Happy 50th Anniversary, Night of Dark Shadows

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Revisiting the conclusion of how Scene 116 is scripted:

Wrapping up Scene 116, beginning with yesterday's quote, Quentin's response to Tracy's question:

Page 56/Scene 116 - Quentin: 'Angelique? She's been retired. After years of honorable service.'

- coming up, followed in the script by:

TRACY  Why?

And that's when today's first quote -

Page 56/Scene 116 - Quentin: 'Mostly so Alex will forget our non-existent ghost. Hey, let me paint --'

- comes up, followed by today's second quote -

Page 56/Scene 116 - Tracy: 'Paint on...paint on...I love you...'

- coming up, followed by the script concluding the scene with:

She EXITS.  He smiles and begins painting.

And when it comes to any differences in the dialogue, the directions, and the descriptions, at this point we can't compare the script to the film because this scene only appears in the 129 minute version of the film.

...

And tomorrow the slideshow will return to scenes that appear in all versions of the film, though not necessarily lines that appear in the film...

  As far as "yesterday's quote" goes, it was February 18th's this time around, and "today's quote" is indeed today's, February 19th's, this time around, so it follows that "tomorrow" will be February 20th.

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Two posts worth revisiting related to Tracy cooking at Collinwood:

I would have loved to see Carlotta's reaction if Tracy attempted to intrude on her kitchen. 

Oh God - can you even imagine?! I hadn't thought about it before you mentioned it, but the daggers Carlotta threw at Tracy when she thought Tracy had persuaded Quentin not to use the Tower room would have surely been nothing by comparison! 

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Revisiting this post about recent graphics:

Yesterday's and today's graphics -

- have been made using different crops of this -

- which was published as part of a NoDS Movie Preview article in 16 SPEC  Magazine and as far as I can recall has never been officially published anywhere else...

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

A post definitely worth revisiting regarding the opening of Scene 117 on the VHS/Laser versus the DVD/Blu-ray and every other release of the film:

Here's another example of a music cue that rightfully doesn't play as part of a scene on the VHS/Laser but does in every other release of the film. We dealt with one such cue back when Scene 103 came up in its intended place as scripted. And this time around we're dealing with the opening of Scene 117:

Here we have the Laser version:

And here we have the Blu-ray to represent every other version:

The cue heard on the Blu-ray and others other than the VHS/Laser is obviously a segue from the end of Scene 116 (which only appears in the 129 minute version of the film - all other versions go from Scene 115 to Scene 117, as can be seen in the Laser and Blu-ray clips)

...

(ADMIN: Edited to replace VHS video with Laser video)

And as you can see, I've replaced the VHS video clip with a better quality video clip taken from the Laser disc.

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Revisiting how the beginning of Scene 117 is scripted:

Beginning the next sequence:

117    INT - GALLERY - DAY                               117        It is later as Carlotta ENTERS.  She carries the        picture of Angelique.  He stops painting when he        sees her.

And that's when today's quote -

Page 56/Scene 117 - Quentin: 'I told you I didn't want to see that again.'

- comes up.

And as far as the differences in the dialogue go, Quentin actually says "I said I didn't want to see that again."

And as far as the differences in the directions and the descriptions go, Carlotta actually pauses for a second as she comes into the room and before Quentin notices her - and Quentin doesn't stop painting after he notices she's come in with Angelique's portrait.

And DC's script has notations that the opening of the scene is shot from a high, wide angle, and as we can see from today's capture -

- it certainly is shot wide, though not high - and DC also has a notation that Quentin delivers his line in close-up, but as we can also see from today's capture, he doesn't.

...

And something else that's interesting on the DVD/Blu-ray discs is the end of the background music for Scene 116 (the harmonica/guitar version of "Love Theme From Night of Dark Shadows") is heard to play over the opening of Scene 117 because that's the way things are in the 129 minute version of the film. Things also play that way in the version of the film on Amazon and iTunes...

  And so far as the reference to "today's quote" goes, it was from February 20th this time around.

Continuing Scene 117, with today's quote, Carlotta's answer as to why she's brought Angelique's portrait back to the Gallery:

Page 56/Scene 117 - Carlotta: 'But it belongs here, Mr. Collins.'

And as far as the differences in the dialogue go, what Carlotta actually says "It belongs in this room."

And as far as the differences in the directions and the descriptions go, there aren't any at the point. However, DC's script has a notation that the camera switches to a 2 shot for Carlotta line, but it doesn't actually have to do that because, as I mentioned yesterday, it never switches to a close-up for Quentin.

