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Archive > December 2003-January
2004
| DVD
Collection 11 |
January
31 2004 |
MPI
Home Video have confirmed the extras for the upcoming
DVD Collection 11:
|
Dark
Shadows DVD Collection 11 ·
Released March 30
 ·
Episodes 614-655,
presented on four disks
· Disc 1: Dan
Curtis interview
· Disc 2: Marie Wallace interview
· Disc 3: Nancy Barrett interview
· Disc 4: Alexandra Moltke interview
· Collectable postcard
· Region 0 Encoding/NTSC (Compatible with
players worldwide)
Order
now at a discount price from Amazon.com
|
|
| Dark
Shadows Pilot Confirmed |
January
28 2004 |
The
Dark Shadows Festival has announced that
the WB has "ordered a Dark
Shadows one-hour pilot today [January 27], so it
is official - to be filmed by May for consideration as a
fall series."
As previously reported, John Wells will serve as executive
producer, with a script by Mark Verheiden. For a summary
of news on the project to date, click
here.
With
thanks to the Dark Shadows Festival
| WB
Script Details |
January
22 2004 |
Website
BarnabasUndead.com
has posted a few interesting details on the new WB pilot,
apparently sourced from casting scripts hunting for a new
Barnabas Collins, Julia Hoffman, Victoria Winters and Willie
Loomis. Highlight
the box below with your mouse cursor to read the spoilers...
|
In
the present day (2004), vampire Barnabas Collins introduces
himself to Collinsport as Victoria arrives in town.
She "bears a striking resemblance to Josette,"
as in the 1991 series. The two audition scenes should
be familiar to fans...
In
the first scene, Victoria visits the Old House, occupied
by Barnabas and servant Willie. Willie begs her to
leave before the sun sets. Barnabas appears and shows
Victoria the restored bedroom of Josette, and she
is shocked to see her resemblance to Josette's portrait;
He tells her of the love she and his "ancestor"
shared. She opens the music box, unsettling Barnabas.
After she leaves, Barnabas warns Willie not to interfere
in their relationship.
In
the second scene, 40-something Julia Hoffman tolds
a torch for Barnabas and offers him a cure for vampirism
as. Admidst some verbal sparring, Barnabas confides
in her about his condition, but warns her of the dangers
she will face if she deceives him. |
|
With
thanks to BarnabasUndead
| Joss
Whedon Surprised by Dark Shadows Pilot |
January
20 2004 |
Buffy
the Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon was left disarmed
when asked for his reaction to the WB's new Dark Shadows
pilot, the Alameda Times-Star reports. Whedon, currently
producer of WB vampire drama Angel, had not been
told by the WB of their plans. "At least it’s
not an important, successful producer," Whedon replied
drily.
Warner
Bros chairman Jordan Levin later apologized for not informing
him earlier. "I think the two shows can co-exist,"
commented Levin afterwards. Angel is an action-adventure,
while Dark Shadows is a gothic soap opera."
January
21 Update: At
the same press conference, Jordan Levin also spoke a little
about the new pilot's genesis: "What was interesting
about [Dark Shadows] that is that anytime John Wells
walks in the door and says he's excited about wanting to
do something differently - in this case, a gothic soap opera
- I think that's something you're obviously going to pay
attention to."
The
primetime Dark Shadows pilot is currently being scripted
for potential production in the spring. If optioned, a full
season will film for a fall 2004 debut on the WB.
With
thanks to James Marco
| People
News |
January
20 2004 |
•
The
Museum of Television and Radio celebrates the career of
Dan Curtis (series creator) on April 22 with War,
Shadows and The Night Stalker: A Conversation with Dan Curtis,
from 7.00-8.30pm. The museum is located on 465 North Beverly
Drive, Beverly Hills. The event includes screened highlights
and question and answers from Curtis. Tickets cost $15.00
(students $7.00). Box Office: 310-786-1091 or visit the
museum online at: www.mtr.org.
• Kate
Jackson (Daphne) is to make her
first ever UK appearance at the London Film and Comic
Con on March 7-8 2004. For more information, click
here.
• Louis Edmonds (Roger) can be heard in a rare
musical role, in the newly reissued 1960 Broadway soundtrack
Ernest in Love. The CD can be ordered from Amazon.com
by clicking here.
With
thanks to ShadowGram
| A
New Home on Soapnet? |
December
31 2003 |
As
speculated on this site earlier in the year, the Dark
Shadows Festival has confirmed that: "Discussions
are underway with ABC SoapNet to pick up reruns in
2004. Fans are encouraged to send thoughtful letters of
encouragement to: Programming Department, ABC SoapNet, 500
South Buena Vista Street, Burbank, California, 91521."
