I'll definitely chime in to agree that Dan Curtis has no taste to speak of.  I still twitch every time I see those awful, ridiculous shots of poor Ben Cross doing his rabid-pooch thing, surrounded by dry ice, in the promos for the 91 series that litter my higher-number DS tapes.

I write that even though my beloved Grayson Hall went on record with the immortal remark that "Dan has a real genius when it comes to spook."  Gotta love that line...

So, the suits at MGM or Sony or whatever the hell it is really don't give two red cents about the quality of product on the DS 91 package.  That's what I take away from their evident decision not to go with the longer cuts of the earlier episodes, plus the perceived non-interest in the extras package from that MPI "DS Resurrected" tape (which I haven't seen). 

They must have the same low opinion of the 1991 series that I do!

surprised, Gothick

Thanks again, Darren, for explaining to us about all the work that needs to take place before something like a re-edited film (in the case the VHS release print of those Dark Shadows episodes) can be released on DVD.

At first, the announcement that the firm is releasing the original episodes minus the extra footage that would be expected from a DVD release seemed either stupid or just plain mean--or both!  But now it seems as if they're rushing the episodes out in an effort to make a quick buck and can't afford the many months of time that would be required for the process you describe here.

I hadn't heard about the Sony purchase of MGM.  Isn't everything in LA going to wind up being owned by Disney/Warners??

Steve

I just need to say that I *love* the two Liz-and-Roger shots from the August 9, 1966 episode.  It doesn't get much more classic than the smirk on Roger's face in the first one, or the damn-the-torpedoes look on Liz's in the third one.

Lovely shot of Vampilique's unveiling at the end, too.  I'm tempted to write "Fangs for the memories." Oy.

G.

Fans, I was looking for a list of all the early 1970s "ABC Movie of the Week" films (as I've collected a few in recent months and want to start a checklist) and I found this site which includes the original ABC TV promo for Dan Curtis' film Night Stalker:

http://tvparty.com/vaultmov2.html

In the 1991 Dark Shadows series, the growling-fang thing they had Barnabas do seemed much more reminiscent of the vampire in Night Stalker than Barnabas in either the series or the movie (hoDS).

On the above site, you can also see promos for a great Olivia de Haviland vehicle, The Screaming Woman (play the file labelled "When Michael Calls") and other entertaining films of the period.

Last night I watched a stunning role for the great Barbara Stanwyck, Taste of Evil (1971).  Directed by John Llewelyn Moxey (director of Horror Hotel), the cast included Barbara Parkins and Roddy MacDowell.  Stanwyck really devoured the scenery whole in her tour de force finale for this movie.

Too bad so little of this stuff has been commercially released...

G.

Greetings fans,

Since I was again offline for most of the last three days, I am very glad I got to see the images selected by MB to mark the August 7 anniversary.  As fans of the Divine Grayson Hall will recall, this year marks the 20th anniversary of the date when we lost our lovely lady to the ultimate Dark Shadow--the scythe wielded by the Reaping Crone of Death.  It's a very sad memorial for Grayson's fans, but these images are a fitting testimony to the artistic legacy she left, which includes many of her performances on Dark Shadows.

I particularly love the shots darling Mysterioso chose for the "front page" today--that's meant to be a grimace on "Miss" Hoffman's face but he caught it just at the moment when it looks more as if she is enjoying a romantic moment at the thought of "Mr Collins'" visit to her bedchamber--certainly a nice touch of foreshadowing here!

I also LOVE the shot of Julia and Barnabas from the Summer of 1970.  It just captures the later phase of the two characters' relationship so well.

Not related to Grayson, but I have to say that I enjoy that picture of Quentin from '70 wearing THAT tie, too!

Thanks again to our cuddly, charming, cyberific Mysterious Benefactor for these treats!

G.

Just a line to say many thanks to MB for that fascinating exegesis on the pilot.  It does sound like an amazing bit of film.  I like your description of the touch, so reminiscent of Dracula, of Barnabas hanging upside down on the outer wall of Collinwood--magnificently Gothic.

The articles I saw around the time of the pilot's rejection made it pretty clear that the series was caught in the cross-fire of some sort of political upheaval among the suits at the WB.  They made all that hoo-ha about switching away from dramatic series and into the "reality" sludge.  I don't follow it enough to know whether they made a volte-face on that decision but they certainly do seem to be still pumping out the sudsy teen soap operas (my housemate is a Smallville addict and I often spot the latest commercials for those endless, glossy things).   Anyhow, regardless of the statements made by various suits, it was pretty clear to me--if ANYTHING is clear in Horrorwood--that the rejection of DS had everything to do with upper-echelon executive politics, and NOTHING to do with the quality of the actual product, which sounds quite respectable.

On an unrelated topic, I wonder whether the Lost in Space pilot has been screened at the LIS convention and whether it turned out to be as good as the DS pilot.  Odd about both those shows coming so close to revival in the same year.

goodbye-ee-ee,

G.

There were several attractive young men in that cast.  I'm pleased to hear that the director did not neglect some of the obvious opportunities that, um, arose (?).  And after all, this was a pilot for the WB.  I sometimes call it the "candyboy" network because of those endless shots of pouting, doe-eyed young men endlessly rolling about in the throes of soap opera angst.  Madge, cue the suds!

Did everybody have to leave their cellphones in a basket at that showing?  I've heard some hilarious stories about the security overkill at some of these events.

G.

I'm thinking of the July 25 captures as "the musical series" because the first couple of images reminded me so strongly of specific musicals.

In the first one, Burke and his visitor seem to be performing "I whistle a happy tune" from the King and I.  And in the one with Liz, Carolyn and Vicki, it's "How do you solve a problem like Maria" from the Sound of Music (Joan Bennett would have made a GREAT Mother Superior).

Thanks for the FABULOUS fun, MB!

G.