Customer Reviews

Dark Shadows DVD Collection 3

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4 star:		(8)
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I have Dark Shadows volume 1 & 2, went through a period of time for awhile when I was trying to tape them off the Sci-Fi Network but these dvds are the answer to a prayer - I canNOT wait for collection #3, and in all sincerity I am glad they are spacing them apart as they are - easier to afford each one as it's released, as I buy a LOT of dvds as it is!!

The amazing thing about "DS" is that it is so addictive; no matter your opinion on soap operas, or horror yarns, there is NOTHING like "Dark Shadows" to keep you enthralled and always waiting for the next chapter - I know some have complained that the quality of the dvds isn't prime, but to me the fact that each show looks as it did when it was on television adds to the sense of nostalgia and creepiness the show had for me as a child - but with the everlasting dvd quality! I applaud MPI and their WISE decision to bring us the best of all soaps in dvd form! My only "negative" is, I hope that, when done, MPI will go back and release the individual first 200 episodes, as well.

Oh, and to the person complaining that they're only putting on two months per set - Good Lord, we are talking 40 episodes each, about 14 HOURS per set!! As someone with a busy schedule and tons of dvds and tapes, that's plenty for me between sets - and the only way to keep the cost per set even as low as it is!

LONG LIVE BARNABAS!!

This is another engaging "Dark Shadows" collection, with the added bonus of most of the episodes being in color. There IS a certain amount of wheel spinning in these episodes, however. To illustrate:

There are a handful of episodes where Burke Devlin gets a little too close to the truth about Barnabas Collins, leading Barnabas to announce, "Burke Devlin must die!"

Then there are a handful of episodes where the amnesiac Maggie Evans starts remembering the truth about Barnabas Collins, leading Barnabas to announce, "Maggie Evans must die!"

Then there are a handful of episodes where little cousin David gets too close to the truth about Barnabas Collins, leading Barnabas to announce, "Cousin David must die!"

Barnabas also intones the dreaded "... must die!" line about Julia Hoffman, Willie Loomis, and, if I remember, one or two others during the course of these forty episodes. So, yeah, there IS a certain amount of repetitiveness here.

In every case, of course, Barnabas is either talked out of killing the annoying supporting character in question ("But Barnabas, if you kill him there will be an investigation!"), or he figures out another way to throw said character off the scent. It must be said that Barnabas' various solutions to these dilemmas are usually pretty interesting, which keeps this batch of episodes firmly in the "worthwhile" camp despite the repetitiveness of the plots this time out.

The color episodes start about five episodes into the set, and continue throughout, with an occasional black-and-white file episode rearing its head when an original color broadcast episode has been lost to the ages. Somewhat annoyingly, those black-and-white file copies seem to show up just when something visually interesting occurs in an episode, like a surreal dream sequence or an ambitious special effect, things that would have been great to see in color. Oh, well.

The writers must have also noticed that a certain sameness to the plots was creeping in at this point, because in the next batch of episodes- the ones conveniently packaged together in Dark Shadows Collection 4- some truly offbeat things start happening, including Barnabas actually making good on one of his threats to kill one of the series regulars, and a shift to the past so we can see firsthand the origin of Barnabas' curse.

But these "Collection 3" episodes are certainly worth watching, too. Though I'm glad the series eventually moved into more ambitious areas, it's kind of fun this time out hearing Barnabas Collins repeatedly say that everybody and his sister "... must die!" Great stuff.

Here we go! Now things start cookin'! The storylines keep getting more and more interesting and this collection surpasses the last two. Jonathan Frid, now comfortably settled in his role as Barnabas Collins, looks and acts even more menacing than before. In this collection, the color episodes begin after the first
few black & whites. There are many great graveyard scenes and the use of lighting is better, which casts an extra eerieness on Barnabas' face. The plotline surrounding young David Collins' suspicions of Barnabas begins here and you can't stop watching until you're through the whole box! Grayson Hall's hambone overacting as Dr. Julia Hoffman is amusing. She, and some of the other actors, get a mild look of panic on their faces when they forget a line and look off-camera for the cue card. Frid occasionally needs to look at a cue card, but he's so smooth about it and manages to stay in character when he does. The man never ceases to blow me away with his performances! Also look for two classic Dark Shadows bloopers: Willie hits his head coming out of the secret room in the mausoleum and a pesky fly keeps
landing on Barnabas' face. This collection features interviews with Frid, the stoic Louis Edmonds, director Lela Swift and Sharon Smyth, now 44, who played ghost-girl Sarah Collins. A terrific collector's photo of Frid baring his fangs at David Henesy is included.

