Happy 50th Anniversary, Night of Dark Shadows

[Mysterious Benefactor]

A reminder:

...

And that's when today's quote -

Page 36/Scene 85 - Charles: 'Leave her alone, Trask! I'm warning you! Gabriel, have you lost your mind?'

- comes up.

... and the reason I selected two captures for today's quote and repeated the entire quote for both is because 1) I couldn't decide which capture I liked best to represent it, but more importantly because 2) in the film what Charles is scripted to say is actually flipped around with him first saying (to Gabriel) -

Charles: 'Have you lost your mind?'

- and then (to Strack) -

Charles: 'You touch her and I'll kill you!'

- rather than substituting Strack for Trask and saying "Leave her alone, Strack! I'm warning you!"

...

And once again, one good thing about the VHS version of the film is that it doesn't cut off a character's head, in this case, Strack's:

...

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Backtracking a bit, the other day I forgot to post a video of how the score in Scene 84 on the DVD/Blu-ray has an obvious cut -

(Cut made at 7 sec.)

- that the VHS doesn't -

- and that's because the scene was obviously rescored after the cut footage was removed, and as such the score is slightly different on the VHS than it is on the DVD/Blu-ray release. The full score that should play and does play in the 129 minute version is like this -

- because approximately 20 seconds was cut from the 129 minute version to help to shorten it per James Avery's order to DC. And what was cut has been discussed before, often with regard to this part of ProfStokes' post listing what recovered footage was shown at the 2004 Fest -

..., Quentin discovering a sketch that Charles had made of Angelique, ...

-and as a reminder we actually see this sketch in the footage that is still in all versions of the film, but because the VHS shows much more at the bottom of the film's frames, it's much more visible on the VHS than it is on the DVD/Blu-ray. Last year I'd shared versions of both -

...

(Click here for a 1000X532 version)

...

(Click here for a 900X661 version)

- and because I didn't have working video capturing software at the time, I had to share a photo I'd taken on a TV from the VHS. But now that I do have working video capturing software, this is what the VHS actually looks like -

(Click here for a 880X661 version)

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Another reminder:

...

- and something else that I didn't notice before that's wrong is that the closed captioning has -

- and -

- and the subtitles have -

- but rather than saying "Stop it!" or just "Stop!" Charles actually calls out "Strack!" when he sees Strack enter the tower, and then he follows up with "You touch her and I'll kill you!"

...

(ADMIN: Edited to replace TV video captures)

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

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 that's when today's quote -

Page 36/Scene 86 - Quentin: 'Gabriel...Angelique...? That was her funeral I saw. What happened here? What?'

- is scripted to come up.

But when it comes to various versions of the film, there is either no dialogue at all or a completely different bit of dialogue. In the 94 minute and 97 minute versions, the correct sound mix is that there is no dialogue in Scene 86.

But in the 129 minute version, slightly reworked versions of two of the things Angelique says at the outset of Scene 85 are combined and repeated: "As long as she's in this house, I can't be happy. Bring the painting to life. Please." But just as is the case with the earlier additional dialogue that can be heard in Scene 85 even though it doesn't belong in the 94 minute version of the film, that bit from Angelique is mistakenly heard in the versions of the 94 minute NoDS available online via Amazon and iTunes and possibly other places, and on DVD and Blu-ray.

And something that you might have noticed (I didn't actually until this time around) is that the two clips above are scored differently. Note that on the VHS the flourish of Quentin's Theme isn't heard until the frame is focusing solely on the painting and Quentin is no longer in frame, whereas on the DVD/Blu-ray the Quentin's Theme flourish is already being heard at the outset of the clip while Quentin is in frame and the painting is barely seen. And all of that is quite possibly because the removal of the more explicit footage from Scene 85 and Angelique's voiceover over the painting required rescoring. Though what's interesting is the rescoring doesn't appear to noticably kick in until about the time Charles unlocks the door for Gabriel, which is after where the removal of the more explicit footage was made.

