Showing posts with label Lara Parker. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lara Parker. Show all posts

Thursday, November 18, 2021

The Dark Shadows Daybook: November 16, 1967



Taped on this date in 1967: Episode 368/369 

By PATRICK McCRAY

When Barnabas is reintroduced to Angelique, can he resist her temptation to stray from Josette or will the charming chambermaid distract him with an unforgettably new direction? Angelique: Lara Parker. (Repeat; 30 min.)

Barnabas is elated to find that Josette has arrived, however, when the news comes from Angelique, his old flame, he is reminded that his fidelity is precarious. Angelique does what she can to persuade him to stray, and his refusal to do so is a clear invitation to the dance for the sorceress. 

One of my favorite clichés in the Daybook is about “this being the official first episode of the series.“ Another one is, “this is the perfect place to introduce someone to the series.“ Far be it for me to disappoint because this episode does both. 

In the previous few episodes, we are just dealing with temporal jetlag and the thrill and shock of seeing the show take on such the wild ambition of 1795. The installments are certainly necessary for flavor, but when it comes to advancing the plot, this episode is all meat. As always, to find the beginning of a story, study the ending and work backward. In fact, that is the core of David Ball’s Backwards and Forwards playreading technique. When you read a play backwards, the context of the entire script is brought into crystal clarity. You “begin“ by seeing the final, deciding choice made by the characters… the choice that sums up the entire story. By then, it's the only choice possible. The rest of the plot is about exploring how all other alternatives fell away until you reach the beginning of the play, when everything was and should be possible. 

Just as Dark Shadows has one or more beginnings, it has at least two endings. One at the end of 1840, and one at the end of 1841PT. And both of those endings have a single thing in common: Jonathan Frid and Lara Parker are in each other’s arms. Seen this way, this show is about getting them there.

After seven months of hearing about Angelique, today, she enters. So, no pressure Lara. You only have to live up to a half year of build-up. No portrait. No ghost. No voice at a séance to tease the audience with your laughter. Nothing but Jonathan Frid and language. 

Oh, and she is entering as the first new female character to greet the ensemble in a year or so since Diana Millay. (Yes, I realized that I left out Grayson Hall. Sorry…? I read that as a testament to the strange gender neutrality of the part.) That’s a good point of comparison. Millay entered into a tight ensemble of women, each of whom had a distinct identity and place in the storytelling. And I know, it’s just me, but she never really fit. I mean, she was fine as far flaming fire spirit women go. But Millay kind of feels like an intruder into the pre-established chemistry of the show, and it’s an alienness that benefits the storytelling. 

With that as the only basis of comparison, Lara Parker gets to work. Given the results, I imagine that the last words a stagehand heard from her before she made her first entrance were, “Think that’s a tall order? Hold my daiquiri,” as an invisible timpani began its roll. 

Is she nervous? Is she confident? It doesn’t matter. The moment the camera records her, she transforms the program with a beauty, sense of truth, intelligence, eroticism, and dark integrity that feel absolutely real and wholly unique in television. The casting of Lara Parker was the single most important decision Dan Curtis ever made. Not to slight Jonathan Frid, but his job was made easier than you might think by the costume and the lyrical writing and the props and the old house set and the fact that he is playing a vampire. But who made the badass a badass? This challenge is far more sophisticated. And Lara Parker had no fangs (at this point). Her costume had to represent 18th-century refinement with a dishwater lack of glamour. Did she get an Inverness cape? Did she get a cool ring and a nifty cane? No. She got a handkerchief and Jeffersonian G.I. Joe. All of the power that she mustered had to come from within. And although she manifests no such abilities in this episode, the potential energy is clearly there. I think that’s true for viewers even if they somehow missed the context laid out in conversation over 1967.

Now we know why Barnabas became what he… will be? And with that, we know that the story can be told. It’s clear why Barnabas fell in love with this woman and her unique mix of capable strength, diplomacy, and emotional honesty. With that established, there is it last a pilot at the stick of this plane. That build-up actually meant something. The program has an actor who can make us believe that we are witnessing history rather than a reenactment. 

The episode works in every regard, showing us a world of hypocrisy destined to fall. This is the “before“ prior to countless little afterimages of disaster and triumph. We see all of the assumptions that will create the controlled demolition of Collinwood before it even enjoys its grand opening raffle. This begins with Joshua‘s dismissal of love as fit only for women, not men. This should, according to him, be a world of sensible, arranged marriages designed only to enhance commerce. Take that conflicted thinking, wrap it in the alluring regality of Kathryn Leigh Scott, and it’s easy to see the rationalizations that led to Barnabas‘s downfall. His continued pursuit of Josette nearly two centuries later isn’t love; it is his desire to earn his father’s approval by projecting a very specific type of masculinity. He just happens to be a great romantic, anyway, so he will do his best to merge his natural inclinations with a strategy to keep Joshua off his back. Thanks to Jonathan Frid‘s natural disinclination toward the erotic, his immediate and conflicted attraction to Angelique reads as far more personal than simpleminded priapism. When Barnabas loves, it’s clear that he’s responding to a woman’s deepest essence. It’s no wonder that Angelique responds as she does. Rejecting her is an act of brave determination, one commensurate with the brave determination shown by her. The pursuit of Barnabas forces her to hide her powers even longer. Not easily done as she risks everything to return home vis a sea voyage in the most inclement weather of the year. What makes it worth it? Angelique could have anyone. But Barnabas is hardly just anyone. And she has the right number. So what you will, Angelique is not a stalker, deluded into thinking that Barnabas is something he is not. Angelique doesn't just get the memo, she binds them for the Library of Congress, forgetting nothing. If Victoria exists to find ever-new things to not understand, Angelique resides at the opposite end of that spectrum.

