Happy 50th Anniversary, Night of Dark Shadows

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Revisiting an older graphic from Scene 243:

Quentin's dropped line from the section of Scene 243 ... in the above post was featured in the original NoDS slideshow -

NoDS: Scene #243 - Quentin: 'Hey, come on, Trace, it'll only
take a minute.'

- and the reason it was originally included in that slideshow is because, as with others in the past, it's featured in the Fest's 1999 Movie Calendar.

...

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Revisiting the dialogue, the descriptions, and the directions in Scene 243 as they appear in the film,

...

...while Tracy does look momentarily upset, Quentin's line about going back for his canvases only taking a moment is dropped in favor of an unscripted exchange that begins with Tracy commenting -

"Wow, it'll be nice at the Cape."

- as she reaches to stroke the hair at the nape of Quentin's neck - to which Quentin smiles and replies with -

"Hmmm. Yeah."

- and then he says -

"I'll be happy to get out of this place."

- during which Tracy simultaneously -

::Sighs::

 - and then after a couple seconds, he asks -

"Won't you?"

 - but Tracy simply says -

"Don't be long in there, all right."

 - and then unlike what's scripted we do not see Collinwood looming ahead through the windshield because things go right to Quentin pulling up to the portico - and as can be seen in today's first capture, Quentin actually delivers today's first quote while he's still in the car, however, he delivers it as -

"Just take a minute."

 - with the "I'll" dropped - and rather than responding with today's second quote, Tracy actually replies with -

"Okay."

 - and then Quentin gets out of the car and walks around the front of it toward the door, but we do not see him enter the house.

End of scene in film.

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Revisiting the subtitles/closed captioning for Scene 243:

When it comes to the subtitles and closed captioning for Scene 243, Tracy's questioning what Quentin is doing when he turns off the drive of the estate and Quentin's reply that he has to pick up his canvases are handled by both correctly - however, Quentin's scripted line about how it will only take a minute is dropped in favor of an unscripted exchange that begins with Tracy commenting "Wow, it'll be nice at the Cape." - though the closed captioning has -

 - and while the subtitles get it perfectly, they jump ahead to Quentin's reply and only acknowledge it partly because his complete reply is "Hmmm. Yeah." -

- but the closed captioning basically gets it correctly -

- then Quentin remarks "I'll be happy to get out of this place." - and both the subtitles -

- and the closed captioning -

- get that correctly - after which Tracy sighs deeply - but neither the subtitles nor the closed captioning acknowledges that - and apparently Quentin doesn't take that as a reply to his remark because he asks, "Won't you?" - and both the subtitles -

- and the closed captioning -

- reflect that.

More to come...

...

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Wrapping up revisiting the subtitles/closed captioning for Scene 243:

Picking up where we left off with the subtitles and closed captioning for Scene 243, Tracy seemingly ignores Quentin (or maybe she thinks her sigh already answered him) and she says "Don't be long in there, all right." - and both the subtitles -

- and the closed captioning -

- reflect that - and after Quentin pulls up to the portico, while he's still in the car he actually delivers his scripted line as "Just take a minute." with the "I'll" dropped - and both the closed captioning --

- and the subtitles -

- get it correctly - though the subtitles jump ahead to what Tracy actually replies rather her scripted reply - and the closed captioning also reflects that -

 - and then Quentin gets out of the car and walks around the front of it toward the door, but we do not see him enter the house.

End of scene in film.

...

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Revisiting how Scene 244 through Scene 252 appear in Grayson's script:

Moving through several scenes without any or with little scripted dialogue, but as we'll see in the subtitles and closed captioning, they will have bits of dialogue added to some of them:

...

