Terror at Collinwood

[PennyDreadful]

Correction: According to the interview with Bob Cobert in the booklet included with Discs 5 & 6 of ‘The Complete Dark Shadows Soundtrack Music Collection’ – “Many people assume that the instrument playing the Dark Shadows theme was a Theremin, but it wasn’t. The opening theme was neither a Theremin nor an Ondes Martinot. It was a Yamaha synthesizer with a string on it that made a Theremin-like sound. We couldn’t find an Ondes Martinot player or a Theremin player in New York, so we used that, and it was played by a very famous pianist named Dick Hyman… What you’re hearing in the theme is, melodically, a Yamaha on top, an alto flute on the bottom, then a bass, vibes, and harp, playing atonal accompaniment – five players in all.” I actually knew about this but misremembered the tweaked synthesizer organ as the way Robert Cobert initially presented the theme to Dan Curtis. Cobert presented the theme to Curtis by describing it and sort of whistling it while shaking his head about. I pulled the instrument listing (including the Theremin) from an online article and should have double-checked everything before recording the episode. Apologies. Also, from the same interview: “Almost all of the Dark Shadows music cues were recorded in England. It was money, pure and simple.”

[Gothick]

Perhaps somewhat fancifully, I will now think of the music that played for those five shadowy years as "a cousin from England."

Thanks for the further info!

G.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

 

[PennyDreadful]

Terror at Collinwood Episode 41: Horror Host Halloween Tribute to Dark Shadows!

What’s the perfect way to celebrate Halloween?... With 'Dark Shadows' and Horror Hosts, of corpse! In this episode, Penny Dreadful summons many of her fellow television and internet horror movie hosts to share their memories and thoughts on DS. Hosted by Penny Dreadful and featuring (in order of appearance): Count Gore De Vol, Sally the Zombie Cheerleader, Dr. Gangrene, Doctor Sarcofiguy, Professor Anton Griffin, Undead Johnny, Marlena Midnite, Sicko-Psychotic, The Bone Jangler, Karlos Borloff, Dr. Dreck, Remo D, Bobby Gammonster, Scarlett Kaiju, The Host, Danvers, Stevie Gothling/Tim the Enchanter, Octavian Hallow, and Halloween Jack. You won’t want to miss this hex-clusive Halloween Horror Host celebration of Dark Shadows! **Listen to the very end to hear a fascinating interview clip from a horror host who tried to audition for the original Dark Shadows in the early 70's!**

Video includes over 240 images, in many somber colors!

VIDEO VERSION:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMKJvMXx0Ss

AUDIO VERSION:
https://www.terroratcollinwood.com/episodes/terror-at-collinwood-episode-41-horror-host-halloween-tribute-to-dark-shadows

Or subscribe and listen at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music, Stitcher, or via your favorite podcast app!


Thanks to Chris DeLuca of Horror Host Graveyard and Luke Foster of the 'Nine Panel' Nerds podcast for their assistance with the Bob MacCabre clip. Interview with Bob Austin was conducted the late Dave Krause.

NOTE TO DS HISTORIANS: Note the segment at the very end! I have to wonder if Mr. Austin was misremembering the date. As I enderstand it, the cast and crew of DS knew the show was going off the air by Christmas of 1970. Bob says the show was cancelled a week after he went to audition. Also, he says he auditioned for the part of "Barnabas' brother" which is bizarre. Maybe he was auditioning for Roxanne's brother Randall Drew and is misremembering the details? Or, perhaps they did have some crazy storyline planned involving a long-lost brother? I remember hearing this interview years ago and kind of filed it away in my memory banks. One can only imagine what this was all about.

[PennyDreadful]

Terror at Collinwood Episode 42: House of Dark Shadows with Ricardo Delgado

Released in 1970, and directed by Dan Curtis, the MGM theatrical film House of Dark Shadows featured the TV series cast in a darker and more violent reimagining of the Introduction of Barnabas storyline from the show. The picture proved to be a hit for MGM, and while it is loved by many fans and disliked by others, it stands as a notable and compelling entry in vampire film history. Visiting the podcast to discuss House of Dark Shadows is prolific Hollywood conceptual designer and artist, Ricardo Delgado. Ricardo’s book Dracula of Transylvania and the upcoming Art of Dracula of Transylvania are also discussed. Other topics include Ricardo’s memories of watching Sombras Tenebrosas (Dark Shadows) as a child in Costa Rica, buying Famous Monsters of Filmland, reading Marvel’s Tomb of Dracula and Werewolf by Night comics, and much more!

Watch the YouTube VIDEO version here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ve2Tzx7b_-g

Download or Listen to the AUDIO version here:
https://www.terroratcollinwood.com/episodes/terror-at-collinwood-episode-42-house-of-dark-shadows-with-ricardo-delgado. 