Another thing that's interesting is that on the VHS a few notes of the score continue to be heard when things switch to the outside shot of Collinwood, whereas on the DVD/Blu-ray the score cuts off immediately at the end of Scene 86. And speaking of that outside shot of Collinwood, also recall that as the film currently stands, Scene 86 is followed by Scene 74, not Scene 87 (Quentin, Alex, Claire and Tracy discuss the two paintings of Angelique) as will be coming up in the slideshow, though sadly, doesn't appear in any version of the film...

And something else which is also worth pointing out again -

Also I have to say that the music used for this sequence (titled The Taking Of Angelique on the soundtrack CD) is one of my favorite pieces that Bob Cobert wrote for the film.

 

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

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Recall with regard to Scene 87, Darren Gross posted on his Restoration Web site:

The following is a list of scenes that are still lost and which are not present in the 129 min version recovered in 1999.

...

INT.GALLERY-NIGHT. Quentin & Tracy, Claire & Alex discuss the two Angelique portraits.

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

And when it comes to today's quote:

And speaking of observations, does it strike anyone else as odd that Alex claims that he and Claire "are broke"?

Page 38/Scene 88 - Alex (gesturing to Claire): 'Will you look at that dress?
Gregory strikes again! He must think we're the manor folk --
honey, remember, we're broke.'

I still wish there was an actual explanation in the film because:

Apparently they've written at least a few successful novels, one of which we learn at the end of the film is being made into a "major motion picture."

Plus, the blurb at the end of the film describes them as a "popular husband and wife novelist team."

Either they must have a terrible agent who negotiates terrible contracts for them or they must spend money like water. Or both. Who knows?    But if they are broke, no wonder they need to live rent free. 

However, it's also quite apparent that supposedly being broke doesn't stop them from driving from Maine to New York in the middle of the night on a whim that they might learn something about Charles Collins. 

Though what's perhaps more important about today's quote is that it's a MUST quote! 

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

When it comes to Scene 88, not only is there quite a bit of possibly improvised dialogue to begin the scene, but the closed captioning and, to a lesser degree, the subtitles have all sorts of issues.

First up:

Interestingly, when it comes to the first improvised line from Scene 88, it appears on screen in both the subtitles and the closed captioning at the end of Scene 80 (and we'll recall that Scenes 74 through Scene 80 appear in the film after Scene 86 rather than before it) -

 - even though it doesn't come up in the film until Claire appears on screen -

- (and for some reason there's more glare than usual off of the TV screen for the closed captions) - and even though the next improvised lines are Alex asking "All right, sweetheart, some wine?" followed by Claire replying "Just a touch", the subtitles drop Alex saying "All right" -

- and the closed captioning oddly has -

- and doesn't even acknowledge Claire's reply.

Much more to come...

 

(ADMIN: Edited to replace TV video screen captures)

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Continuing with the issues with the closed captioning and the subtitles for Scene 88.

Next up:

After Claire has replied "Just a touch," Alex repeats "Just a touch and then adds "Now who'd a thought we'd have been here two years ago?", though the subtitles have -

- but the closed captioning only has -

 - and to that Claire replies "I would have." to which Alex says, "You would, huh?", and the subtitles reflect that -

 - but the closed captioning only has -

- with Alex' line dropped - and while Quentin then remarks "Makes life interesting," and the subtitles reflect that -

- for some reason the closed captioning has -

- adding a word that's not there instead of dropping entire lines - and that last subtitle gets a jump on the next line in the scene but we won't deal with that until next time...

 

(ADMIN: Edited to replace TV video screen captures)

[Mysterious Benefactor]

I've finally gotten the chance to continue with the issues with the closed captioning and the subtitles for Scene 88.

Next up:

As I'd alluded to last time, the next thing Alex says is "Will you take a look at this thing?", which is reworked slightly from what is scripted, however, as can be seen in the previous post, the subtitles drop the "Will you," and the closed captioning not only also drop that, it only has -

- with even "thing" being dropped - and after that Alex then says "Gregory strikes again! He must think we're the manor folk," and the subtitles reflect that but the closed captioning completely ignores it - after which Alex says, "Honey, remember, we are broke," and surprisingly enough both the subtitles and the close captioning acknowledge that - and then Alex possibly improvises, "A little more wine for the gentleman," as he makes his way to Quentin and both the subtitles -

- and the closed captioning -

- also acknowledge that - however, as his first reply to that, Quentin mouths, "Thank you" -

- but neither the subtitles nor the closed captioning acknowledges that.

