Happy 50th Anniversary, Night of Dark Shadows

[Mysterious Benefactor]

It's very telling that DC would allow the unprofessional behavior of Roger Davis but not for an unexperienced child.

If you ask me, it was a beyond telling aspect of DC's personality.  . Particularly when, as the director, one of his jobs was to help an inexperienced actor achieve the performance he was looking for. But then, in his early directing career he may very well have been incapable of doing that...

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Revisiting more of the subtitles/closed captioning for Scene 119:

As Laura, Rev. Strack and Gabriel enter the Gallery in Scene 119, Laura points out, "Gabriel, you must make a decision" (a "MUST" quote!!  ), and the subtitles reflect that exactly - however, the closed captioning has -

- with "we" instead of "you" for a reason known only to the person who wrote it...

...

(ADMIN: Edited to replace TV video screen capture)

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Revisiting even more of how Scene 119 was scripted:

As you've probably already figured from today's graphic, today's quote -

Page 59/Scene 119 - Laura: 'Gabriel, don't you realize how I've dreaded this moment? But we've both known it had to come...'

- was dropped from the scene in the film.

And when it comes to any differences in the dialogue, even if it today's quote was a part of the scene at some point, we'll never know if anything was different about it because it doesn't appear in any version of the film.

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.

And still no notes in DC's script for this scene. But there will be some for the quotes coming up tomorrow...

   And so far as "today's quote" goes, it was March 10th's this time around.

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Revisiting the subtitles/closed captioning (with a new screen capture) for Scene 119:

...

As Laura, Rev. Strack and Gabriel enter the Gallery in Scene 119, Laura points out, "Gabriel, you must make a decision" (a "MUST" quote!!  ), and the subtitles reflect that exactly - however, the closed captioning has -

- with "we" instead of "you" for a reason known only to the person who wrote it...

...

(ADMIN: Edited to replace TV video screen capture)

And I've also mentioned this before, but I continue to find it so interesting that the closed captioning text displays at different times and for different durations depending on the VCR or TV that's decoding it. The case in point here is that with the VCR I used to get the closed captioning from the VHS tape, the caption in the above screen capture disappears from the screen before Gabriel comes into view, whereas when it came to the caption that was decoded with the TV from which I shot video, it remained on view until Gabriel had come into view -

- but as you can see, when it comes to that same frame with the VCR decoding -

- the caption has already changed text.

And even though it has nothing to do with the closed captions on the VHS displaying differently, when it comes to the subtitles, Laura's line displays even longer -

- or at least it does in my Blu-Ray player. I wonder, if like the closed captioning, it's a case that the subtitles display differently depending on the player? Just for the fun of it one of these days I should borrow a friend's player to check it out...

...

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

A comment worth revisiting regarding Scene 119:

...

In Scene 119, after Laura brings up that a decision must be made, as we've seen in the slideshow, Gabriel is scripted to say -

Page 59/Scene 119 - Gabriel: 'You've already made it for me.
Why else would the good Reverend Strack be here?'

- but I like how for the first part he actually says, "I think you've already made that for me." - I don't know if it was Chris Pennock's or someone else's idea to add the "I think," but it was an excellent move because it softens Gabriel's line. It changes it from a statement of fact to an assumption, and that works much better because, given the way the scene plays out, it's made clear that Rev. Strack and Laura want Gabriel to give his permission for their plans (even though, as Laura states flatly, they will carry out things without him)...

...

...

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Picking up revisiting the scripting of Scene 119 where we left off...

...with today's first quote -

Page 59/Scene 119 - Strack: 'Where is the witch now?'

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

Page 59/Scene 119 - Laura: 'Where she always is -- in the tower, "posing" for my husband.'

- coming up.

And when it comes to any differences in the dialogue, both quotes are actually 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, DC has a note in his script that before Strack asks where the witch is, Gabriel crosses to the other side of Laura and Strack, and that does indeed happen even though we're still only seeing the adults' legs on screen because the camera -

- is still focusing on Sarah listening.

   And when it comes to "today's" quotes, they were actually March 11th's this time around...