And be sure to SUBSCRIBE to the YouTube channel and/or to the audio version of the podcast at APPLE PODCASTS, SPOTIFY, PODBAY, STITCHER, or wherever you get your podcasts!

[PennyDreadful]

Terror at Collinwood Episode 43: Angelique's 55th Anniversary with Lara Parker

On November 22, 1967, the vengeful and powerful witch Angelique made her debut on Dark Shadows and became an instant hit with viewers, remaining an important part of the series for the remainder of its run. The character subsequently took her place alongside Barnabas, and later Quentin, as a pop culture icon, appearing on assorted products and in DS spinoff media. Visiting the podcast to commemorate her legendary character's 55th anniversary is Lara Parker, the talented actress who portrayed Angelique onscreen! Discussion topics include: Lara's thoughts on Angelique, memories of working on DS, Night of Dark Shadows, Lara's DS novels, what makes DS special, terror vs. horror, the allure of vampires, the fans, and much more!

Here's the YouTube version with some photos throughout:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Tva1AdQPsU

And here's the audio version:

https://www.terroratcollinwood.com/episodes/terror-at-collinwood-episode-43-angeliques-55th-anniversary-with-lara-parker

Be sure to subscribe to TERROR AT COLLINWOOD at Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts!

Thanks to Eric Marshall for the new Angelique logo, and head to the website to see the new Quentin logo too!

 

[PennyDreadful]

Terror at Collinwood Episode 44: The 1995 Flashforward, plus Coffin Joe & Collecting Monsters with Raymond Castile

The 1995 segment on Dark Shadows lasted only two weeks, but its grim and apocalyptic tone left an indelible mark on fans as they witnessed the horror and madness that awaited the Collins family in the future. Ray Castile, filmmaker, actor, collector, musician, and host of the Raymond Castile's Basement of Horror YouTube channel, visits Terror at Collinwood to discuss this popular and shocking Dark Shadows sequence! The first half of the show features monstrous topics that include: being cast as young Coffin Joe in ‘Embodiment of Evil’, collecting monster toys, an impromptu review of the new Barnabas bobblehead from MPI, and more! The second half of the show focuses on the 1995 storyline!

Download or listen to the audio version of the episode here:
https://www.terroratcollinwood.com/episodes/terror-at-collinwood-episode-44-the-1995-flashforward-plus-coffin-joe-amp-collecting-monsters-with-raymond-castile

Or watch the video version of the episode on YouTube, with over 45 additional minutes of discussion:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLRB4HoE0QE

And please be sure to subscribe to the podcast via YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts

[PennyDreadful]

Terror at Collinwood Episode 45: My Family Memories of Dark Shadows with… my family!

It’s a ghoul-tide trip down memory lane in this Terror at Collinwood Christmas/Holiday special. I sit down with my family to discuss their memories of Dark Shadows. Other topics include: moving to America from Portugal, getting into 60’s pop culture, growing up in the 60’s, Dracula actors, binge watching in the 80’s before it was a thing, family interests in spooky stuff, and much more! Featuring, in order of appearance, interviews with my: aunt Agatha, mom Zezinha, uncle Valdemar, cousin Karen, cousin Elijah, dad Tony, sister Amy, and sister Maggie.

Listen on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-19TF5nF1c&t=1333s

Or download/directly at the TERROR AT COLLINWOOD Website:
https://www.terroratcollinwood.com/episodes/terror-at-collinwood-episode-45-my-family-memories-of-dark-shadows-with-my-family

 

[Bob_the_Bartender]

Terror at Collinwood Episode 44: The 1995 Flashforward, plus Coffin Joe & Collecting Monsters with Raymond Castile

The 1995 segment on Dark Shadows lasted only two weeks, but its grim and apocalyptic tone left an indelible mark on fans as they witnessed the horror and madness that awaited the Collins family in the future. Ray Castile, filmmaker, actor, collector, musician, and host of the Raymond Castile's Basement of Horror YouTube channel, visits Terror at Collinwood to discuss this popular and shocking Dark Shadows sequence! The first half of the show features monstrous topics that include: being cast as young Coffin Joe in ‘Embodiment of Evil’, collecting monster toys, an impromptu review of the new Barnabas bobblehead from MPI, and more! The second half of the show focuses on the 1995 storyline!

Download or listen to the audio version of the episode here:
https://www.terroratcollinwood.com/episodes/terror-at-collinwood-episode-44-the-1995-flashforward-plus-coffin-joe-amp-collecting-monsters-with-raymond-castile

Or watch the video version of the episode on YouTube, with over 45 additional minutes of discussion:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLRB4HoE0QE

And please be sure to subscribe to the podcast via YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts

Ah, yes, Barnabas and Dr. Hoffman’s trip to 1995 was one of the highlights of DS. How well I remember how shocking and fascinating (Sebastian Shaw’s “favorite” adjective) it was to see the great house of Collinwood in ruins way back then in 1970! Still, I wish we had gotten to see more of Collinsport in 1995. What did the Blue Whale look like 25 years into the future? Was Susie the silent waitress still slinging hash at the Collinsport Inn’s coffee shop?