I received Collection 3 on Thursday and can't wait for Collection 4 which is tentatively set for February 25 according to Shadowgram. The quality of the dvd's is more than I expected. As a long time Dark Shadows fan, I am looking forward to future releases. MPI is doing an admirable job with their dvd release of Dark Shadows. For anyone contemplating buying the series on dvd-GO AHEAD AND DO IT! You will be happy you did. I have all the episodes on vhs and the dvd's are worth it. LONG LIVE DARK SHADOWS!

The Dark Shadows saga is back for DVD Collection 3! The 3rd Collection (VHS Volumes 13-20) pretty much begins the countdown to the first flashback in 1795 (which begins in Collection 4). In these episodes, we see the introduction of Dr. Julia Hoffman, who discovers Barnabas's secret and offers to cure him of his vampirism. Although he is reluctant, he lets her try. The ghost of Sarah Collins appears to David several times, and the rest of the family and friends try to search for her, for she knows about Maggie's disappearance. Also in this Collection, episodes in color begin (about 5 episodes into the first disc) but every now and then an episode in black and white will occur. As usual, we have 5-minute interviews at the end of each disc with a member of DS, including Jonathan Frid (Barnabas Collins), Sharon Smyth (Sarah Collins), Louis Edmonds (Roger Collins), and Lela Swift (director of the show). Great episodes as always, and I'm looking forward to Collection 4 which includes the start of the 1795 Flashback.

This DVD set will begin the storyline in which Dr. Julia Hoffman begins her treatment of vampire Barnabas Collins in an attempt to cure him of his curse. One of the most famous of all the major Dark Shadows storylines, this will be a DVD set not to be missed. I just wish we didn't have to wait so long between each set, the show is so addictive! It won't be too long now before the beautiful witch Angelique makes her devilish debut on DVD.

In this third, four disc set of DVDs produced by the ambitious company MPI, Dr. Julia Hoffman has confronted the vampire Barnabas Collins about his condition and promises him her help to find a cure. Since Maggie's escape, Barnabas has turned his affections to the Collin's family's naive governess, Victoria Winters who is engaged to Burke Devlin, arch-nemesis of Roger Collins. Barnabas plots vengence on Burke who is suspious of Barnabas' absence in the daytime. Young David Collins, suspicious of cousin Barnabas, becomes locked in the family mausoleum in a secret room where Barnabas escaped his imprisonment in a coffin. David enlists the help of Barnabas' sister, Sarah whose spirit now haunts the grounds since Barnabas' release from his coffin. Spooky and atmospheric! A great buy in this compact format. Also contains bonus current interviews with cast members including Jonathan Frid!

My Dark Shaodws dvd collection #2 has not yet arrived in the mail and I am already anxiously awaiting set #3. This show has that effect on most people. Truly addicting, pure and simple. I just would like to point out that set #3 would contain the first color episodes....According to the Dark Shadows Almanac Millenium Edition, the first episode taped in color was #294, however it was aired in B&W. The first episode aired in color was #295, however the original tape no longer exists and they use a B&W kinescope for syndication. So episode #294 is now in color and episode #295 is in B&W despite it having a voice-over at the beginning announcing that Dark Shadows is now in color.

The first two DVD sets are outstanding. I can hardly wait for subsequent volumes. Overall the quality is high-- given the amount of time since these episodes first aired. With each set you are given 40 episodes, which despite one reviewer's comments is a bargain. This really brings back memories -- coming home from elementary school in the afternoon and switching on the TV to watch Dark Shadows. Jonathan Frid is compelling as Barnabas. I had forgotten how frightening and yet strangely vulnerable he was in this series. Now I've introduced my kids to DS, and my eleven year old daughter is absolutely hooked!

DARK SHADOWS is probably the only daytime soap opera to have ever achieved the cult classic status of shows such as STAR TREK and THE PRISONER. By this point in the story, the makers of DS knew 175-year-old vampire Barnabas Collins (played by Shakespearean actor Jonathan Frid) was too interesting and sympathetic a character to kill off as originally planned -- a villain people could relate to. As director Lela Swift puts it in the bonus interview, Barnabas was treated as a human being with a problem. Furthermore, DS's modern-day Van Helsing had become a woman. A typo turned Dr. Hoffman from either Julian or Julius (1) into Julia. This created new possibilities that both DS's makers and Dr. Hoffman's portrayer, Grayson Hall, wanted to explore.