But what's most interesting at this point are Grayson's notes for this section of the scene. She writes that Carlotta comes into the room to restore Angelique, to put her in her proper place, not to have a scene with Quentin - and that Carlotta will relate to the painting and her love for Angelique.

  As far as "today's quote" goes, it is indeed today's, February 21st's, this time around.

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

The first of several posts worth revisiting featuring stills related to Scene 117:

...

... the differences between the angle of stills vs. actual footage, there's also this -

Oops - how quickly I forget -

...

And I do find it interesting that a lot of the publicity stills for the film don't exactly reflect the way scenes were shot for the film. For example, this one from this scene -

- is taken almost exactly from the reverse angle. And I've always been a bit upset that that published version is the only one that I've ever come across because it would be nice to see at least a bit more of Quentin. But then, maybe a wider version of it doesn't even exist, so perhaps I should just be grateful for what I have...

...

- that photo is published on page 254 of the DS Movies book (page 62A of the script, which features the conclusion of Scene 124 and the beginning of Scene 125):

And it's interesting that the book's version shows more of Quentin, which is a definite plus, and more of the room, but it crops part of the top and bottom off. Will we ever see the entire photo? 

- and to answer that final question, yes, the entire version has surfaced for sale at various places like Heritage Auctions and eBay -

(Click here for a 912X700 version)

- though it seems as if it's only been offered as part of a batch of stills for sale (at Heritage Auctions as part of 9 stills in 2018 (an auction I missed) and not since and at eBay as part of a batch of 26(!) stills) and I'd rather not have to buy stills I already own just to get one that I don't, so I've never bought it under those circumstances, which is why above I'm sharing a scan made to showcase the sale rather than a scan of the actual still - however, I'm currently in the process of negotiating buying the still on its own - I was hoping to have it by now, but I have hopes of owning it soon - so once I do, I will scan it and change the above scan to a scan of the actual still...

UPDATE: The actual still has been added.

 

(Attached Page 42 continues Sarah Castle...

[Mysterious Benefactor]

   I forgot to mention that you will probably recall that still is #13 in the NODS Editor's Portfolio.

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Another one of several posts worth revisiting featuring stills related to Scene 117:

Today I want to begin to preview a moment in the slideshow from Scene 117 that will be coming up on February 28th. The following first version of the still appeared in the NoDS Pressbook -

- not once but twice, first as part of the above article and then separately on another page (which also happened to feature a second version of the Angelique still which was used along with the "Too Much Realism...Almost" article (which I linked to in Reply #56) and which I shared in Reply #119). Why share the same still twice, and both with the exact same caption? Who knows?    It certainly wasn't like there was a shortage of stills that could have been shared...

But anyway, here's the actual still:

(Click here for a 760X566 version)

And as is obvious given the writing in the bottom right corner of the still and the numbering of it in the NoDS Pressbook, that still is #12 in the NoDS Editor's Portfoilio.

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Oops - backtracking a bit regarding Scene 116, I forgot to point out Darren Gross posted on his Restoration Web site:

A selection of scenes cut from the 129-minute version that have been recovered:

...

Tracy notices that Quentin has removed Angelique's portrait from the gallery.

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Continuing to revisit how Scene 117 is scripted:

Continuing Scene 117, beginning with yesterday's quote, Quentin's response to the portrait belonging in the room -

Page 56/Scene 117 - Quentin: 'I find it distracting. I don't want it around.'

- coming up, followed by today's quote -

Page 56/Scene 117 - Carlotta: 'There would be fewer distractions if you went back to the tower.'

- coming up.

And as far as any differences in the dialogue, there aren't any because both Quentin's and Carlotta's lines are delivered exactly as scripted.

And as far as any differences in the directions and the descriptions, there aren't any at this point. Nor are there any notations in DC's script for this section. And what's interesting about DC's script is that there's no indication that beginning with Quentin's quote from yesterday, the camera switches to a 2 shot from a different angle, as can be seen in -

- yesterday's capture.

However, Grayson's notes for this section of the scene reiterate that Carlotta will relate to the painting, by touching and caressing it (although, all Carlotta really does is arrange the painting so that it stands on its side on its own). And also that Carlotta must be clear that what she's saying is important.

  As far as "yesterday's quote" goes, it was February 22nd's this time around, and "today's quote" is indeed today's, February 23rd's, this time around.

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Revisiting the subtitles/closed captioning (with a new screen capture) for Scene 117:

Near the outset of Scene 117, after Carlotta brings Angelique's portrait back into the Gallery and Quentin tells her, "I said I didn't want to see that again," Carlotta replies, "It belongs in this room." - and the subtitles do reflect both those lines - however, when it comes to Carlotta's line, the closed captioning has -

- and something that's interesting about that is her line was originally scripted to be "But it belongs here, Mr. Collins." - and this is hardly the only instance where something that's different in the closed captioning from what's actually said in the film is more similar to what was originally scripted...

