The 2004 WB Pilot

[jimbo]

When TV Critic Mark Dawidziak introduced the DS pilot at the Fest he began by saying, "It was the best of times; it was the worst of times". That did sum up the pilot in my opinion. I just don't understand the WB's position that the pilot was "unsalvageable". Clearly they must have hated Alec Newman as Barnabas. I thought he could have pulled it off. My only problem with Alec was I thought he was too short for the role. Ok everybody, don't laugh. But seriously, you could tell that the director desperately was shooting angles that would make Alec appear taller than the other actors. I was happy with Angelique, Roger, David and the Willie actors. Brown was terrible as Elizabeth but perhaps the script instructed her to act in that air-head manner. I just finished reading  Rod Labbe's article in Scary Monsters Magazine about the pilot. In the last paragraph he quoted Jim Pierson as saying that the pilot was alive and well. This article was published in June 2005. Perhaps the writer actually wrote the piece a long time ago. BTW Labbe did a fantastic job with all of the articles he wrote in that issue.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

I just don't understand the WB's position that the pilot was "unsalvageable". Clearly they must have hated Alec Newman as Barnabas. I thought he could have pulled it off.

The WB has never publicly commented on whom they might have thought needed to be recast. But they did come out firmly behind Alec Newman, so it wasn't him...

Brown was terrible as Elizabeth but perhaps the script instructed her to act in that air-head manner.

There I have to disagree. Yes, Liz did come off a bit ditzy in her first scene when Vicki arrives at Collinwood (but there could possibly be an explanation for that that I'll get into in a future post). However, I thought all of Liz' other scenes played very well - particularly when she's explaining, or rather trying to avoid explaining to Vicki about David's mother - and especially the scene in which she lets Roger have it when he rejects David.

[jimbo]

MB I am a bit surprised by your statement that the WB approved of Alec's performance as Barnabas. Logic would dictate that if an entire filmed pilot is deemed "unsalvageable", that the main character is largely to blame. Additionally, Rod Labbe reported in the "What Happened" to the WB pilot article, that the WB "disliked Newman's Barnabas". I would have to assume he obtained that information from JP but of course I do not know that. I do agree with you that Brown did perform better after her drug induced opening scene. lol

[Mysterious Benefactor]

MB I am a bit surprised by your statement that the WB approved of Alec's performance as Barnabas. Logic would dictate that if an entire filmed pilot is deemed "unsalvageable", that the main character is largely to blame.

Well, technically, what Garth Ancier said was that even though the pilot was "wonderfully produced" by John Wells, Wells must have realized that the pilot was unsalvageable because Wells never approached Ancier about fixing it. Ancier also firmly placed the blame on the director (PJ Hogan) for the pilot's problems. (The report of this can be read again here: No Resurrection For Shadows) However, as we know, John Wells subsequently disputed that he'd ever thought the pilot was unsalvageable and actually said that he loved the way it turned out.

In terms of the pilot's main character, though, I'm not so sure one can say it was Newman's Barnabas, At first I was a bit surprised by how little screen time Newman actually had. But then, when one thinks about it, given Barnabas' circumstances, it really couldn't be any other way in a 40 minute pilot. If anything, Vicki was more of the main character because she appeared in the most scenes.

Additionally, Rod Labbe reported in the "What Happened" to the WB pilot article, that the WB "disliked Newman's Barnabas". I would have to assume he obtained that information from JP but of course I do not know that.

It's usually very dangerous to assume. 

[jimbo]

Thanks MB for the link.

Yeah I never did like or trust Ancier. Boy, can he spin with the best. lol What exactly did he mean by his statement that Wells wonderfully produced the filmed pilot? In turn, I just don't see John Wells saying something like,"Hey Garthy, sorry about our distinguished production company producing a terrible pilot, so terrible that nothing can be salvaged but thanks for the compliment". Even though Wells is not hurting financially, obviously it was in his best interests to get the filmed pilot to series even if they had to recast certain characters. My understanding is that the WB never gave Wells a chance to enhance the pilot in any manner. What hurts even more is that John Wells has an office on the WB's lot. I just can't imagine that Garth and Wells never crossed paths on the lot to discuss the filmed pilot. The whole thing is beyond my comprehension. lol

Yes, I should never assume anything in this whacky world we live in. lol

[Misa]

What does everyone who saw the pilot think of the actors performances and the casting? Was Victoria cast well? David? What did the portrait of Josette look like? I have been really curious about how the painting looked.

