Customer Reviews

Dark Shadows: The Beginning Collection 4

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

After jumping out of the frying pan and directly into the occult fire, Dark Shadows creator Dan Curtis knew there could be no turning back. He knew his decision to accept his children's advice to "go supernatural" would either save or kill the first-ever gothic soap opera, and it did.

With the ratings at an all-time low, he unleashed his first ghosts (episodes included in Dark Shadows: the Beginning Set 3) then kept up the pressure cooker in the episodes included in this boxed set. Amazed, he watched as the ratings steadily and miraculously rose from the dead (much like the reluctant 175-year-old vampire Barnabas Collins would do about six months later.)

In this boxed set, the Collins family is turned upside down by recent events: the murder of Collins Plant Manager Bill Malloy, the unexpected return of Roger Collins' wife, Laura Murdock Collins, and the abduction of Collinwood Governess Victoria Winters.

Roger (Louis Edmonds) had told his young son David (David Henesy), that his mother was dead, but she had actually suffered a mental breakdown and was confined in sanitarium. Since being released, she apparently had been living in Phoenix, Ariz., unbeknownst to the Collins family.

Without warning, Laura (Diana Millay) returns to Collinwood late one night and demands full custody of her son. Roger and his sister, Elizabeth Collins Stoddard (Joan Bennett) refuse to allow her to see David, who is fast asleep and turn her away. Even so, that night David mysteriously dreams of his mother coming out of powerful flames to kill him.

Because of his dream, David doesn't want to see his mother, but eventually agrees. Sitting together in front of the fireplace in the Drawing Room of Collinwood, Laura tells him the famous legend of the Phoenix, a great bird who remains immortal, but only because it dies by fire and is reborn the same way every 100 years.

In Collinsport, Artist Sam Evans (David Ford) inexplicably feels driven, compelled to paint a portrait of Laura - flames encircling her image.

Meanwhile, Victoria (Alexandra Moltke) is kidnapped but finds comfort in an unlikely source: the ghost of Josette Collins. Later, Elizabeth tells Vicki that her great aunt had once told her that in her youth she had seen the ghost of Josette who at that time provided guidance to save a fishing crew feared lost at sea.

Several of these episodes span the Christmas and New Year season, so viewers are treated to a holiday greeting as the credits roll.

Millay and Curtis are interviewed in bonus material.

These early black and white episodes occurred prior to the arrival of the vampire, played by the gifted Jonathan Frid. Once Frid joined the cast, the show skyrocketed to iconic status. Many fans who began watching once Barnabas became a fixture on the show, never saw these early episodes, so it's wonderful to have them finally available on DVD, to see how it all began!

Here's where it starts to get GOOD! In this volume of the 60s gothic horror soap, the show finally stops dancing around the subject and embraces the supernatural. In the process the show saves itself and starts to lay the groundwork for its cult popularity. Two characters emerge here--the ghost of Josette Collins and Laura Collins, The Phoenix--both of whom will be pivotal in future storylines. While this volume also deals with some of the show's primary (and plodding) non-supernatural plots, you'll see the show's lively side with colorful characters such as the deranged caretaker and the aforementioned deliciously evil Laura. Along the way you'll see the show experiment more with special effects. After this there's no turning back.

Dark Shadows The Beginning collection 4--Before Barabas Collins--Its more a Gothic type romance heading towards the Supernatural--Louis Edmounds as Roger Collins shines.

I HAVE THROUGHLY ENJOYED WATCHING ALL THE EARLY DARK SHADOWS VOL'S 1 TO 6 [PRE -BARBABAS] AND THE ONLY COMPLIANT I HAVE IN VOL 4 WAS THAT THEY KILLED OFF DOCTER PETER GUTHRIE TO SOON,I THOUGHT HE WAS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PARTS OF EXPOSING LAURA COLLINS [THE PHONIEX]OTHER THEN THAT VOL 4 WAS EXCELLENT!!!!!

I never got to see these episodes of Dark Shadows so to start watching the series from the beginning at my age was FANTASTIC! We now have marathon nights at our house!! I'm so glad these are now available!!!!!!

Arrived in excellent condition and quick service also. I would recommend this buyer to anyone

If you have ever seen Dark Shadows.. you know what i'm talking about. It is campy fun and 1960's day time soap at its best! These videos are addicting- and the live recording (complete with dialogue stumblings, set misshaps, stage hands in shots, and all) are priceless! Get the Beginning collection 1 and see them all!! I'm hooked and i'm only on volume 5 of the Beginning series. THere are i think more than 40 volumes to go!

Love it............. if you are a Dark Shadows Fan... this is a MUST. This is the part where David Collins mother shows up in the always twisting story lines. Highly recommend this video collection.

THe Pheonix episodes are some of my favorites of the pre-Barnabus DS. I am not sure if this set will include the final episode of the Pheonix storyline, but that whole plot benefitted greatly by the enormous acting talents of one ten year old actor named David Hennesy. That finale where he runs from the burning cottage and into Victoria's arms, sobbing and screaming---and you realize it was videotaped LIVE and only ONCE! The actors did not have a chance at retakes. And there were several times througout the run of the show when one of the adults messed up (or he messed up) and his quickness on his feet saved the day. Incredible little actor!
I would like it if the box sets had more than 4 discs. I think they should double the discs and episodes and add maybe $10 to the price. Or maybe use both sides of the discs. After all there were more than 1,100 episodes of this series. I wonder how many discs it will take to do the whole thing?

My husband and I watched this show when we were both in grade school It was such fun to find these very scarce early episodes. They were in excellent condition. We have enjoyed them tremendously!