"House of Dark Shadows", the first feature based on the fondly remembered Gothic soap opera is both exciting and schlocky - sometimes concurrently. Director Dan Curtis (on a very low budget) took what on television was an extremely lengthy introduction and history of the Barnabas Collins character and crammed all he could of it into a 96 minute film. Most of the television cast are here to recreate their parts, chief among them Jonathan Frid as everyone's favorite Vampire. When surly caretaker Willie Loomis (John Karlen) foolishly frees him from his coffin where he has been sleeping for almost 200 years, Barnabas heads for the Collins family mansion and introduces himself as a cousin from England. Both the matriarch of the family, Elizabeth Stoddard (Joan Bennett) and her brother Roger Collins (Louis Edmonds) welcome him and immediately install him in the "old house" which, in fact, is Barnabas' original home. Though the plot has a few twists not seen in the series, the story is still pretty familiar.Sure enough, Barnabas soon has his way with Elizabeth's daughter Carolyn (Nancy Barrett)and she becomes one of his first victims. Although such familiar characters as Professor Stokes (Thayer David) Jeff Clark (Roger Davis) young David Collins (David Henesy) and Todd Jennings (Donald Briscoe) appear, their functions are relatively brief. The two chief supporting females upon whom the plot really turns are Maggie Evans (Kathryn Leigh Scott) the beautiful governess who bears a striking resemblance to Josette Du Pres, Barnabas' first love, and Dr. Julia Hoffman (Grayson Hall) an old family friend writing a history of the Collins family. For seemingly different reasons, both are attracted to Barnabas, and both get more than they bargained for when they become involved with him. The film is fast-paced, predictably gory, and occasionally unintentionally humorous, with loopholes big enough to drive a hearse through. Fans of the show will have a definite edge over new viewers because little is done to introduce the uninitiated to the characters (most of whom quickly go under the tooth anyway) and background of the story.It's also a shame that the still-beautiful Bennett has little to do. Still, it's sincerely acted by all, boasts a superior score by Robert Cobert (much of it recycled from the series),and some beautiful photography. "House of Dark Shadows" is one place you'll want to explore.
74 Reviews
"I will come for you, Josette. I will come for you soon."
utgard144 November 2014
Movie version of the Gothic soap opera Dark Shadows with better production values. It's a great-looking movie that makes effective use of location shooting. Dan Curtis, creator of the series as well as many other horror-related films and shows for television in the '70s, directs his first theatrical release here. I've always been a big admirer of Curtis, who did more for horror (and television in general) than he seems to get credit for.
The plot for the film comes directly from the TV series. Essentially it retells the story of vampire Barnabas Collins (Jonathan Frid), the show's most popular character, and his quests for a cure and to be with his reincarnated love. I wouldn't call it a scary movie, though some of the outdoors scenes at night do carry a reasonable amount of spooky atmosphere and tension. Also, the old-age makeup used on a character at one point is well-done and creepy. Nice music, as well. Fans of the series will probably find more to like than most but I think there's a lot here to enjoy, even for those unfamiliar with Dark Shadows.
The plot for the film comes directly from the TV series. Essentially it retells the story of vampire Barnabas Collins (Jonathan Frid), the show's most popular character, and his quests for a cure and to be with his reincarnated love. I wouldn't call it a scary movie, though some of the outdoors scenes at night do carry a reasonable amount of spooky atmosphere and tension. Also, the old-age makeup used on a character at one point is well-done and creepy. Nice music, as well. Fans of the series will probably find more to like than most but I think there's a lot here to enjoy, even for those unfamiliar with Dark Shadows.
I'm dying to know
AAdaSC21 February 2017
Well, be careful of what you wish for Nancy Barrett (Carolyn). Jonathan Frid (Barnabas) is in town and he's got something on his mind. He's a lot older than you think and he wants to marry Kathryn Leigh Scott (Maggie) who reminds him of a former bride.
This vampire story is actually alright in terms of vampire films. It just doesn't make sense and that ruins it for me. Sometimes, people are bitten and nothing happens, other times they become vampires. It's totally inconsistent and therefore totally dumb. What is going on? It's also pretty confusing at the beginning – who's who?
It's not a bloodfest, which scores points for me, it does have its scary moments and it delivers an appropriate setting and atmosphere. I wanted to like it more, though.