244    INT - FOYER - DAY                                 244        as Quentin ENTERS, the house is quiet and still.  The        sun filters through the vaulted windows giving the        house that look of late afternoon. 245    INT - FIRST FLOOR CORRIDOR - DAY                  245        From the far end of the hall, Quentin ENTERS THE SHOT        and walks TOWARD CAMERA.  The SOUND of his FOOTSTEPS        ECHO on the marble floor. 246    INT - FIRST STAIRWAY - DAY - HIGH ANGLE           246        From the second floor, Quentin climbs the stairs        TOWARD CAMERA.  PAN WITH HIM as he reaches the second        floor corridor and starts toward the gallery and the        Master Bedroom. 247    INT - MASTER BEDROOM - DAY                        247        as he comes up the stairs TOWARD CAMERA, PAN WITH HIM        as he picks up his canvases.  Then SLOWLY TRUCK IN TO        HIS CLOSE-UP.  He looks around, as if sensing a pre-        sence in the house.  HOLD HIM as he crosses to the        doorway and than, carrying his paintings, EXITS into        the gallery. 248    INT - GALLERY - DAY                               248        QUENTIN - CLOSE-UP        as he looks down the long corridor toward the far end        of the house.        FAR END OF CORRIDOR - QUENTIN'S P.O.V.        HOLD FOR A MOMENT on the empty scene, then, almost        imperceptibly, a half open door begins to move.                                           SHARP CUT TO: 249    EXT - COLLINWOOD - DAY                            249        Tracy gets out of the car and nervously begins to        pace about.  Then crossing back, she reaches in and        honks the horn.  Trying to decide what to do, she        waits a few moments, then crosses to the front door. 250    INT - FOYER - DAY                                 250        as Tracy ENTERS, the house is completely silent.        Crossing to where she can look down the main corridor,        she calls out.                              TRACY                  Quentin!        Her only response in the ECHO of her own voice as        she starts down the hall toward the stairs. 251    INT - FIRST FLOOR STAIRS - DAY - HIGH ANGLE       251        as Tracy comes up TOWARD CAMERA. 252    INT - GALLERY - DAY                               252        From the gallery, Tracy can be seen coming along        the corridor TOWARD CAMERA.  Suddenly she stops,        noticing Quentin's canvases stacked against the wall        near the wall to the bedroom.  she starts toward the        steps.

And that's when today's quote -

Page 114/Scene 252 - Tracy: 'Quentin? What's taking so long?'

is scripted to come up, followed in the script by:

There is no answer.

...

...

   And as far as "today's quote" goes, it was August 2nd this time around.

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Revisiting the differences in Scene 244 through Scene 252, including additions DC made to his script:

Now, as for what is different with the dialogue, the descriptions and the directions:

In Scene 244 we see Quentin enter the entryway -

- before he enters the foyer, but the rest of the scene plays pretty much as scripted. (But isn't it a shame that the flowers in the vase seem to be dying without Carlotta to tend them.  )

Scene 245 actually concludes with Quentin turning and beginning up the stairs -

- as his footsteps on the stairs can also be heard.

In Scene 246 we do not see Quentin climb the stairs, but we do see him start toward the gallery and the Master Bedroom.

In his script DC added:

246A   FROM AREA OF GALLERY WINDOWS

But if that was ever shot, it isn't currently in the film.

In Scene 247 we do indeed see Quentin come up the stairs toward camera and pick up his canvases, but he immediately turns to exit the room, so we do not see a slow truck to his close-up, or him looking around, as if sensing a presence in the house.

In Scene 248 we actually see Quentin descend the few stairs from the Master Bedroom -

- to the gallery before the camera moves in on his closeup and then his view of the far end of the corridor.

In Scene 249, after Tracy gets out of the car, she looks up at the house -

- (seemingly to the tower, though we don't see her P.O.V.) before she honks the horn, whereupon we see a shot of the foyer as the sound -

- of the horn echos throughout, and then Tracy looks to the house again and quickly moves in the direction of the front door.

Scene 250 plays exactly as scripted.

As part of Scene 251, after the script indicates that Tracy comes toward camera, DC adds:

In his script DC added:

MIRROR SHOT + PAN TO HER THEN FROM THIRD FL. LANDING

But that's not quite how things play. We do see the mirror shot -

- and pan to Tracy, but soon after we see Tracy, she once again calls out -

Quentin!

- this time while looking up the stairs, and then she ascends the stairs -

- to the first landing and moves beyond, but there is no shot from the vantage point of the third floor landing.

And then at the outset of Scene 252, as Tracy can be seen from the gallery, she calls out again -


Quentin!

- as she reaches the second floor corridor - but, as can be seen in yesterday's capture, she calls out to Quentin again and -

- asks him what's taking so long before she suddenly stops, noticing Quentin's canvases stacked against the wall near the wall to the bedroom and starting toward the steps to the Master Bedroom.

