Ockeghem's All Things DARK SHADOWS (w/Spoilers) (1 Viewer)

[Mark Collins]

What I love when this first storyline aired was the return of 3 special visitors to Collinwood. They even had their own theme music created for them. Music never used again in the show. Music that for some reason was on DS cd 3 and not on the complete DS music box set cd's. Carolyn will relate this whole storyline 2 years later in a conversation at the Blue Whale in 1969.

The writers also were very clever to reshoot the entire 1st months of Barnabas Maggie Willie and Julia in color to air in the fall of 1968. Producers felt many fans might have missed the first months of Barnabas and the scripts were already there. So why not do it.

They did the same thing later with the last 2 or 3 episodes of 1796 and aired them again. I always love to compare the two versions of each of these episodes 1967 aired in 67 1967 reshot aired in 68 1796 aired in 68 1796 reshot aired in 69. 2 episodes 1796 aired early 1968 reshot and aired in 1969

 

[Mark Collins]

The flashback episodes in the fall of 1968 also gave fans a chance to have Barnabas become a Vampire again on the show. Jonathan stated on the Dick Cavett Show in the summer of 1968 he enjoyed not being a vampire. The audience gave a big boo to him for that. Some had even shouted out bite my neck when he first appeared in fangs on stage. The whole thing was for fun though. They also stated during Q/A how good he and Grayson Hall were when acting together. Jonathan said they had endless scenes together. He gave Grayson all the credit and that he loved working with her.

Great show it was. Dick also asked Jonathan why Barnabas was no longer a Vampire on the show. He went into a long involved explanation which was very funny but he told the fans not to worry two more Vampires were coming on the show. I remember as a kid what a news flash!! Dick also teased him about not getting his wash done as reported in a TV guide interview which I have.

Jonathan also stated fans were very important to the show and that was why they went back into the past. People wanted to know where Barnabas came from.

 

[Ockeghem]

What I love when this first storyline aired was the return of 3 special visitors to Collinwood. They even had their own theme music created for them. Music never used again in the show. Music that for some reason was on DS cd 3 and not on the complete DS music box set cd's. Carolyn will relate this whole storyline 2 years later in a conversation at the Blue Whale in 1969.

Mark,

I am aware of some music heard during a Blue Whale scene or two not included on the eight-disc set of Dark Shadows: Complete Soundtrack Music Collection (Orland Park, Illinois: MPI Home Video, 2006). But I think you're talking about some other music that did not make it to the 'complete' soundtrack collection. If so, good catch. Is the music you're referring to here (i.e., 'their own theme music created for them') heard at the Blue Whale or elsewhere? Thanks.

 

[Mark Collins]

Scott my good friend I have to run. The theme belongs to them only and is played during a special 3 episode story at Collinwood Estate. The guests have names and have appeared at Collinwood only 1 other time. Liz speaks with them during the Jason storyline.

I will explain more I promise. Their theme and the theme Laura used to cast spells on people were not used on the large music set. Laura's was used on DS cd 2. The Laura spell theme is there on the big set but not the way it was used later in the show. We all know some themes had variations to them.

I will be back because I want to share a bit more about Jonathan since the movie House of DS was being shot at this time in 1970.

What BW were not on the set?

 

[Ockeghem]

Mark,Thanks. There are some instrumental versions of some tunes by the Beatles (and I think a few of non-Beatles music) that did not make it to the set. The next time I hear them, I will be sure to make a note of which episode(s) I'm referring to and let you know.

 

[Mark Collins]

Scott,

The Widows pay a visit to Liz and they have that great haunting theme behind them as they call out to her. The DS CD volume 3 has what they call the Widows Wail which was the theme. For some reason it never made it to the box set. Yes I remember some of those tunes like "Yesterday" many of them played during the Jason storyline. Yesterday played during a scene with Carolyn Burke and Joe in the Blue Whale. Joe tells Burke he should try to be friends with her. The episode ends with Carolyn walking in on a fight between Liz and Jason.

I also love the Widows return for many reasons. Vicky and Liz bond in a very touching scene on Widows Hill. I have always loved that scene. Just as I liked Vicky and Roger bonding in a great scene from the fall of 1968 after Roger has a bad dream.

Barnabas and Liz also have a great scene on Widows Hill during the Widows storyline. Like you said some very good writing and acting during this period of the show. Really all of the show was top notch when you go back over the episodes and storylines.

 

[AndyMcKinney]

What I love when this first storyline aired was the return of 3 special visitors to Collinwood. They even had their own theme music created for them. Music never used again in the show. Music that for some reason was on DS cd 3 and not on the complete DS music box set cd's. Carolyn will relate this whole storyline 2 years later in a conversation at the Blue Whale in 1969.

The writers also were very clever to reshoot the entire 1st months of Barnabas Maggie Willie and Julia in color to air in the fall of 1968. Producers felt many fans might have missed the first months of Barnabas and the scripts were already there. So why not do it.

They did the same thing later with the last 2 or 3 episodes of 1796 and aired them again. I always love to compare the two versions of each of these episodes 1967 aired in 67 1967 reshot aired in 68 1796 aired in 68 1796 reshot aired in 69. 2 episodes 1796 aired early 1968 reshot and aired in 1969

It may not have only been a matter of "well, why not" as to the reshoots, but was probably also to do with the fact that in the 1960s, videotape was in its infancy, and it would have been far, far, easier to re-shoot the flashbacks than to try to go back to the original master tapes and splice them in. Videotape editing was very tricky, time-consuming and difficult at the time (which is why so many bloopers made it into the episodes).

It would have also likely meant that if they did try to splice in the flashbacks, that they would have had to go back to the master tape and therefore ruin the master, which would have been disaster for us today!

