ShadowGram Update #191 -- 2009 Festival

SHADOWGRAM
The Official Online Dark Shadows News Updates List
Marcy Robin's Cyberspace "Dark Shadows" News Update List
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ShadowGram@aol.com

Number 191. September 30, 2008.

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Hello, Dark Shadows Fan,

ShadowGram (SG), The Official Newsletter & News Source for Dark Shadows (DS), announces the following breaking news.

*** SHADOWGRAM PREMIERE ANNOUNCEMENT:

*** DARK SHADOWS 2009 CONVENTION ANNOUNCED !

The Dark Shadows Festival will be presenting The Dark Shadows Resurrected convention over the weekend of August 14-16, 2009, at the Renaissance Newark Airport Hotel, 1000 Spring Street, Elizabeth, New Jersey, 07201.

The hotel is just five minutes from the Newark Liberty International Airport, which serves domestic and international flights for the entire NYC/New Jersey/Pennsylvania area and beyond. The hotel is less than half an hour from Manhattan-New York City by train.

Our extra-special guest of honor will be Jonathan Frid. Also scheduled to appear are John Karlen, Lara Parker, Kathryn Leigh Scott, Marie Wallace, and other guests to be announced.

The hotel is newly-refurbished. Discounted sleeping rooms of only $120.00 + tax a night are available exclusively to Dark Shadows Resurrected attendees for a limited time. Fans may begin making room reservations now.

The Renaissance Newark Hotel reservation line: Call direct: 908-436-4600 You must mention "Dark Shadows Festival" to receive the reduced room rate.

Reservations may be made online by going to renaissancenewarkairport.com and using Dark Shadows Booking Code DKSA to receive the reduced room rate.

The next SG #114 and subsequent print issue newsletters and this SG Updates List will premiere-announce and report all confirmed convention plans, guests, and programming as we finalize them.

A general Fest postal-mailing is planned after details are set, probably by the end of the year. Fans may send a SASE (Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope) to the Fest address to be used for this mass mailing. Dark Shadows Festival, P.O. Box 92, Maplewood, NJ 07040.

*** BARBARA STEELE AT UPCOMING EVENTS
Barbara (1991 DS Julia & Natalie) makes her first appearance at the Hollywood Collectors & Celebrities Show on Oct. 4-5 at the Burbank Airport Marriott Hotel & Convention Center, 2500 North Hollywood Way, Burbank, CA 91505. 818-843-6000. ((Note: This hotel was the site for our 2008 DS Festival DS Resurrected convention last July.))

Barbara will be sitting next to film director Roger Corman, who directed her in the 1960s movie adaptation of "The Pit & The Pendulum," co-starring Vincent Price. Barbara also is well-known for starring in many Italian horror classics of the 1960s such as "Black Sunday" and "Nightmare Castle," as well as Fellini's "8 1/2" and other genre favorites. http://www.hollywoodcollectorshow.com/

Barbara also is expected to attend the upcoming Chiller Convention in New Jersey Oct. 24-26 at the Hilton in Parsippany, New Jersey. http://www.chillertheatre.com/

*** DS MOVIES SCREENINGS – UPDATE
LARA PARKER (Angelique) will join KATHRYN LEIGH SCOTT (Maggie) at screenings of the movies HOUSE OF DARK SHADOWS and NIGHT OF DARK SHADOWS on Oct. 17-18. The screenings are part of the annual "Shock
It To Me!" Horror Film Festival at the Castro Theatre, 429 Castro St., San Francisco, CA. 415-621-6120.

Please note the films will not include any new or restored footage. Photos, books, and some other items will be available. Please see previous SG Updates #188 and #189 for more information.

*** DS MOVIES ON CHILLER TV
During October, the digital satellite Chiller TV channel will be showing HOUSE OF DS and NIGHT OF DS, both in their original, unedited theatrical versions. Please note the films are as they were released in theaters in 1970 and 1971, respectively. They will not include any new or restored footage. http://www.chillertv.com/

Chiller lists the airdates and times as follows:

--- HOUSE OF DS - Eastern Times:
Thursday, Oct 16 5:00 PM
Tuesday, Oct 28 1:00 AM
http://www.chillertv.com/app/Schedule/index.php

--- NIGHT OF DS – Eastern Times:
Friday, Oct 10 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM
Thursday, Oct 16 10:00 PM
Wednesday, Oct 29 4:00 AM
http://www.chillertv.com/app/Schedule/index.php

*** DS EPISODE DVDS ON SALE AT AMAZON.COM
Amazon.com includes the MPI DVD sets as part of "our premiere-season-blowout, something-for-everyone Fall TV Event, featuring over 700 titles up to 55% off." The 4-disc sets are in stock, shipping from and sold by Amazon.com. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000060MVN/ref=pe_25230_10262130_fe_img_9/#productPromotions

*** Fans attending Barbara's appearances and the HOUSE OF DS and NIGHT OF DS screenings in San Francisco are encouraged and invited to send SG their photos, reports, local publicity references, etc. In this way, fans who cannot attend can enjoy the events through your experiences. Please also share with SG any mentions you find about the Chiller Network broadcasts or amazon.com sale.

You will be named as a Contributor in the SG published issue(s). A complementary Contributor's Copy SG print issue is given in appreciation for major contributions.

Please send all photos/images via email in high resolution jpeg format to ShadowGram@aol.com

Or you can send photos/articles in hard-copy by postal-mail to
Marcy Robin / ShadowGram
P.O. Box 1766
Temple City, CA 91780-7766.

