Places to live on Dark Shadows

Petofi, that's a fabulous picture of the Petofi Mill set!  Thanks for sharing it!

Best wishes,

Gothick

Petofi, that's a fabulous picture of the Petofi Mill set!  Thanks for sharing it!

Thanks, I have a snapshot feature on my computer dvd player, so I just pulled one of the dvds of the Petofi storyline, around the time that Barnabas is being held hostage in the mill.  I have always had a fascination for the sets of DS and the irreplaceable ambiance that they always provided to the show.  Kudos to Sy Tomashoff and the fantastic set decorators and lighting folk that made it all possible.

Petofi

I have always had a fascination for the sets of DS and the irreplaceable ambiance that they always provided to the show.  Kudos to Sy Tomashoff and the fantastic set decorators and lighting folk that made it all possible.

There were some beautiful sets.  One I really loved, which could be added to this thread, I haven't mentioned yet because I can't think of what it's called.  It's the place where Barnabas hides out when he travels to 1897 - I don't have an episode guide to consult (I tried an online summary, but it wasn't mentioned), but I thought it was connected to a church, something like a parsonage or manse.  Anyway, the colors, lighting, and set all worked together beautifully.  It was such a neat idea to have Barnabas living there.

Where he hides out after being found out as a vampire in 1897 is a different story.   The cave is clearly big pieces of dark crumpled-up paper stuck onto the walls.   Yet, even this cheapest of all sets works if you don't stop to think about it.

This really doesn't apply to the Old House because that house was discovered by Dan Curtis when they were up at Lyndhurst

Why would you say it really doesn't apply? DC loved the style of Spratt House (so much so that he was determined to find a use for it on the show) - and he was definitely someone at DS. 

Well, okay, I guess what I meant was, it wasn't JUST because the house was the style it was, Greek Revival or whatever it was.  The impression I got when I heard this tale was that the main thing that appealed to DC about Spratt House was that it was abandoned and creepy looking.  It could have been a Victorian or Gothic Revival and he still would have had it photographed.    I'm sure DC, or someone at DS, liked the style of these houses, since there are at least 3 of them on here, but as for the Old House, I think that was a coincidence that it was the same style as Rumson House and Rose Cottage.   

Where he hides out after being found out as a vampire in 1897 is a different story.   The cave is clearly big pieces of dark crumpled-up paper stuck onto the walls.   Yet, even this cheapest of all sets works if you don't stop to think about it.

Yes, its true, the crumpled construction paper cave really calls upon the imagination, and I'm sure it looked pretty tacky without lights to provide the shadowing we see during episodes.  That said, I remember thinking how cool that set was when I was a kid.  I guess with everything spooky going on at the time, I just thought (and still do) that that cave set a great mood in some ways.  I remember being thrilled with the echo effect that the technicians used for voice pickup in the cave scenes, as well.

Petofi

Where he hides out after being found out as a vampire in 1897 is a different story.   The cave is clearly big pieces of dark crumpled-up paper stuck onto the walls.   Yet, even this cheapest of all sets works if you don't stop to think about it.

I never figured out that those cave walls were paper. That must have been the same as the walls in the abandoned mill, too.  Another nagging question solved!

I believe that where Barnabas hid out earlier in the storyline was referred to as a rectory, which is the same as a parsonage, vicarage, or manse - I guess it depends on the denomination, but a rectory seems to usually refer to the Anglican Church in England, so possibly this was an Episcopal Church (the equivalent of the Anglican Church in North America) in Collinsport.  I wonder if that was the denomination of the Collins family back in 1795?

I never figured out that those cave walls were paper. That must have been the same as the walls in the abandoned mill, too.  Another nagging question solved!

I never knew they used crumpled paper, although this doesn't surprise me given the 'shoe-string' budget!  I'll have to pay close attention to this when I get to these scenes in 1897! 

I believe that where Barnabas hid out earlier in the storyline was referred to as a rectory, which is the same as a parsonage, vicarage, or manse - I guess it depends on the denomination, but a rectory seems to usually refer to the Anglican Church in England, so possibly this was an Episcopal Church (the equivalent of the Anglican Church in North America) in Collinsport.  I wonder if that was the denomination of the Collins family back in 1795?

The residences of Catholic priests are also called rectorys, although I don't think the Collins' were Catholic.  My guess is, since I believe they were of English ancestory, that they were members of the Episcopal Church, aka Anglican or 'Church of England' as Vlad states above.  For sure they were a Protestant family as they're always married by ministers. 

Part of me tried to disbelieve that it was construction paper until petofi confirmed it just now.   But as vlad just said, it certainly works, doesn't it?   They'd have been crazy to pass on such a cheap, ideal solution.   The lair, it never did occur to me.   That was better lit, so maybe not.

The fact that they were hiding in the cave was very cool.   This more than made up for cheapness.   Then, mention number one of petofi's hand, just what i'd been waiting for patiently since childhood, until i got my tapes in 2002.   What a fantastic/dismal roller-coaster of a situation!

Seaview (which might have been Vicky and Burke's if things had turned out different). Why did Caleb Collins stipulate in his will that no one could live there for 100 years after his death? A house of mystery and secrets would fascinate me as a place to live.

Part of me tried to disbelieve that it was construction paper until petofi confirmed it just now.   But as vlad just said, it certainly works, doesn't it?   They'd have been crazy to pass on such a cheap, ideal solution.   The lair, it never did occur to me.   That was better lit, so maybe not.

Here's our famous Paper-Mache cave!     In this shot from episode #783, in which

[spoiler]Barnabas and Magda use the hand to cure charity and remove Barnabas' bite marks. By this time, of course, Barnabas is on the run and exposed as a vampire.[/spoiler]
This was also the episode when the people from Golden Magazine interviewed several DS stars for their Feb 1970 article on Dark Shadows.  The photos in that article depict a rehearsal in the cave w/ Frid and Hall, as well as back stage shots that show Charity's bedroom.

Petofi

Someone refresh my memory please: was there ever a mention of a light house on DS?

Someone refresh my memory please: was there ever a mention of a light house on DS?

Sure.  [spoiler]Julia was brought to an abandoned lighthouse in 1840 by vampire Roxanne at the direction of Angelique.[/spoiler]

I always liked Nicolas Blair's house by the sea.  Beautiful place, and you've got Satan's right-hand man, a vampire, and Frankenstein and his wife living there.  And even an extra vampire burried in the cellar.  Never a dull moment!

The lair is cool most certainly, but I'm going to fantasize about being Master of Collinwood, thank you very much.  Just look at my avatar.    No, forget it, my inferiority thing won't permit it.    Just put me in the fishing shack.