I actually am one of the original ardent fans of the TV series in the 1960s, from the first day in 1966 on. It was forbidden fruit for some of us, who had parents who disapproved and would not let us watch, so we wanted to watch it even more! The series was great, but this film was so utterly wretched looking, with such cheap, lousy film techniques; just the look alone was an insult. I was searching just now for some stupid review that would actually praise its look, comparing it to a foreign film. Yes, it would compare to a foreign film from a country that was so starved of entertainment and resources that this would pass for great art. (sarcastic). Germany, after WWI, had an excuse for having low budget, and actually still managed to have an interesting look to their films. House of DS does not. The film is absent the value of the TV series; yet there are actually fans of the TV series who LIKE this mess.
A film should have a decent cinematographer. How hard is that? But maybe there is no way this could have satisfied. A daytime TV series has time and space to fully engage and explore character motivations and plot. This one simply killed off almost all the characters and made Barnabus bloody and repulsive and disgusting. I do not know whom they were trying to target with this trash. The fans loved the romance of the show, and details. Who loved this? I did not love Barnabus --I never forgave him for how cruel he was too poor Maggie Evans, and didn't buy his "love" for Josette either. He was such a jerk control freak. I rooted for Angelique to get him in revenge. I have also gone to the Dark Shadows Festivals where fans praise this rotten film. I have sat next to fans who ask me if I like the film, and I can barely contain myself at how I despise it. Those of us who sit in on discussions of the film ask the makers/actors about it, and some of us ask about the storyline, which is more violent than the series, and nauseating and about the cheap production values. I cannot recall what the excuses are. I am not impressed. I didn't like Night of Dark Shadows, either, though its production values are better.
Then again, there have been bad transfers of the film. I recall when this film was broadcast on CBS late movies and the video was horribly scratchy; I guess the TV execs did not care. It was so bad, it looked like it been run through someone's anus. Muddy, scratchy. I have seen it look better than that.
But the script is still bad, and makes the characters look stupid. The soap opera itself rates an A, with a score of 10. This thing rates 10 below zero.
A film should have a decent cinematographer. How hard is that? But maybe there is no way this could have satisfied. A daytime TV series has time and space to fully engage and explore character motivations and plot. This one simply killed off almost all the characters and made Barnabus bloody and repulsive and disgusting. I do not know whom they were trying to target with this trash. The fans loved the romance of the show, and details. Who loved this? I did not love Barnabus --I never forgave him for how cruel he was too poor Maggie Evans, and didn't buy his "love" for Josette either. He was such a jerk control freak. I rooted for Angelique to get him in revenge. I have also gone to the Dark Shadows Festivals where fans praise this rotten film. I have sat next to fans who ask me if I like the film, and I can barely contain myself at how I despise it. Those of us who sit in on discussions of the film ask the makers/actors about it, and some of us ask about the storyline, which is more violent than the series, and nauseating and about the cheap production values. I cannot recall what the excuses are. I am not impressed. I didn't like Night of Dark Shadows, either, though its production values are better.
Then again, there have been bad transfers of the film. I recall when this film was broadcast on CBS late movies and the video was horribly scratchy; I guess the TV execs did not care. It was so bad, it looked like it been run through someone's anus. Muddy, scratchy. I have seen it look better than that.
But the script is still bad, and makes the characters look stupid. The soap opera itself rates an A, with a score of 10. This thing rates 10 below zero.