This vampire story is actually alright in terms of vampire films. It just doesn't make sense and that ruins it for me. Sometimes, people are bitten and nothing happens, other times they become vampires. It's totally inconsistent and therefore totally dumb. What is going on? It's also pretty confusing at the beginning – who's who?
It's not a bloodfest, which scores points for me, it does have its scary moments and it delivers an appropriate setting and atmosphere. I wanted to like it more, though.
Big budget film based on hit TV show
nickandrew26 December 2002
Intelligently done, but bloody and violent story based on the hit TV show Dark Shadows from the late 60s. The plot revolves around vampire Barnabas Collins, who finds a cure to become human again so he can wed a beautiful girl. Genuinely creepy atmosphere, beautifully filmed and surprisingly first-rate acting by cast.
HOUSE OF DARK SHADOWS (Dan Curtis, 1970) ***
Bunuel197619 October 2008
To begin with, my expectations for this vintage vampire flick – one of two cinema spin-offs (but whose DVD release has been pending for several years now!) of the seemingly never-ending TV series (putting paid to the prospect of acquiring it on DVD and of which I knew next to nothing beforehand except for the name of the lead vampire!) – were considerable given the cult status of the franchise (not forgetting my own impression of the other Dan Curtis work I'd watched thus far); incidentally, I don't think the more recent "Dark Shadows" incarnations have had much of an impact. Even so, I couldn't help feeling let down to some extent by the result – since, while it's certainly well done in most respects and highly watchable (in spite of the over-familiar subject matter) – there's nothing really outstanding about it either!
Vampirism is clearly one of the horror themes which has, pardon the pun, been done to death most over the years; yet, when handled with reasonable flair (though negated somewhat here by the full-frame presentation of the Laserdisc-sourced edition I watched – amusingly reverting to a blue-screen for a split-second at one point, denoting the end of Side A!), it's able to retain all the fascination and chill-factor inherent within the subgenre. Incidentally, several vampire films made during this time utilized – not always successfully – a modern-day setting; this, however, was one of the more effective because the vast estate around which much of the events revolve – plus the old-style look of the vampire himself (Jonathan Frid bearing a striking resemblance to Boris Karloff, with a bit of Harry Dean Stanton thrown in for good measure!) – supplies the requisite Gothic touch in spades. As I said, it follows much the typical pattern of cinematic vampires: the undead Barnabas Collins obviously hides his true identity initially; he practically enslaves the man (John Karlen from DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS [1971]) who re-awakens him (incidentally, it appears that the vampire was left chained inside his coffin for 200 years i.e. he wasn't killed in the traditional way beforehand!) without being turned into a vampire himself – similarly, there's the usual illogicality in that some people become afflicted with just one bite while the heroine, conveniently, requires numerous 'sessions'!; Collins ensnares a couple of women throughout, one of whom is never seen again, but then incurs the jealousy of the other – who's strong-willed and, therefore, more compelling than the lovely but rather bland heroine – through his obsession with the latter, a girl who's ostensibly the reincarnation of the vampire's dead love (she's not actually a descendant of hers, but just happens to be working for the family!), etc.
A couple of novel (and interesting) ideas, then, involve the middle-aged female doctor played by Grayson Hall (she was excellent in the Tennessee Williams adaptation THE NIGHT OF THE IGUANA [1964]). Falling for Collins herself, she attempts to use her knowledge to cure his affliction – by which treatment he's able to withstand sunlight as well as diminish his blood craving; however, when he wants to speed up the process for the heroine's sake, the two fall out and he kills her, but turns soon after himself into a bald and wizened old man! Thayer David contributes another impressive turn as the family lawyer (like the rest of their various associates, he hardly ever seems to leave the premises!) who's actually the first to suspect of Frid's true nature. Unfortunately, while he had been played up as a formidable adversary for the vampire (despite his penchant for referring to him as the "living dead" and, having mentioned this, there's an inconsistency as well with the fact that vampires shouldn't but are often seen to cast reflections in a mirror!), David's then shown to have fallen victim to the curse himself off-screen – which doesn't quite convince. I guess, though, that the purpose for this was two-fold: to upset audience expectations, but also to leave the gate open for a showdown in which hero – who had barely featured in the plot until then! – and vampire contend over the former's girlfriend and the latter's intended bride with a little help from the vampire's own slave (who happens to be smitten with the girl himself)! By the way, while veteran Hollywood actress Joan Bennett's role of family matriarch is given a prominent credit in the cast list, her participation is very small and – even more disappointingly – negligible!