With
thanks to the Dark Shadows Festival
| Charles
Randolph Grean: 1913-2003 |
December
28 2003 |
Charles
Randolph Grean, the popular music producer who spearheaded
the bestselling 1960s easy listening recordings of Dark
Shadows music, passed away on Saturday December 20 in
Manhattan's New York University Medical Center. He was 90
years old. Grean worked as a composer and music industry
executive for over 60 years, alongside the likes of Glenn
Miller, Charlie Spivak and Nat King Cole.
In
1969, he formed the Charles Randolph Grean Sounde to record
Robert Cobert's classic Quentin's Theme from Dark
Shadows, having reportedly encountered the song through
his daughter, who was a regular viewer. Quentin's Theme
was a hit, reaching number 13 on Billboard's Hot 100
singles chart. Other re-arrangements followed along
with producing the bestselling album The Original Music
from Dark Shadows, which remains one of the top ten
television soundtracks of all time.
With
thanks to Fran Robert and The New York Times. Photograph
courtesy of Bob Issel
| Rewriting
the Myth |
December
22 2003 |
As
scripting for the proposed WB Dark Shadows
pilot gets underway, a recent article in the Boston Herald
seems to bode well for the project's fortunes: "It's
one of our top priorities," commented Pam Morrison,
WB's head of programming publicity. "The fact it has
been off the air for so many years, and there is still a
following for the franchise, makes it appealing to us."
In
the same article, Dan Curtis Productions marketing director
Jim Pierson suggested that the new version would
feature "a slightly younger slant with the characters.
A new Dark Shadows would be adapting [the show] to
the times, but keeping the original flavor intact. It's
an old-fashioned gothic story with a romantic slant."
"The
WB plays genre programming well. If you look back at
Dark Shadows when it first aired, many of the characters
were in their early 20s. You did have young lovers on the
show. The WB has had shows like Felicity and Dawson's
Creek, so it is not so much of a stretch [to emphasize]
the youth aspect of Dark Shadows. It's very much
the basis of the show anyway."
| Barbara
Steele Pledges |
December
21 2003 |
Barbara
Steele (1991 Julia) joined 6,139 men and women in November
to take the oath of citizenship at the Los Angeles County
Fairplex in Pomona. Barbara has worked as an actress and
producer in the US for many years. Speaking to Los Angeles
Times Magazine, she commented: "It's interesting
how emotional Americans are about being American. My friends
at the ceremony were weeping away."
With
thanks to Fran Robert
| Merchandise
Updates |
December
13 2003 |
Dark
Shadows DVD Collection 11 is now confirmed for release
on March 30 2004.
The set features episodes 614-655, including the first appearances
of the ghost of Quentin Collins. Amazon.com are currently
listing the title at a 30% discount with free shipping:
Pre-order
Dark Shadows DVD Collection 11 from Amazon.com
Elsewhere,
the CD release of the Return to Collinwood reunion
audio drama has now slipped back until early 2004. The double
CD set will also include a bound copy of Jamison Selby's
script for the play.
With
thanks to ShadowGram
| Christmas
Round Robin |
December
13 2003 |
Fans
can now enjoy the eighth annual Dark Shadows Christmas
Round Robin Story, overseen by Bobubas on the Sci-Fi
Channel's discussion boards. This year's tale is entitled
Through the Eye of Madness, with a prologue by
Dark Shadows novelist Stephen Mark Rainey and contributions
from other fan writers, including the editor of this site.
To join in the fun, click
here.
| Casting
Speculation Begins |
December
5 2003 |
There's
no official confirmation of a deal for the WB's new
Dark Shadows project yet, but that hasn't stopped
speculation on who might scoop the coveted role of Barnabas.
TV Guide's website devoted its December 5 Insider
column to casting suggestions, including the Count from
Sesame Street, The Practice's Dylan McDermott
and Adrian Pasdar. Read the feature by clicking
here.
With
thanks to Lum Edwards
| DVD
Collection 10 |
December
2 2003 |
MPI
Home Video have confirmed the extras for the upcoming
DVD Collection 10:
|
Dark
Shadows DVD Collection 10 ·
Released January 27
 ·
Episodes 574-613,
presented on four disks
· Disc 1: Alexandra
Moltke interview
· Disc 2: John Karlen interview
· Disc 3: Kathryn Leigh Scott interview
· Disc 4: Matthew Hall (son of
Sam and Grayson Hall) interview
· Collectable postcard
· Region 0 Encoding/NTSC (Compatible with
players worldwide)
Order
now at a discount price from Amazon.com
|
|
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