Jeepers -- I can't believe I've maintained this blog with fair regularity (I think there was one month a few years ago where I didn't post anything at all) for SEVEN YEARS ... two years longer than
Dark Shadows actually ran. Huh. Good for me!
To celebrate, let's look at some of my favorite moments from the series:
This very first shot of Joan Bennett as Elizabeth Collins Stoddard. She went all out to welcome Vicki (back?) to Collinwood; you never Liz this gussied up again. A shame.
Maggie's introduction to Vicki: "They're kooks!" Part of me wishes that Maggie had remained in her Eve Arden phase. I even love the wig. And that snarl.
Laura Collins ... bringing the fire. She really should be careful; one stray ash and ... FWOOOOSH! Premature phoenix-ing.
Barnabas Collins and the revisionist history. "Whatever that may turn out to be ..."
Julia, the blood-soaked ghoul. Something about the blood remorselessly pouring from Sarah's tomb gives me the horrors. Is the little ghost-girl playing poltergeist tricks? To what end? And
how? Sarah Collins never did make much sense, but as far as spectacle is concerned ... wah-hoo!
The entire aging of Barnabas sequence. Again with the
grand guignol, and some truly terrifying moments (see Barnabas chomping on Carolyn) -- and look at that sneer on Julia's face!
The seance to contact Sarah and the surprise appearance of Phyllis Wicke -- "I only work in
respectable houses!" With that off-the-shoulder dress? Gurrrl.
The introduction of Nathan Forbes. Nothing super momentous, but Joel Crothers was my first
Dark Shadows crush, and he's especially sexy as Nathan. Plus those tights.
Angelique ensorcells poor oaf Ben Stokes. They're still testing hair styles/colors on Angelique; this combo makes her look especially young and girlish, which juxtaposes nicely against the evil she is beginning to work: "You will be my slave!" Musical sting.
Angelique is questioned by -- and summarily fools -- the Reverend Trask. "I long to be a child of religion!"
The curse!
Angelique's (first) murder: "You knew you would be the first victim of your own curse!"
Julia's new 'do. Grayson Hall's hair is so powerful they created a whole plot point around it.
The Dream Curse sucks, but it has a lovely prelude: "And the dark and terrifying thing you will find there will turn your blood to ice-uh!"
Cassandra torturing Liz for no reason other than to be cruel ... and Joan Bennett needed her annual summer vacation to begin. Who can blame her?
And because turnabout is fair play, Nicholas Blair torturing Cassandra: "You are my MASTERPIECE!"
The all-too-brief appearance of Erica Fitz as DanielleLeonaEltridgeRoget.
Don Briscoe as vampire-bitten Tom Jennings, all sexy and helpless.
Angelique's vampire reveal: tah-DAH!
Nicholas brings Tom back from the dead. Sexy boy vampires!
Cassandra's return: "But I must touch you!"
Joe descends eternally into insanity.
Angelique's sob story to Edward.
Angelique vs. Petofi. He's just jealous of all her ringlets.
"Laura" in the fire, the second time they attempted the old "skull in a wig in the fire" trick. Ah, those
DS prop masters; they did love to slap a wig on a skull.
Julia and Angelique's budding friendship, prickly as it may be.
Any scene with Magda.
Barnabas' re-return to 1795/6/7.
Angelique revisits the classics, at least as far as love spells are concerned.
The moon poppy!
Barnabas eats Audrey, the Leviathan Vampire Girl. One of the more memorable of the so-called "doxies."
Angelique vs. Nicholas again! "Aren't you about to be recommitted to the Underworld until you can think up some new, monstrous scheme to amuse your master?"
Julia vs. the zombies. Because why not? The Leviathan story is full of surprises!
Barnabas faces off against the Parallel Time version of Angelique.
Quentin and Alexis catch Bruno up to no good.
Hoffman tortures Maggie.
Angelique returns from the dead. Tah-DAH!
Angelique and Barnabas square off for the umpteenth time ... and it never, EVER gets tired.
Angelique's last spell.
The lottery, only because I'm a huge Shirley Jackson fan.
