Friday, October 29, 2010

Dark Shadows Fabulousness


What better way to wish the Dark and Stormy Blog readers a Happy Halloween then to feature the world’s best vampire series ever.  Yes, better than Twilight.  Better than True Blood.  The series is Dark Shadows.  You can now watch every single one of the 1,225 episodes on Netlflix.

The 1960s gothic soap opera came into being when creator, Dan Curtis, had a dream about a young woman taking a long train ride to a spooky mansion.  The series features old school vampires, ghosts and witches with all the 19th century romanticism and restraint so painfully lacking in today’s, show-it-all-leave-absolutely-no-mystery-what-so-ever, vampire media. 

The cobweb decked chandeliers, the deep mists, hidden family crypts and unfulfilled longings that create such an amazing atmosphere set the backdrop for one cliff-hanging episode after another.  I found myself hitting the Netflix Next Episode button like a little crack monkey after each installment. 

The earlier episodes are shot in black and white, which works wonderfully with the dramatic lighting and haunted vibe of the gothic sets.  The fact that the boom is often in the shot and the actors regularly flub their lines only adds to the entertainment value.

Tim Burton and Johnny Dep are clearly fans too, since they’re scheduled to begin shooting their own feature adaptation of the cult soap in February 2011.  I’ll be first on line to buy tickets when the film comes out! 

For more information visit the official Dark Shadows site:
http://www.collinwood.net/

6 comments:

  1. Lydia,
    Johnny Depp as a vamp? I have clearly died and gone to heaven or hell...Oh to have that man sink his teeth into me... I adore him.
    I grew up on Dark Shadows. I loved it and couldn't agree more. Barnabus Collins was the vamp all other vamps wanted to be.
    Nice post. Happy Halloween to you.

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  2. I used to love Dark Shadows. Then, just before they took it off the air, they had a Dark Shadows marathon. Loved Barnabas Collins and Chris Jennings!

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  3. Loved, loved, loved Dark Shadows! That soap captured my imagination when I was in grade school and would rush home to catch every episode. It was one of the biggest influences to me becoming a writer. I actually used to write DS scripts and make my friends act them out. LOL.

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  4. Jaclyn, I know. Johnny Depp as a vampire. And not just any vampire, but Barnabas - there is a God. Lilly, I love Barnabas too, he's evil, yet so sympathetic, old and creepy yet strangely magnetic and appealing at certain moments. Susan I love you that used to write DS scripts! I think we would have been best friends if we'd known each other as kids. Thanks to all you ladies for posting and Happy Halloween!

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  5. Johnny Dep as Barnabas. Hmmm.

    What a great post for Hallowe'en.

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  6. Thanks for stopping by, Caroline. I hope you had a great Halloween!

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