...

(ADMIN: Edited to replace TV video screen capture)

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Continuing to revisit how Scene 117 is scripted:

And when it comes to today's quote from Scene 117 -

Page 56/Scene 117 - Quentin: 'All right, Carlotta. What's it all about? What's going on here? Why is my working in the tower so important to you?'

- the difference in the dialogue is that what Quentin actually asks is "All right, Carlotta. What's going on around here? Why is my working in the tower room so important to you?", with the "What's it all about" part being dropped and the "What's going on here?" slightly changed even though both lines are crossed out in both DC's and Grayson's scripts. And speaking of Grayson's script, she has underlined words in Quentin's last question: "Why is my working in the tower so important to you?"

And when it comes to any differences in the directions and the descriptions, there aren't any of either in the script for this section, but Quentin actually throws his paint brush at the easel (though it bounces off and falls to the floor) before he angrily asks his questions.

And when it comes to the notations in DC's script for this section, he indicates that Quentin would be shot in closeup, but again we can see -

- that's not the case.

And as an aside, it must have been an awfully cloudy/foggy day on the day they shot this scene!    I mean, you can barely even see the horizon from the window!!

  And so far as the reference to "today's quote" goes, it was from February 24th this time around.

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

And another one of several posts worth revisiting featuring stills related to Scene 117:

Here's a second still to preview the upcoming moment in the slideshow from Scene 117 -

(Click here for a 700X476 version)

- a cropped version of which was shared on page 77 of the DS Almanac 30th Anniversary Tribute. On the other hand, the next three stills I plan to share are all rare...

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Continuing to revisit how Scene 117 is scripted:

And when it comes to today's quote from Scene 117, Carlotta's response to Quentin's belief that it's important to her that he work in the tower room -

Page 56/Scene 117 - Carlotta: 'It isn't. It just seemed so ideal --'

- there is no difference in the film because it's delivered exactly as scripted.

And when it comes to any differences in the directions and the descriptions, there aren't any of either in the script for this section. However, one thing that is interesting with both today's and yesterday's captures is that obviously Carlotta has turned to look at Quentin. There's no indication of that in the script or in DC's notes, but there is in Grayson's script, at least when it comes to today's quote, because Grayson has a note that Carlotta would look at him. Her notes also reiterate that it must be clear that what Carlotta is saying is important (and in this case it must mean the part about how working in the tower seems ideal because saying that Quentin working in the tower isn't important to her is quite obviously a big fat lie! ). Though something that is in DC's script is a note saying that the camera would truck back in front of Quentin till it's in back of Carlotta for a 2 shot. And while we don't actually see that camera move, we do see the 2 shot from behind Carlotta. Well, if seeing a shot that includes Carlotta's lower arm and hand can be considered a 2 shot.

  And so far as the reference to "today's quote" goes, it was from February 25th this time around.

Continuing Scene 117, first with the first part of today's quote -

Page 56/Scene 117 - Quentin: 'That's not the reason. (MORE)'

- coming up, followed in the script by:

117    CONTD                                     CONTD    117                              QUENTIN (Contd)        He crosses to her, looking down at her.

And that's when the second part of today's quote -

Page 57/Scene 117 - Quentin: 'You know about these dreams, don't you?'

- comes up.

And when it comes to the differences in the dialogue, for the second part of today's quote, Quentin actually says "You know about the dreams I've been having, don't you?", and that change is made in DC's script, with "these" crossed out and replaced with "the" and "I've been having" added.

And when it comes to the differences in the directions and the descriptions, Quentin puts down his paint palette as he moves toward Carlotta - and as Quentin accuses her of knowing about his dreams, I love the look Carlotta gives him -

- and with the slight cock to her head.

And when it comes to DC's notes, he strangely indicates that Quentin rises before he tells Carlotta that her saying his working in the tower just seemed ideal is not the reason his working in the tower is important to her. Well, unless he means Quentin's voice and anger rise, which they do.

  And as far as the references to "today's" quotes go, they are indeed today's, February 26th's, this time around.

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Yet another of several posts worth revisiting featuring stills related to Scene 117:

And here's a third still to preview the upcoming moment in the slideshow from Scene 117 -

(Click here for a 700X476 version)

- a still that I believe is quite rare because to my knowledge it has never been published anywhere - and it shares something in common with the next still I'll be sharing, something that's more than the obvious that it's also to promote the same moment from Scene 117 - but more on that on the 28th...