Happy 50th Anniversary, Night of Dark Shadows

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Three posts definitely worth revisiting:

Here's the first as well as one of the rare stills to preview Scene 85:

(Click here for a 700X476 version)

Here's the second as well as one of the rare stills to preview Scene 85:

(Click here for a 700X476 version)

And here's the third as well as another one of the rare stills to preview Scene 85:

(Click here for a 700X476 version)

You may have been sensing a theme with the first three.    But even though today's is the last of that set, we'll certainly continue to see stills of Charles and Angelique making out because the majority of the stills from Scene 85 focus on that. But when it comes to tomorrow's, it has a significance that the ones I've shared so far do not...

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

   Revisiting info related to the third still featured in the previous post:

At the time I posted this -

And here's the third as well as another one of the rare stills to preview Scene 85:

(Click here for a 700X476 version)

- I didn't realize the still had been used on the back cover of the NoDS DVD/Blu-ray packaging -

(Click here for a 1000X1411 version)

(Click here for a 1000X1163 version)

- though neither shows as much as the actual still, with the Blu-ray version showing the least.

(Also, I never realized Lara Parker's billing isn't what it should be based on the opening credits. She should be third after Grayson Hall and before John Karlen, yet she's after Nancy Barrett, which, probably not coincidentally, is how she's billed on the posters. But everyone else is billed in the exact order they are in the opening credits. Odd. But I'm sure there was some reason...)

...

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Another post worth revisiting:

And if this fourth still looks familiar -

(Click here for a 1400X1098 version)

- that might be because it was used as inspiration for both versions of NoDS' A poster:

It's interesting, though, that Angelique's arm is on the outside of Charles' arm in the poster's artwork, yet it's on the inside of his arm in the actual still. It's also interesting that Angelique is semi-transparent for the color version of the poster, implying she's a ghost, yet she's human in the actual still and doesn't appear transparent in the B&W version of the poster...

   I've often wonder how they selected the stills to be a part of the NoDS Editor's Portfolio and why this particular one didn't make the cut? It's one of my favorites...

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

This week I discovered something quite interesting about this next still to revisit -

Here's the fifth as well as one of the rare stills to preview Scene 85:

(Click here for a 1400X1124 version)

- however, I'm going to be waiting until some point in the second half of January to get into it because it has a connection to a project I have in mind for the slideshow then...

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Another Scene 85 still to revisit:

This sixth still to preview Scene 85 has taught me a lesson I never really knew.

(Click here for a 898X593 version)

Perhaps naively, I assumed that a still shot in color was printed in color and obviously those shot in B&W were printed in B&W. However, apparently the above still was shot in color but that version of it was simply printed in B&W because a cropped color version was published on page 69 of the DS Companion -

- and a different cropped color version was used as part of the NoDS section of the gatefold of the hoDS/NoDS laserdisk -

(Click here for a 1000X572 version)

(And how interesting is it that 3 of the 7 NoDS stills used are from scenes that aren't even in the film?!)

(ADMIN: Edited to add a better version of the gatefold stills)

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Beginning to revisit the subtitles/closed captioning for Scene 85:

Getting back into the subtitles and closed captioning, when it comes to the sounds of Charles and Angelique making out at the beginning of Scene 85 as the camera pans over to them, the subtitles completely ignore them - but not so when it comes to the closed captioning -

More to come...

 ...

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

More revisiting of the subtitles/closed captioning for Scene 85:

Continuing with the subtitles and closed captioning for Scene 85, the first bit of unscripted/reworked dialogue is handled correctly by both the subtitles -

- and the closed captioning -

More to come...

...

(ADMIN: Reply #248 has been edited to replace TV video screen captures)

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

And more revisiting of the subtitles/closed captioning for the beginning of Scene 85:

Continuing with more of the subtitles and closed captioning for Scene 85, with the next bit of unscripted/reworked dialogue that both the subtitles -

- and the closed captioning -

 - handle correctly.

More to come...

...

(ADMIN: Reply #249 has been edited to replace TV video screen captures)

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Continuing with how Scene 85 is scripted:

Picking up Scene 85 where we left off, after Gabriel pounds on the door and asks to see Angelique:

They smile at each other but don't answer.                            GABRIEL (O.S.)                  I know she's in there.  Now open                  the door.        Finally, Charles decides to answer.                            CHARLES                  For more of your dreary moralizing?                   You try my patience, brother.                            GABRIEL (O.S.)                  For the last time!  Open the door!

And that's when today's quote -

Page 35A/Scene 85 - Angelique: 'Let him in.'

- comes up and is also delivered exactly that way in the film.