Her willingness to fight for that love is made all the more admirable when we contrast her with the shallow and arrogant Countess Natalie, easily pleased with her title and the cruel privileges that it makes possible. When we meet Naomi here, day-drinking to distract herself from Joshua‘s world, we glimpse an even darker surrender. It is a surrender of greatness that makes Angelique‘s determination even more astonishing. 

She understands exactly what she will be fighting for. Eventually, in 1840, she will take a bullet for that belief. And she will finally die. But it will be on her own terms, having proved Barnabas’ love and the worthiness of her own character. It begins now.

This episode was broadcast Nov. 22, 1967.

Wednesday, March 3, 2021

In Memoriam: Geoffrey Scott (1942-2021)





By PATRICK McCRAY

Stalwart.

Dark Shadows was known for actors with myriad positive qualities. When considering the male leads to appear after Mitch Ryan, ‘stalwart’ isn’t always the first word to shuffle up on the rolodex. Could David Selby, Roger Davis, and Joel Crothers project the quality if called upon? Of course. Blindfolded, in their sleep, on an iced tightrope, in a hurricane, backwards, with a drink in their hand… not spill a drop. They could be ‘stalwart’ with characteristic ease and truth, but Geoffrey Scott simply was. This was, literally, the Marlboro Man come to Collinsport. This was a man so tough that he went from having both legs crushed in a biking accident to resuming a career as a virile, athletic screen presence. He topped this by moving to the Rocky Mountain area because he enjoyed the skiing. If I discovered that he were powered by the rays of Earth’s yellow sun, far from his native Krypton, I wouldn’t be surprised. He held his own against the Hulk and Margaret Hamilton at various points in his career, and that cannot be said for many other actors.  

He came to us on Dark Shadows with an unenviable task. Thanks to the 1897 storyline, Angelique credibly transitioned from unforgivable villain to a clever, brilliantly strategic heroine with a wistfully sad Secret. It is probably the most overlooked gem in the crown of that storyline. Soon after, we reunite with her in late 1969 to find her married. Dark Shadows fans are protective of Angelique.  What kind of man could possibly satisfy this literal Force of Nature? Casting the part of her husband may have been one of the most difficult tasks for the producers in the course of the show. The answer? Again, the Marlboro Man… Hollywood-born stuntman, model, and actor, Geoffrey Scott. 

Not just the Marlboro Man, but also a Camel smoker who, we were told, walked more than a mile for one... he walked to the Taj Mahal! Only a guy like Geoffrey Scott could do that with an easy confidence that made him look right at home.  

As hunky, magnate publisher, Sky Rumson, Scott was as warmly likable as he was blindly ambitious when we discovered his true identity as a Leviathan cultist. After the headaches caused by the intense and introspective Collins men, it’s understandable why Angelique finds this rugged, all-American, hardworking businessman an uncomplicated relief. And It's just as easy to feel her betrayal when his occult affiliation surfaces. Lara Parker and Geoffrey Scott had an easy chemistry, and that’s understandable. Both appeared with Dan Hedaya in the off-Broadway musical, Lulu, and made a darn good looking couple. 

Scott went on to be in constant demand for commercials, television, and film. A frequent guest star on programs like Matt Houston, Harry-O, and Dynasty, he was no stranger to comedy, also appearing on Married… With Children. He was a lead as well, starring in the innovative NBC program, Cliffhangers, with Jerry Reed in Concrete Cowboys (taking over in a role originated by Tom Selleck), and in one of the first made-for-cable series, 1st & Ten. The latter was a role he won out from competing actor, Chris Pennock. No hard feelings. He was simply made for it.

Like John Beck, Geoffrey Scott was the kind of star who refused to be taken down by the bullet of fashionable irony that pursued the unique, American institution known as the square-jawed leading man. There was, and we hope, always will be a demand for actors of the honest and knowing strength epitomized by Mr. Scott. His career began on Dark Shadows, and as one of its alums, he made the show proud by continuing to evolve as a hardworking and welcomed presence across the spectrum of performance. His final film role was as the president in 2003’s Hulk. 

He had my vote. Thank you, sir.



Friday, February 22, 2019

Vandalizing the Famous Monsters "Dark Shadows" covers



If you follow the CHS on social media, you might have seen a "remix" yesterday I created of the cover for Famous Monsters of Filmland #82, which showcased House of Dark Shadows. I like the original cover just fine, but always wondered what we might have gotten had Forest J. Ackerman asked Basil Gogos to create the cover rather than the graphic design department. Basil is sadly no longer with us, so I knocked together a colorful homage to his Barnabas Collins cover from issue #59 on Famous Monsters. It wasn't intended as a criticism of the original cover ... it was just something fun to do. (I'm not fit to carry Basil's water, so the complete impossibilty that I might create something as good has his work was actually a liberating. It's OK to fail!)

Today I took a stab at the cover of Famous Monsters #88, and this felt a little more like a crusade. Nothing against James Storm (he's terrific on Dark Shadows) but the cover devoted to Night of Dark Shadows is among the worst in the magazine's proud run. It's just a weirdly tinted photo from a scene that's not even of real significance to the film ... WTF, guys? The Frid cover was an excuse to polish my vandalism skills, but the Night of Dark Shadows issue was an opportunity to right a wrong. I mean, Lara Parker should have been on that cover, right?

Below are my vandalized covers, as well as thumbnails as they were originally published.

Monday, October 1, 2018

Review: The Tony and Cassandra Mysteries, Series One



By JUSTIN PARTRIDGE

Dark Shadows gets its own Nick and Nora Charles in the debut series of The Tony and Cassandra Mysteries from Big Finish. Anchored by the dazzling rapport of ex-lawyer, turned supernatural P.I. Tony Peterson (Jerry Lacy) and Maine’s head witch in charge Cassandra Collins (Lara Parker), this first series really charms, creeps out, and delights in equal measure across four macabre whodunits. Better still, this series is a wonderful jumping on point for those interested in both Dark Shadows and the stellar audio dramas of Big Finish. Perfect for a breezy Halloween binge listen, the first series of The Tony and Cassandra Mysteries starts this new spin-off series off on a real high note.

