the first is certainly vicious (with the inclusion of fangs, how could it not be?), frankly, I've always found that the toying nature of the second helps to make things even more menacing. In fact, I think Depp played the scene to perfection. As did Helena Bonham Carter. It's really one of my favorites in the film. And the line in today's quote is really the type of remark that Barnabas would classically deliver.

[Cousin_Barnabas]

This was one of my favorite scenes as well.  It was unexpected, as it was one of the few things not given away in the trailer.  Plus, like a good re-imagining, it took a familiar scene and turned it on its head.  A highlight for sure. 

[Gerard]

I also appreciate how, I believe, DS-12 stuck with how the OS was suppose to go.  Barnabas and Julia were never meant, from what I've read, to become bosom-buddies - they were to remain adversaries; they played off of each other until the climax of how the 13-week arc was suppose to go and neither came out alive.  However, in DS-12, one did come out "alive."

Gerard

[dom]

I thought the reversal of the 'experiment' was a brilliant call.

[Gothick]

The smirk seems tres Willy Wonka.

The scene did nothing for me.  But Julia's fangs were cool.  I wonder if HBC did the film only on the proviso that she got to have fangs somewhere down the line.  I could imagine her making that stipulation.  I AM a Helena fan.

G.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

I also loved the fangs:

1972 - Julia: 'Aah!'

They seem to lend a bit or corroborative evidence to the theory that I brought up in reply #129 that perhaps it wasn't just a hangover or even a hangover at all that caused Julia's aversion to the sun in the final dining room scene in the film. They're also[spoiler]a nice hint of what's to come in the final moments of the film.[/spoiler]But more on that once the December slideshow draws to a close.

Another thing I loved was how Barnabas was not just able to drain Julia's own blood but he was even able to drain the bag of blood because it was attached to Julia. It was a very effective way to end the scene:

And it was an inventive way to get the point across completely without really resorting to things getting bloody.

For me, anyway, the scene was classically DS. I could so easily see it in any previous versions of the show.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

I forgot to mention the other day while the scene of Barnabas and Willie disposing of Julia's body was current in the slideshow that I find it amusing that it's the only sequence in the film in which Barnabas wears his hat, gloves and sunglasses at night. Was he afraid of moonburn? 

But seriously, I do actually have a theory as to why it may be that it's the only nighttime scene in the entire film with Barnabas dressed like that - and it's that perhaps the scene was mostly if not entirely shot second unit with stand-ins instead of with Johnny Depp and Jackie Earle Haley. The scene is almost exclusive comprised of long shots without any close ups of the characters - and the characters are nearly always seen in shadow. (The capture I'm sharing is the only time in the scene where Barnabas is even slightly seen in a bit of light as the beacon from a lighthouse passes by - but it only lasts on screen for an instant - and Willie's face is never really seen). And it seems fairly clear that the dialogue was looped for the sequence. So, if my theory is the case, dressing Barnabas up in that manner would have been a good way to disguise that it wasn't Depp shooting the scene. 

[dom]

In the context of the film I figured he was concealing himself as much as possible so as not to be identified.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

I also had that thought as a possibility. But then I figured that rather than being an effective disguise, that getup would have probably made him even more recognizable because Barnabas wore it during the whole Collins Cannery reconstruction, which would have been big doings in town and something the whole town would have been likely to pay attention to. Even in silhouette, practically anyone in town would have probably recognized him!    So, if wearing that getup was supposed to disguise himself, Barn wasn't thinking very clearly when he made the choice. But then, on second thought, what else would really be new? Regardless of the version of DS, Barn often makes ill-considered decisions.   

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Though, of course, the real worst is yet to come when the film's Roger makes his ultimate decision of what is more important to him...

And we're at that point currently in the slideshow. And honestly, I think Barnabas isn't even describing the half of it when he calls Roger "selfish":

1972 - Barnabas: 'Or you leave with sufficient money to live
your thieving, selfish life elsewhere.'

Even beyond his ultimate decision, the real evidence for that is when Roger is faced with the choice of becoming the father David so desperately wants and deserves, he has the audacity to ask:

1972 - Roger: 'Or?'

To say the film's Roger is a despicable bastard would still be putting it mildly!!

[Gerard]

When I and about two-dozen friends went to see DS12 the opening weekend, and most were basically unfamiliar with the series, and we talked about it afterwards and they had tons of questions about the OS, Roger was one of the most perplexing and interesting characters to them, especially when I described him from the OS.  I stated that he was also a bastard especially in the way he treated his son, but unlike the DS12 Roger, he was consumed with his family.  My friends and acquaitances came to the conclusion that both Rogers were bastards to David coming from different angles:  the OS one viewed David as a burden because of his slavish devotion to family pride, while the DS12 one viewed David as a burden because he couldn't care less about the family other than what he could get materialistic out of it.  They thought both approaches were brilliant.  They said that taking the OS Roger and making him into the DS12 Roger by Depp/Burton was genious.

Gerard

[Cousin_Barnabas]

I had no qualms with the writing of any of the core family members... except for Carolyn (but we know about that).  I was pleased with all three of them, and I think they improved upon the characterizations from the 1991 series, though I think JGL's David is still the ultimate portrayal of that scary little guy. 

[IluvBarnabas]

The 2012 film version of Roger really WAS a bastard. I felt so sorry for poor David....his dad chose to run out on him rather than stay and be a dad to him. No wonder he favored Barnabas more....

Let's be truthful....all 3 Rogers, in the OS, 1991 version and in Burton's film were really rotten, neglectful dads. But only Roger in the original show actually improved as time went on.

[Gothick]

I was watching some of the early Laura Collins episodes (1966/67) a few weeks ago and it was pretty blatantly clear that Roger was THRILLED at the idea of Laura packing David off for good.  There are some really good scenes when Liz starts to dig her heels in and Roger is genuinely baffled as to why she's opposed to something that "is really in his best interests."

It's so beyond apparent that Roger would just love to be rid of David at this point...

G.