 

[Mark Collins]

Andy guess what they did! This was the first time I knew that Dark Shadows had episodes put away. The first was a 1796 two episodes spliced into a brand new episode from the present 1969 with Barnabas talking to Julia and then introducing each of the events from those past episodes to tell her the story with using the original two episodes. Then the plot was he was to go back in time and try and change those events. They used the same scripts but new material added when Barnabas returns to 1796.

1897 had clips taken from Barnabas last days in the past and once again he was telling Julia what happened in present day Collinwood 1970.

The writers wanted to give the audience in 1968 a taste of Barnabas first days at Collinwood from the year before. They knew most of the audience had not seen those first days so why not shoot in color using the same scripts and putting clips from those days over a few weeks period of time while other action was going on in the show a sort of sub plot. Gave the fans the now human Barnabas a Vampire Barnabas again which was another plus.

Very clever I thought. The show was really going strong at this time.

Glad you asked about it. I should have made myself more clear that only these two rare times I can think of when perhaps 4 episodes were spliced into different shows.

 

[Mark Collins]

I still can remember watching as a kid those 1795 edited episodes with Julia and Barnabas speaking about them. The 1897 episodes were edited the best because Barnabas wanted Julia to know what happened to him in the most highest rated episodes in DS history.

The reshoot of 1967 in the fall of 68 was fantastic! All from Maggie remembering what happen to her. So she introduced the episodes. The conclusion was very well written. The only actors in the flash back reshoot were Barnabas Willie Maggie and Julia. Really it was almost a trial run for House of Dark Shadows. Movie talk was already on their minds if Roger Davis is to believed in the radio interview on DS CD 1.

Here you had the Adam storyline a Vampire loose a Warlock Liz thinking she would be buried alive and then we flash back to Barnabas first months at Collinwood. Like one article on the series said every episode is a cliffhanger on DS.

I play 1968 every year at the time it aired. 1897 I also pick up. The last is the present day Collinwood in the fall of 1970 after Julia and Barnabas return from 1995.

We have the great mysterious Vampire masked and who is it? Julia once she follows Barnabas from 1897 to PT 1970 never leaves his side from that point forward. In fact he has to watch her enter 1840 alone until he can join her. Like I said before they kept those great scripts coming right to the end.

Scott remembers and he is right Barnabas Collins now human in 1841 as Quentin's lawyer. Jonathan is no Perry Mason but does a good job.

 

[Mark Collins]

I also wanted to add that the Barnabas and Julia episode from 1970 was one of the best edited of clips filmed and acted that I can think of.

Just like the man asked on Dick Cavett Grayson and Jonathan were fantastic when acting a scene together.

 

[Radioman970]

Mark,Thanks. There are some instrumental versions of some tunes by the Beatles (and I think a few of non-Beatles music) that did not make it to the set. The next time I hear them, I will be sure to make a note of which episode(s) I'm referring to and let you know.

I remember hearing Yesterday and surprised it wasn't the usual generic on-hold music.

 

[Radioman970]

257. Buzz says something about Carolyn's family making a lot of noise, and his family making a lot of money. buzz get it backwards?

259. Liz confides in Vickie. It's like a weight off the shoulders. One of the best moments so far. Can't wait to see what happens next.

 

[Ockeghem]

I loved the character of Buzz Hackett. "Cool it. Cool it!" "I ain't got no bread, baby." "If you feel it, sit it." And I especially loved, "Hiya, mommy!" I would have loved to have seen him go through with his 'threat' of riding his motorcycle up the stairs -- LOL.

 

[tracyedgar]

If you're following the audios, it's fun to hear what Buzz is up to in 1973!

 

[Radioman970]

I'm avoiding the interviews because of spoilers, but I can't wait to look at all that later.

The new Burke is here now. He's soft spoken and a little brooding his first sit down with Vickie. Definitely off from the well spoken confident fella we've grown to like so much. If this new one doesn't get it after a few more I'll pretend Burke had died and his brother Derk has arrived in Collinsport to carry on his bro's business. I'm actually not joking, it does feel like Burke has died.

 

[tracyedgar]

Not talking about the interviews....I was talking about the new continuing episodes of Dark Shadows being produced on audio by Big Finish and starring the original cast! If you haven't checked these out, you must! Dan Curtis would be proud!

 

[Ockeghem]

Radioman,I like your idea of naming the new Burke "Derk," except that later you will meet a character with that same first name (although it's probably spelled differently). Anyway, Anthony George did grow on me after a while, but he didn't have the strident edge of Mitchell Ryan in my opinion.

 

[Radioman970]

Not talking about the interviews....I was talking about the new continuing episodes of Dark Shadows being produced on audio by Big Finish and starring the original cast! If you haven't checked these out, you must! Dan Curtis would be proud!

that sounds fantastic! I'll check those out in some years. I have a great love of audio dramas all the way from childhood even though I have so much video right now I never listen to audio drama. (i say that, yet I just bought an old short audio drama and book I had as a child off ebay last week for nostalgia purposes)

I was also interested in the graphic novels I saw on ebay when originally shopping for the DS DVD set. I don't read enough anymore either...

 

[Radioman970]

Radioman,I like your idea of naming the new Burke "Derk," except that later you will meet a character with that same first name (although it's probably spelled differently). Anyway, Anthony George did grow on me after a while, but he didn't have the strident edge of Mitchell Ryan in my opinion.

I couldn't think of the right words, but that's it. He radiated confidence and I found him inspiring. I'll truly miss that actor in the role. Luckily he's only 1 of a large group of favorites I have on the show. And they keep adding them (and subtracting!!). I still miss Dr. Guthrie and was hoping his ghost would appear sooner and later...

 

[Ockeghem]

Radioman,I loved Dr. Guthrie too (and that entire story line). And I also liked Dr. Woodard. This is such a great series!