Hope to hear from you soon.

Misa

[Jackie]

My thoughts on the WB pilot:  [I enjoyed it, saw some strengths and some weaknesses...I believe every DS Fan should be able to see this one at least once.]

[spoiler]It was about 40 minutes long, rough draft with little or not music or sound effects.  That didn't matter because the suspense was there and the horror came through very well.  I loved the effects they had for introducing Barnabas Collins.  He was not a good-looking corpse to start out but the decayed DEAD cadaver.  It was great make-up and there is a photo of him in the Shadowgram mail version.  Anyway, when Willie and his girlfriend went looking for treasures, she cut herself on something, then blood dripped on cadaver which awoke the terror they were about to face.  One survived, the other did not.  The walking corpse had to claim a few victims including Carolyn to restore It's body and youth.  I must say that within the 40 minutes no one actor had the most screen time.  They were very busy introducing each character, each had only 2 or 3 scenes.  Willie was very cute, not the babbling fool they had in 1991 and not the criminal we feared in the series.  It was his girlfriend's idea to rob the grave and she even threatened him [not with bodily harm but lack of her body!] After Barnabas' influence on this Willie, he didn't appear to be as nervous and frighten of his master as the JK character but again we didn't get to see too much of the relationship in this short time.  I also liked Vicki's character although I'd have to get use to a blonde.  Since it is during modern time, we saw cell phones and a moment of comic relief during a rainstorm.  This Vicki reminded me of the earlier series character, bold, feisty, and confident.  I didn't care too much for the Elizabeth Collins Stoddard portrayal because they had her too mousy and nothing like Joan Bennett's portrayal.  Roger was loud and obnoxious but we don't see too much of him. He's still curt with David.  Little David was marvelous, IMO, and very spooky.  He had some great lines too.  I didn't like how they ended the 40 minutes but no one expected this to be perfect.  They awaken Angelique and she is hit head on by Vicki's car.  While she sticks out of the front window, she looks at Vicki screaming, having Vicki scream, and cowering in the seat.  "The End".  Hmmm??   It wasn't even a final draft so they expected to do more work on it.[/spoiler]

[victoriawinters]

I felt Marley Shelton made a good Victoria.  She had a good mix of vulnerability and strength.  She also was commanding over David.  I felt she was eventually going to make inroads with him.  I felt little Alexander Gould was truly strong as very disturbed David.

The portrait of Josette was a replication of Marley Shelton in a 17th Century dress with long tresses.  It was a nature background I believe.  She had a very pretty smile in the portrait.  Very much in the style of the time period, in terms of the sitting.

I thought Martin Donovan as Roger Collins and Michael D. Roberts as Sheriff Patterson were the best of the lot.

It appeared to me that Blair Brown and Kelly Hu needed to be re-cast.  Or, re-directed.  Or, both.  There were many points where the direction lacked er Direction.  Granted it was rough cut and not polished.  You could see the visual click track at the bottom of the screen.  But, you can tell if the shots are there and they add to or detract from the horror/suspense or not.  The director (PJ Hogan) absolutely needed recasting.  Possibly a flogging.  My review and fix suggestions will be part of my Fest report when I'm done with it.

Alec Newman was a bit short but they were short 200 years ago.  So, it worked for me.  Or, Martin Donovan is a basketball player.  Your pick.

Joe was hot as was Willie.  At first I had the pre-judgment, based on my meeting him at Dan Curtis' 40th Anniversary last year, that Jason Shaw was going to be weak as an actor.  However, he surprised me.  Matt Czuchry (Willie), Jessica Chastain (Carolyn), Alexis Thorpe (Kelly Greer), Jenna Dewan (Sophia) were all quite competent in their respective roles.

