WB ORDERS FILMING OF NEW DS PILOT

[jimbo]

From what I little I have seen, it seemed to be a supernatural/genre/comedy/drama in the vein (no pun intended) of Buffy and Angel.  If the goal of a new DS series is to be a drama like DSClassic and DSRevival, I am not so sure that it _would_ be a good fit with Charmed.

Nelson you too raise a good point. Dark Shadows is obviously more than just being a vampire driven show. I was trying to get into the minds of a WB executive ( isn't that dangerous lol) and ask myself where would I place DS on the fall schedule. There is no doubt that DS and Charmed are supernatural/ fantasy based programs. I would place DS with Charmed or with Smallville. Either way I think DS can bring in big ratings for the WB.

[Nancy]

Well, as the excerpt I posted from that recent Variety article stated: "what's "dead" today could be "the next 'Friends' " a week from now."    And frankly, it doesn't really matter what those three Web sites are reporting. The articles/web sites that have given the impression that a new DS series is already in production could be said to contradict them (and we know for a fact that the info purporting that the show is in production is not true). The sad fact is that often writers and Web sites don't confirm their supposed facts - one writer/site writes/posts something and then others pick it up without question. Misinformation is an epidmic on the Internet. 

Very true. Also due to the excitement there is a tendency to overanalyize every scrap of information and someone will repeat elsewhere what they heard, and some of the conclusion of analysis winds up being swept in there and before you have it misinformation and conjecture are all over the place.

Shows that have become classics saw their initial pilots not only shopped and rejected initially by other networks before finding a home, sometimes the pilot was rewritten and shot several times before the show was picked up.  Even if the new DS is not picked up by WB, there is no reason why it could not find a home elsewhere, IMO.

nancy

[jimbo]

Nancy I would like to believe that John Wells and Dan Curtis are savy enough to already have in place contingency plans if the WB fails to pick up DS to series. Let's hope they will not have to go to plan B.

[Nancy]

I imagine so.  With the uncertainty of the industry normally I would think contingency plans are in place to keep on pushing. After all, this is how people like Wells and Curtis make a living . . .

nancy

[jimbo]

I am remaining optimistic that the WB will pick up DS to series. But I do agree Nancy that there are some options available to Wells and Curtis should the WB fail to pick up DS. It would be a bit ironic if John Wells, with his direct connections to NBC, attempts to sell DS to that network.

[Mary]

The interiors were shot at a the LA Theater with some clever production design work and set dressings added.

The exteriors driveway, gate area and fountain were shot at Sable Ranch. The Old House exterior itself is a CGI construction.

Thank you for providing this info, Darren!  OK, here I am clueless again -- LOL! -- but may I ask what and where is Sable Ranch?  Has it been used before in other productions?  Sounds cool, anyway.

The Old House exterior a CGI construction -- well, that sounds interesting.  Hope it looks good!

[Mary]

OMG, I had the misfortune of contributing to that 54 million opening.  It was so bad, words almost cannot describe.  I've seen better film on teeth.  I do not expect will have much repeat business, esp. once word starts to get around.

I, for one, am hoping that the WB does _not_ use Van Helsing as a guide to what modern horror is about.

Uh oh, I'm gonna dissent here -- I thought "Van Helsing" was cool!!  LOL!  Well, the CGI Mr. Hyde was really stupid, but they got that over with quickly, thank goodness, and the rest of the movie was really cool, IMHO!!  Loved the flying vampire brides!  Now that would be interesting to use with Angelique!!

(Uh oh, I am so ducking after that suggestion!  LOL!)  (But I think it would be awesome! ) ( )

[Mysterious Benefactor]

may I ask what and where is Sable Ranch?  Has it been used before in other productions?

Sable Ranch has been used in dozens of productions. Mostly westerns. But it was also used as a stand-in for England for some of the exteriors in '93's "Robin Hood: Men In Tights" (they built a fiberglass castle - check out some of the photos on this site) and more recently for exteriors in Disney's Haunted Mansion (check out some of those photos here).

I came across both of these sites earlier today while I was looking for a site that might have possibly had a photo of the fountain Darren referred to, but no luck.    But after looking through the photos that I began to come across and seeing as how most of the place is, well, a ranch (cabins, livestock, the whole bit), I thought that perhaps the DS pilot, like the other two movies I've cited, just wanted to use the amazing vistas at Sable Ranch, and whatever was needed that wasn't already there was simply created for the shoot.

[Darren Gross]

All fountains and set dressing were brought. No existing structures at Sable Ranch were used, just the settings and environment...

[Mysterious Benefactor]

No existing structures at Sable Ranch were used

I suppose it would have been a bit hard to explain why the Collins family built a hacienda. 

[Philippe Cordier]

Yes, there is a picture of the new Barnabas portrait with Alec Newman in Shadowgram.  It's a full-body portrait.  He's dressed in his 18th century clothes, which are different than what we've seen Barnabas wear before: no ruffled shirt, no medals.  A little more casual-type clothes.  He is wearing a cape, though.  He has shoulder-length wavy hair -- sigh...drool...  LOL!

Thank you, Mary.  I hope I don't have too much longer to wait to see this, but for some reason my Shadowgram seems to arrive quite a bit later than most people's.

VW, interesting statistics; thanks.

Re:  Unveiling the location information for the Old House -- thank you, Darren.

Now, if there's anyone I haven't thanked but should have, please consider yourself thanked. 

Quote from Nelson Collins:

I, for one, am hoping that the WB does _not_ use Van Helsing as a guide to what modern horror is about.

The trailer was enough for me.  A quote from my former hometown newspaper's review:

"mindless special-effects overkill and a complete absence of coherent narrative"

[Gerard]

I haven't seen Van Helsing and probably will not, just from seeing the trailers.  The reason why?  "Computer-animated graphics."  I might be the only one who thinks that this "technology" still has a long a way to go, pondering if I'm also the only one who thinks that when, seeing a movie with these Ninetendo-like creatures is like watching Roger Rabbit.  It looks so fake to me that it's distracting.  At this point, I'd prefer stop-motion or the plain, old guy zipped up in a suit of scales and fur.  That Van Helsing werewolf looks like the Tasmanian devil that keeps trying to eat Bugs Bunny.

Gerard

[Patti Feinberg]

Gerard...I too hate/despise/loathe computer animation.

I don't think it has a long way to go, but I feel it shows a lack of true creativity and artistry.

True, a few people can cut/paste; know the right keystrokes, but, considering what the people on DS originally had to work with...again, total lack of imagination.

IMHO

Patti

[Nelson Collins]

I haven't seen Van Helsing and probably will not, just from seeing the trailers.  The reason why?  "Computer-animated graphics."  I might be the only one who thinks that this "technology" still has a long a way to go, pondering if I'm also the only one who thinks that when, seeing a movie with these Ninetendo-like creatures is like watching Roger Rabbit.  It looks so fake to me that it's distracting.  At this point, I'd prefer stop-motion or the plain, old guy zipped up in a suit of scales and fur.  That Van Helsing werewolf looks like the Tasmanian devil that keeps trying to eat Bugs Bunny.

The CGI definitely overused and isn't entirely sucessful in some spots.  Bad script, bad acting, I spent the whole film spotting what genre or film stole from.

[jimbo]

The websites www.collinwood.net and www.barnabasundead.com have both posted a summary of a Variety article published today indicating that the DS pilot is now a "long shot" to make the WB's fall schedule. Hopefully, John Wells and Dan Curtis can convince the WB executives to change its minds.