The existence of the HOUSE OF DARK SHADOWS long version

[Gothick]

Hi Darren, Just a note to thank you again for alerting me to the restoration of Price's Over the Rainbow vocals on the Phibes Rises Again DVD.  I wonder whether the scenes that were cut from the VHS release due to music rights issues were restored as well?  I checked a couple of online DVD reviews but obviously none of the reviewers knew the films well enough to comment.

Good luck with your quest for the Japanese print of hoDS.  I still feel doubtful whether the footage of the Barnabas/Julia walk scene will be recovered there, but perhaps the hanging David scene will be.  I don't know that the Stokes/Willie scene was ever included in ANY print--ditto for the Barnabas/Julia one ...  Obviously, though, you've researched this thoroughly!

I just lent VHS copies (taken from the LaserDisc, in my untutored opinion the best available versions) to a friend for viewing.  He was quite complimentary about NoDS, believe it or not--in my opinion even in its current "trimmed" state it's head and shoulders above hoDS as a film and a theatrical artifact. There ARE characters, there ARE motives, which is more than one can say for hoDS.  About the latter, my friend made a witty comment you might appreciate (or see as the unkindest "cut" of all???):

I have some old trees I'd like to clear off my property, and wonder where the editors of HODS got the *AXE* they edited the movie with! I guess that and a blindfold were all they needed. Dear, I've haven't seen editing that bad since Paul Morrissey made it an art form in the Warhol films. There are times when the soundtrack just DIES.

I did warn him that as it stands, the movie is something of a train wreck... It does remain one of my guilty pleasures, nonetheless!

Steve

[Brian]

The NODS slogan for Australia 'Ghost on a love rampage' is a hoot as well.

You're right, Darren--and they used the same quote, sort of, for HODS:  "The living dead on a frightening love rampage!"  But the HODS poster uses a photo of Carolyn rather than the drawing.

I also have one of the American NODS posters on cardstock, about 40" x 60"--and I think the artwork is very beautiful.  I'm guessing the original painting was a watercolor, from the looks of it (I really don't know much about art), but I'm still impressed with the quality that was put into the artwork on this poster.  (It's the one with Angelique hanging from the tree limb, with some of Angie's various incarnations superimposed on her body.)

"Sensuous, terrifying.  After 200 years Angelique, witch and adultress, returns from the grave!"

Brian

[Darren Gross]

My favorite NODS poster is the style-B poster that features a big decaying Angelique head superimposed over a Collinwood dripping blood. Garish to be sure, but I love it.

Despite that, I don't think NODS ever had a poster that adequately sold the film or represented its contents. I'd love to commission a new one.

Still no update info from the print in the UK.

A collector I know was kind enough to examine his Japanese memorabilia to see if he could find a running time notation, but alas tis not included in the material...

Also a fan with college connections has offered to contact the schools in his area to see if they have any HODS prints in their collection. A generous offer which I happily accepted. Fans do offer their help from time to time and as long as it doesn't cause them any expense, I usually accept.

(Librarian VAM has helped out with some US library archive database searches in the past, which was, naturally, appreciated.)

Have just begun inquiries into Japanese and Australian film rental holdings and am waiting to hear back.

[Darren Gross]

Breaking news as it develops!

A fan and website member contacted me as she has been having dealings with a collector selling DS memorabilia. Apparently a few months back he sold a print of HODS for big bucks. She's trying to find out from him if it was the longer version....

Will it be heartbreak or triumph?

only time will tell. Now you can be just as goose pimpled and anxious as me!

Stay tuned...

[Julia99]

Breaking news as it develops!

A fan and website member contacted me as she has been having dealings with a collector selling DS memorabilia. Apparently a few months back he sold a print of HODS for big bucks. She's trying to find out from him if it was the longer version....

Will it be heartbreak or triumph?

only time will tell. Now you can be just as goose pimpled and anxious as me!

Stay tuned...

I cross my fingers for you and for us, Darren . ..

[jennifer]

I cross my fingers for you and for us, Darren . ..

Me too Darren Good luck

jennifer

[Darren Gross]

Still no word back whether that print was the longer version but I'm told the collector is looking through his files to see if there's any notation of it or who the buyer was.

Still waiting on word about the UK prints (turns out there are two) but I followed up with a phone call and should probably know next week some time.

