Happy 50th Anniversary, Night of Dark Shadows

[Uncle Roger]

I realize that the function of this scene is twofold. It gets Claire and Alex away from Collinwood where they might be able to help Tracy and Quentin and sends them to an expert who might be able to provide them with pivotal information. But considering that New York is approximately a 5 to 7 hour drive from Maine, I hope that they called this guy first!

[Mysterious Benefactor]

   Let's hope that at the very least they called! 

Though as we've said before:

I think Sam and DC kept forgetting that the movie was set in Maine, not Tarrytown NY.

And I'd tend to agree with that. In fact, I even seriously wondered about it back when we were dealing with Claire and Tracy's shopping excursion, the unshot Scenes 81, 82 & 83, where the settings for Scenes 81 and 82 even say "EXT - TARRYTOWN STREET - DAY".    But in this case, the unscripted additional dialogue that we hadn't gotten into yet yesterday helps to make it clear that Alex and Claire's trip to NY will take "a few days", so chances are they weren't going to Burton's Gallery that night. 

And as I said back in Reply #1679, we'll be getting into that unscripted dialogue in a future post...

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Revisiting the subtitles and closed captioning (with a new screen capture) for Scene 138:

Until I looked at the script to check something completely different about Scene 138, I didn't realize that Tracy's scripted reply to Alex is simply, "The best. Why?" - and obviously that was exactly what the closed captioning has. And it's definitely interesting how it happens quite frequently that the closed captioning reflects the script rather than what's actually said in the film.

But anyway, after Tracy asks Alex why he's brought up the Burton's gallery, Alex replies, "Tell you when I get back. You sure you're gonna be OK?" - and the subtitles completely reflect that - but the closed captioning oddly has -

 - and in that case we can't even blame it on what's scripted because what's scripted is almost exactly what's actually said: "Tell you when we get back. You're sure you'll be OK?"

...

(ADMIN: Edited to replace a TV video screen capture)

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

After Tracy tells Alex go to NY because nothing bad will happen (she obviously doesn't possess even the slightest speck of clairvoyance or even simple intuition!), a whole slew of unscripted dialogue takes place. ...

First up, how the subtitles handle the unscripted dialogue:

- so you can see that for most part the subtitles get almost everything right. The differences will be pointed out in a future post. And the closed captioning will also wait for a future post...

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

And now the closed captioning (with new screen captures):

 And since they don't all agree with the subtitles, apparently something is wrong somewhere along the way. But the differences between the film and the subtitles and/or the closed captioning, and between the subtitles and the closed captioning will wait until a future post.

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

And now when it comes to the errors in the subtitles and closed captioning:

After Quentin learns Tracy was talking to Alex on the phone, she explains, "He and Claire have to go to New York for a few days." - and the subtitles get that right -however, the closed captioning has -

- with no mention of them going to NY "for a few days."

And after Tracy suggests they go the bed because it's late, Quentin says he wants to finish the book he's holding and adds, "Now go on. I'll be up soon enough." - and this time the closed captioning gets it right - however, the subtitles have -

- for some reason. Huh is right.

It's so rare that the closed captioning gets something right when the subtitles doesn't.

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Revisiting two posts regarding the continuation after Scene 139:

...

- and that's the actual end of Scene 139 (or perhaps a Scene 139A) - and it's also the last bit of happiness between Quentin and Tracy because things are about to go downhill sooner rather than later...

Which leads us to tomorrow when we'll be getting into a whole load of scripted material, much of which is actually handled very differently in the film. But more on that then...

  I forgot to mention that all those subtitles and all the closed captioning come from Scene 139A, and even though there's no such scene as that in the script, it is indicated on that call sheet that I came across for April 5, 1971:

...

(Click here for a 880X910 version)

...

And also, during the first time around for this slideshow I forgot to point out specifically that given their inclusion on the call sheet, obviously Scenes 137, 139 & 139A were all shot on April 5th...

...

