Parallel Time

[PennyDreadful]

My knowledge of this will earn geek points but so be it!  Ha! There was this gothic horror tabletop role-playing game called Ravenloft in the 90s that did the exact same thing DS did.  Ravenloft took classic horror literature and film characters/storylines and restructured them to create their own mythos based on those classic tales.  All of those classic character archetypes existed in the Ravenloft world similarly to the way they did in DS.  I think it was cool that DS incorporated all those classic stories into the fabric of the show.  Some worked better than others, but it was a neat idea to take those and work them into the DS story.  Supposedly the writers had a rolodex of classic horror stories which they'd rifle through to find new storyline ideas.  I wonder which ones were in that rolodex that never made the cut? 

[retzev]

I think it was cool that DS incorporated all those classic stories into the fabric of the show.  Some worked better than others, but it was a neat idea to take those and work them into the DS story.  Supposedly the writers had a rolodex of classic horror stories which they'd rifle through to find new storyline ideas.

Don't you just love a good Monster-Mash?  

[PennyDreadful]

Don't you just love a good Monster-Mash?  

Oh I do sir.  I do. 

[CyrusL]

My knowledge of this will earn geek points but so be it!  Ha! There was this gothic horror tabletop role-playing game called Ravenloft in the 90s that did the exact same thing DS did.  Ravenloft took classic horror literature and film characters/storylines and restructured them to create their own mythos based on those classic tales.  All of those classic character archetypes existed in the Ravenloft world similarly to the way they did in DS.  I think it was cool that DS incorporated all those classic stories into the fabric of the show.  Some worked better than others, but it was a neat idea to take those and work them into the DS story.  Supposedly the writers had a rolodex of classic horror stories which they'd rifle through to find new storyline ideas.  I wonder which ones were in that rolodex that never made the cut? 

The only two I ever heard a reference to being actually considered were the Mummy    and Dickens "A Christmas Carol."(That is a topic in itself, which I think we should do in the proper holiday season)  Dan Curtis once made a remark along the lines "I couldn't figure out how to get a mummy up into Maine." Actually, I've always said, "Just tie it into a Laura Collins story!" which we did on old AOL DS roleplaying.  I have some ideas I always wondered if they could have been incorporated into the show...
A Phantom of the Opera type story   
Creature from the Black Lagoon type story:  Seems a natural for all those beach fronts   
Ghost Ships:   While they briefly touched on these, a full on Flying Dutchman story could have been very good.   
   
       I don't think I would have liked trolls or leprechauns on DS. Likewise, I'm iffy on an "Island of Lost Souls" story. Do we really want Roger interbreeding with alligators or sheepdogs? Now a weird circus in Collinwood...hmmmmm   

Michael

[AndreDuPres]

What exactly is Elizabeth's relationship with Quentin in PT?  I'm watching the seance episode early on in the storyline, and he calls her "my sister."  Strange.

Oh, and is there a pure piano recording of the "Ode to Angelique" without the cheesy '60ish sound effects?  I have the version on the soundtrack CD, but I'm not entirely satisfied with it.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

What exactly is Elizabeth's relationship with Quentin in PT?  I'm watching the seance episode early on in the storyline, and he calls her "my sister."  Strange.

That was a slip-up. Apparently Selby had a Judith flashback.    Liz and Quentin are cousins in 1970PT.

Oh, and is there a pure piano recording of the "Ode to Angelique" without the cheesy '60ish sound effects?  I have the version on the soundtrack CD, but I'm not entirely satisfied with it.

Hmmm - I'm thinking the only pure piano version of OtA is the intro on the version that was released as a single in '70. The intro only lasts about 25 seconds, however, then the arrangement becomes fully orchestrated - though simple piano does return for the final fadeout. The single version is available on The 30th Anniversary Collection CD.

[Gothick]

A solo (or "pure")  piano version of the entire composition, "Ode to Angelique," is included on the fourth (I think) of the series of CDs of Dark Shadows soundtrack cues that were, once upon a time, distributed by MPI.  The CDs were compiled from Robert Cobert's master tapes.  The quality is excellent and I highly recommend them if, like me, you've always thought the music was one of your favorite aspects of the show.

