Favorite Dark Shadows special effect

[Janet the Wicked]

My fave special effect on DS is the window in the Blue Whale - the wave shadows. Man, it doesn't get much better than that.

Janet

[Gerard]

Add another vote for Josette's ghost walking out of the portrait.  Also, close for me in how it was executed, the scene in which [spoiler]Alexis touches Angeliquie's dead body in the coffin, bringing it to life, and the two have their momentary nice, little chat - both characters visible in rather well done split screen.[/spoiler]

Gerard

[TERRY308]

I agree Gerald.  I was going to write that it, but, you beat me to it.  

Oh well, it got across.

The first time I saw it I was 13, and it sorta scared me.

[Misty]

Josette stepping from the portrait was outstanding. I also liked the witch "burning". I believe this happened more than once. I was amazed to see the fire in her eyes, mouth, etc. Today's special effects are indeed awesome. I've also found that in many movies now there are breathtaking special effects and little storyline. At least DS had a reasonably interesting story (mostly!) accompanying the effects.

                                                          Misty

[jeffreywj777]

I don't think this would qualify as the best special effect on DS, but I consider my most memorable effect. At the conclusion of the episode where Jerimiah dies from the duel with Barnabas, his ghost appears in Josette's room. She turns and begins to call to him, only to have him turn and disappear right in front of her. Even after all these years I still get goose pimples when thinking of it.

Jeff

[CyrusL]

  Some of my favorite effects were among the most simple. The show made good use of people simply fading away, such as Barnabas escaping Trask or Tom Jennings ghost evaporating into the sunrise. Basically just phasing on the bluescreen. Actually, one of my favorite bits, they did a couple pf times with Angelique as well as with Beth's ghost  was simply having someone fade in without the bluescreen by just having them in a blacked out area then soft green lspotlight bringing the character in. It feels supernatural.

One other cool and creepy use of blue/split screen was the Romeo and Juliet like corpses in the 1841 PT story.

One of the worst effects was having Audrey's presence sort of disappear when Barnabas wakes from his Leviathan induced dream and Marsha Mason's arm is still sticking out from behind the Old House curtains!

Michael

"Son, one day all this will be yours!" King of Swamp Castle
"Wot, the curtains?" Prince 'Erbert

Monty Python and the Holy Grail

[AndreDuPres]

I really like Jeremiah's ghost as well, especially in that scene in which Barnabas has left the master bedroom at the Old House, and Angelique is screaming after him only to be surprised and horrified when the doors suddenly slam open and the ghost appears.  My favourite special effect, though, is the Shadow Angelique casts on Jeb.

[Patti Feinberg]

Glad this post is back up, I was going to look for it.  During the 4th of July good movies/marathons, I thought of this topic.

First, a specific ep of Twilight Zone (but of course, I can't now remember which one!!), which is approx. 5 yrs before DS; then, watching Jaws, which is approx. 4-5 yrs  after DS.

I think that they were both close, with the noticeable exception:

DS was a daily....grind/grind/grind, where as TZ was weekly (and had what about 12-20 wks off between seasons); Jaws was a large budget flick.

Interesting though, I always think special effects BEFORE CAD are soooo much better.

Patti

[Edited by Midnite]

[Raineypark]

While "Twilight Zone" frequently used masks and make-up to create the sense of other-worldly experiences, they rarely resorted to anything that could be called a "special effect".  Stopping the camera while someone walked into or out of the shot, to create the effect of appearing or disappearing, hardly constitutes a "special effect", does it?

[MagnusTrask]

Blue-screen wasn't groundbreaking then-- it was the one effect everybody used.

Sometimes make-up and props are counted as "effects", so I'll point out that Barnabas's old-age mask was the best old-age make-up or mask I've ever seen, ever.   I also loved Petofi's hand.  That gruesome bone sticking out the end was pretty daring, and left a lifelong impression on me as a kid.   I waited 30 years to see that again.

[Misa]

I also loved the "Hand of Count Petofi", and I thought that the "Old" makeup and appliances they use to make Barnabas old were great on the show, they were better on the show than what they used on the movie.

Misa

[Misa]

artist07, I love the picture you have as your avatar. Did you draw it?

Misa

[Raineypark]

The "Hand of Count Petofi" was an excellent special effect.....very creepy and weird.
On the other hand (no pun intended) Angelique's "claw" was among the funniest things ever on DS.  My daughter stills howls with laughter at the mere mention of it.
Now watch....someone will inform me that they're actually the same appendage....

[wes]

My favorite SE was when Barnabas changed from bat to human before attacking Suki Forbes.

My favorite regular SE was the ever changing PT room.

My favorite SE prop was (I agree) the Boxed Hand of Count Petofi; but, I didn't like when it "floated" around the room and grew bigger.  I didn't like the "hopping" Ghost of Trask, either.

[Misa]

Hopping Ghost? I missed this. Was this in the 1968 period when Trask's ghost excersizes Angelique? Please give me a detailed picture of what this looked like, as it sounds really funny.

Misa