And as far as any differences in the dialogue go, well, that all depends on which version of NoDS one is watching. If it's the 129 recovered version or the 97 minute R-rated version that was mistakenly released in August of 1971, all of it is delivered exactly as written. If it's the version available online via Amazon and iTunes and possibly other places, or on DVD and Blu-ray, it's all but Gabriel's "For the last time! Open the door!" (though even though much of the dialogue is there, the accompanying correct footage that coincides with it is not). And if it's the 94 minute version available on VHS and which played in most areas of the country in 1971, then Charles' "For more of your dreary moralizing? You try my patience, brother" and  Gabriel's "For the last time! Open the door!" are missing.

And as far as the differences in the descriptions and directions go, Charles and Angelique do a lot more than smile at each other while they don't answer. Actually quite a bit more, depending on the version of the film one sees.    But here we're working with the 94 minute version, so all we see in it is Charles and Angelique kiss before he gets up and Angelique tells him to let Gabriel in. And I do have to say that that chaste version of what goes on between Charles and Angelique always strikes me as funny because all it looks like Charles does is pick a piece of lint from Angelique's cleavage - but if you've never seen what actually takes place in the longer versions, you might be quite surprised when you do see it!    Though keep in mind that it's '70s' R-rated, not X-rated. 

   And so far as "today's quote" goes, it was actually on November 22nd this time around.

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Revisiting the various different versions of this part of Scene 85:

And also keep in mind with regard to Scene 85 in the 97 (and 129) minute film, Darren Gross posted on his Restoration Web site -

A brief summary of all the scenes missing from the 93.5 minute version which were present in the 97 minute prints follows.

...

2) In Quentin's flashback in the tower, Charles and Angelique's kiss is more explicit. Angelique throws her head back and laughs mockingly as Charles kisses her neck and the unseen Gabriel hammers angrily at the door. GABRIEL: I know she's in there now open the door !(this is also present in the short version, but I have retained it to give the next line context) CHARLES: For more of your dreary moralizing ? You try my patient brother. GABRIEL(pounding, furious): For the last time - open the door !

...

- and -

Backtracking even further back to Scene 85, I've "recreated" Angelique and Charles in the Tower room and Gabriel interrupting them using audio from the reel-to-reel tape of the 97 minute release version of the sequence along with screen caps to fill in for where the missing footage of Charles and Angelique's more explicit making out would be. Again, it's not perfect, but I'm happy with it.

First up. as per the Laser Disc, this is what the 94 minute version of the film should be like:

But this is what the DVD/Blu-ray release is like:

And here it is with the full audio from the 97 minute version of the film, featuring more banging, a last giggle from Angelique, and an additional line from Gabriel (sadly, you can't hear the more explicit footage of Charles and Angelique making out  ):

(ADMIN: Edited to add Laser video)

...

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

And even more revisiting of the subtitles/closed captioning for the beginning of Scene 85:

Picking up where we left off with the subtitles and closed captioning for Scene 85, the next bit is acknowledging banging on the door - and both the subtitles -

- and the close captioning -

- do that - and then Gabriel delivers his "Charles, I want to talk to my wife" off screen, exactly as scripted - and both the subtitles and the closed captioning get that correctly - and he follows that with his "I know she's in there. Now, open the door" off screen, exactly as scripted - and the subtitles get that perfectly - however, the closed captioning simply has -

- for some odd reason - and that is followed up by more banging - however, only the closed captioning acknowledges it -

 - this time.

More to come...

...

(ADMIN: Replies #250 & #251 have been edited to replace TV video screen captures)

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Another post worth revisiting:

I like today's photo.  I know you can't see "anything" but as you know, I have a vivid imagination.

winking,

G.

I just knew someone was going to remark on today's capture. 

But at least one good thing about the VHS/Laser version of the film is that Charles' head doesn't get cut off:

DVD/Blu-ray:

VHS/Laser:

(ADMIN: Edited for better comparison and to add a Laser capture)

April 21st = November 22 this time around.

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Revisiting more about the rain on the window in Scene 85:

Back in 2021:

Last night I attempted to recreate my first viewing of NoDS as closely as I could. ...

I hadn't actually watched the film in years, so it was definitely fun to watch it, especially so because it was the first time I'd watched it on a 60in TV. And one would think that having seen the film so many times there couldn't possibly be anything that I would notice that I'm not sure if I ever noticed before - but one would be wrong in that assumption. For quite possibly the first time I noticed that rain is running down the tower room windows in the scene in which Angelique and Charles make out and Gabriel and Strack come to get her.