(And I never noticed before that as Tracy makes her way down the corridor, we can see that the door at the far end that swung open is now closed.)

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Revisiting the next set of subtitles/closed captioning:

When it comes to the subtitles and closed captioning for Scene 249, after Tracy gets out of the car, she looks up at the house (seemingly to the tower, though we don't see her P.O.V.) before she honks the horn - and both the subtitles -

- and the closed captioning -

- acknowledge the sound of the horn - and in a shot that's not in the script, the empty foyer is seen and the sound of the horn echos throughout - and both the subtitles -

- and the closed captioning -

- also acknowledge that - however, only the closed captioning -

- acknowldges a second honking of the horn.

More to come...

...

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Revisiting more of the subtitles/closed captioning:

Picking up where we left off with the subtitles and closed captioning:

Scene 250 plays exactly as scripted, so there's nothing to deal with there.

As for Scene 251, after Tracy is seen reflected in the mirror shot and the camera pans to her in reality, she stands at the bottom of the stairs, looks up, and makes an unscripted call to Quentin - and both the subtitles -

- and the closed captioning -

- acknowledge that - then after Tracy ascends the stairs, at the outset of Scene 252, Tracy is heard but barely seen making another unscripted call - and both the subtitles -

- and the closed captioning -

- acknowledge that - but once Tracy is actually seen she begins to move down the corridor toward the Gallery and delivers her scripted line as "Quentin, what's taking you so long?" - and both the subtitles and the closed captioning get that correctly - and Tracy stops briefly after she notices Quentin's canvases stacked against the wall near the wall to the bedroom, after which she moves in the direction of the steps to the Master Bedroom and out of frame.

...

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Revisiting the wrapping up of the script:

And wrapping up the script:

...

253    INT - MASTER BEDROOM - DAY                        253        as Tracy ENTERS, she looks around the room -- it is        empty.  She is getting a little worried as she crosses        back to the gallery. 254    THE GALLERY - TRACY'S P.O.V.                      254        Near the window there is a large armchair with its        back to CAMERA.  HOLD ON THIS for a moment as we        suddenly see a hand appear on the arm of the chair.        INT - GALLERY - DAY        TRACY - CLOSE UP        There is a very confused look on her face as she        tentatively calls out.                              TRACY                  Quentin?        THE ARMCHAIR - TRACY'S P.O.V.        as suddenly the figure in the chair rises to face        her.  It is Quentin, but his hair is now completely        gray and on his cheek is the long ugly scar.  The        transition is now complete.        TRACY - QUENTIN'S P.O.V.

And that's when today's quote -

Page 114/Scene 254 - Tracy: 'Oh, no...oh, God, no!'

is scripted to come up, followed in the script by:

As she backs toward the entrance of the Master Bed-        room, WIDEN to reveal the hauntingly beautiful        Angelique, who now stands in the doorway, evilly        smiling at her triumph. 254    CONTD                                      CONTD  254        QUENTIN - CLOSE-UP - TRACY'S P.O.V.        as he limps menacingly TOWARD CAMERA his face fills        the frame -- FREEZE.                                                FADE OUT                            THE END

...

...

   And as far as "today's quote" goes, it was August 3rd this time around.

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Revisiting the beginning of what's different about Scenes 253 & 254:

And now what's different about Scenes 253 and 254...:

For Scene 253 things are not shot in the Master Bedroom but we simply see Tracy go up the stairs to the doorway of the room -

- to look around for a few seconds and then she turns back to the gallery, and coming down the stairs she apparently notices something because she says an unscripted -


"Hey, what are you doing?"

And then at the start of Scene 254, unlike how it's scripted to begin, we don't simply see a large armchair with its back to the camera and then a hand suddenly appear on the arm of the chair because we actually see Quentin sitting in the chair and in another unscripted bit, we hear Tracy say to him -


"Quentin, will you come on. I've been waiting for you."

- and while that is followed by a close-up of Tracy with a very confused look on her face -

- she doesn't actually call out to Quentin - but when the shot returns to Quentin in the chair, we hear her ask an unscripted -

"Now, why were you just sitting there when you knew...?"

- but she doesn't finish the question because Quentin starts to get up, ...