Available from Big Finish.
Standing somewhat apart from main continuity, this first series really works hard to be both accessible and entertaining. Lucky for us, it succeeds at both. Though each mystery can be enjoyed on their own, this first series nails a sort of a loose serialization that rewards listeners taking in the whole box set. Battling fallen angels, cunning deal making daemons, time loops, and sometimes each other, Tony and Cassandra find themselves back in each other’s lives, forming a partnership that grows from tenuous allies to a supernatural investigation team to rival John Constantine and Zatanna. The scripts from Philip Meeks, Zara Symes, Alan Flanagan, and Aaron Lamont, stand as wonderfully spooky, gimmicky mysteries that hook listeners early, but the writing staff always makes sure to make good use of their best tools; Jerry Lacy and Lara Parker.

From the first entry, “The Mystery of Crucifix Heights”, the pair, supported by Julia Duffy’s plucky and long suffering Rita Channing, Tony’s secretary, really seem to relish the character’s new found status quo, under the direction of  David Darlington, Darren Gross, and Joseph Lidster, this series’ directorial staff. Fans of the estranged couple will delight to know that the actors haven’t lost one bit of their spunky, hilarious banter as they bicker and charm across the stories. Even better both actors really build on the established canon interactions of the characters and grow it into something new, but familiar. The Tony and Cassandra of this series are not the same people who met in Collinsport all those years ago and this debut series is all the better for it. One of the great joys of these new “extended universe” works is seeing how the characters have evolved beyond the show and The Tony and Cassandra Mysteries is a great example of how fun that evolution can be, both for the audience and the original cast members.

And the stories themselves are real belters! Like I said, they are loosely connected by the first series’ semi-serialized structure, but each one really nails a specific kind of dread and horrific fun. Philip Meeks’ opening entry is a classic “Party in a Posh Mansion” mystery in which Tony is enlisted to keep watch over an auction of occult items where the bidders suddenly start dropping like flies. The next, “The Mystery of La Danse Macabre” by Zara Symes, finds our gruesome twosome looking into a haunted playhouse, complete with a falling chandelier straight from Phantom. The series one finale, “The Mystery of Karmina Sonata” by Aaron Lamont, is a gory send up of the “Dame in Distress” type of noir these spinner rack whodunits birthed and tees up the show nicely for the incoming second and third series.


But it is the season’s third story, “The Mystery of Flight 493” by Alan Flanagan, that makes this debut series really special. Equal parts crucial point in Tony and Cassandra’s new working relationship and a wickedly clever horror take on the “time loop” story structure, this yarn really sells both the dynamic of its leads and the spooky, surprisingly psychological threats they will be facing. Hearing the show’s opening music bumper over and over across the tracks of this tale can get a bit grating, but for my money, this story is where this first series really finds its footing, sending it into a finale episode that really ties the room together, man.

If you were looking for a user friendly way into this franchise or even a playful side story starring one of the show’s great ships (don’t @ me), then look no further than The Tony and Cassandra Mysteries Series One. Anchored by the indomitable charm and skill of Lara Parker and Jerry Lacy, this twistedly fun side trip into the crossroads of crime and the supernatural is well worth taking. Just don’t make any deals. We all know how deals at the crossroads turn out and if you aren’t careful, you’ll find yourself as another case file in the “Unusual Investigations” of Tony Peterson and Cassandra Collins.

Justin Partridge has always loved monsters and he thinks that explains a lot about him. When he isn’t over analyzing comics at Newsarama or ranting about Tom Clancy over at Rogues Portal, he is building Call of Cthulhu games, spreading the good word of Anti-Life, or rewatching Garth Marenghi's Darkplace for the dozenth time. He can be reached at the gasping Lovecraftian void that is Twitter @j_partridgeIII or via e-mail at [email protected] Odds are he will want to talk about Hellblazer.  

Thursday, June 28, 2018

Lara Parker signed Dark Shadows hardcover announced



Hermes Press will have a limited edition variant of its upcoming book "Dark Shadows: The Complete Newspaper Strips" available for sale at this year's Comic-Con in San Diego, Calif.

The 224-page hardcvover is set for release on July 10 and gathers the entire Ken Bald-illustrated newspaper strip that ran from 1971-1972. I was lucky enough to get an advance look at this book and it's gorgeous, but the edition that will be available at Comic-Con has a few key differences. Not only does it have a modified cover design, but it comes with a special tipped-in plate signed by Lara Parker. This edition is available for pre-order through the Hermes Press website HERE but can only be picked up or purchased directly at their Comic-Con booth July 19-22.

You can pre-order "Dark Shadows: The Complete Newspaper Strips" from Amazon at https://amzn.to/2tNNjgN.

Monday, December 4, 2017

Spend the holidays (and then some) with Tony & Cassandra



Santa Claus tends to avoid Collinsport. It's his loss, really. The place is like Halloween Town, but with more booze, shallow graves, werewolves and polyester. Who needs Santa Claus when you've got denominationally vague witchcraft?

If you're looking to binge on DARK SHADOWS beyond the holidays, Big Finish has just the gift for you. Dating back to the earliest days of their Dark Shadows audio line, the company has been plotting the international misadventures of Collinsport attorney Tony Peterson and practicing witch Cassandra Blair, aka Angelique Bouchard, aka Miranda DuVal, aka ... well, we could go on all day with Angelique's many aliases. But here, she's still posing as the sister of warlock Nicholas Blair, travelling the world with Peterson in a series that pays homage to classic mysteries such as "The Thin Man." These stories have a cult following all their own. All together, the entire series spans about nine hours, which ought to keep you busy for a while.