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Revisiting how Scenes 140 through 147 are scripted:

Moving on to the next sequence (using Grayson's script because once again DC didn't change the names):

CUT TO: 140    INT - GALLERY - NIGHT                             140        It is later.  Quentin stands at the window, his        back to the room.  Turning, he walks to the mantel.        The clock reads one-thirty.  he pours himself a        brandy, crosses to his chair, picks up the book        again.  Throughout all of this, the portrait of        Angelique is in the SHOT.  Finally, finishing the        brandy, he puts the book down and crosses to the        Master Bedroom. 141    INT - MASTER BEDROOM - NIGHT                      141        With Tracy asleep in the F.G., Quentin ENTERS THE        SHOT.  TRUCK IN ON HIS CLOSE-UP as he stands in        the doorway, obviously not wanting to go to bed.        He turns, leaves the room, closes the door softly        behind him. 142    INT - SECOND FLOOR CORRIDOR - NIGHT               142        As Quentin walks TOWARD CAMERA.  He approaches the        stairs leading to the tower.  Stopping at the foot        of the stairs, he looks up. 143    QUENTIN - HIGH ANGLE                                143        SEEN from third floor as he looks TOWARD CAMERA.  HOLD        FOR A LONG MOMENT until it seems he is about to start        up the stairs.  Instead, he turns and practically runs        down the stairs to the first floor and EXITS THE SHOT.        HOLD ON EMPTY CORRIDOR until the SOUND OF THE FRONT        DOOR can be heard OPENING AND CLOSING O.S. 144    EXT - COUNTRYSIDE - NIGHT                           144        as Quentin walks through the night in an effort to        purge himself of the horrible temptations that are        gnawing at his soul.  He comes to a fallen tree, where        he stops for a moment and sits.  SLOWLY TRUCK IN ON        HIM as the SOUND OF THUNDERING HOOF BEATS can be        HEARD O.S.  As we end up on a TIGHT SHOT OF HIS EYES.                                               CUT TO: 145    EXT - COUNTRYSIDE - 1800 - NIGHT                    145        SUBCONSCIOUS MEMORY CUT        Suddenly, out of a heavy bank of fog gallops a man        on horseback.  Seen in silhouette only, his cape flies        in the wind as he charges TOWARD CAMERA.  The horse        rears on its hind legs and we recognize the rider as        Charles Collins.  He slashes his riding crop INTO        CAMERA as he SCREAMS:

And that's when today's quote -

Page 69/Scene 145 - Charles: 'You killed her, Strack! You killed her!'

- comes up, followed in the script by:

STRACK        TRASK - CHARLES' P.O.V. - HAND HELD           Strack        As Trask struggles to avoid the slashing crop.  He        trips and falls to the ground as the horse rears again        and again, stomping to death the screaming Trask.                                                   Strack        WIDE ANGLE        Strack        Trask lies dead as Charles sits on his horse staring        down at him.  Finally, he looks up and turns TOWARD        CAMERA. 146    FOG-SHROUDED - COUNTRYSIDE - CHARLES' P.O.V.        146        HOLD ON empty countryside, then TRUCK IN as the ghost-        like figure of Angelique walks out of the fog TOWARD        CAMERA.  Charles ENTERS THE SHOT and goes into her        arms.                                               CUT TO: 147    EXT - COUNTRYSIDE - 1971 - NIGHT - NORMAL COLOR    147        QUENTIN - EXTREME CLOSE-UP        as his eyes fill the screen, he stares blankly INTO        CAMERA.  SLOWLY WIDEN as he rises and PAN WITH HIM,        revealing the massive silhouette of Collinwood in        the distance.

And next time we'll get into how differently things actually play in the film...

  And so far as  "today's quote" goes, it is indeed today's, April 15th's, this time around.

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

   Revisiting the post promised at the end of the previously revisited post:

OK, now we'll get back to any differences in the film in the dialogue, the descriptions, and the directions for Scenes 140 through 147:

First off, Scene 140 does not initially take place in the Gallery, it takes place in the Library, and then a sort of Scene 140A takes place in the Gallery (originally DC had some notes about the scene but for some reason he erased them). After Tracy leaves in Scene 139(A) to go up to bed, things start off with Quentin leaving the Card Room and going into the Library. Similar to the script, he walks to the window and looks out -

- but after sitting down, rather than opening his book, he looks over at the clock -

- also similar to the script, though the time (which is hard to decipher) is definitely much earlier than one-thirty - then he simply sits staring into space as the camera -

- moves in to a close-up - but through all of this Quentin does not pour himself a brandy and obviously doesn't drink it. However, from there things do indeed move to the Gallery with an opening shot of Angelique's portrait -

- as the camera pulls away from it, panning over to where Quentin stands looking at it -

- for several moments before turning to move toward the Master Bedroom, similiar to what's scripted, but again, there's no brandy involved, nor is there any sign of the book.