For the most part, this cast gelled for me.  Mark Verheiden (writer) really understands DS.  My instinct about him from my meeting with him last year was dead on.  It would have worked.  DS is all the poorer because this failed.

As a friend of mine who is a record producer and performer always said, when you have a new release the entire catalog sells.  This really, truly hurt us that this didn't make it.

[Barnabas'sBride]

Talking about the pilot brings back the memories of anticipation I had for the potential series. I wish they had just gotten a new director and made a couple recasts. From the details of the pilot, I liked some of the new ideas they incorporated into it, and I think they could've kept the series fresh and interesting.

I thought Mark Verheiden would do a good job as the writer.

[Julia99]

Did everybody have to leave their cellphones in a basket at that showing?  I've heard some hilarious stories about the security overkill at some of these events.

No, they weren't that bad - just the usual Fest announcement that there was no photo taking or videotaping allowed. (Though, of course, that never stops some people.  )

Don't forget the security guard walking around all of us. . he was big, mean and well ..i thought rather good looking but I digress. . .

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Don't forget the security guard walking around all of us

Was there a security guard? I didn't even notice him.    But then my attention was squarely focused on watching the pilot. 

[victoriawinters]

Oh yes, it was the same one patrolling us during the play earlier in the afternoon.  But, I liked it in the end that he was there.  I thought order was a bit better kept this fest.  He wasn't bad on the eyes either.

[Midnite]

Well, since their praises are being sung, I'll add that I had several stressful encounters with hotel security.  This is not a criticism of anyone associated with the Festival or other hotel employees, but the security department specifically.  I realize that the multiple problems I had with them may been my isolated experiences, and there was one individual guard who took over a situation and became helpful after I had reached an impasse with his coworkers, but regardless of how attractive any of them may have been, I found the security staff as a whole to be uncooperative, unreliable, manipulative and nasty.  There, I said it. 

[Stuart]

I'll keep this brief, but in a nutshell I was floored by the whole thing...

I think without a doubt the pilot is one of the most densely fascinating 40 minutes of television I have ever seen. The really sad thing to reflect upon is that so much of that quality and scope is the contribution of PJ Hogan, who I think has been the recipient of one of the most sour and misplaced whispering campaigns possible.

What this DS has is a genuine sense of wonder and beauty - and looking at Dan's turn in 1991 and Rob Bowman's recent work, it wouldn't have gotten that without PJ's contribution. It's bold, assured and - love it or hate it - offers more character and identity in 40 minutes than the 1991 show managed in a dozen episodes.

A pilot is a statement of intent - showing the world your concept and getting them swept along in the process. PJ nailed that. This DS is joyously different from anything else on television - it's not a copy of an old show or a reshoot of an old movie. It lives and breathes and takes its audience on an amazing, epic ride. And that is what turns a workmanlike remake into something that stands on its own two feet and deserves a place in the schedule in its own right.

The only thing that spoiled it for me was Mark Dawidziak's introduction - a very wrong-footed and idiosyncratic speech which seemed to serve little real purpose.

[jimbo]

Stuart, I enjoyed reading your take on the DS 2004 pilot.

I too liked the filmed pilot. The only problem I had was the ending. I don't know if that very last scene with the two characters trying to out scream the other was in the script or something Hogan added on his own (there are these rumors of him shooting scenes not in the script). In any event, the ending did not work for me. Perhaps it was designed to be comical although I doubt that was the case. I don't know anything about directing so I do not know if that scene was poorly directed. I do know, however, that I would have filmed it so that it would be clear to the viewing audience that the scene meant to convey a terrifying moment for Victoria. The bottom line is that the ending was the last impression left with the WB executives at the screening and in my opinion that did not help matters in their decision making process whether to pick up the pilot.

On a whole, I thought it was brilliantly filmed by Hogan. I just don't understand why the head of the WB and perhaps DCP believed that Hogan poorly directed the pilot. Why make the director the fall guy even if he made one bad directional decision in the entire body of work?