Big Finish has two boxed collections available. The first includes the original adventures, as written by Mark Thomas Passmore and David Llewellyn. The second is an anthology released just a few months ago of all new material. Here's what you get ... as well as some links as to where you can get it:

The Tony & Cassandra Collection
"The Death Mask," by Mark Thomas Passmore

“One of you is a murderer! None of you are above suspicion. You all had something to lose.” 

Moments after welcoming his guests to a party, millionaire Harrison Pierce is murdered. But his death is only the first of many as, trapped on an isolated island, his guests start to die in increasingly bizarre ways.  Attorney Tony Peterson must join forces with a woman who destroyed his life years before, the beautiful but deadly Cassandra Collins. But can she be trusted? And what really is the secret of the mysterious Death Mask?


"The Voodoo Amulet," by Mark Thomas Passmore

"We're surrounded by the living dead and you're worried about breaking the law?"

Supernatural investigator Tony Peterson is summoned by the devious witch Cassandra Collins to the bustling city of New Orleans.  On the trail of the mysterious Voodoo Amulet, they're hunted through bars, hotels, train stations and graveyards by the police, criminals, black magicians and zombies.
 Can Tony and Cassandra escape with their lives... and their souls?


"The Last Stop," by David Llewellyn

"Every man's a gambling man, don't you think?”

Tony Peterson is a lucky man. He's just caught the last train back to Collinsport. It's been a good day - he's renewed an old friendship and been offered a job he cannot refuse. His life is about to change.
 But Tony Peterson's luck has just run out. The last train home will turn out to be a very long journey. Will Tony be able to trust the only other survivor? And what decision will Tony make when he's presented with another offer he cannot refuse?


"The Phantom Bride," by Mark Thomas Passmore

“I'm Tony Peterson and this is my wife, Cassandra.”

A liner sailing across the ocean to London. Happy couples enjoying a relaxing few days of fine food, fine wine and the fresh sea air.  Until they start dying. Because also on board is a ghost seeking vengeance. A ghost of a woman who died in 1929.  Private detective Tony Peterson and the witch Cassandra find themselves embroiled in yet another mystery. Can they solve the dead bride's murder before they, themselves, become her latest victims?


"The Devil Cat," by Mark Thomas Passmore

"Only we could get lost in the English countryside and find ourselves trapped in The Wicker Man!"

While on vacation in England, detective Tony Peterson and the witch Cassandra visit Tony's estranged cousin Lord Trent Malkin and his wife Ruby. The two couples team up to investigate the disappearance of a maid from the manor and a series of murders by an ancient cat cult. Complicating things are hostile villagers, an unfriendly vicar and amateur sleuth, Miss Emma Simon.
Who can be trusted in the village of Little Bascombe? And if the legend of a Devil Cat wandering the countryside in search of souls to devour is true, are Tony and Cassandra about to face the greatest threat of their lives?

Get "The Tony & Cassandra Collection" HERE.

The Tony & Cassandra Mysteries

"The Mystery at Crucifix Heights" by Philip Meeks

“We need someone who doesn’t, shall we say, 'scare' easily.

When private investigator Tony Peterson goes undercover to Chicago with his no-nonsense secretary Rita Channing, he has no idea the formidable witch Cassandra Collins is about to make a suitably dramatic entrance back into his life. At a rambling mansion called Crucifix Heights and cut off by a ferocious snowstorm Tony and Cassandra have been hired by separate clients to attend an auction of deadly arcane objects and artefacts.

The pair at first struggle to reconcile their differences but then people around them start dying horribly, one by one. They have to try to work together, because the killer at large is ingenious and seemingly unstoppable. Everyone stranded at Crucifix Heights is in peril. Including themselves.

"The Mystery of La Danse Macabre" by Zara Symes

“I don’t take kindly to almost being killed. One attempt, maybe two; well, fair’s fair. But I won’t stand for three.”

Tony and Cassandra knew when they took their first case together that there would be a few bumps in the road but when the supernatural detective duo arrive at Busby Hall in downtown Boston, a dilapidated music hall that's rumoured to be haunted, they'll find that there's more danger afoot than just things that go bump in the night. Battling against curses, bargains with the dark side, and more than one attempt on their lives, will Tony and Cassandra be able to overcome their differences and work as a team? Or will this be their last waltz?

"The Mystery of Flight 493" by Alan Flanagan

“Nobody move! There's a man standing in the doorway of the cockpit…"

When Tony and Cassandra board a flight bound for home they think that their latest case is behind them, until a terrifying creature begins to murder their fellow passengers. Something is hunting the people on Flight 493, and Tony and Cassandra must deduce what connects it with a story about a little boy who's terrified of what might be under his bed… before it's all far too late...

"The Mystery of Karmina Sonata" by Aaron Lamont

"So just for clarity’s sake. You think you’ve accidentally unleashed a demon from the Spirit World during a bogus seance which is... potentially... killing your wealthy clients. And you want us to stop it before it gets to you. Have I missed anything...?"

When Karmina Sonata arrives in their office, Tony and Cassandra think it’s just another case. A séance gone wrong, a few violent deaths... Par for the course, if you specialize in the unusual. But what if this is not just another case? What if something else is going on? And what if, just if, their sins are about to find them out? Because for Tony and Cassandra, things will never be the same again...

Get "The Tony & Cassandra Mysteries" HERE.

Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Lara Parker reviews Kathryn Leigh Scott's new book



Kathryn Leigh Scott has a new memoir available today. Word of the book has been circulating for a while now, but I think DARK SHADOWS fans have been avoiding the subject. It's a tough issue to grapple with, regardless of the grace and maturity with which Scott has managed her grief. "Now With You, Now Without: My Journey Through Life and Loss" is about the 2011 death her husband Geoff Miller and the changes in life and perspective that accompanied her loss. Those of us who spend our days mired in escapism prefer to look away from sadness, almost always to our own detriment. I've reached the age where these facts of life are more difficult to ignore, and hope to find a little guidance from Scott's experiences. I wouldn't say I'm "excited" to read it ... but I feel ready. I hope more fans can pull themselves away from Collinwood long enough to give it a chance.

Meanwhile, our own Lara Parker has a review of the book at Twitlonger. It's not a site that's easy to share on social media, so I'll plug it here, along with a sample.
"The surprise in Scott’s book is in the second half when she is left alone and the main source of her energies and efforts has been removed. After Geoff’s death, which she relates in sympathetic detail, and after a wrenching period of mourning, she finds the strength to become her own caregiver, employing all the skills she has mastered and showing the same compassion to herself she showed to Geoff. She discovers the resilience she never thought she would possess to go on with her own life."
You can read Parker's full review HERE.

"Now With You, Now Without: My Journey Through Life and Loss" is available in paperback and Kindle from Amazon.

Thursday, June 22, 2017

Stan Against Evil getting darker, more shadowy in season 2



There is an interesting detail buried in a recent IFC announcement about the second season of STAN AGAINST EVIL, which is now filming in Georgia. The press release rightfully focused on upcoming guest appearances by such folks as Jeffrey CombsDavid Koechner and Patty McCormack, but it was the name of a character played by Denise Boutte that caught my eye: "Lara Bouchard."

Yes, it's quite possible to get so wrapped up in something you love that you'll see patterns where there aren't any. It's probably just a coincidence that actress Lara Parker played a character named "Angelique Bouchard" on DARK SHADOWS. Not everything is a conspiracy. Sure, series creator/writer Dana Gould frequently describes STAN AGAINST EVIL as the "funny cousin" of our favorite gothic soap. He's even been seen wearing a "Blue Whale" t-shirt. And then there's that Barnabas Collins throw pillow.

But yeah. Probably a coincidence.

It's Dark Shadows Day on Stan Against Evil! Patty "The Bad Seed" McCormack guest stars as a gal with issues. #stanagainstevil #season2 #sensualhobo #pattymccormack #danagould #darkshadows
A post shared by Dana Gould (@danagould) on

Tuesday, May 30, 2017

DARK SHADOWS meets The Damned


Back in 2001, THE DAMNED released the album "Grave Disorder." From the very beginning the British band had been pulling in a lot of different directions, merging politics, horror, humor, social commentary and romanticism into a bizarre stew that still has people arguing about whether or not they're really "punk." (Judge's ruling: Yes, they are.)

"Grave Disorder" did nothing to mend that image and featured songs about horror movies, absinthe, John Lennon's dubious place in rock history, and the surreal bullshit surrounding Michael Jackson in his later years.

The album also features the gothic ballad "'Til the End of Time," a song that may or may not be about Barnabas Collins. Here's a sample:

I've woken from darkness with passion
You're surely to blame for it
This torture so wicked
You hurt me just for the hell of it

The lyrics certainly suggest the song is about a vampire, but there are two things that makes me think it might have been directly inspired by DARK SHADOWS. First, the TV series had been airing on The Sci-Fi Channel in the U.K. for several years when the album was released. (It would be a stretch to even call that evidence "circumstantial," though.) But, leading into the song is a proverbial smoking gun: "'Til the End of Time,"  kicks off with a sample of Lara Parker's dialogue from the original series.

Making that connection is a trifle difficult, though, thanks to how the album was edited. The tracks were chopped to allow the songs to begin at the start of each track listing, shuffling the seques (such as Parker's monologue from episode 561) to the end of the previous songs. So, if you want to hear the DARK SHADOWS sample, you actually have to listen to the the song "Neverland." Life can be complicated like that.

If you want to hear the sample for yourself, follow this link and skip to the 3:20 mark.

(Note: Yes, I know that magazine clipping below gets Dave Vanian's name wrong.)


Friday, March 31, 2017

Ain't no party like a Collinwood party (UPDATE)


There were two kinds of parties in the 1960s. The first tended to involve a lot of herbal essence and the opportunity for surprise nudity. The other: nicotine, scotch and a lot of Half Windsor knots. You can probably guess which kind took place at ABC studios at Halloween in 1968, but leave it to the cast of DARK SHADOWS to still make things a little weird.

On Oct. 31, 1968, ABC executives gathered with cast members from some of its daytime programming at Manhattan's West 53rd Street, where its hit daytime serial DARK SHADOWS was taped. While episode 614 had been broadcast that day (in which Joel Haskell famously tried to strangle Barnabas Collins), the crew had just finished taping 619, an otherwise unremarkable episode. Standing that day were the sets for Nicholas Blair's "house by the sea," the woods around Collinwood, and a hospital bed for poor, doomed Joe.

Some of the actors apparently weren't left with enough time to shed their costumes. Robert Rodan can be seen in photos from the party in full Adam-drag, scars and all. Jonathan Frid is, as usual, in costume as Barnabas Collins, perhaps because of time constraints, or maybe studio pressure to always be "in character" for these kinds of events.


Also attending the party were Peter De Anda of ONE LIFE TO LIVE, Mike Darrow of DREAM HOUSE, Robert Morse of THAT'S LIFE. (Morse would later appear on MAD MEN.) If those were the only guests for the event, though, the party was headed straight for Dullsville. Not even Don Briscoe and his penchant for marijuana-infused werewolf transformations could liven up this joint.

Fortunately, someone had the idea of inviting in some of the fans waiting outside the set. In those days, vigilant groups of teens could be found hanging around outside the Hell's Kitchen studio in hopes of meeting one of the cast members of DARK SHADOWS. These kids generally behaved themselves, and were rewarded on Halloween that year by being invited to the party.