Scene 141 is very close to what's scripted except for the fact that the camera doesn't truck in on a close-up of Quentin. The entire scene is shot with Tracy asleep in the foreground -

- and Quentin coming in no further than the doorway.

Scene 142 is not in the film - or at least not in the film as it currently stands because it isn't on the list of scenes that weren't recovered. And DC's script has a notation that it would be shot using a low angle taken from the stairs.

We do see the opening of Scene 143, up to and including that long moment while Quentin -

- stares up - however, everything beyond that point in Scene 143 is missing from the film, and is indeed on the list of unrecovered footage - and one thing that's interesting is how abruptly the background music ends before the film switches to the next scene that is in the film - but more on that in a later post.

Then just as with the latter part of Scene 143, Scene 144 is not in the film and is on the list of unrecovered footage.

But Scene 145 was actually used in the film, as the first part of Quentin's dream on his first night at Collinwood. However, the scene doesn't begin as scripted because there are no shots of the silhouette of a man on horseback galloping out of a heavy bank of fog - and neither do we see the horse rear on its hind legs as we recognize the rider as Charles Collins - nor does he slash his riding crop into camera as he screams Monday's quote. In fact, what we do see, as can be seen in Monday's capture -

- is Strack running down the hill from the cemetery as Charles pursues him on horseback and actually screams "You killed her! You killed Angelique, Strack!" Also, there is no struggling by Strack to avoid the slashing crop because almost immediately he trips, falls and rolls down the hill - and when Strack sees that the horse is almost on top of him, he cries out "No!" - and in the 94 minute film's version of the scene, all we see from then on is a few brief glimpses of Charles atop his horse as he appears to be having the horse trample Strack as Strack cries out and Charles orders his horse with "Kill! Kill!" until finally Charles simply looks down to the ground and Strack makes his last movement until he lays dead. But in the 97 and 129 minute versions of the film, much more is seen and heard. For example, we see much more of Strack trying to protect himself with his hands as the horse's hooves come down on him again and again, causing his hands and face to become increasingly bloody - and Charles also cries out "Die! Die!" as he has the horse trample Strack. But the nice thing, if "nice" is the right word for it, is much of the footage missing from the 94 minute version of the film is seen in the various trailers, and I've decided to share three versions varying from less explicit to most explicit:

The less explicit video, taken from a 30 second TV spot:

And each of the three video files has been deliberately put is slow motion so as to better see what's happening.

A more explicit video, taken from a 1 minute trailer:

And the most explicit and the best of the three, taken from a 2 minute trailer:

The trampling hooves are much more explicit in this one. And I have to say that I love the story about how a crew member actually knelt down by Thayer David and placed the horse hooves by hand!

And when it comes to Scene 146, in the 94 minute version of the film, it begins with Angelique already standing with outstretched arms and Charles walks up a hill to her -

- but in the 97 minute version of the film, after Strack is dead, Charles turns to look up the hill and then turns his horse around and gallops up - things then switch to Angelique standing outside the cemetery gate, similar to this -

- publicity still, whereupon Charles stops the horse as he nears her, he dismounts, and it isn't until after all that that Angelique holds her arms out to him. Apparently all of that was simply cut for time rather than sexuality or gore...

And finally, Scene 147 is also not in any version of the film because it's also on the list of unrecovered footage.

(ADMIN: Edited to add videos and remove animated GIFs)

[Mysterious Benefactor]

   Oops - I forgot to revisit this post with the one above:

.... But first up, here's how things play in the 94 minute version of the film (slowed down so as to better appreciate it):

...

And something that I discovered after having slowed down the footage in the film - and something that only makes sense - but when it came to some shots with the real horse near Strack, a stunt double was used -

(Click here for a 1280X720 version)

- that might very well have been Alex Stevens...

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Moving on to how the subtitles deal with Scene 145:

Surprisingly enough, once again the subtitles actually acknowledge sound heard, in this case at the outset of the scene -

- as Strack starts running down the hill from the cemetery as Charles pursues him on horseback and screams, "You killed her! You killed Angelique, Strack!" - and the subtitles handle those lines perfectly - and Strack almost immediately trips, falls and rolls down the hill - and when Strack sees that the horse is almost on top of him, he cries out "No!" - but for some very strange reason the subtitles would seem to indicate that Charles orders -

- but Charles makes no such order - and as the horse comes down on Strack, it neighs, which is not acknowledged - but the subtitles do acknowledge Strack crying out -

- and as Charles continues to have his horse trample Strack, he orders it with "Kill! Kill!" - but for another strange reason the subtitles have Charles saying -

- but the subtitles don't acknowledge Strack's final pained cry - and in the 94 minute version the scene ends as Strack turns on his side and dies.