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

A post definitely worth revisiting:

A discussion worth revisiting regarding the notes Grayson and DC made in their script:

My personal take on all this has always been that most, if not ALL, of those notes in Grayson's script represented her own thoughts on how she was going to play this out.

Grayson was a great believer in something called sub-text.  In a theatrical context, this means information that an actor brings to a given scenario or action.

It's funny that this was revisited the other day because after I got the capture for today's 1840 entry in the "Must" slideshow, just for the fun of it because I had the time I decided to check out the bonus interview on the DVD (Collection 23, Disc 3/The Complete Original Series, Disc 115) and among other things Kate Jackson talks about this very thing and how Grayson sometimes helped her with her character's intention in a scene:

Actually, I wonder if Kate made notes in her NoDS script regarding Tracy's motivations in scenes. I've never seen anyone talk about this, so who knows how available Kate's copy of her script is? I've never seen it and if anyone I know has, they've never mentioned it. But like all the other copies of the script where an actor has made notes for their scenes, I'm sure they might prove to be an interesting read...

...

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Continuing to revisit how Scene 119 is scripted...

... (and with Grayson's script because DC didn't change the character names):

119    CONTD                                      CONTD   119                              STRACK                              TRASK                  Well, Mr. Collins?

And that's when today's first quote -

Page 60/Scene 119 - Gabriel: 'Why do you want my permission?'

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

Page 60/Scene 119 - Strack: 'Angelique Collins is your wife.'

- coming up.

And when it comes to any differences in the dialogue, everything here is delivered in the film exactly as scripted.

And when it comes to any differences in the directions and the descriptions, as Strack delivers the unquoted line from this section of the scene and before Gabriel asks why Strack wants his permission, as can be seen in the following capture and today's first capture -

- Strack actually crosses to the other side of Gabriel - though interestingly in DC's script there's a note indicating that Strack isn't supposed to do that until he points out that Angelique is Gabriel's wife. (And can I just say that I love the expressions on the faces of Gabriel, Strack and Laura in the first capture above!) - and as can be seen in today's second capture -

- Laura actually moves closer to the two men as Strack points out that Angelique is Gabriel's wife, even though there's no indication in the script or in a notation from DC that says she does so.

   And so far as "today's" quotes go, they were March 12th's this time around.

 

[Uncle Roger]

I haven't read much NODS fan fiction but I'd love to read someone's take on how the couples came together, how they fell apart and how they regrouped.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Beginning to revisit stills from Scene 119:

Here's the first of what I'm sharing that's associated with Scene 119 -

- it's part of an article from the December 1971 issue of TV Dawn to Dusk entitled CATCHING UP WITH...The Dark Shadows Cast, which mostly focused on NoDS and shared five moments from the film, two of which (the seance and Quentin with Charles' skeleton) aren't in the film - and anyone who collected NoDS articles back in the day is aware that it was the only article to feature that shot of Gabriel, Laura and Strack - In fact, it was the only article to feature Diana Millay...

And it's too bad that they identified Diana Millay as "Diana Hilay" because other than that goof the article was very accurate...

   The entire TV Dawn to Dusk article is shared in Reply #1340...

...

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

A much better version of yesterday's still related to Scene 119:

Today I'm sharing the full still version of the photo I shared yesterday -

(Click here for a 700X526 version)

- beyond the obvious that in the actual scene at no point do Gabriel, Laura and Strack ever stand in proximity to each other in the way they do in the still, see if you can spot other differences as the actual scene plays out...
(I almost feel like we'll be playing a reworked version of 16 Magazine's SPOT THE ERRORS game - though I won't be giving any potential winner $10 for their ability to observe everything that's different.  )

   And of course you'll recall that still is #3 in the NoDS Editor's Portfolio...

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Moving along with Scene 119:

Sarah listens.

And that's when today's quote -

Page 60/Scene 119 - Laura: 'Do you want a mob outside this house? A mob with firebrands?'

- comes up.

And when it comes to any differences in the dialogue, the quoted lines are actually combined into one in the film, as in "Do you want a mob with firebrands outside this house?"