Despite having worked that day, cast members Alexandra Moltke, Grayson Hall and Humbert Allen Astredo are conspicuously absent from the photos. It doesn't necessarily mean that they weren't there ... it's possible they had other obligations that evening. But it might also mean that the photos, for whatever reason, weren't deemed suitable. Moltke, for example, was winding down her tenure on DARK SHADOWS and would take just five more episodes before departing. She was almost certainly gone by the time these photos were published. Heck, even the director of the day's episode, the mysterious Sean Dhu Sullivan, was on the way out and would helm only four more installments of the series.

Briscoe's presence here is a real head-scratcher, though. I'm guessing he'd already ironed out the details about his return to DARK SHADOWS, because he was essentially "between roles" at the time of the party. His first character, Tom Jennings, had been killed off in an episode taped the previous August, and he would not return to the set again until Nov. 12. when Chris Jennings in introduced.

Joel Crothers and Lara Parker.

Robert Rodan, Robert Morse, Lara Parker and Donald Briscoe.

Peter De Anda, Mike Darrow, Lara Parker and Jonathan Frid. 
Jonathan Frid prepares to pounce on an unidentified young fan.
UPDATE!
In the comments section below, reader Alan Gallant provided a few more photos from the Halloween party. I've seen many of these before, but it's nice to finally have some context for them. You'll see Lara Parker, Grayson Hall, her son Matthew Hall, and Humbert Allen Astredo in the new images.

Grayson and Matthew Hall. 
Grayson Hall and Jonathan Frid. 

Lara Parker signs a few autographs.

Humbert Allen Astredo meets his fans.

Thursday, February 23, 2017

The "Heiress of Collinwood" arrives


So, you've already had three months to pick up a copy of Lara Parker's latest DARK SHADOWS novel, "Heiress of Collinwood." Maybe you're the cautious sort, the kind of person who waits for everyone else to get into the water to make sure there aren't sharks lurking around. Or maybe you just forgot! It happens to the best of us. It even happened to Quentin Collins that one time, where he spent several months thinking he was some jerk named Grant Douglas. Regardless of your particular situation/phobia/neurological disorder, Parker announced on Facebook this week that her copies of the new book have arrived ... those of you wanting to get a signed edition from the author, head on over to her website and place your order! Here's a LINK to help you on your quest.


Thursday, January 26, 2017

What's happening with Dark Shadows at Decades?


Since launching back in 2015, the Decades network has had a pretty warm relationship with DARK SHADOWS. The show has been featured occasionally as part of its "binge" programming, and was even one of the first series to be showcased during the lead-up to the network's official launch. It also received a special episode last fall of it's docu-series "Through the Decades"  in celebration of the show's 50th anniversary.

Lots of fans have been asking for DARK SHADOWS to join the network's regular rotation, but that's yet to happen. But, if actress Kathryn Leigh Scott's Facebook page is any indication, something is in the works over at Decades:
Thank you for all the lovely birthday wishes! I'll be celebrating tomorrow with David Selby and Lara Parker . . . we're doing an interview for Decades! Honestly, what could be better than spending the day with dear good friends . . . decades indeed!
Feel free to speculate in the comments section below. Is there another binge in the works ... or something more?

UPDATE: Kathryn has shared a bit more information on Facebook. The trio were taping an interview with Herbie J. Pilato for the series "Then and Now." Any day is a good day to talk about DARK SHADOWS, but I'm still holding out hope that there's some mitigating factor for the interview ...


Tuesday, December 13, 2016

The 2016 Dark Shadows Holiday Gift Guide


DARK SHADOWS has been off the air (more or less) since 1971, but that hasn't stopped its merchandise from periodically flooding the shelves. This year is no different: 2016 marked the 50th anniversary of the show's debut on ABC, and folks have stepped up to mark the occasion in wasy both big and small. Big Finish continued to expand the Collinsport Universe with such landmark tales as "Blood & Fire" while also tinkering with the audio drama format, delivering an epic number of new spoken-word novellas this year. Original cast member Lara Parker has also published her fourth DARK SHADOWS novel, "Heiress of Collinwood," which ties together loose plot threads from the original series. It's been a pretty good year.

Below you'll find a collection of nifty DARK SHADOWS items available online. These range from the traditional (such as the "coffin-box" DVD collection) to some original art created by fans. Enjoy@


Dark Shadows: Heiress of Collinwood
By Lara Parker

Production description:
"An orphan with no knowledge of her origins, Victoria Winters first came to the great house of Collinwood as a Governess. It didn’t take long for the Collins family’s many buried secrets, haunted history, and rivalries with evil forces to catch up to Victoria and cast the newcomer adrift in time, trapped between life and death. At last returned to the present, Victoria is called back to Collinwood by a mysterious letter. Hoping to fill in the gaps of her memories by meeting with the people who knew her best, Victoria returns to the aging mansion. However, she soon discovers that the entire Collins family is missing―except for Barnabas Collins, a vampire whose own dark curse is well known. Victoria discovers that she has been named sole heir to the estate, if only she can prove her own identity. Beset by danger and dire warnings, Victoria must discover what dread fate has befallen Collinwood, even as she finally uncovers a shocking truth long hidden in the shadows ..."
LINK: http://amzn.to/2goQWnU