All in all, the film is stylish and enjoyable – with just the right balance of mood, thrills and even romance; while the sequel, which is to follow, NIGHT OF DARK SHADOWS (1971) is said to be much inferior (not surprising given its compromised current form), I'm still looking forward to an open-minded preliminary appraisal of it. Accompanying the feature is a frenziedly-edited trailer which, delightfully typical of its time, also contains such campy narration as "House Of Dark Shadows – where death is a way of life" and ending with "Come see how the vampires do it"!! For the record, after this Curtis mini-marathon, I'll be left with at least two more interesting made-for-TV horror efforts (both coincidentally broadcast in 1973) he was associated with – the nth adaptation of Mary Shelley's FRANKENSTEIN and Oscar Wilde's almost-as-popular THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY, both of which he only produced and are, happily, readily available on DVD...
Vampirism is clearly one of the horror themes which has, pardon the pun, been done to death most over the years; yet, when handled with reasonable flair (though negated somewhat here by the full-frame presentation of the Laserdisc-sourced edition I watched – amusingly reverting to a blue-screen for a split-second at one point, denoting the end of Side A!), it's able to retain all the fascination and chill-factor inherent within the subgenre. Incidentally, several vampire films made during this time utilized – not always successfully – a modern-day setting; this, however, was one of the more effective because the vast estate around which much of the events revolve – plus the old-style look of the vampire himself (Jonathan Frid bearing a striking resemblance to Boris Karloff, with a bit of Harry Dean Stanton thrown in for good measure!) – supplies the requisite Gothic touch in spades. As I said, it follows much the typical pattern of cinematic vampires: the undead Barnabas Collins obviously hides his true identity initially; he practically enslaves the man (John Karlen from DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS [1971]) who re-awakens him (incidentally, it appears that the vampire was left chained inside his coffin for 200 years i.e. he wasn't killed in the traditional way beforehand!) without being turned into a vampire himself – similarly, there's the usual illogicality in that some people become afflicted with just one bite while the heroine, conveniently, requires numerous 'sessions'!; Collins ensnares a couple of women throughout, one of whom is never seen again, but then incurs the jealousy of the other – who's strong-willed and, therefore, more compelling than the lovely but rather bland heroine – through his obsession with the latter, a girl who's ostensibly the reincarnation of the vampire's dead love (she's not actually a descendant of hers, but just happens to be working for the family!), etc.
A couple of novel (and interesting) ideas, then, involve the middle-aged female doctor played by Grayson Hall (she was excellent in the Tennessee Williams adaptation THE NIGHT OF THE IGUANA [1964]). Falling for Collins herself, she attempts to use her knowledge to cure his affliction – by which treatment he's able to withstand sunlight as well as diminish his blood craving; however, when he wants to speed up the process for the heroine's sake, the two fall out and he kills her, but turns soon after himself into a bald and wizened old man! Thayer David contributes another impressive turn as the family lawyer (like the rest of their various associates, he hardly ever seems to leave the premises!) who's actually the first to suspect of Frid's true nature. Unfortunately, while he had been played up as a formidable adversary for the vampire (despite his penchant for referring to him as the "living dead" and, having mentioned this, there's an inconsistency as well with the fact that vampires shouldn't but are often seen to cast reflections in a mirror!), David's then shown to have fallen victim to the curse himself off-screen – which doesn't quite convince. I guess, though, that the purpose for this was two-fold: to upset audience expectations, but also to leave the gate open for a showdown in which hero – who had barely featured in the plot until then! – and vampire contend over the former's girlfriend and the latter's intended bride with a little help from the vampire's own slave (who happens to be smitten with the girl himself)! By the way, while veteran Hollywood actress Joan Bennett's role of family matriarch is given a prominent credit in the cast list, her participation is very small and – even more disappointingly – negligible!
All in all, the film is stylish and enjoyable – with just the right balance of mood, thrills and even romance; while the sequel, which is to follow, NIGHT OF DARK SHADOWS (1971) is said to be much inferior (not surprising given its compromised current form), I'm still looking forward to an open-minded preliminary appraisal of it. Accompanying the feature is a frenziedly-edited trailer which, delightfully typical of its time, also contains such campy narration as "House Of Dark Shadows – where death is a way of life" and ending with "Come see how the vampires do it"!! For the record, after this Curtis mini-marathon, I'll be left with at least two more interesting made-for-TV horror efforts (both coincidentally broadcast in 1973) he was associated with – the nth adaptation of Mary Shelley's FRANKENSTEIN and Oscar Wilde's almost-as-popular THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY, both of which he only produced and are, happily, readily available on DVD...
