The Voluptuous Horror of Grayson Hall

[Gothick]

I'm in Heaven over the first two images from the Leviathan storyline today featuring Grayson Hall, first in Julia-goes-off-the-cliff mode, then in Julia-the-sly-artful-minx mode.  Heaven!

To me, Grayson Hall's acting is like Audrey Hepburn's "Breakfast at Tiffany's" Givenchy dresses.  With such perfection, who needs anything else??

G.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

And now that the slideshow has changed, here are copies of those two captures so that everyone will still be able to know what's being discussed:

1970: Ep #964 - Julia is horrified to be confronted by Jeb in his
'other form' - however...


1970: Ep #964 - ...Jeb wants Julia to try to help prevent him
from ever being his true form again.

[Julia99]

what**exactly** did Jeb want Julia to try??

[Sandor]

I once knew an acquaintance who, when prompted for memories of DARK SHADOWS, would smile and say, "Remember Dr. Hoffman?!" and raise his hand over his face as if to block the "horror" before him... just like Julia. Did we ever count the number of times Grayson made that gesture on the series?

[ClaudeNorth]

I once knew an acquaintance who, when prompted for memories of DARK SHADOWS, would smile and say, "Remember Dr. Hoffman?!" and raise his hand over his face as if to block the "horror" before him... just like Julia. Did we ever count the number of times Grayson made that gesture on the series?

 

We also need to count up the number of times Grayson sniffed, and the number of times Dr. Hoffman gave someone a sedative.

[Heather]

Great captures lately MB...things like that make me smile after a long day... 

I once knew an acquaintance who, when prompted for memories of DARK SHADOWS, would smile and say, "Remember Dr. Hoffman?!" and raise his hand over his face as if to block the "horror" before him... just like Julia. Did we ever count the number of times Grayson made that gesture on the series?

We also need to count up the number of times Grayson sniffed, and the number of times Dr. Hoffman gave someone a sedative.

...or how many times she pulled taut/twisted her gloves...

Or pursed her lips...



Or gasped...



Or consulted her medical bag, twirled her medallion, etc, etc...



That would make a fun homework assignment, doncha think?



   :-   

[Janet the Wicked]

 

[Charles_Ellis]

Sam Hall has gone on record (in one of the DVD interviews) that he told Dan Curtis not to end a scene with a CU of Grayson's face because of her "fish-face" pout (my words).

And let's not forget her blinking or her smoker's hack!

[Gothick]

Heavens to murgatroyd!  In that first "gasp" (grey suit, in color), dear Julia appears to be having a very "personal" moment there in the drawing room.  Makes you wonder just what she's got below frame there...

G. the naughty

[stefan]

Julia's incessant neck rubbing is really irritating. I know she's a popular character but Grayson Hall could have used some director telling her to tone it down a bit. She was just fine as Julia in the beginning and I enjoyed her Natalie Du Pres. In fact, Natalie is my fav Grayson Hall character.

[Raineypark]

Julia would have to rub her neck raw to catch up to the number of times Willie Loomis clutched the back of HIS neck.  And then, of course, there's the undisputed master of the annoying repetitive movement, Jeff and his hair grasping.

Being able to  ignore those annoying little ticks is a pre-requisite to watching soaps....

[BuzzH]

Julia would have to rub her neck raw to catch up to the number of times Willie Loomis clutched the back of HIS neck.  And then, of course, there's the undisputed master of the annoying repetitive movement, Jeff and his hair grasping.

I agree, that's what I LOVE about DS!  All the overacting, intentional or not.  Sometimes I think ppl DELIBERATELY overacted, but it worked!  I can't imagine Julia NOT gasping, clutching her neck and looking skyward every episode.  It's the one thing that, IMHO, was lacking from Barbara Steele's Julia in the NBC version.  

[Julia99]

Sam Hall has gone on record (in one of the DVD interviews) that he told Dan Curtis not to end a scene with a CU of Grayson's face because of her "fish-face" pout (my words).

And let's not forget her blinking or her smoker's hack!

Sam Hall said not to end on Grayson because she couldn't do 'suprise' because nothing surprised her . ..the exact quote is:
I learned very quickly you could never end an act on Grayson's face, a surprise.  Because in real life Grayson was never surprised at anything, she got this horrific surprise look that would've been cut in any early non-talky.

[Charles_Ellis]

I stand corrected.  Speaking of affectations, I'm sure we've all noticed Jonathan's tendency to drag out the last syllable of a sentence- heaven knows it's been spoofed in many a "Collinsport Player" skit!

[stefan]

I stand corrected.  Speaking of affectations, I'm sure we've all noticed Jonathan's tendency to drag out the last syllable of a sentence- heaven knows it's been spoofed in many a "Collinsport Player" skit!

LOL. I always attributed that to his Shakespearean theater training. I definately noticed that Frid draged out his words sometimes and though it never bothered me, it did seem a theater or "actor" -type affectation. However, I do believe Frid can sometimes have a beautiful way with words and, at his best, could blather the most beautifully phrased sentences of all the actors (I felt anyway). He recites the "Tell Tale-Heart" on one of my DS videos and his phrasing is quite spectacular.