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

And now how the closed captioning deals with Scene 145, which we'll see is in a much more complicated way:

First off, the closed captioning does not acknowledge the sounds of the horse's hooves - and also unlike the subtitles, Charles screams of "You killed her! You killed Angelique, Strack!" is not handled correctly, but thusly -

- and unlike how the subtitles skipped indicating it, when Strack sees that the horse is almost on top of him and cries out an unscripted "No!" -

- the closed captioning does acknowledge it - and unlike how the subtitles ignores the horse's neighs as it comes down on Strack, the closed captioning -

- does acknowledge them - and the closed captioning also acknowledges Strack's pained cries individually -

- rather than simply clumping them all in one indication - and as Charles continues to have his horse trample Strack, he orders it with "Kill! Kill!" - but for some strange reason, as was the case with the subtitles, the closed captioning doesn't get that right either - instead, the closed captioning has -

- and the closed captioning also doesn't doesn't acknowledge Strack's final pained cry before he dies.

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

A few stills definitely worth revisiting:

Stills associated with Scene 146. First up, this one -

(Click here for a 555X700 version)
The 16 Magazine caption for it reads: "The spirit of Angelique materializes in the family graveyard, and it is
her ghost that haunts Quentin Collins--putting these visions on him that
make him the would-be killer of his own wife and Angelique's adoring
slave--as Charles Collins had once been."
(It's interesting that that caption makes things sound like Laura is right when she implies in the piano scene that Angelique has Charles under some sort of spell, rather than him simply being in love/lust with her all on his own. But I suppose we'll never know. Although, one could make a case that one of the ways to interpret the ending of the film is that Quentin/Charles has become bewitched by Angelique...)

- of which a greatly cropped version appeared on page 109 of the DS Companion, though that version shows -

(Click here for a 799X798 version)

- Angelique much clearer,  and a less cropped version appeared as part of the Nov. '71 NoDS article in 16 Magazine. (Shared in Reply #412 of the "And Now The Return of Another New Slideshow (Sort of) [**Now featuring alternate versions..." topic.)

And next up I want to share this one -

(Click here for a 1500X1039 version)

- of which a considerably cropped version is also on page 109 of the DS Companion.

And no doubt you will remember that previously I shared this Lobby Card -

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(Click here for a 930X738 version)

...

- a version of which appears as the back cover of the booklet for the movies soundtrack, as December's photo for the Fest's 1999 Movie Calendar, and on the back cover of the DVD/Blu-ray releases (see Reply #240).

  The back covers of the DVD/Blu-ray releases were fairly recently revisited as Reply #1656.

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

More definitely worth revisiting:

And finally when it comes to Scenes 145 & 146 this time around, I forgot to post this last time around, and I almost forgot to post it this time around too:

(Click here for a 738X440 version)

It would have been nice if 16 Magazine hadn't doctored the photo like they did. But considering the NoDS article that appeared in their December of 1971 issue is the only place I've ever see the still shared, having a doctored version is better than not having any version at all. (And the really nice thing about that article is that it features several stills that were never shared anywhere else.)

...

Until I was going through a pile of stills looking for ones to post for upcoming scenes, I'd completely forgotten that I have the still of the Angelique/Charles Lobby Card. And like the still I shared of Carlotta/Gerard in Reply #294, the still is much better quality than the Lobby Card -

(Click here for a 700X476 version)

- or at least much better quality than the Heritage Auctions Web site's scan I've shared of the Lobby Card - plus it shows a bit more... 

And as a side note, notice how you can barely tell Charles is supposed to have a scar on his cheek. Apparently they went much more pronounced with the make-up once they shot his scenes...

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Another groups of stills worth reviaiting:

Four more stills, not directly related to Scene 146, but featuring Angelique at the cemetery:

(Click here for a 987X1500 version)


(Click here for a 887X620 version)

And so far as I'm aware, none of these have been officially published anywhere...