A massive helping of Gothic horror.
BA_Harrison11 March 2017
Jonathan Frid stars as centuries old vampire Barnabas Collins, who, having been freed from his crypt, proceeds to work his way through his ancestors in order to get to Maggie Evans (Kathryn Leigh Scott), who he believes to be the reincarnation of his long dead love Josette. Barnabas is also offered a chance at being normal again when Dr. Julia Hoffman (Grayson Hall), who is in love with the vampire, creates a cure for his affliction; however, Barnabas is betrayed by the doctor when she learns of his plans to marry Maggie, and injects him with a serum that causes him to age instead.
As someone who has never seen the cult TV series on which this film is based, I found myself floundering at first, unsure as to who the characters were and what they were doing. Eventually, though, things clicked into place, and I found myself enjoying what is a massive helping of Gothic horror, with all the trappings that go with the genre: beautiful women, swirling mist, creepy old houses with cobweb strewn corridors, and bright red blood. Directed by Dan Curtis (Trilogy of Terror), the film has bags of atmosphere and style, and boasts great performances all round. Recommended to any connoisseur of Gothic vampire movies, especially Hammer fans, who will no doubt enjoy the movie's blend of horror, romance and excitement.
As someone who has never seen the cult TV series on which this film is based, I found myself floundering at first, unsure as to who the characters were and what they were doing. Eventually, though, things clicked into place, and I found myself enjoying what is a massive helping of Gothic horror, with all the trappings that go with the genre: beautiful women, swirling mist, creepy old houses with cobweb strewn corridors, and bright red blood. Directed by Dan Curtis (Trilogy of Terror), the film has bags of atmosphere and style, and boasts great performances all round. Recommended to any connoisseur of Gothic vampire movies, especially Hammer fans, who will no doubt enjoy the movie's blend of horror, romance and excitement.
Not the Milder ABC Soap Opera-Quite Bloody and Too Short
mike4812812 November 2012
David Collins (the young boy) and a lot of the original characters have almost nothing-to-do in the 1970 movie. Does David's tutor even have a role here? The story involves mainly two themes and is a clumsy reprise of the ABC series: Dr. Hoffman tries to "cure" Barnabas Collins, and the romance of Barnabas' reincarnated bride ("Angelique"). It moves way too fast, if you are not familiar with the original series. I read somewhere that the first part of the movie was (also) "chopped-off" as it seems to open in the middle, not the beginning. Maybe MGM made director Dan Curtis shorten it, as they did with his sequel "Night of Dark Shadows." Willie Loomis, the demented houseboy, is played "smarter" than in the other versions. It originally played as a double feature, mostly at drive-ins!
Everyone must be in a real fog not to see that Barnabas is the cause of the mysterious deaths. Plot twist: Silver bullets do not usually kill vampires, but they do in this re-telling. Barnabas was always a "reluctant" vampire, but not here. He is far meaner and he strangles as many people as he turns into vampires. This "change of personality" might have hastened the untimely demise of the afternoon series in 1971. Guest monsters like a werewolf or even Frankenstein (both were in the final season, weren't they?) would have helped. It is not "campy" enough. Far too serious in nature, and far more bloody than the series. At the finish, almost everyone is either dead or living-dead. (Did anyone see the fake-looking bat that flies away at the film's end?) Therefore, not everyone who loved the afternoon series will like this "recap". Die-hard fans will (probably) like it more than other viewers
However, it does have good production values: a real mansion and real woods instead of a cheap indoor set with outdoor filmed scenes. Look for Nancy Barrett, who becomes a gorgeous long-haired blond vampire. (She looks a lot like Majel Barrett from "Star Trek".) For die-hard fans only. Both House and Night of Dark Shadows are now on DVD. See my separate review of the 1991 revival series.