Thank you in advance for sharing!

**** Subscription information for the ShadowGram Newsletter print issues follows. When your order arrives, I will send you the current SG #113 and its companion SG #112 to begin / renew your subscription.
The next SG #114 and subsequent issues will be sent to you and all postal-mail subscribers as they are published..

Thank you.

Marcy Robin
ShadowGram Editor / Publisher
P.O. Box 1766
Temple City, CA 91780-7766
ShadowGram@aol.com

What I would give to see Barbara Steele!!  Thankfully an annoucment for the fest.  JF is coming again.  Apparently he is enjoying this again?  I hope I can go to the festivial.  I didn't realize the rooms were so expensive a night though.  WHEW!

I figured after Frid went to the last fest that it would be a regular thing for him again. I'm surprised, but not really. He seemed to have such a good time at his 40th anniversary that it was only a matter of time before it became a regular thing. I'm glad that he continues to choose to spend those few days with us each year. I would like to see him add something new to his apperance this time though. I didn't go to this year's fest, but it seemed like it was along the same lines of 07's fest, in regards to his apperance. But then, I'm sure with the fests he went to in the past, he's probably done it all anyway.

Discounted sleeping rooms of only $120.00 + tax a night are available exclusively to Dark Shadows Resurrected attendees for a limited time. Fans may begin making room reservations now.

But wait... John in NC tells me that if you book now through the Marriott's website, the regular room rate is $119 per night or $116 if you're a AAA member.  Exclusive discount, *cough*

But wait... John in NC tells me that if you book now through the Marriott's website, the regular room rate is $119 per night or $116 if you're a AAA member.  Exclusive discount, *cough*

Looks like the $119 rate on the web site requires prepayment of the full room charge. The AAA rate doesn't.

Thanks, I was just looking at that too. 

Shadowgram talked about amazon.com's Fall TV Event, saying that Dark Shadows DVDs were on sale.  When I looked this up on amazon.com, the only DS DVD set that appears to be discounted as part of this sale is DS Collection 1 (the first set that MPI released).

In honor of the NJ location, I hope someone does a crossover skit where the Sopranos meet the Collinses.  (Just hold the profanity! )  Or at least a T-shirt as beautiful as the Laugh-In / DS X-over --- PAGING  BOBUBAS!!!!

Well I was thinking since it's in Jersey next summer and being that I am a huge Springsteen fan and he is from Jersey I may just have to make a t-shirt that say "Born to Bite" with a picture of Barnabus in front of an American flag. Clever eh?

And hey, how about the legendary Jersey Devil?  Plus NJ is home to the notorious (and enjoyable) home-grown magazine "Weird NJ."

Given that the Fest has an NJ connection to begin with, it's clear that DS and NJ are (to borrow the words of that old tourism commercial with the former Governor Keane) "perfect together."

Hi Philippe,

The first box in the Collector's series (i. e. the very first episodes aired in June-August 1966) is also on sale for $24.99, I believe.  I finally ordered the set and it arrived on Saturday.  I had a lovely hour test-driving the discs; love the new menu and Alexandra's interview footage (which is new to me, but I think had been previously released, perhaps on the videotapes?).

A funny thing to me is that the music they use for the menu is music I always associated with Angelique.  One of the cues is one I always think of as "Angelique's spellcasting music" and another one (the one that pops up when you click on the episode guide menu) I call "Angelique's evil delight!"

To me, this music tells the viewer:  "we know that THESE discs are all about the beginning of Victoria's journey ... but keep watching ... there's a WITCH in her future!"

We Ancient Blood fans do have our ways...

G.

  Well, I may give this fest a try...

The first box in the Collector's series (i. e. the very first episodes aired in June-August 1966) is also on sale for $24.99, I believe.  I finally ordered the set and it arrived on Saturday.  I had a lovely hour test-driving the discs; love the new menu and Alexandra's interview footage (which is new to me, but I think had been previously released, perhaps on the videotapes?).

A funny thing to me is that the music they use for the menu is music I always associated with Angelique.  One of the cues is one I always think of as "Angelique's spellcasting music" and another one (the one that pops up when you click on the episode guide menu) I call "Angelique's evil delight!"

To me, this music tells the viewer:  "we know that THESE discs are all about the beginning of Victoria's journey ... but keep watching ... there's a WITCH in her future!"

G,

It's funny,  I also thought that about the music and that  they should have done something new.  However, I have thoroughly loved the beginning episodes and I only have 1 more Volume to go and it will be out in a few weeks! YAY!  I get to see the ending of the Phoenix storyline and introduction of Barney and the restored episode! Plus it sounds like it has a lot more EXTRAS!  BTW G I gotta email ya my thoughts on Diana!  I LOVE HER!

On Deep Discount DVD.com they used to have Volumes 1 and 2 of the beginning for only 29 bucks G if you are haven't got Volume 2 yet!! And they don't charge shipping and handeling for anything!!
Happy watching my friend!! 

Thanks for letting us know about that, Gothick.  I'll check into it ... hope you're right!  If so, I think I'll go ahead and order that set!  It would be interesting to see those early episodes again.

Personally, now that I have gotten a taste of early DS with the first 5 volumes I cannot imagine my collection without them.  I don't see how some people can ignore the first year and a half of DS.  As the saying goes, "To each his own"