Innovation's '91 DS Comic, Book 4, The Book That Never Was

[Uncle Roger]

Yeah, the business with the Frid video was his biggest snafu, up to that point. He has managed to top it since then. 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Normally I don't share anything from the following section of SG, but that's because it's usually just a listing of sites with a minimum of details about them. However, this portion in SG #73 is worth sharing:

During the '05 LA Fest Midnite and I, along with another member of the forum, took a trip to Greystone, roaming all over the grounds and, yes, peeking through those leaded windows to glimpse the splendor and opulence within. However, Midnite has actually been inside because she attended one of the murder mystery plays that Greystone holds every year. She was even lucky enough to snap a photo of Alec Newman's Barnabas portrait because it was still hanging over the fireplace in the "drawing room."

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Some personnel material from SG #73 that's worth sharing and/or commenting about:

Well, we know his remake of The Night Stalker never came to be. And who knows why he even wanted to remake it considering the original is so good? But then, we all know how DC loved to redo the same thing...

And could that bit about him having other projects in development be a subtle reference to the proposed '91 Series film(s). Maybe I was wrong when I said it looked like SG had finally come to the conclusion that there weren't going to be any developments on that front and that's why it wasn't mentioned in SG #73. Maybe it was here, just not specifically. I suppose we may have to wait until SG #74 to really see which situation is true...

It's no secret that I love Dracula: Dead and Loving It. One reason is because it does a hysterically funny complete sendup of a sequence from DC's version of Dracula (a sequence DC ripped off, er, paid homage to, yeah, that's it, in Ep #2/Hour 3 of the '91 Series).

Lysette Anthony and Michael T. Weiss could have gotten together to compare working with Steven Webber...

[Mysterious Benefactor]

SG #73's update on THE FRIGHTENERS:

And this section also included a photo of Juliana from the '94 LA Fest:

[Mysterious Benefactor]

More CURRENT EVENTS - 1991 DS PERSONNEL from SG #73:

I have no idea if this is the same trailer ET showed. It may very well be because the actual trailer (as opposed to the Blu-Ray promo at the start the bit at the end for the clip) is about 2:25. But it does contain the then controversial kiss - and it has some of MTW's best moments - not to mention some hysterically funny moments with Patrick Stewart and with Jeffrey talking to his parents on the phone:

Jeffrey (1995) - Official Trailer (HD)

[Uncle Roger]

According to the imdb trivia section for the film, Barbara was in discussion to play the wife of Dr. Moreau (Married to Marlon Brando! Wow!) but the character was written out in one of the many, many rewrites. It was an extremely troubled set and she was probably better off not appearing in it. Val Kilmer's behavior makes Roger Davis seem like Tom Hanks in comparison.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

That's very interesting - and a bit disappointing. I've never seen the film, so I had no idea if she's in it or not.

Thanks for checking things out, Uncle Roger. 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

As the DS REFERENCES IN THE MEDIA section from SG #73 says back in reply #129, Cinescape 8-95 had a piece on Jonathan Frid. That issue of SG shared it on the back inside page and here it is:

Um, "the tacky Gothic serial"? TACKY?! 


And this is the last thing I'll be sharing from SG #73. However, before we get to sharing SG #74, I want to see if I can locate the article from the 7-4-95 issue of Soap Opera Weekly that SG #73 also referenced. They didn't share that, and not that I doubt it's as bad on facts as they say (after all, being bad on facts is the norm, not the exception), but I want to read if for myself as well as share it because, well, if it lives up to description, it may just be one of the worst pieces ever published in a widely circulated publication...

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Well, there are errors to be sure in this 7-4-95 Soap Opera Weekly article - even two whopping ones (ones that have actually appeared in more than one DS article - but more on that later). But at the same time, it's not the worst article I've ever seen.

Though the interesting thing about this article is that it lists a source: The Soap Opera Encyclopedia by Christopher Schemering. The DS section in that book is pretty bad and it's quite sad when anyone uses it as a source, especially when I'm pretty sure it's the main source for the whopping errors that Frid left DS in 1968 and that the audience didn't respond to the 1897 storyline. We all know neither is anywhere near true. In fact, DS' ratings were at their highest ever during 1897.

But what I recall most about seeing this article is how happy I was to see the hoDS Julia and Barnabas still because it contained more detail than the only other place I'd ever seen it: in the DS Companion. A version of the still appears on page 97 of that book, but it's quite cropped:

[Mysterious Benefactor]

And could that bit about him having other projects in development be a subtle reference to the proposed '91 Series film(s). Maybe I was wrong when I said it looked like SG had finally come to the conclusion that there weren't going to be any developments on that front and that's why it wasn't mentioned in SG #73. Maybe it was here, just not specifically. I suppose we may have to wait until SG #74 to really see which situation is true...

Well, here's the truth as SG #74 from November of 1995 does indeed specifically bring up the proposed '91 Series film(s):

It would seem as if yet another mention might mean that hope is almost bordering on eternal...

[Mysterious Benefactor]

SG #74's video reports:

DS VAMPIRES & GHOSTS did indeed come out at the August NYC Fest - almost something of a miracle.    And at least the fact that the Lara Parker material isn't on it is addressed, though who knows why it wasn't included? I suppose we'll never know. One thing that's interesting, though, is that they mention that MPI's 1995 catalogue said it would be included but they neglect to say SG also said the same thing.

And, of course, there's still no release date for DS RESURRECTED. There's also no mention anywhere in SG #74 as to whether or not it was shown at the Fest as initially promoted. But then...

I know I own it but I don't honestly recall if I've watched the 30th Anniversay DS Tribute. I must have watched it once because one thing I do recall is there was all sorts of special content promised. But whether or not it was never included (like the LP stuff on DS VAMPIRES AND GHOSTS), I don't recall. It would have been interesting if we actually saw Barbara Steele interview people but I suspect we don't because that would have been engaging enough for me to remember. But who knows? I'll have to revisit it one of these days...

[Uncle Roger]

I wonder how far that Barbara Steele project got before it was dropped altogether. As well as the status of the footage.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

SG #74's '95 NYC Fest report:

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Here's what SG #74 had to say about the merchandise we've been following:

Presumably the novels referred to are the ones from Harper Collins that began with Angelique's Descent. Though that novel wasn't issued until December of 1998, so if it is the same deal, obviously there were delays. But then, so what else is new?

And what a surprise that the Abbelaire watch deal was extended. Though considering that they were practically giving the watches away, most probably it was true that there really was a great response. But was the extension really done because of that response or simply because they hadn't sold all of them yet? Not that a company would ever say they were serving their customers when they were really just serving themselves. 

Something I didn't include was that MPI's version of Josette's Music Box was delayed. But then...


And here's what SG #74 had to say about books we've been following:

Thankfully most of those "computer typsetting" errors were corrected when the Millenium Edition of the Almanac was issued in 2000 - but that version still leaves Diana Davilla off of the list. But then, I suppose it was just another "computer typesetting" error...

And, of course, no surprise the DS Music Book was delayed. But if it was to transform it from an 80 page book to the 112 page book that was released, then it was probably worth the delay...

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Most of SG #74's SFC report (once again I've skipped all the stuff about available satellite services and how to get them):

The 1795 storyline began with Ep #366 as the 1st ep on 12/18/95. And speaking of pre-emptions, it was soon pre-empted on both the 25th and the 26th for "special" Christmas programming - though I doubt it was all that "special" and probably just aggravating to us. 

Who knows when that SG commercial for Sc-Fi will finally air? Hopefully SG will give the exact date because I'm curious to look it up and possibly share it...