And while the script does indicate that Sarah is listening, it doesn't indicate that Laura delivers her line off screen - but as can be seen in today's capture -

- that's exactly how it happens in the film.

And interestingly in DC's script there's a note indicating that Laura will cross to Gabriel when she says today's quote - and even though we don't see that, it could have possibly happened off screen - but that's not even the case because, as can be seen in this sneak peek of tomorrow's capture -

- Laura is pretty much in the same spot as we last saw her.

   And as far as "today's" quote goes, it was March 13th's this time around.

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Two posts worth revisiting:

The dialogue in the scene at hand now is interesting because, to me at least, it strongly implies that Angelique Collins (in NoDS) really was a Witch.  I've seen stuff written about the movie that describes the story as being about "the ghost of a wronged woman unjustly accused of Witchcraft" and I don't think that's the story the movie actually tells.

It also implies that there's an element of sorcery involved in the hauntings, which is certainly borne out in how certain sequences are shot.

I was saving this discussion until after we finish the script.    But what I will say now is the odd thing is that the script seems to present evidence that Angelique was a witch AND that she wasn't (though the evidence that she wasn't is only in the 129 minute version of the film). But like you, I lean more in the direction of thinking that she was.    And I'll advance that theory after we finish the script...

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Revisiting how Scene 119 is scripted by picking ...

... where we left off, with yesterday's quote, Strack's response to the possibility of mobs with firebrands gathering outside Collinwwod -

Page 60/Scene 119 - Strack: 'I promise you it will come to that. And soon. The strange death of Reverend Herridge. After his sermon denouncing her --'

- coming up, followed in the script by today's quote -

Page 60/Scene 119 - Laura: 'You yourself heard her say she would settle with him for that --'

- coming up.

And when it comes to any differences in the dialogue, the only difference in Strack's quote is that he says "So soon after his sermon denouncing her --" But as is probably obvious given today's graphic, Laura's quote is dropped in the film, so we have no idea if anything about it might have been different or if it was even filmed. Though unlike the quotes that were definitely dropped before filming, Laura's quote is not crossed out in DC's script, so infer from that what you will... However, I do wonder if Laura's line was dropped so as to make it more ambiguous as to whether or not Angelique was a witch? I guess we'll never know...

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. Though I do love how Laura is actually breathing heavily while Strack warns Gabriel - it's almost like she's sexually turned on plotting Angelique's demise!    And Sarah is once again seen listening under the table -

- at the tail end of Strack's warning, after he mentions the strange death of Reverend Herridge.

And we'll deal with DC's next notes after tomorrow's quote comes up...

   And when it comes to "yesterday's quote," it was March 14th this time around, and when it comes to "today's quote," it was March 15th this time around.

 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Revisiting another still from Scene 119...

...(and something questionable about the DS Almanac 30th Anniversary Tribute):

Here's an alternative version of what I've shared in Replys #430 and #432 -

- it appears on page 141 of the DS Almanac 30th Anniversary Tribute and that's the only place I'm aware of it appearing...

(  Speaking of page 141 of that book, I've been meaning to post about this for years but at least I'm finally getting to it. There's a photo in the second row of photos on that page that may not really be associated with NoDS. And the reason I question it is because that exact same photo of Nancy Barrett is part of a whole series of photos, with her wearing the exact same clothes, that are a part of a February of 1972 TV by Day article: Page141_r2.jpg, MMMO-1.jpg, MMMO-2.jpg, MMMO-3.jpg. Now, that alone wouldn't be enough to question things because the magazine could have easily used already available photos of Nancy, but the thing is she also appears on the cover of that issue with her The Doctors costar Gerald Gordon and she's also wearing the exact same clothes: TVbyDay.jpg. If those photos were taken on the Lyndhurst grounds during the production of NoDS, what would Gerald Gordon have been doing there, particularly when Nancy didn't start on The Doctors until a month after NoDS had wrapped production? And I suppose Nancy could have worn the same clothes for a separate cover shoot so that her look would coordinate (right down to wearing the same locket) with the article's photos - but how likely is that?)

...