...

More to come...

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Revisiting something that I'd missed for 50 years:

And I say this frequently, but it never fails to surprise how even after over 50 years and having watched the film countless times I continue to see or at least pay attention to things that I never really paid attention to before. And in the case of Scene 254 it's how I noticed this time around that the table where the seance was held and the candelabra atop it are still in place:

Though, of course, the seance sequence isn't in the film, so overlooking making that connection might not be surprising. Plus, as I've also said frequently, I tend to pay close attention to the characters and less so their surroundings. So, in that shot no doubt in the past most of my attention has been paid watching Tracy in the doorway to the bedroom and not what's in the foreground of the shot...

Also, I have to say that when I noriced the table I was surprised by how small it is. Whenever I'd pictured the seance in my mind I also pictured the characters sitting at a much larger table. I'm not sure why - though part of it may be because of how in hoDS' Scene 218 in the Gallery they're seated at a larger rectangular table:

And while I did see the recovered seance sequence when Darren showed it at the 2004 Tarrytown Fest, it's probably needless to say that the size of the table was hardly what I was paying attention to...

...

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Continuing with what's different about Scene 254, picking up after Tracy begins to ask why Quentin was just sitting there -

...

- but she doesn't finish the question because Quentin starts to get up, but afterward he simply stands -

- in front of the window - at which point Tracy asks an unscripted -

"Quentin, what's the matter?"

- and after we see Quentin come limping toward her, we hear Tracy say an unscripted -

"Quentin..."

- and then we see an extremely confused Tracy complete her thought by asking an unscripted -

"Quentin, why are you limping?"

...

More to come...

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Picking up with what's different about Scene 254 with what happens after Tracy asks Quentin is limping -

...

- and then after the camera has begun to move in close on her face as she shows an expression of -

- shock and concern, Tracy asks an unscripted -

"What happened?"

- and then as the camera moves up Quentin's body as he moves closer to Tracy, she begins to ask -

"Your face..."

"What did you do to...?"

- (though, obviously, we've only seen his face in silhouette) - and then Tracy senses another presence as she turns -

- to see -

- Angelique entering...

...

More to come...

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Wrapping up what's different about Scene 254 and going beyond. We pick up with Tracy seeing Angelique entering -

...

- and after Tracy gasps then crys the first part of yesterday's quote -

"Oh no..."

- with a look of sheer terror on her face, Tracy begins to back up against the wall -

- and then she screams out the remainder of yesterday's quote -

"...oh, God, no!"

- and follows with unscripted screams of -


"No! No! No!"

"No, no."

"No, no!"

"No! No, no..."

- and then on a frozen image of Quentin, an unscripted UPI news bulletin prints out -

 - the full text of which as -

- as it fades off the screen for the closing credits.

And coming up in a future post, some questions about that ending...

And, of course, while Quentin does indeed have the scar, his hair is not completely gray. But then, Charles having gray hair had already been dropped in the film. And obviously Tracy doesn't back away to the entrance of the Master Bedroom because she backs away against a wall in the gallery next to entrance to the bedroom.

But other than all these things that we've just gone through , there's nothing different about how the end of the film actually plays. 

And before we close out this post, I want to ... mention that coming up in a future post will be some questions about how the film ends and how it relates to a few things we learned along the way in the script. ...

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Revisiting the subtitles/closed captioning for Scene 253 and the first part of Scene 254:

For Scene 253 things are not shot in the Master Bedroom but we simply see Tracy go up the stairs to the doorway of the room to look around for a few seconds and then she turns back to the Gallery, and coming down the stairs she apparently notices something because she asks an unscripted -

- which as you can see both the subtiles and the closed captioning acknowledge - and then at the start of Scene 254, unlike how it's scripted to begin, we don't simply see a large armchair with its back to the camera and then a hand suddenly appear on the arm of the chair because we actually see Quentin sitting in the chair and in another unscripted bit, we hear Tracy say to him -

- and you can see both the subtitles and the closed captioning acknowledge that as well - and while that is followed by a close-up of Tracy with a very confused look on her face, she doesn't actually call out to Quentin - but when the shot returns to Quentin in the chair, we hear her ask an unscripted -

- and the subtitles and the closed captioning also acknowledge that.

More to come...

...