Dark
Shadows: Behind the Scenes is undoubtably the best of
MPI Home Video's video-only presentation. The show is an hour
long retrospective chuck-full of celebrated comments including
insights from creator and producer Dan Curtis. Besides hearing
how Curtis' dreadful dream magically became a dynamic drama,
there are some informative interviews from 23 other show members,
along with many well-chosen clips from the 1,225 episodes,
two MGM movie trailers, and some rare 8mm footage taken of
the actors outside the original ABC-TV studio.
Most
captivating are the tidbits from the actors themselves, such
as Nancy Barrett's casting call, Alexandra Moltke's secret
to surviving her fear in front of the camera, Michael Stroka's
revelation over David Henesy's money riot-act, and Lara Parker's
belated passion for the "plum" part.
The
video is dedicated to the memory of the late Joan Bennett,
who is immortalized
here in her 1970 appearance on The Mike Douglas Show,
along with featuring in many of the series excerpts. Elsewhere
Kathryn Leigh Scott acknowledges the creative contributions
of the late Thayer David, Grayson Hall, and her former close
friend, Joel Crothers. Indeed a treasure trove of sorts because
this video captures commentary from several stars who have
since passed away, such as Clarice Blackburn, Louis Edmonds,
Dennis Patrick, and Michael Stroka.
However,
the Dark Shadows success story would not be complete
without mention of the bonding between the cast and their
beloved fans by Lisa Richards, Donna Wandrey and Marie Wallace.
The compilation closes with a sharp montage of some memorable
fang baring attacks from the show's supernatural finest -
Barnabas, Tom Jennings, Roxanne Drew, Megan Todd and Angelique.
This
presentation deserves a high grade, not just for answering
so many pertinent questions, but for providing fine entertainment
along the way.
This
release is also featured on the DVD release Dark
Shadows Special Edition
Order
this video from Amazon.com
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