Dark Shadows: Haunting Memories
From Big Finish

Product description:
"Four new tales of horror, romance and intrigue read by cast members from the original television series. Hell Wind by Marcy Robin: A young Josette Du Pres is terrified for her life as a deadly hurricane smashes into the island of Martinique. She rushes for shelter but she's not the only one fighting to survive. Communion by Adam Usden: 1861 and War rages across America. The preacher Elias Trask and his young son Gregory, are hiding from men who wish to kill them. But something else is already in their hiding place. The Ghost Ship by Lara Parker:The warlock Nicholas Blair has transformed the witch Angelique into a vampire to serve him. Her love for Barnabas Collins, though, will never die. A Face From The Past by Kay Stonham: Elizabeth Collins Stoddard is returning to her home town of Collinsport. But on the train, she is stunned to see the young man who was once the love of her life. Could he also have returned to the town that once tore them apart? The Dark Shadows story continues in these four original stories, based on the classic ABC-TV series with specially composed music and cinematic sound design. Actors from the series narrate four original stories. With Kathryn Leigh Scott, Jerry Lacy, Lara Parker & Marie Wallace."
Link: https://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/haunting-memories-1518



Dark Shadows Collinwood Mansion Vintage style Keychain
From: Rosendale Retro

Product description:
"Barnabas has given you keys to the mansion. This is a high quality limited edition Dark Shadows Collingwood Mansion keychain. It measures 2" wide by 3.5" tall made of durable plastic just like the process in the 50's. Email me with any questions. Discount shipping on multiple items."
LINK: Etsy




Dark Shadows: 50th Anniversary Compilation
From MPI Home Video

Product description:
"This special 50th anniversary collection offers 38 complete TV episodes that are among the most popular in the history of DARK SHADOWS, serving as an ideal introduction to new fans as well as an enticing overview for longtime devotees.  Additionally, movie-length presentations of two of DARK SHADOWS' most popular stories are included. The Vampire Curse details how Angelique the witch caused Barnabas to become a creature of the night. The Haunting of Collinwood reveals how the children of Collinwood become possessed by the ghost of Quentin Collins.  Special Features include new episode introductions by David Selby (Quentin), Lara Parker (Angelique) and Kathryn Leigh Scott (Maggie), exclusive video interviews with Jonathan Frid & David Selby, and Dark Shadows promos."
LINK: http://amzn.to/2hksyp8


Dark Shadows: Blood & Fire
From: Big Finish

Product description:
"A two-hour adventure celebrating 50 years of Dark Shadows! Some are born with magic, some acquire magic, and others have magic thrust upon them. The year is 1767 and young widow Laura Murdoch Stockbridge is to marry Joshua Collins, heir to the Collins fortune. Meanwhile, Joshua's sister Abigail is in love with disreputable sailor Abraham Harkaway. But the course of true love never did run smooth, especially when the witch Angelique Bouchard is around. For Angelique has been sent back in time and she has one mission - to destroy the Collins family forever. Featuring cast from the original television series, Blood and Fire is a special audio drama to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Dark Shadows with specially composed music and cinematic sound design. Dark Shadows at Big Finish covers a popular range of 50 individual stories, two special four-story seasons, and the acclaimed Dark Shadows - Bloodlust serial series, released twice-weekly over seven weeks in 2015. The original American TV series has been a cult hit for decades, and consists of over 1200 episodes, and a Tim Burton film in 2012 with Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter.Recorded in the US and UK, the Big Finish Dark Shadows range use significant casts to tell a wide range of stories. CAST: Lara Parker (Angelique Bouchard), Kathryn Leigh Scott (Patience Collins), Mitchell Ryan (Caleb Collins), Andrew Collins (Joshua Collins), Daisy Torme (Abigail Collins), James Storm (Abraham Harkaway) and Jerry Lacy (Malachi Sands) with John Karlen (Alfred Loomis), Lisa Richards (Euphemia Spencer Stockbridge) & Christopher Pennock (Uriah Spencer Stockbridge)."
LINK: http://amzn.to/2goRSsq


Dark Shadows - Echoes of the Past
From: Big Finish

Product description:
"The Reverend Trask performs his first exorcism...Maggie Evans encounters a ghost...Quentin Collins battles a force in 1958 Los Angeles, and Angelique Bouchard is forced to write a confession for the rest of time...Four new stories read by cast members from the original television series. The Dark Shadows story continues in these four original stories, based on the classic ABC-TV series in an all new story with specially composed music and cinematic sound design. Actors from the series narrate four original stories. Read by Jerry Lacy, Kathryn Leigh Scott, Lara Parker & David Selby."
LINK: http://amzn.to/2goWVcf




Dark Shadows: The Complete Original Series
Product description:
"This deluxe edition boxed set contains every eerie episode of the original Gothic suspense series DARK SHADOWS (1966-1971) plus a wealth of bonus interviews with the stars and creative members that made the supernatural thriller a cult favorite and an enduring television classic."

  • 131 DVDs with all 1,225 Complete Episodes
  • Commemorative large Coffin package (housing 22 amarays)
  • Deluxe booklet with episode summaries & photographs
  • Special Bloopers, Treasures & Behind The Scenes DVD s
  • Over 120 Bonus Cast & Crew Video Interviews 

LINK: http://amzn.to/2h7OdNL


Barnabas Collins Articulated Paper Doll
From: ArdentlyCrafted
Product description:
"Dark Shadows Barnabas Collins paper doll! Steal the show with this gothic soap opera bloodsucker. He comes with a removable paper cane that he can hold in his hand. A movable piece of art that makes a great gift for yourself or a loved one who love the TV show Dark Shadows. The original design is scanned and then laser printed on heavy 140# index paper (cardstock). He is cut and assembled by me with tiny brads to make him posable. He is about 13 inches tall and about 4 inches wide. He has 8 articulating joints and a removable cane he can hold in his hand."
LINK: Etsy


Painting of Josette DuPres from Dark Shadows
From: WoodhouseArts

Product description:
"This is a painting on a canvas board I did of Josette DuPres from Dark Shadows. She is in her bedroom looking at the black onyx ring given to her by her lover the vampire Barnabas Collins.
I've painted Josette mostly in artists quality water colours, which are very vibrant. I have used some acrylic paint pens and gel pens on her face and night dress.To add to the romance and beauty of Josette I've glued on a pretty crochet lace border and 4 metal embellishments ( the centre of which match the blue in the background). The lace suggests the lace on Josette's bed.The back of the board has been covered with pretty scrapbooking paper and signed. It measures approx 31 by 25 cms."
LINK: Etsy



