Dark Shadows Anyone?

[Earth 2 Chris]

For years I heard my dad go on and on about Dark Shadows, a horror soap opera. It always sounded spookily cool, and reminded me of the Hammer movies I'd seen. Finally, when I was about 14 or so, the Sci-Fi channel came to our cable system, and for one whole summer, every day, I watched Dark Shadows every morning. I got hooked. I esp. liked the werewolf subplot.

The 90s series tried too hard, I thought. It had potential, but something was just off.

Chris

[palitoy]

I couldn't get into it when it first reappeared in the early 80's but got hooked on the sci fi channel reruns in the early ninties. I was in collge at the time and it made for perfect procastination television.

Didn't Barnebus make a Frankenstein type character named Adam?

Ever seen the Canadian knock off of this, "Strange Paradise", it's like Dark Shadows but nothing ever happens.

[toys2cool]

sounds like another great horror series that I missed

[The Toyroom]

I'm a BIG Dark Shadows fan too John! I was buying the VHS tapes from MPI when they first came out back in the early 90s and got up to about volume 22 or 23, plus a few "Best of.." compilations. At the time they were like $30.00 each and it got ridiculous trying to keep up with them all. I think the VHS series closed out with volumes in the 100s. The VHS series actually began when Barnabas was introduced but later on they put out a collectors' edition of the stories pre-Barnabas (like the Phoenix character and when Josette's ghost first appeared.

As a kid I loved this show and was terrified by it simultaneously! I remember my mom watching it religiously (that don't seem right, lol). My cousin had a "Quentin as Werewolf" poster up in his bedroom that used to scare the crap out of me whenever I walked by to use their bathroom.

Didn't Barnabus make a Frankenstein type character named Adam?

Yup and they also made an Eve too. DS ripped off every horror story imagineable it seems. The show gets very confusing later on with all of the parallel time storylines and actors play the ancestors and/or descendants of their present-day counterparts. (I made a family tree to solve that problem )

The two Dark Shadows movies aren't canon and they suffer as a result IMO, especially the one without Barnabas. The 90s TV show was okay but nothing to right home from Collinwood about. I thought I read somewhere just last week (TV Guide or EW?) that there's a big screen version planned...???

[Boris71]

I loved the original show, but I was a bit dissapointed in the 90's remake of it Quentin as the werewolf locked in the back room was cool

[Count Morbida]

Ahhh! Dark Shadows. Do you know how hard it was to find playmates as a child when you were into this kind of thing? I love the original show. The re-make was nice to see as an attempt to brighten the prime time spots in the 90's but puhleeese! the only thing I really enjoyed about the remake was the use of the Barnabas Cane and Ring. Fun topic thanks for bringing up. You're post is why I decided to join.

[ShadowAvenger]

I was hooked on Dark Shadows when I seen a few episodes of the gothic soap opera on my rare visits to my grandmother's house. I then found the original soundtrack album that had Jonathan Frid and David Selby speaking over the original music. I managed to watch several episodes on the Sci Fi Channel but was saddened when they stopped. I have several episodes on VCR and both movies on DVD. I even have several books.

Fans of Dark Shadows will be pleased to know that the legend is reborn on audio at Dark Shadows Reborn. Several of the original cast members return to their original roles including David Selby as Quentin Collins, Lara Parker as Angelique, John Karlen as Willie Loomis and Kathryn Leigh Scott as Maggie Evans.

[Count Morbida]

Hey Type3! Just caught up with your website. Nice looking cadavers I-I- I-meant bodies that you've created there. (kidding) Yes, I have to admit I will continue to peek in on the horror movie threads. Especially any of them that mention the older movies and TV shows. Thanks for the "welcome".

[palitoy]

Welcome Aboard Count!

[Earth 2 Chris]

Welcome aboard Count!

Am I nuts, or didn't WB ALMOST pick up a new Dark Shadows series just a year or so ago? I seem to remember reading about it on Kryptonsite, the Smallville fan page. I think they passed on this at roughly the same time as the Aquaman series.

I wonder if a pilot was shot of this?

Chris

[batmanmc]

welcome aboard count. the dark shadows show i missed. sounds like it was great.

[palitoy]

Am I nuts, or didn't WB ALMOST pick up a new Dark Shadows series just a year or so ago? I seem to remember reading about it on Kryptonsite, the Smallville fan page. I think they passed on this at roughly the same time as the Aquaman series.

Most likely considering WB would be trying to fill the "Buffy void", I don't think I want to see the pilot.

A few years back, Jonathan Frid was in town for a play, some friends went and said he was gracious and signed anything put in front of him. I was bummed out that I didn't go with them.

[Earth 2 Chris]

Most likely considering WB would be trying to fill the "Buffy void", I don't think I want to see the pilot.

If it was anything like their Lone Ranger pilot/telefilm, I hope every known copy was burned if it was ever shot.

Chris

[Count Morbida]

WB & Dark Shadows

No. You are not nuts. There was a plan for a Dark Shadows series, but it did get scrapped. I forgot why and where I read this too tho.

In reference to Jonathan Frid and his courteousness when confronted by fans, I can personally vouch for it. He IS an absolutely polite individual. I had the pleasure of meeting him on two different occasions.

[palitoy]

Somebody made a really great Barnabus custom once, I can't find pictures of it but I think it was Todd Waters/Illegal Mego. Anyone remember it?