Everyone must be in a real fog not to see that Barnabas is the cause of the mysterious deaths. Plot twist: Silver bullets do not usually kill vampires, but they do in this re-telling. Barnabas was always a "reluctant" vampire, but not here. He is far meaner and he strangles as many people as he turns into vampires. This "change of personality" might have hastened the untimely demise of the afternoon series in 1971. Guest monsters like a werewolf or even Frankenstein (both were in the final season, weren't they?) would have helped. It is not "campy" enough. Far too serious in nature, and far more bloody than the series. At the finish, almost everyone is either dead or living-dead. (Did anyone see the fake-looking bat that flies away at the film's end?) Therefore, not everyone who loved the afternoon series will like this "recap". Die-hard fans will (probably) like it more than other viewers
However, it does have good production values: a real mansion and real woods instead of a cheap indoor set with outdoor filmed scenes. Look for Nancy Barrett, who becomes a gorgeous long-haired blond vampire. (She looks a lot like Majel Barrett from "Star Trek".) For die-hard fans only. Both House and Night of Dark Shadows are now on DVD. See my separate review of the 1991 revival series.
beautifully photographed nonsense
mukava9911 February 2012
"House of Dark Shadows" was made chiefly for fans of the popular daytime television series from which it was derived through the participation of the show's producer, composer, writers and several prominent cast members. For others this hodgepodge will seem choppy and even incoherent. The main difference between TV show and movie (besides the extreme compression of hundreds of hours of content into 100 minutes of action-packed but narratively absurd melodrama) is in the superior, atmospheric color photography and painstaking, often baroque, set design. In this movie an old stone crypt really looks and sounds like an old stone crypt, not plywood painted grey. Exteriors are really exteriors and not a few plastic trees sitting insecurely in piles of dirt on a soundstage. Freshly lit candles are not conveniently burning in sealed tombs. Bannisters do not wobble when touched by human hands; mike booms do not appear in shots; eyes do not dart toward teleprompters. And blood flows copiously from numerous neck bites and impalings, all to Robert Cobert's inspired musical underscoring.
As for the actors, Jonathan Frid as the vampire loses none of his small screen potency in this adaptation. Nancy Barrett as the daughter of the Collins house gets to play demonic for much of her screen time and makes the most of the opportunity. Grayson Hall, as Dr. Hoffman, who falls in love with Barnabas while trying to cure his vampirism also survives the transfer intact, as does the superior character actor Thayer David as Professor Stokes. John Karlen as lowlife Willie Loomis, household helper and slave to Barnabas, manages to restrain his tendency toward extreme (but sometimes delightful) overacting. Louis Edmonds as the male head of the Collins household delivers the few lines given him with his matchlessly resonant voice, but Joan Bennett as his sister is largely decorative. David Henesy as his son is given very little dialogue at all.
As for the actors, Jonathan Frid as the vampire loses none of his small screen potency in this adaptation. Nancy Barrett as the daughter of the Collins house gets to play demonic for much of her screen time and makes the most of the opportunity. Grayson Hall, as Dr. Hoffman, who falls in love with Barnabas while trying to cure his vampirism also survives the transfer intact, as does the superior character actor Thayer David as Professor Stokes. John Karlen as lowlife Willie Loomis, household helper and slave to Barnabas, manages to restrain his tendency toward extreme (but sometimes delightful) overacting. Louis Edmonds as the male head of the Collins household delivers the few lines given him with his matchlessly resonant voice, but Joan Bennett as his sister is largely decorative. David Henesy as his son is given very little dialogue at all.
By far the best of the Dark Shadows films
TheLittleSongbird5 June 2016
'Dark Shadows' is one of those shows that wholly deserves its popularity and its reputation as a classic. There are a few films based on it, and while they're all watchable in varying ways quality-wise they're mixed.
By far the best of them is this, 'House of Dark Shadows'. To me also, it's the only film to be as good as the show, not quite on the same level but almost as good. Its only real problems are some characters not given enough screen time or development, especially Elizabeth and Maggie, and Joan Bennett being very underused as Elizabeth that she doesn't shine anywhere near as much as in the show.
'House of Dark Shadows' however is visually an improvement over the show's production values, with the exception of a couple of goofs and bloopers which didn't hurt the film at all. The production and costume design are lavish and splendidly Gothic, and it's all photographed stunningly and boasts some surprisingly good special effects. The music is suitably moody, and evokes a real eeriness.
