Customer Reviews

Dark Shadows: DVD Collection 21

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Dark Shadows DVD Collection 21 goes where no other collection has gone before: into the inexplicable world of Collinwood in parallel time, where the faces and the surroundings are the only things that are familiar.

The premiss is relatively straightforward, illustrating the compelling science fiction concept that many parallel worlds coexist with the one we know and erroneously believe is the only reality. In each parallel time band, we live completely different lives based on substantially different life choices that we have made.

The vampire, Barnabas Collins (Jonathan Frid), discovers a portal to parallel time in an East Wing room of Collinwood. Hoping to escape his supernatural curse, Barnabas remains in the room until it reverts to the parallel time band, taking him with it. Unfortunately for him, the vampire curse remains unchanged in parallel time, but everything else has changed.

Quentin (David Selby) is the master of Collinwood and Elizabeth (Joan Bennett) and Roger (Louis Edmonds) are his siblings living off of his generosity. Carolyn (Nancy Barrett) is married to the writer, William Loomis (John Karlen), who wrote a bestseller on the life of Barnabas Collins (who was not a vampire, and who lived a long life with his beloved wife, Josette.) Quentin's wife, Angelique (Lara Parker), (who, unknown to Quentin was a witch) died 6 months prior, is found to have been murdered! Quentin has since remarried - Maggie Evans (Kathryn Leigh Scott)!

Alexis, Angelique's twin sister, comes to Collinwood then herself is murdered by Angelique, who has survived the grave through the sinister black magic of their stepfather, Timothy E. Stokes (Thayer David). Angelique, who steals the warmth and life of the good Alexis, then dreams up a vicious plot to ruin the entire Collins family by turning Quentin and Maggie against each other.

Meanwhile, Dr. Julia Hoffman (Grayson Hall), worried about her beloved Barnabas, manages to transport herself into parallel time to assist him in just the nick of time: her counterpart, the evil housekeeper Hoffman who was also a close confidant to Angelique, was posed to drive a wooden stake into the heart of Barnabas. In a great twist, Julia kills her Hoffman counterpart, then assumes her identify to spy on Angelique.

By the end of the boxed set, most of the Collins family has been murdered by the same person who killed Angelique, who is then himself murdered by the undead witch in the ultimate revenge!

During this wild ride, there is suicide, madness, evil laboratory experiments and even love. This is Dark Shadows at its fantastic best, as the core ensemble cast shine in portraying their traditional roles in VERY untraditional and often twisted ways. Bravo!!

Lots of weird goings on at Collinwood! Willie is a writer, Carolyn married to him-- Nancy Barrett really turns it out for her portrayal of bitter, cynical, alcoholic Carolyn Loomis. These episodes allow many DS cast members to show their talents. Jonathan Frid is much missed during a portion of the story, but it is forgiveable since he was busy filming HOUSE OF DARK SHADOWS at the time. Grayson Hall is wonderful as evil housekeeper Hoffman with a Danversesque loyalty to Angelique...Lara Parker is SO evil......as she draws her twin sister to her sarcophagus to draw the life out of her and live again.....I have the whole series so far, but even if you only get one volume, this should be the one to buy.....

MPI is slowly releasing the whole of the very extensive Dark Shadows soap opera on a set of involving DVDs, and this Collection 21 opens with the world of parallel time in 1970, when Angelique tortures Maggie Collins with her supernatural powers and reveals her identity to her father. Forty color episodes on four discs recreate the drama and thrill of the original series sans ads - and if that weren't enough, bonus interviews with major actors, writer Joe Caldwell and TV critic Mark Dawidziak add insights you wouldn't find through television. While prior fans of the Dark Shadows series - especially owners of previous collections - will be the likely audience for this, newcomers will find the logical progression of episodes lends to newfound interest.

The best soap or show ever! Although way over the top,the actors were wonderfull and endearing-as were the characters-the good,the bad and the ugly.This DVD has brought back such a flood of nostalgia and joy-as I am sure it has for many!I hope to purchase the entire series.

I HAVE SEEN THE ORIGINAL IN THE 60'S AND ALSO BOUGHT ALL OF THE VHS TAPES. NOW I AM UPGRADING TO DVD AND CAN NOT WAIT TO SEE THE DIFFERENCE AND OR QUALITY OF THIS ON DVD.

It you like Dark Shadows you will like this collection. However, if you haven't seen collection 20 you won't really understand what is happening. In fact, you really need to have seen all the episodes leading up to this one, which I have. Therefore I can say I was not disappointed with this one and can't wait for the others.

I HAVE ALWAYS ENJOYED THIS SERIES AND PLAN ON BUYING THE COMPLETE SET.THIS SET IS ESPECIALLY GREAT IF YOU ARE INTO SUPERNATURAL AND MYSTERIOUS SHOWS.

Parallel Time, is the longest, most boring phase of DS. Now I understand why people raved about "The Leviathans". That was the end of quality. I love the show & have seen 800 episodes, but in truth the 1st year with Barnabas is the best. While this show excelled on witches, warlocks, ghosts & vampires, it really stank on Frankenstein, bride of Frankenstein, the wolfman, and in this phase, Dr. Jekyl & Mr. Hyde. Jonathan Frid is often MIA in these episodes (understandably), & Angelique seems to be reprising her role from years earlier, without conviction. Selby/Quentin may have had roguish charm when he was introduced as a quasi-bad guy, but at this point he seems to be on Prozac & Valium. I'll watch the series 'til the end, but when I return to see DS again I'll stick to the first 7 collections.

Finally, the end of the ultra-boring, series-killing 1970PT story. The 1841PT is superior in every way to this dull, snooze inducing PT story. For all who watch the series, wake up and get ready for a much better plot coming up in volume 22. The Dark Shadows 'train' is finally back on track in volume 22 and, except for a few moments here & there, is excellent until the end.

The parallel story line continues with Angelique masquerading as her twin sister Alexis and bent on taking revenge on the Collins family, and finding and destroying her murderer. She plays Quentin and Maggie against each other as Maggie believes Quentin is the murderer (people are dropping like flies) and Quentin believes Maggie is the witch. Julia Hoffman is able to join Barnabas in parallel time, but there is the sticky wicket of that other Hoffman. The Jekyll and Hyde storyline finally comes to an end (about darned time), and a new one begins surrounding the mysterious Roxanne who has been used to keep Angelique alive. No surprise, but Barnabas is obsessed with Roxanne and wants to bring her back to life with Julia's help(don't ask me to explain it) and we get a revisit to the mad science lab used way back when in the Adam and Eve storyline.

Eh, I just didn't enjoy the parallel time as I did the first time around. I thought things would pick up when the Jekyll/Hyde story ended, but I didn't care for this Quentin at all. He was all around too angsty, angry and MCP and couldn't see the forest through the trees Roxanne annoyed me to no end with her vapid adoration of Barnabas and the Marilyn Monroe like voice. The only real spotlight was when the murderer was revealed and thumbs up to him-who-shall-not-be-named-to-avoid-spoilers for one heck of an acting job. The last DVD finishes up the parallel time with a return to their own time - but there's a very big twist starting off a new story arc. Can't wait to get my hands on the next set, but there's a few others ahead of me at the library...