With the destruction of Collinwood, was Roger Collins (presumably back from that seemingly never-ending business trip to London) still running the Collins cannery and the Collins fishing fleet during Bill Clinton’s first term as POTUS?
How did it come about that Collinsport’s unnamed sheriff sounded more like he hailed from Selma, Alabama than Collinsport, Maine?

Finally, when the aged Professor Timothy Elliott Stokes informed Julia that Quentin had been institutionalized at the Stormcrest Sanitarium for the past 25 years, why didn’t Julia ask him, “Why didn’t you commit Quentin to my hospital, Windcliff, and toss me all of that money to care for the ‘Dorian Grey of Collinsport’ for all those years?”

Come to think of it, why didn’t Julia and Barnabas take a drive over to Windcliff to check out Julia’s hospital after 25 years? By the way, can you imagine the looks on the faces of the Windcliff Hospital’s current medical staff when the much-revered Dr. Julia Hoffman showed up after being apparently AWOL for a quarter of a century? Oy vey!

Yes, what we all COULD have seen during Barnabas and Julia’s sojourn to the future. Alas, what might have been.

[PennyDreadful]

Terror at Collinwood Episode 46: The Summer of 1970 storyline with Stephen R. Shutt & David M. Wingrove

A claustrophobic sense of doom pervades the Summer of 1970, the final present-day storyline on Dark Shadows. In it, Barnabas Collins and Dr. Julia Hoffman try to unravel the mystery behind the insidious and increasingly malignant hauntings at the great house in an effort to prevent the destruction of Collinwood and its inhabitants. Meanwhile, they must also deal with a mysterious new vampire who prowls the estate. Professor and writer David Melville Wingrove and writer Stephen Robert Shutt (aka Gothick) visit the Terror at Collinwood podcast to dissect and explore this oft-ignored and/or scorned storyline, examining its various literary inspirations along the way. Often seen as DS’ attempt to recapture the success of the 'Turn of the Screw'-inspired “ghosts of Quentin and Beth” storyline, Summer of 1970 pulls inspiration from several classic sources, including tales by Oliver Onions and M.R. James, with a nod to Sheridan Le Fanu.

Here’s the YouTube video version:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64vb4pkK0Cc

And here’s Audio version:
www.terroratcollinwood.com/episodes/terror-at-collinwood-episode-46-the-summer-of-1970-storyline-with-stephen-shutt-amp-david-wingrove

It should be hitting Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc. soon, if it hasn’t already.

Ah, yes, Barnabas and Dr. Hoffman’s trip to 1995 was one of the highlights of DS. How well I remember how shocking and fascinating (Sebastian Shaw’s “favorite” adjective) it was to see the great house of Collinwood in ruins way back then in 1970! Still, I wish we had gotten to see more of Collinsport in 1995. What did the Blue Whale look like 25 years into the future? Was Susie the silent waitress still slinging hash at the Collinsport Inn’s coffee shop?

With the destruction of Collinwood, was Roger Collins (presumably back from that seemingly never-ending business trip to London) still running the Collins cannery and the Collins fishing fleet during Bill Clinton’s first term as POTUS?
How did it come about that Collinsport’s unnamed sheriff sounded more like he hailed from Selma, Alabama than Collinsport, Maine?

Finally, when the aged Professor Timothy Elliott Stokes informed Julia that Quentin had been institutionalized at the Stormcrest Sanitarium for the past 25 years, why didn’t Julia ask him, “Why didn’t you commit Quentin to my hospital, Windcliff, and toss me all of that money to care for the ‘Dorian Grey of Collinsport’ for all those years?”

Come to think of it, why didn’t Julia and Barnabas take a drive over to Windcliff to check out Julia’s hospital after 25 years? By the way, can you imagine the looks on the faces of the Windcliff Hospital’s current medical staff when the much-revered Dr. Julia Hoffman showed up after being apparently AWOL for a quarter of a century? Oy vey!

Yes, what we all COULD have seen during Barnabas and Julia’s sojourn to the future. Alas, what might have been.

One possibility is that Stormcrest IS Windcliff. Maybe the state, or some private entity, took ownership and changed the name. I guess it wouldn't make much sense for them to change it from "Windcliff" to "Stormcrest", unless they were trying to escape possible negative associations with "that old madhouse, Windcliff" or something.