And there's even more to come...

 

(ADMIN: Edited to replace TV video screen captures)

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Continuing with the issues with the closed captioning and the subtitles for Scene 88.

Next up:

After Quentin mouths his thank you, he possibly improvises aloud "A little wine," and both the subtitles -

- and the closed captioning -

- acknowledge it - and after that point as Carlotta enters the room Alex greets her with "Well, hello, Carlotta - how are you?", which both the subtitles -

- and the closed captioning -

- also acknowledge. (And if looks could kill, that look Carlotta gives Alex when he asks how she is would have certainly killed him! )

Things briefly go back to what's scripted after all this, but a shift in dialogue and more possible improvisation are coming next time...

 

(ADMIN: Edited to replace TV video screen captures)

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Picking up with Scene 88.

After it's been established that the wrapped box is a surprise for Quentin, it's something he "can't be without," and he opens it, as scripted Quentin is supposed to say "You've got to be kidding," and Alex is supposed to roar with laughter. However, what actually happens in the scene is Alex laughs, as is reflected in both the subtitles -

- and the closed captioning -

- after which it's Alex who delivers the line scripted for Quentin, and that's acknowledged by the subtitles -

- and the closed captioning -

- and that's followed in both the subtitles and the closed captioning by Claire possibly improvising -

- and as Quentin approaches her, Tracy says, "Gregory said I could take them back if...", but for some reason the closed captioning drops the "if" -

- and as I've lamented before, poor Gregory: he gets mentioned twice in this scene, yet as the film stands, no one in the audience has the vaguest idea who he is because his scene was never shot...

And from that point for a period of time things go back to what's scripted, but more issues are to come...

 

(ADMIN: Edited to replace TV video screen captures)

[Mysterious Benefactor]

More with Scene 88.

After the subject of Quentin's "surprise" gift of riding breeches is dealt with, Quentin mentions to Carlotta that he's found some of Charles Collins' old paintings in the tower room (and the interesting thing is that in the script this is the first time Quentin and Carlotta have shared a scene since he found them, but in the film as it stands the scene in Sarah's room after Quentin has seen Sarah screaming in the window takes place in between) and Quentin asks Carlotta, "Do you know anything about his history?", and the subtitles reflect that, but for some reason the closed captioning drops the "do" -

- and after Carlotta replies that she does and that he was a "marvelous man" and "a brilliant artist," Alex remarks, "Oh, you almost sound like you know him, Carlotta," and the subtitles also reflects that, but the closed captioning has -

- and to that Carlotta reacts with a sly smile and an unscripted titter, which the closed captioning acknowledges -

- but the subtitles ignores.

And from there things briefly go back as scripted, but more issues are to come...

 

(ADMIN: Edited to replace TV video screen captures)

[Mysterious Benefactor]

And even more with Scene 88.

First up:

After Carlotta asks if they'll be having brandy in the Gallery, Quentin defers with a possibly improvised "Alex?", which the closed captioning reflects -

- but for some odd reason the subtitles has -

- and Alex replies to Quentin with "Uh, not me, pal. I'm up with the sun these days," which is a reworking of what's scripted, and for the most part the subtitles has most of it -

- but the closed captioning only has -

- and that's followed by an unscripted exchange between Quentin and Alex with Quentin asking, "Sure?" and Alex replying, "Positive," which both the subtitles and the closed captioning acknowledge -

And there's yet more to come...

 

(ADMIN: Edited to replace TV video screen captures)

[Mysterious Benefactor]

And yet more with Scene 88.

First up:

After it's decided not to have brandy, in a possibly improvised bit Alex asks Claire, "Ready, baby?", she replies, "Ready," and he repeats, "Ready," all of which is acknowledged in the subtitles -

- and the closed captioning -

- and after that, once they've gotten up and joined each other, Claire and Tracy possibly improvise some indecipherable chatter -

And there's even yet more to come as you may have gathered by the preview of part of it in the above clip...

 

(ADMIN: Edited to replace TV video screen captures)