Re: The Lara Parker/DS Celebration

[Mysterious Benefactor]

ProfStokes,

Llike Josette I'm always amazed by the level of detail of your DS event reports! More than once I've used one of your reports as a source for what happened and what was said at an event. And I will always be greatly appreciative for the wonderful reporting you've shared here throughout the years, particularly because I'm sure it's time consuming and not always an easy thing to do. 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

A couple remarks unrelated to ProfStokes' fine reporting:

Hmmm, yes, there's no denying that Jonathan Frid's addition to DS brought in a large audience (his contributions to the show were manifold and should never be discounted). But perhaps KLS should check the ratings charts in her own books to reacquaint herself with the show's ratings history because DS didn't really close in on 20 million viewers until the 1897 storyline. Glean from that what you will...

And it would seem that if nothing was said about a NoDS showing with added footage, once again something was promised in a DS event flyer that never actually panned out. Though, sadly, it would not be the first time something like that has happened, now would it? 

[ProfStokes]

MB,

Thank you so much for your kind remarks! I'm delighted to know that people appreciate reading my reports and find them to be useful.

I recently decided to put all of my reports together in book form; nearly everything I needed was right here on the Forum and easily searchable. I want to thank you and Midnite for keeping this site going for so many years and for preserving this fabulous archive of conversations and information.

And it would seem that if nothing was said about a NoDS showing with added footage, once again something was promised in a DS event flyer that never actually panned out. Though, sadly, it would not be the first time something like that has happened, now would it? 

From what I've seen on FB, early advertisements announced the lost footage would be shown--before permission was actually secured. Because the rights to show the footage could not be obtained, no mention of such a screening appears in the final program.

ProfStokes

[Mysterious Benefactor]

early advertisements announced the lost footage would be shown--before permission was actually secured. Because the rights to show the footage could not be obtained, no mention of such a screening appears in the final program.

What a shock that a certain someone would announce something before all the i's were dotted and the t's were crossed. Um, NOT! Like I said, it's not the first time. And if there are any future DS events, it may not be the last. 

I just feel bad for anyone who believed the flyer and was really looking forward to seeing NoDS with added footage. But astute fans should all know by now never to fully believe anything promised until they're sitting down and actually experiencing it.

[Uncle Roger]

Remember when it was announced that at a California convention that there was going to be a panel to discuss the then upcoming Dark Shadows movie with Johnny Depp? Poor sentence structure but a large number of fans interpreted that to mean that Depp was going to attend the panel. They were less than pleased when they were expecting Depp and got Pierson!

[Philippe Cordier]

Once again, I'm amazed at your detailed account and how you managed to get everything including a lot of the specific stories, interviews, etc.  I can't imagine how much time and effort you put into doing this!  It's almost as though we were there ourselves, so greatly appreciated!

My thoughts exactly as I was reading this.

Great to see you here again, Prof. Stokes! A certain "Ben" who is everyone's friend from way back surprised me by sending a video clip recently of his piano performance at the Sheraton in Anaheim from that memorable festival back in (not sure what year, but we were all younger), which he said you had sent him (the video, that is). Good memories!

[Gerard]

Roger Davis sounds like someone one would not want to invite to a dinner party.

Gerard

[Bob_the_Bartender]

Here’s a suggestion for the organizers of the recent “Lara Parker Memorial/DS Celebration.” Why not plan right now for a celebration of what will be Lara Parker’s 100th birthday in 2039? Of course, that presupposes that we will all still be here and not taking a permanent dirt nap by then. 

Then again, remembering how no one ever really died on DS (Josette, Jeb Hawkes and, maybe, Burke Devlin?),  we still could be here or, at the very least, some enterprising DS fans in 2039 could summon us from the other side in a seance to let us know just what’s been going on in The World of Dark Shadows.

Ethereally goes,

Bob-the-Bartender

PS The August 2024 issue of “Consumer Reports” features an article, “The Last Goodbye, Best New Ways To Plan A Funeral.” No doubt, such renowned Collinsport undertakers as Lamar Trask and Mr. Jarret (or “corpse valets” as Vito Corleone once characterized mortician Amerigo Bonasera in “The Godfather”), would whole-heartedly approve of CR’s timely and informative article. 

[Annie]

Good point Bob well put.
Anne

[Bob_the_Bartender]

Good point Bob well put.
Anne

Anne,

That current issue of “Consumer Reports” lists the current price of a traditional burial service goes for $9,995.00. (I think that    the “slightly” frugal Judith Collins-Trask would have an absolute apoplectic fit if she knew what it cost to “plant” a loved one today!  )

CR also mentions cremation as an alternative, going for $6,280.00. (Do you think that Laura Collins would say
that’s a fair price? Although, I think that Bathia Mapes would not be all that excited about being
“barbecued” again. )

Finally, CR also mentions “Green Burials,” priced in the $2,000.00 to $5,000.00 range. These “Green Burials” include burying you in a simple biodegradable casket in the ground, like Barnabas, Ben Stokes and Willie
Loomis did with SO many “stiffs” in and around the grounds of Collinwood over the centuries.

In addition, you can be buried at sea for $6,130.00 and up. Heck, Matthew Morgan, Sky Rumson and JoAnna
Mills all “conducted” that unique type of burial “service” at no cost at all!

CR also mentions donating your body to medical science. Calling Dr. Eric Lang!

Oh, so many ways to depart this mortal coil! If only Dan Curtis had known about how many ways to send our loved ones on their way. 

[Gothick]

A fan who's well placed to have inside information has hinted heavily on social media that the restored "director's cut" of NoDS is finally close to being completed and released on disc. I devoutly hope that this proves to be the case.

It may be a rumor that has somewhat greater prospect of coming to fruition in the near future than the unfortunate lack of activity with Mark B. Perry's efforts to find a home for his DS Resurrection series.

Fingers crossed!

G.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

   That possibility is sort of hinted at during PennyDreadful's Remembrance Weekend podcast. But knowing how WB operates and has screwed us in the past, I'm holding off on jumping for joy just yet. Just like it's best not to fully believe a promise made in a DS event flyer until you're actually sitting down and experiencing such a promise, it might be best to hold off until you have the disc in hand, lest more disappointment comes your way.

But like you, Gothick, I will definitely have my fingers crossed. 

[Annie]

Hey Bob, you’re truly right on that I wonder if Roger or Liz ever had to pay for funeral arrangements.
On the other hand, Roger is too much of a cheapskate to dish out that kind of money.
Anne

[Bob_the_Bartender]

Anne,

Do you remember when Liz, who was under that constant  “fear of death” curse, “courtesy”of Cassandra, hired attorney Tony Petersen to oversee the construction of a rather “unique” mausoleum for her in the event of her unexpected death? That must have cost an arm and a leg to build a mausoleum that came with a warning system which would allow the seemingly dead Liz to let Carolyn, Roger and Barnabas that she (Liz) was still alive. I recall that Roger WAS bummed out by both Liz’s obsession with death and the cost of that cockamamie mausoleum that Liz wanted.

And, I wonder how much Judith Collins paid for the funeral service for the feisty, octogenarian, “Grandmama” Edith Collins? Do you think that the stingy Judith played it on the cheap side for Edith’s final send-off? I wouldn’t be surprised if she did.

[Annie]

Hey Bob, I do remember that Liz had a security alarm or bell in her coffin. Im surprised it wasn’t
A automatic coffin opener  . I’m sure it was a lot for the arrangements.
Perhaps Tony Peterson being the lawyer he was probably charged a lot for his services .
Anne