Dark Shadows

I watched this series recently, in order to compare it to the film with the same name that was released in 2012. The first thing I noticed was the difference in tone: if the film is clearly a black comedy, this little series (a revival of an extensive TV series of the sixties) is drama with supernatural contours and some Gothic touch. Another thing I quickly noticed is that, sadly, it has never been finished. I am against television serials that extend indefinitely, just as I am against the abrupt cut of these by audience concerns. They're matters of respect for the viewer, the actors and the team engaged in the whole project. A quality series must finish before it becomes decadent, with a rational conclusion. However, when a series is interrupted or canceled, the best is to give a logical end to the work begun, even if one has to write and run one or two more episodes. I think its a matter of respect, but its just my opinion about that.

I really enjoyed the gloomy atmosphere surrounding the show and the work of the general cast, where the sounding names of Ben Cross, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Barbara Steele and Jean Simmons promise us commitment and quality. The special effects and soundtrack are also good. I think that if the series had been launched at the moment, it would have been more successful than it ended up, but it was a successful environment anyway, which only regrets the lack of conclusion.

This didn't have the camp of the original series and it moved faster, stayed more focused on the main story line. This time, Dan Curtis didn't work with a shoestring budget and he was able to put something together that wasn't as rough around the edges as the original series. Of course, that roughness was part of the charm of the original, and I still have a special place in my heart for it. But this is much better done. Granted, most of the women in this series are not as good looking as their 1960s counterparts (especially Carolyn. Nancy Barrett was hot as Carolyn in the 1960s version. And Lysette Anthony didn't have the hypnotic quality that Lara Parker's Angelique had.) I was disappointed in the way this series ended. I was hoping to see how they would handle the Frankenstein monster and werewolf stories, even have a Quentin story (which was part of the werewolf story). But, as sloppily as the original DARK SHADOWS ended, at least it was a conclusive ending. This just left you hanging, waiting for them to get into the other "monster" stories, and then they never came. I for one felt cheated. 6 out of 10 because it ended too soon and they left you hanging.

NBC started their track record for horrible mistakes and cancelling great shows against viewer demand with this one. Killed by Gulf War footage, this show filled in the vaccum on Friday with the excellant idea of remaking America's favorite series with the budget and location shootings it deserved. Ben Cross made an excellant, if not, more seductive Barnabus,and Joanna Going made an exquisitely beautiful and virginal ingenue as Victoria Winters. The whole cast was perfect, except for the new Carolyn, and the mysterious mansion that served as Collinwood had the right amount of Gothic atmosphere for the series. Much of the series original concept was altered to more modernize the story and previous storylines were altered for a cleaner and easier to follow flow. If allowed to continue, this show would have been a hit, but NBC realized it far too late.

A stunning remake of the original series, this was considerably more sensual & more fully realized the erotic power of the vampire figure. (This is understandable when you consider the years that the original was taped, & that it was a daytime series.) I had waited for this remake for years & was never let down by it. Still have a bit of a grudge against NBC for canceling it before it really had a chance. Ben Cross & Joanna Going were wonderfully cast as Barnabas & Victoria/Josette, w/ a strong contribution by Lysette Anthony as Angelique. I wish that they would make a movie version, but realize that the time may have passed for same. Strongly urge any Gothic fans to purchase the video or DVDs of this series.

I disagree with the poster above. I thought this revival was a wonderfully imaginative and compelling show. Quite familiar with the original series, I was a bit skeptical when this premiered as to what could they do and how they would update. This revival takes the original story of Barnabas Collins and company which took a year of the daytime show and compacts it into 12 episodes. I have also read the "Dark Shadows Companion" book that they put out when this show originally aired and they were basically using the first season as a springboard to get into different stories. What I liked about this version is that they took the familiar story but added twists and turns not in the original to keep it fresh. Both purists of the original show and new fans will find this very faithful, right down to the creepy original music that Bob Cobert used on the daytime show. I gave the VHS set to a young friend of mine awhile ago and he immediately was captivated as well and he became interested in the original series, which is quite easy to get on DVD. The casting was remarkable because each actor put a great new spin on the material. I also liked the fact that they rolled in other plots from the daytime show to fit into the main plot of Barnabas, Victoria and Dr. Hoffman. I never thought they could replicate what everyone liked about the original series but they managed to do it. This is a great treat for new and old fans alike and a must for any serious collector. My only quibble with the DVD is that there are no extras and that they did not restore the original print, using what looks like an inferior transfer copy from VHS. Not to be missed for the standout performances of Ben Cross, Jim Fife, Joanna Going, Jean Simmons and Barbara Steele.