The script has a good balance of the funny and the tense, and the story is never dull, is always fun and has some real nerve-shredding tension and bone-chilling shock. The highlight was the somewhat poetic ending, which is also a masterclass in sheer galvanising horror and incredible Gothic imagery. There is a good deal of gore, but it's used chillingly and is never overused or gratuitous. Dan Curtis directs beautifully and intelligently, never once undermining the tension, suspense or horror and doesn't make the mistakes of not having enough of either or over-crowding the film with them.
Most of the characters are interesting, particularly Barnabas and Julia, and the wonderful chemistry between the actors in the show translates every bit as wonderfully here. The acting is uniformly good, with only Bennett not shining as much as she could have done due to being so underused. Jonathan Frid is terrifyingly magnetic, while Grayson Hall, Thayer David and Nancy Barrett are particularly strong in support.
All in all, by far the best of the 'Dark Shadows' films and the only one to be as good as the show. 8/10 Bethany Cox
By far the best of them is this, 'House of Dark Shadows'. To me also, it's the only film to be as good as the show, not quite on the same level but almost as good. Its only real problems are some characters not given enough screen time or development, especially Elizabeth and Maggie, and Joan Bennett being very underused as Elizabeth that she doesn't shine anywhere near as much as in the show.
'House of Dark Shadows' however is visually an improvement over the show's production values, with the exception of a couple of goofs and bloopers which didn't hurt the film at all. The production and costume design are lavish and splendidly Gothic, and it's all photographed stunningly and boasts some surprisingly good special effects. The music is suitably moody, and evokes a real eeriness.
The script has a good balance of the funny and the tense, and the story is never dull, is always fun and has some real nerve-shredding tension and bone-chilling shock. The highlight was the somewhat poetic ending, which is also a masterclass in sheer galvanising horror and incredible Gothic imagery. There is a good deal of gore, but it's used chillingly and is never overused or gratuitous. Dan Curtis directs beautifully and intelligently, never once undermining the tension, suspense or horror and doesn't make the mistakes of not having enough of either or over-crowding the film with them.
Most of the characters are interesting, particularly Barnabas and Julia, and the wonderful chemistry between the actors in the show translates every bit as wonderfully here. The acting is uniformly good, with only Bennett not shining as much as she could have done due to being so underused. Jonathan Frid is terrifyingly magnetic, while Grayson Hall, Thayer David and Nancy Barrett are particularly strong in support.
All in all, by far the best of the 'Dark Shadows' films and the only one to be as good as the show. 8/10 Bethany Cox
What evil stalks within the shadows of Collinwood?
marshrydrob30 October 2017
Warning: Spoilers
From the beginning, the story plays out like a classic horror film. The script, in many ways; is like Dracula.
When he is first introduced, the character Barnabus Collins; is looked upon, in a self- character, first person perspective. We see the other starting characters through his eyes. This is a nice touch.
The movie, plays well. It has a good Gothic horror feel to it.
There is a really good gathering of acting talent, and the story seems to be well written.
The score, works good with the scenes. It keeps the viewer interested, by thought of things yet- to come pass: It builds on the suspense of each moment.
A different score, could have been conceived; when Barnabus switched from his role as a man; to portraying the vampire, but the scenes still play out okay. House of Dark Shadows, is a good movie. Fans of Dracula, will enjoy this film.
When he is first introduced, the character Barnabus Collins; is looked upon, in a self- character, first person perspective. We see the other starting characters through his eyes. This is a nice touch.
The movie, plays well. It has a good Gothic horror feel to it.
There is a really good gathering of acting talent, and the story seems to be well written.
The score, works good with the scenes. It keeps the viewer interested, by thought of things yet- to come pass: It builds on the suspense of each moment.
A different score, could have been conceived; when Barnabus switched from his role as a man; to portraying the vampire, but the scenes still play out okay. House of Dark Shadows, is a good movie. Fans of Dracula, will enjoy this film.
Someone took a Hammer to the legend of the cult gothic soap opera!