Dr. Hoffman, has been called in to treat Maggie Evans, who Barnabas had tried to transform into a reincarnation of his lost love, Josette. As this installment begins, Dr. Hoffman confronts Barnabas, proposing to try and cure his condition using medical science. Although we later see signs of Dr. Hoffman's romantic interest in Barnabas, she appears at this point to regard him purely as a guinea pig ripe for blackmailing. Maggie is an inmate at Dr. Hoffman's Windcliff sanitarium, and is suffering from "temporary" amnesia. How temporary depends on Barnabas. This tactic puts Barnabas in a double role as villain and victim.

It also makes me want to report Dr. Hoffman to the A.M.A. She's preventing Maggie's recovery and forcing Barnabas into an experiment she knows may harm or destroy him. IMHO, "first do no harm" covers everyone, including vampires. Furthermore, she's abusing her authority as a doctor and head of Windcliff. The implication that authority can't be trusted strikes me as some 60s sentiment that got into DS despite the show's success in remaining immune to the turmoil of that period.

Actually, the blurring of the distinction between villain and victim, apparent in both Barnabas and Dr. Hoffman, anticipates the cynicism of much 70s cinema.

Maggie escapes Windcliff, assisted by Sarah, the mysterious little girl who helped Maggie escape Barnabas. During this installment, Sarah is identified as the ghost of Barnabas's little sister. Sarah helps Maggie escape from Windcliff, then escorts her back to Collinsport --

And I find Maggie's trip home hard to swallow. Granted, supernatural forces could transport Maggie 100 miles in the short time depicted, but I needed to see more detail -- Maggie and Sarah fading out at Windcliff and back in at the entrance to the Blue Whale, perhaps. Having Maggie just show up at the Blue Whale seems too convenient and contrived -- as if they were more interested in saving work for the special effects guys than in plausibility.

But to be fair, this is where DS switches to color. Maggie's arrival at The Blue Whale occurs at the end of the last b&w episode, #294, and is reprised at the beginning of the first color episode, #295. There were probably enough technical problems involved in this transition that it would have been a bad time to mess with special effects.

Everyone is looking for Sarah, believing (correctly) that she knows who kidnapped Maggie. Sarah spends the most time with young David Collins, even revealing the secret room in which Barnabas was first found. Although Sarah won't appear to Barnabas, she gives him signs that she's around, and times them to thwart his attempts to kill Maggie and David. We know a confrontation is coming at some point.

Unfortunately, Sharon Smyth's wooden performance as Sarah and anachronistic Philadelphia accent interfere with the mood. The bonus interview with Smyth confirms she was from Philadelphia and reveals that, because she wasn't good at memorizing, she was parroting lines fed to her by her mother.

There are several developments that suggest Barnabas's demise was still under consideration, First, although Barnabas remains mostly above suspicion, having passed himself off as a cousin from England, there are several important exceptions. David has seen the secret room with the coffin in it, and has nightmares about Barnabas. Burke Devlin actively investigates Barnabas and finds that things don't add up. Dr. Woodard, who referred Maggie to Dr. Hoffman, decides Dr. Hoffman isn't on the level and takes Maggie out of her care. Second, an new plot line is emerging, concerning Burke Devlin's engagement to Victoria Winters, and their attempts to buy an unused house on the Collins estate.

Additional points about specific episodes:

#291 features one of those flies that appeared from time to time. This one lands right on Barnabas's face, which seems oddly appropriate, given that he's technically dead.

The bonus interview on Disc 1 features Jonathan Frid talking about one of the few times an episode was edited to cover a mistake.

In #304, when Willie tells Burke that "Neither one of us ever did anything to you," he's apparently forgotten that he threatened Burke with a knife in pre-Barnabas episode #207.

When Sarah shows David the secret room in the mausoleum in #305, the plaque for Sarah Collins is right in front of his face. One would think he would see it and make a connection.

#313 includes Roger's famous "incestors" blooper. I've heard someone speculate that it may have been faked because he recovers so quickly.

#320 includes a more subtle technical blooper during David's nightmare. When new background music starts, you hear a needle dropped onto a phonograph record, which was how the music was recorded in those days.

#330 is the last episode with announcer Bob Lloyd saying "DARK SHADOWS is a Dan Curtis production," (2) and the first episode with the bat, created by puppeteer Bill Baird, and superimposed on the picture by means of chromakey. It ain't exactly Industrial Light and Magic, but it's still effective, especially because of David Henesy's acting.

(1) DARK SHADOWS COMPANION and DARK SHADOWS ALMANAC differ on this point.

(2) DARK SHADOWS ALMANAC claims his last appearance in #328, but I know what I heard.