[PennyDreadful]

Terror at Collinwood Episode 47: Night of Dark Shadows with Darren Gross

Released in 1971, MGM’s Night of Dark Shadows was the second DS feature film. Directed by Dan Curtis, the motion picture featured many members of the TV series cast in a gothic tale of ghostly obsession. Sadly, after viewing the 129-minute director’s cut of Night of Dark Shadows, MGM studio head James Aubrey demanded that Curtis cut nearly 45 minutes out of the movie, giving him until the next day to do so. In this episode, director and film archivist Darren Gross visits the podcast to share his thoughts on NoDS and also offers updates on his long-anticipated restoration of the director’s cut of the picture. Described by ‘The Guardian’ as a “movie sleuth and champion of lost causes,” Darren miraculously unearthed the previously lost NoDS footage and prepared a restored version of the movie which has not yet been released to the public. In addition to discussing NoDS and its restoration, Darren also talks about his work on the ‘Dark Shadows’ Big Finish audio dramas, his enthusiasm for TV horror host Commander USA, and much more!

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PnPMu0ehLg

Download or listen at the TERROR AT COLLINWOOD website here:
https://www.terroratcollinwood.com/episodes/terror-at-collinwood-episode-47-night-of-dark-shadows-with-darren-gross

SUBSCRIBE to Terror at Collinwood via Apple Podcasts, I Heart Radio, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts!

[Gothick]

Great conversation! It was quite cool to hear Darren mention that he's found two more clips of the movie with the original audio intact--and that one of those clips is a scene involving Grayson!

G.

[PennyDreadful]

Terror at Collinwood Episode 48: The Dark Shadows Daybook Unbound with Patrick McCray
Rondo Award-winning writer Patrick McCray returns to Terror at Collinwood to discuss ‘The Dark Shadows Daybook: Unbound’. The new 430-page book features a delightful foreword by Mark B. Perry, followed by Patrick’s in-depth, witty, and insightful analyses of many original Dark Shadows episodes. He also provides memorial tributes to recently departed stars from the show, looks at the 1991 revival series, reviews ‘A Dark Shadows Christmas Carol’, and more. Additional discussion topics include: Dark Shadows fandom, the ghost of Quentin Collins, the Leviathans, 1840 Barnabas conundrums, and much more.
 
Watch the video version on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wrd2CxyKGqE

Listen or download the audio version here:
https://www.terroratcollinwood.com/episodes/terror-at-collinwood-episode-48-the-dark-shadows-daybook-unbound-with-patrick-mccray

Great conversation! It was quite cool to hear Darren mention that he's found two more clips of the movie with the original audio intact--and that one of those clips is a scene involving Grayson!
G.

Thanks Gothick! I was also excited to hear about that! Let's hope for good things in the future.

[PennyDreadful]

Terror at Collinwood Episode 49: DS Discord with Madelyn Marks, Tina Marie DeLucia, and Max Kern

The Dark Shadows Discord server provides an online space where a new generation of DS fans gather to hang out, discuss DS, post fanfic and fan art, and just have fun. This episode features a lively discussion about this community with moderator Madelyn Marks and active DS Discord members, Tina Marie DeLucia and Max Kern. We also look at Madelyn’s incredible LEGO Collinwood foyer, drawing room, and custom minifigures! Additional topics include: Tubmlr blogs, differences in how younger fans view DS characters, DS merchandise wants, Tina’s article on gender nonconformity in DS and trans Julia theory, subjective nature of DS and the various audiences for the show, critiques of Big Finish Audio plays, future hopes for new media, archiving classic DS fanzines, Madelyn’s DS Spotify playlists, and much more!

YouTube Video Version (featuring Madelyn’s LEGO ‘Dark Shadows’ pieces):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lR4AxX9gKbY

Audio Version on ‘Terror at Collinwood’ website:
https://www.terroratcollinwood.com/episodes/terror-at-collinwood-episode-49-ds-discord-with-madelyn-marks-tina-marie-delucia-and-max-kern

And be sure to subscribe via your favorite podcast app!

[PennyDreadful]

Terror at Collinwood Episode 50: Todd Tarantula with David Selby, Ansel Faraj, and Nathan Wilson
Todd Tarantula, the new film from director Ansel H. Faraj, is a psychedelic journey across Los Angeles. In the movie, antihero Todd Tarantula undergoes time-bending experiences to uncover the secrets of his past. Visiting the podcast to discuss this fascinating new film are Dark Shadows' own David Selby (Lucifer Grey), actor and producer Nathan Wilson (Barracuda), and director/writer, Ansel Faraj! Join us to get a tantalizing taste of this exciting new motion picture!

Watch the video Version on the YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwUymvW4V_E

Download or listen to the audio version at the TaC website:
https://www.terroratcollinwood.com/episodes/terror-at-collinwood-episode-50-todd-tarantula-with-david-selby-ansel-faraj-and-nathan-wilson

Or listen at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts!

Watch Todd Tarantula at VIMEO on-demand here: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/toddtarantula