mark.waltz31 October 2018
Warning: Spoilers
Most of the major characters are back for those who did not get to watch the daily serial "Dark Shadows" in this big screen version of that Dan Curtis campfest. Looking like a cross between a Hammer horror film and an American International gothic melodrama, this lacks a strong continuity which results in this being a disappointment as a big screen condensed synopsis of what had happened in Collinwood just a few years before. Unfortunately, the script starts off with a wimper, never fully develops all of the important characters, so you feel like you are getting an empty egg shell of the show's bible without the all important yolk. Joan Bennett, still glamorous and commanding as matriarch Elizabeth Collins Stoddard, doesn't really get to do much but be regal and grieving, as people around her begin to die off one by one thanks to a vampire curse that goes back several centuries. Coming to Collinwood in the midst of this is Jonathan Frid's Barnabas Collins, a look-alike descendant to a long forgotten branch of the family that left centuries before supposedly for England. Frid quickly moves into the abandoned ancestral home which becomes quickly filled with the graves of his victims, revealing the truth about his real identity. Along comes the genius Dr. Julia Hoffman (Grayson Hall) who by chance discovers the secret and offers to cure him, but at what cost is yet to be determined. When her treatments take a nasty turn, you want to break into a variation of that Leslie Bricusse classic, singing "What Kind of Ghoul am I?"
Of course, every long dead vampire must have an unrequitted love, and in this case, it's Kathryn Leigh Scott's Maggie, whom Barnabas wants to join together with to be gloriously undead forever. Louis Edmunds as Elizabeth's brother, Roger, deals with unruly son David Hennessy, while Bennett's daughter, Carolyn (Nancy Barrett) becomes obsessed with Barnabas even though she's in love with local hero Roger Davis. It becomes a battle of wills between those who want to destroy whoever is killing local residents in this brutal manner, the fanged Barnabas himself, and of course, Dr. Hoffman who gets the shock of her life when her jealousy over Barnabas's love for another woman makes her (quoting Hall in "The Night of the Iguana") "take steps". There are far too many characters, so little development, and the motivations are clearly missed, having been written out on a daily basis. With vampire movies coming out by the dozen through Hammer horror (starring the far more dashing Christopher Lee), this seems like a cheap imitation. As a soap historian, I have enjoyed the parts of the series I have seen, and would have liked for this to have been better. Still, it's campy fun (especially Frid's sudden change into a ghoulish looking old man), much better than the pathetic Tim Burton remake, but the ending battle for the souls of the living and newly dead, goes on far too long.
Of course, every long dead vampire must have an unrequitted love, and in this case, it's Kathryn Leigh Scott's Maggie, whom Barnabas wants to join together with to be gloriously undead forever. Louis Edmunds as Elizabeth's brother, Roger, deals with unruly son David Hennessy, while Bennett's daughter, Carolyn (Nancy Barrett) becomes obsessed with Barnabas even though she's in love with local hero Roger Davis. It becomes a battle of wills between those who want to destroy whoever is killing local residents in this brutal manner, the fanged Barnabas himself, and of course, Dr. Hoffman who gets the shock of her life when her jealousy over Barnabas's love for another woman makes her (quoting Hall in "The Night of the Iguana") "take steps". There are far too many characters, so little development, and the motivations are clearly missed, having been written out on a daily basis. With vampire movies coming out by the dozen through Hammer horror (starring the far more dashing Christopher Lee), this seems like a cheap imitation. As a soap historian, I have enjoyed the parts of the series I have seen, and would have liked for this to have been better. Still, it's campy fun (especially Frid's sudden change into a ghoulish looking old man), much better than the pathetic Tim Burton remake, but the ending battle for the souls of the living and newly dead, goes on far too long.
The Gothic soap opera hits the big screen with a bang
Casey-5218 September 1999
I remember seeing this movie when I was about 12 years old on TNT in Europe in beautiful widescreen format. I was absolutely mesmerized! My mom told me how she was a fan of the original series (not die-hard, but a fan) and watched it with me. It was such a great movie, so much happened in the 90 minutes of the film that it boggled my mind. Several plotlines intertwined and characters came and went (which was annoying to me). I didn't see this movie again until last year on video. The widescreen format was gone, but it was great to see it again! I didn't remember seeing the bloody stakings in the TV version (but it wasn't edited) and was pleasantly surprised. I had to check the box again to be sure what the rating was. Sure enough, PG. Today, I would still be careful if my kids watched it! The acting in the film is marvelous and shows how soap opera actors can break from that tired formula. Everyone from Kathryn Leigh Scott to Thayer David shine in their roles, a personal favorite being beautiful blonde Nancy Barrett. This is overall a nostalgiac shocker and worth a look at least once. Hopefully someday someone will find the 25+ minutes of film cut from the original print and release it intact on video!
I just love thick, juicy and flashy red movie-blood!