Of course, timewise it should have been raining because the scene takes place soon after the scene in the Gallery in which Sarah watches Strack, Laura and Gabriel plot and Carlotta's voiceover specifically points out how it's raining. But, well, this is DS, which isn't well known for its continuity, especially considering that in the timeline of events of that day the tower scene takes place after the Gallery scene but it shows up in the film before the Gallery scene. Quite obviously whoever they hired to handle continuity for the film was much better than anyone who might have worked on the daytime show!

And we may never know for sure, but I might have honestly noticed the rain because it was the first time I'd  watched the film on a 4K TV and not on a dinky old-fashioned TV with a typical screen size...

And this time around I noticed for the first time that the rain is clearly seen again in this shot -

- and gee, I wonder what my attention has normally been on when that shot comes up? - though again to be fair so far as the VHS version of the film goes, the rain running down the window is not discernible in the slightest -

- and it's barely discernible even on the Laser -

- pretty much only noticeable if you know enough to try to look closely for it.

One thing I have wondered is if the rain on the window is real or a product of the Tarrytown Fire Department aiming their hose at the window? We know that the rain at Angelique's funeral (and the rain at hoDS' Carolyn's funeral) was thanks to the fire department - but I'm pretty sure nothing has ever been said if the rain outside in Scene 85 and upcoming Scene 119 was artificially created - though at least when it comes to Scene 119 we know the rain is actually mentioned in the script.

It's also interesting how the sound playing over the shot on the DVD/Blu-ray is part of the cut audio that mistakenly appears on the DVD/Blu-ray but rightfully not on the VHS/Laser because of the cuts made to Scene 85 to avoid an R rating. It's been so long since I've seen the 97 minute version of the film that I have no real memory what was transpiring on screen when Charles delivers "For more of your dreary moralizing," but I do recall that when Angelique laughs hysterically she throws her head back and Charles is kissing her neck, and clearly that is not what we see on the DVD/Blu-ray before Charles delivers his "moralizing" line, so obviously even though the DVD/Blu-ray contains the extra bits of sound, it's not synced with the footage that actually belongs with it. What would really be interesting is if the footage seen on the VHS/Laser videos above has the correct sound of Gabriel's banging on the door, but who knows if we'll ever learn if it is or it isn't...

...

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

And revisiting even more of the subtitles/closed captioning for the beginning of Scene 85:

Now, we know that next up on the DVD/Blu-ray there's dialogue that shouldn't be there, and of course it all shows up in the subtitles - Charles' lines are scripted as, "For more of your dreary moralizing? You try my patience, brother." - however, in the 97 and 129 minute versions of the film, as scripted, first Charles delivers, "For more of your dreary moralizing?" - but that shows up in the subtitles as -

- with the "For" dropped - and that's followed, not by Charles' next line, but Gabriel shouting an unscripted -

- as he bangs on the door, though none of the subsequent banging after the first of it is acknowledged by the subtitles - and then is when Charles delivers -

- dropping the "You" - and in the 97 and 129 minute versions Gabriel also shouts his scripted "For the last time! Open the door!" - but that doesn't show up on the DVD/Blu-ray - however, you can hear it, Angelique giving a small giggle, as well as yet more banging if you go back to Reply #1378 and play the third video because I'd put it together using the audio tape of the 97 minute version of the film that I'd recorded back in 1971.

More to come...

...

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

And revisiting yet more of the subtitles/closed captioning for the beginning of Scene 85:

Continuing along with the subtitles and closed captioning for Scene 85, rather than the dialogue that appears in the DVD/Blu-ray that shouldn't be in the 94 minute version of the film, the closed captioning on the VHS acknowledges more banging on the door -

- and after Angelique delivers her scripted line to let Gabriel in, which is acknowledged correctly by both the subtitles and the closed captioning, and Charles gets up to do so, the closed captioning acknowledges even more banging -

- and as Charles works on unlocking the door, the closed captioning acknowledges yet more banging (that Gabriel is an impatient one! ) -

- and after that point is where things get very strange because after Gabriel is revealed he says, "That's my wife, Charles," however, both the subtitles and the closed captioning have -

- and as I said back in 2021 -

... whereas Gabriel's next scripted line is:

Page 35A/Scene 85 - Gabriel: 'I have come for her, brother.'

But what he actually says in the film is:... 'That's my wife, Charles.'

What comes up with the closed captioning is ... seemingly a mix of what was scripted and what was actually said, but really neither. Who knows where/how whoever did the closed captioning came up with it?! ...

And the discovery of that exceedingly odd discrepancy in the closed captioning is what's prompted me to check out all the closed captioning as well as all of the subtitles.

More to come...

...

(ADMIN: Reply #252 has been edited to replace a TV video screen capture)

   And so far as the highlighted line above goes, it was the quote on November 23rd.