8-Bit Wonder - Dark Shadows PDF Cross-Stitch Pattern

From: CatLadyCrossStitch

Product description:
"This cross-stitch pattern comes with a full colour chart with floss legends in DMC. The digital file will be delivered INSTANTLY via download link once payment is processed. The pattern can also be accessed at any time through your "Purchases" folder. Due to the nature of digital files, no refunds can be given - thanks for understanding. You are responsible for downloading and printing the pattern - this is ONLY A DIGITAL FILE. This listing is for a PDF file of the pattern, not the finished product. You will need Adobe reader to open the files, which you can get free from get.adobe.com/reader."
LINK: Etsy

Dark Shadows Retro Style Metal Lunchbox
From MPI Home Video

Product description:
"Full Color artwork with Barnabas, Angelique, Quentin and Collinwood. Dimensions: 10L x 5W x 6H."
Link: MPI Home Video


Friday, December 2, 2016

Lara Parker Vs Lulu, 1971


Lou Reed released his last album on original music in 2011. LULU, an unlikely collaboration with Metallica, was called "one of the worst reviewed albums ever" by NME, which was one of the more diplomatic assessments of the sprawling 87-minute opus. The concept album was inspired by German playwrite Frank Wedekind's two "Lulu plays," which follow the misadventures of dancer-turned-prostitute who eventually runs afoul of Jack the Ripper. It was called "exhaustingly tedious" by Pitchfork, "an utter wreck" by The AV Club, and "one of the worst albums ever made" by The Quietus.

TL/DR: It was not well received.

By comparison, the 1971 stage adaption of the first of the Lulu plays, "Earth Spirit," got off light. It was savaged by New York Times critic Clive Barnes in a review that you can read in its entirety below. Lara Parker had the title role, leading an impressive cast that also included Dan HedayaDuane Jones of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD and DARK SHADOWS alumnus Geoffrey Scott.

As with the "Loutallica" album, it was not well received.

The Lortel archives claims LULU ran for just a single performance, which seems unlikely but not impossible. The only performance date listed is March 27, 1971, which was just three days after Parker taped her final episode of DARK SHADOWS.


"We worked four of five months on that play, and it went through many changes," Parker told me in 2013. "That play could have been wonderful. It suffered from too many ideas. When you’re acting, you’re trying to fulfill the needs of the director. ‘Say this line this way. You have to move quicker through this scene. Play her like a kitten. Play her like a prostitute. Play her like a trollop.’ You’re constantly getting badgered by all these ways to do things, but the person who’s doing the creating is sitting out in the audience."

She also blamed the play's failure on her own performance.

"It should have been played completely different than the way I played it," she said, "I played it like a kittenish little sexpot and the critics didn’t like it, as well they should not have. But, when you’re young you don’t care about bad reviews. You still have your whole life ahead of you."


Theater: Lulu Returns
First drama of trilogy by Wedekind revived

March 28, 1971

By CLIVE BARNES

Lulu is not as bad as she was painted at the Sheridan Square Playhouse last night by a company called the Metropolitan Repertory Theater. Lulu is the eternal-feminine heroine of a classic trilogy by Frank Wedekind called "The Lulu Plays." The first of these, "Earth Spirit" is what is being given here under the more appealing title of  "Lulu."

The two plays of the trilogy, "Earth Spirit" and "Pandora's Box," form the basis for Alben Berg's great, uncompleted opera, "Lulu," and perhaps nowadays the opera is so well-known and so highly regarded that to perform merely the play is tantamount ti producing Victor Hugo's "Le Roi S'Amuse" rather than Verdi's "Rigolette." Yet, the Wedekind is a classic European play, and the prospect of seeing it was most exciting. Unfortunately, the anticipation was almost all of the pleasure. The evening proved most tedious, but I cannot be persuaded that Wedekind was much to blame. The staging was deplorable and the acting varied uneasily between the competent and the atrocious.

Wedekind saw his Lulu as part earth mother and part immortal whore. She is all things to all men -- temptress, solace and eventually destruction. (In the sequel to this present play she ends up in London to be ripped by Jack the Ripper.) Writing at the end of the last century, Wedekind places his Lulu, a depraved yet gorgeous voluptuary, against a background of the shallow, pallid men who love her. The one man of substance who is tragically caught in her spell -- and the one man she loves -- she has to murder.

It is a strange play, full of a tortured Puritanism and that ambivalent just for sin that needs to extinguish the very thing it most hotly embraces. It is also a play that must surely be done expertly if at all. It is, after all, melodrama at a very high level, and without actors capable of walking its stylistic tightrope it crashdives to the ludicrous level of this present tatterdemalion travesty.

The director, Morton Siegel, has envisaged the play as a kind of commedia dell-arte harlequinade, which is kind of irrelevant mistake. Of course Wedekind demands a great deal of stylization -- as does his early idol Georg Büchner -- and there is nothing here that is intended realistically. But the stylization must carry a great deal more conviction that you will find here.

Lara Parker who plays Lulu is undoubtedly an attractive girl, yet Lulu needs perhaps less superficial prettiness and much more sensuality. Lulu is an animal -- Miss Parker is the kind of girl any boy would be proud to introduce to his mother, without any fear of Lulu seducing her.

The rest of the cast was far less attractive than Miss Parker. The whole production seemed rather a pity -- a chance bungled. But perhaps "Earth Spirit" is not the most viable of Wedekind. It might be interesting to see someone try his "Spring Awakening." But please, someone other than the Metropolitan Repertory Theater. 
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