Also I finally made touch with a private fan I've been trying to contact- lots of terrific first hand info on the contents of the longer HODS print. Confirmed the David hanging and the splattery gory staking of Carolyn which other sources had mentioned. Also added some information about other (previously unknown) violence extensions as well../While they don't have a print they were very helpful with information and wish to remain anonymous.

Requests for information on Japanese and Australian rental prints have been bounced around a few departments but there should be some activity next week...

Lots of things hanging, but I've got a good feeling about things this time.

[Darren Gross]

Hi folks.

No word yet from the collector. It's a delicate situation; I'm dealing with a person who knows the collector and can't communicate directly...

The UK prints are being checked and I should know next week.

Still waiting for the Australia, Japan information.

Til then!

[arashi]

Hey folks, I kid you not. The japanese translation of House of Dark Shadows is "Lip of Blood" or  Chi no Kuchibiru. I can only imagine they got this name because the poster for the movie was a collage of "Old Barnabas" heads with bloody lips.

And Darren, I e-mailed you but I'm going to post it here in case you don't get it. I found two rental copies of the Japanese version of HODS. E-mail me if you want more info.

~Arashi

[Darren Gross]

Sad news, folks.

Received a report back from the UK film rental company that was examining the 2 HODS prints they had in inventory.

Unfortunately, they do NOT contain any deleted scenes and are just prints of the standard 97 min release version. Thanks, of course to the company and people who spent the time to check.

Also received word in regards from the studio in regards to rental prints in Japan and Australia. After checking with their distributors in those territories, the reponse came back that there are no prints (16mm or 35mm) held or available in those territories.

The Japanese and Australian leads were the 'most likely' territories for the long prints. That Japanese language (or subtitled) rental prints no longer exist in that territory is a sorry state of affairs.

Still no word on the collector's print that was sold awhile back (see posts above). It doesn't look like further information about the buyer is going to turn up, at this point. Especially since it was at a collectables show and probably sold for cash, right off the table.

(Thanks Arashi for the Japanese video tip- it's my most wanted HODS research item. Hopefully i'll be able to find one when I've got $200 to invest in it...If anyone else finds an auction for a Foreign video release of either of the films, please let me know.)

DG

[Darren Gross]

In order to provide some kind of closure, I'm going to cease the ongoing moment-to-moment updates in regard to the HODS search.

I hope you enjoyed a look into a month of the ups and downs of the work that has gone into trying to recover this missing footage. As a sample, it's a good indication of what a typical month is like.

I'll be continuing the search, of course, but won't discuss any other leads unless a discovery is made.

Please keep the thread open; I think there's a wealth of information that's worth having available. I'll respond to additional comments, as well.

Oh, I'm also upping the HODS print reward from $1000 to $2,000 dollars.  That's the ceiling on this, as far as I'm concerned.

cheers,
Darren

[Raholt]

Darren,

I talked to my sister, for the first time since I posted way back a month or so ago, over last weekend.  We got to talking about the DS films and I told her the problems that were being had about trying to restore NODS and find the longer version of HODS.  I said something about you approaching Warner Home Video division and they weren't interested.  I mentioned something about licensing the film rights from Warner, and she that the Video division does not have the right to refuse such a request, though they do it all the time and make it sound final.  She said she knew that people are being told that Warner doesn't license, but she said they do and she knows that for certain.  She said for some reason the people in the Home Video Division are not smart and cost the company money which if higher ups knew, they would not be happy.  

I know you mentioned talking to Warner's Video Division about NODS.  It might pay to going higher up.  If something was to released on home video, it would have to be done through Warner's Home Video Division, but the final word about what is or is not released, who can get access and rights to license the film is not suppose to be the Home Video Division's decision.  Just though you might want to know this.

Richard Holt

[Darren Gross]

Fascinating.

I think one of the problems is that no department wants to cause strife with Warner Home Video head Warren Lieberfarb. He's considered the 'father of DVD' and is given much control and free reign of the department.

Execs don't want to say he's losing the studio money because he'll just say he's protecting the studios assets and public image.

I think he's way too powerful. All departments- TV, archive, intl TV and video all repeat the no licensing policy. It's possible it came down from higher levels several years ago.

[Brian]

Just a thought:  I wonder if Anchor Bay would be interested in pursuing restoration and release of HODS and NODS--they've released other DC movies, and I believe have restored other non-DC flicks.

Brian

[Darren Gross]

They are. I worked for them, briefly and discussed the matter with one of their disc producers.

His response was that they'd love to do it, but it was impossible to license titles from Warners as they'd tried many times in the past.