Claude, I attempted to post about the excitement engendered by the prospect of your cuddly presence at this year's Festival, but I'm afraid my fingers were shaking too much to type!

I'll try not to follow you around like Tate's Creation with Tim Shaw, big dark sad eyes mutely pleading, entreating, cajoling...

G.

I'm really looking forward to seeing the show again.  When all the revelations were pouring forth regarding the WB suits' (mis)handling of the Dark Shadows pilot, I kept thinking it sounded literally like an episode of Grosse Pointe.

G.

Thanks, Penny Dreadful, for that marvelously literate discussion of the stance towards science in the Gothic.  All those points are very relevant to Dark Shadows.  Among the classic Universal films, one of the ones that best illustrates your points is The Invisible Ray, a wonderful but often overlooked Karloff/Lugosi thriller (from 1936, I believe).  The character of Dr. Praetorius (who may be my all time favorite horror movie character), as portrayed by the fabulous Ernest Thesiger, is an even better example of the mad scientist as diabolist.  (Hell, Praetorius even created his very own mini-devil!)

There's a novel by fan author Dale Clark which provides a supernatural explanation for the Parallel Time portal, similar to what you suggest here.  I can't recall the title of it--it was the first of a lengthy series.

Best, Gothick

But... but... shouldn't lack of smilies be considered a  cause for celebration??

I don't understand!

Gothick Winters

Interesting thread.  I personally don't see the Leviathan arc as sci fi, at all.  I see it as a reworking of the Lovecraftian cosmic evil vein which is still well within the defined purview of the Gothic, as I see it.  I thought it was interesting that in one snippet of dialogue, Angelique described the Leviathans as "creatures of the underworld," which suggested something out of Saami or old Finnish lore (anybody out there ever read the Kalevala?).  Also, the cloaks-and-eyeliner look of the Leviathan beings we saw, along with their massive stone altar or "cairn," projected an image of an ancient evil that had become ingrained in Earth, even if their origin lay beyond the stars.

I also remember people complaining about Leviathan and specifically not liking it because Barnabas was evil.  These were people who, like me, had started watching during the 1795 or 1968 periods and had never seen the original introduction of Barnabas story.

In terms of sci fi, the Dr. Lang and creation of Adam and Eve storyline seems the closest DS came to the genre.  There were sci fi components to the Cyrus Longworth and Tim Stokes storylines in PT 1970, while Quentin's Stairway through Time in 1840 was reminiscent of something from the very early days of sci fi; the nineteenth century prophetic/metaphysical kind of thing.

G.

I personally find the final months of 1795 (1796??) a trial to sit through, with a few glowing exceptions such as the Bathia Mapes sequence, or [spoiler]the comeuppances of Aunt Abigail and Reverend Trask--I really need to run Abby's scene again just for Barn's immortal line, "FEEL THE FLESSSSHHHH!"[/spoiler]  The whole thing with Vicki's trial, her romance with Peter, the involvement of Noah, etc. seemed a considerable lowering of the dramatic pressure.  I do consider 1795 to have some moments that are up there with the finest of DS, and I understand that for MANY fans the storyline is their top favorite (I'm sure in particular for Barnabas/Josette 'shippers, of which I will freely admit I am not one) but for me it will never be among my favorites because of how badly the final two to three months of it drags for me.

Leviathan started out dark, grim and understated, with moments of odd lyricism (the Rime of the Leviathan, those weird dream sequences--I'm not counting Liz's here).  As we all know, the production office was avalanched with mail from fans protesting their hatred for the storyline in the most vitriolic language imaginable.  I think the fate of the antique shop was a direct response to fan complaints about the set which was widely despised, although I personally agree that it's very cool.

There is an abrupt shift in tone and the whole thing becomes wild and woolly until it reaches the "everything including the kitchen sink" phase, and then D. C. abruptly ordered the story wrapped up so that the movie shoot could begin.

One of the things I've thought about Leviathan for years is that it was an attempt to do something genuinely new with the characters and the show--and, to some extent, something never really done on television before.  DS had innovated previously with great success--the Phoenix storyline, the introduction of Barnabas, the time travel to 1795 were all brand new territory in television, particularly daytime television, at that point,  I think with Leviathan D. C. just tried something that his fan base was not prepared for.  The storyline went forward over and against the protests of his staff writers.  I do think there are some incredible moments, particularly in the first two months of the story.  After that, I think it's just fun to watch the fur fly, but I have very odd tastes (as if you all didn't notice!).

As for Jeb, cheap insufferable pig he may have been, but I think Pennock is compulsively watchable in the role.  I'm sure part of it is the clothes and the hair, which are just so groovy, y'know?

cheers, G.

Wondeful images from what looks to have been a powerfully played scene.

I am in awe of Virginia Vestoff's talent. DS was extremely fortunate to have her--she brought such depth to Samantha.  Thanks to her, I actually believed what the scripts had Samantha saying and feeling.

G.