Now WHEN are we going to see Laurie Johnson's music for the Diana Rigg seasons of The Avengers released on CD???

cheers, G.

[AndreDuPres]

I have the 30th Anniversary CD (perhaps I should have made that clearer, but I'd forgotten its official title), which has, like you said, MB, the orchestral version.  It's not bad, but I'd really like to hear the piano-only version that's heard on PT so much.

I've looked on Amazon for the MPI Dark Shadows CDs, but they must be extremely rare:  only volumes three and four show up on the American site (volume two is on Amazon.co.uk), but four is currently unavailable and three is rather expensive (over $20, I believe, which is more than I'd like to spend).  I've added four to my wishlist, and I hope a copy pops up soon.

Oh, and the music on DS really does make the show:  every time I see Liz walk in a room, for example, my mind immediately starts humming the "Joan Bennett theme."

[MagnusTrask]

Now WHEN are we going to see Laurie Johnson's music for the Diana Rigg seasons of The Avengers released on CD???

Yeah!   I haven't thought of that before!   Every other program gets multiple soundtracks now, because of fan agitation, i think.

J Bennett had a theme?

[AndreDuPres]

J Bennett had a theme?

Well, it wasn't an official theme (a la "Quentin's Theme" or "Ode to Angelique"), but a little piece of music usually pops up whenever Joan Bennett (in her various characters) walks in the drawing room or whatever.  They use it only with her--never with any other character, as far I know.  Also, KLS has a "theme" too:  whenever the camera pans over to the Evans' cottage or whenever Maggie's mentioned or etc. another piece of music plays.  It transfers to Kate Jackson once KLS leaves the show.  Angelique has her own special spellcasting music, too, that's sometimes used with other characters like Nicholas, but which I tend to associate with her (it was used in an Angelique screensaver from the now defunct Portraits of Collinwood website, if anyone remembers).  I'm sure there are other "themes" used in the show, but these three are the ones I've noticed.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

A solo (or "pure")  piano version of the entire composition, "Ode to Angelique," is included on the fourth (I think) of the series of CDs of Dark Shadows soundtrack cues that were, once upon a time, distributed by MPI.

Not the fourth, the second.    Yesterday when I looked at the CDs I missed that. I saw the version on the third CD, but it sounds like it's being played on a harpsichord (probably an organ with a harpsichord feature  ) and so I didn't even look at the second CD.    However, the pure piano arrangement on the second CD lasts for about 1 minute and 44 seconds before it changes to a more music box sounding arrangement that also incorporates more "spooky" elements. The second half of the arrangement lasts for about 2 minutes and 15 seconds. But still, the version on the second CD is the best and longest version featuring, at least in part, a pure piano arrangenment.

[BuzzH]

I'm sure there are other "themes" used in the show, but these three are the ones I've noticed.

Some character themes that come to mind right off the top of my head are: Carolyn Stoddard, Joe Haskell, Josette's Theme, Adam & Eve At Blair House, Melanie & Kendrick, Morgan & Catherine (always bugged me that this arrangement WASN'T named Bramwell & Catherine, but I digress...).  I'm sure there are others but I don't have my 4 CD's in front of me to check.  MPI had a FABULOUS deal on these 4 btw at the 1991 LA Fest, all 4 for $20 bucks!  Baby don't ya know I snapped those suckers up!

[michael c]

i don't believe it's technically her "theme" but there is a piece of music they always used for vicki in 1967.

it always brings to mind her standing on the terrace in the moonlight,fountain tinkling,waiting for burke to show up.

[BuzzH]

i don't believe it's technically her "theme" but there is a piece of music they always used for vicki in 1967.

it always brings to mind her standing on the terrace in the moonlight,fountain tinkling,waiting for burke to show up.

Yep, there IS a Victoria Winters theme too.  And actually the so-called Joan Bennett theme is called Elizabeth Collins Stoddard, I think.

[CyrusL]

I used to really like the "David Collins" theme, which was rather moody with french horns and made me think of the old Universal films. I think they also used it for Adam's theme for a while.   

Michael