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(More customer reviews)This latest Collection 11 of the daytime gothic supernatural TV masterpiece, Dark Shadows, brings a very welcome turning point in the plot of the series, along with some unwelcome cast changes.
The truly dreadful storyline involving Adam (similar to Frankenstein's creature) who was played by Robert Rodan is thankfully almost over. This story almost sank Dark Shadows when it first aired about 40 years ago, causing viewers to tune out in droves, and I fear that it may have done the same to many of those viewing the series for the first time via DVD. But please rest assured, we HAVE hit rock bottom. The plot only gets better and better as Dark Shadows embarks on some of its best storytelling and acting of the entire series.
The 40 episodes collected here not only pretty much close the aforementioned awful story arc, but also restores everyone's favorite reluctant 175-year-old vampire, Barnabas Collins (played to perfection by Jonathan Frid), to his former glory. It also introduces the mysterious Quentin Collins (portrayed by David Selby) in a Turn-of-the-Screw type plot that is facinating as well as frightening. Child actors David Henesy, who played David Collins, and Denise Nickerson, who played Amy Jennings, are terrific and spooky as the children controlled by Quentin's malevolent spirit.
Sadly, this set also marks the departure of Alexandra Moltke who portrayed Collinwood governess Victoria Winters and whose character had been the lynchpin of the series. Moltke's departure left a permanent void in the show. It was her voice viewers first heard when the show debuted in 1966. In the first episode, Moltke, as the innocent but compelling governess, was traveling by train to Collinsport, Maine. The scene opens with a now historic audio prelude that began,"My name is Victoria Winters." The use of an audio prelude performed by a cast member continued throughout the entire series. Kathryn Leigh Scott, who played Maggie Evans, eventually became the Collins' family governess.
Other cast members including Joe Haskel and Jeff Clark/Peter Bradford (portrayed by Joel Crothers and Roger Davis respectively)also leave the series. (Davis would return for a short stint later playing a different character.)
This collection of episodes also interjects a werewolf for the first time to the deadly perils of life in Collinsport, a creature that would remain a staple with the series almost as long as vampires and evil curses.
If you've stuck with this terrific show through the forgettable Adam story line, you owe it to yourself to view these episodes before judging this remarkable series too harshly. It remains one of the truly great, groundbreaking TV shows of all time.
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Julia Hoffman discovers wound marks on Barnabas' neck and realizes he is under the control of a vampire. Roger Collins attempts to prevent Victoria Winters from marrying Jeff Clark after he dreams the wedding will bring doom to her. After Chris Jennings arrives in Collinsport to investigate the death of his brother, a werewolf attacks a barmaid at the Blue Whale tavern. Victoria warns Nicholas Blair to keep away from Maggie after learning he has proposed marriage. David Collins and Amy Jennings explore the closed-off section of Collinwood, where they discover a disconnected old telephone and the mysterious spirit of Quentin Collins. Convinced that the mansion is being possessed by evil forces, Professor Stokes calls in a medium to investigate.Bonuses: Includes exclusive interviews with creator/executive producer Dan Curtis and actors Marie Wallace, Nancy Barrett and Alexandra Moltke.Starring: Jonathan Frid, Joan Bennett, Louis Edmonds, Kathryn Leigh Scott, Nancy Barrett, Thayer David, Grayson Hall, Lara Parker, Roger Davis, Joel Crothers, David Henesy, Humbert Allen Astredo, Don Briscoe, Denise Nickerson, Marie Wallace, Robert Rodan, Clarice Blackburn, Betsy Durkin, Cavada Humphrey, Conrad Bain, David Selby, Terry Crawford and Alexandra Moltke
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