Coventry22 December 2014
I always wanted to see the "Dark Shadows" TV-series, but never had the courage to actually start
Six or seven years ago, I was thrilled to have found the first 35 episodes on DVD, but then I discovered there's a total of nearly 600 episodes, so what's the point? I tracked down the two spin-off films instead, hoping hoping that it wouldn't require extended knowledge of the TV-series. Luckily it doesn't, so all of you who're interested in this cult franchise as well, rest assured that the movies stand on their own as solid and creepily entertaining Gothic horror classics. Produced and directed by the multi-talented Dan Curtis, "House of Dark Shadows" delivers plenty of macabre atmosphere, sinister decors and filming locations, intriguing characters and a surprisingly big amount of typically late 60's/early 70's graphic gore. You know the type of gore I'm referring to, don't you? The thick and flashy red blood that spurts out of peoples' chests when they're impaled by wooden stakes! The plot of "House of Dark Shadows" is simple, efficient and actually very reminiscent to Bram Stoker's legendary tale of "Dracula" only with different character names and a contemporary New England setting. 19th Century vampire patriarch Barnabas Collins is resurrected from his tomb and mingles with his present day descendants by pretending he's a distant relative from another continent. The beautiful Maggie Evans immediately catches Barnabas' attention, since she looks exactly like his long lost lover Josette. But poor (?) Barnabas is too popular with the ladies, as also young cousin Carolyn and the acclaimed female Doctor Julia Hoffman fall in love with him. Carolyn gets turned into a vampire and terrorizes the area, while Dr. Hoffman intends to cure Barnabas' vampirism through a series of medical injections. The latter sub plot is definitely the freshest and most inventive part of the film because, as said, the rest is fairly similar to "Dracula". Maggie Evans is more or less Mina, her fiancée Jeff is Harker, Carolyn is Lucy and Professor Eliot Stokes is a bleaker version of Prof. Van Helsing. This is merely an observation, not so much a point of criticism since I was very much amused by "House of Dark Shadows" from start to finish. Jonathan Frid's performance as Barnabas Collins is inarguably one of the film's major strongpoints. He depicts the vampire character as a crossover between a despicable monster and a troubled romanticist; which is a style that became often copied in later vampire movies. It's a fun flick, with creepy music and settings as well as a devoted cast and crew! Very much recommended to horror lovers young and old (but preferably a tad bit older, since this doesn't resemble nowadays rubbish such as "Twilight" at all!)
No excuse for the cheap look of the film
danarose_crystal10 June 2014
Warning: Spoilers
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.
Little known, off beat vampire classic.
boris-2621 November 2001
HOUSE OF DARK SHADOWS (1970) is the movie-house version of the then popular Gothic Soap Opera. The film's plot is a re-tracing of the TV series. Willie Loomis (John Karlen), while robbing a New England crypt, accidently awakens 200 year old vampire Barnabas Collins (Jonathan Frid's moment of immortality!) Barnabas comes upon his modern descendants as a "long lost relative from England" leaving out the one little detail about being 200 years old. In the meantime, he is secretly feasting on victims. He enjoys a temporary cure, via a local doctor. What makes this film unique is how this murderous vampire is worthy of sympathy, the tender but extremely haunting encounter the pre-teen Collins boy has with his dead sister, and the rather doomsday style climax. This gem came at a time when decent horror films were a rarity. (Relaxed censorship let about 90% of the horror directors depend more on gore and sex).
Gothic horror in the age of Aquarius
AlsExGal12 October 2023
In 1966, the soap opera Dark Shadows debuted with a most unusual villain and heartthrob - Jonathan Frid as Barnabus Collins the vampire, freed from his coffin prison of almost two hundred years by Willy Loomis, the Collins handyman in search of the fabled Collins jewels. This is also how he is introduced in the film.
I watched the television show in reruns when it appeared on afternoon TV in 1976. Frid is a most unconventionally attractive man, but he has class and style, and he is most magnetic. Frid introduces himself to the Collins clan as Barnabus, a distant cousin who has been living in England. He takes up residence in "the old house" - the Collins family home as it existed when Barnabus was "alive" - and fixes it up to restore it to its former glory. This allows Barnabus to have his vampire existence without prying eyes. Here as in the TV show, the main line of the plot is that Barnabus becomes attracted to Maggie, a servant to the Collins family, because she is a body double to Josette, the girl he was to have married until his vampire existence and Josette's death got in the way.
This is mainly going to be of interest to people who remember the TV show or who have spent time watching the TV show in the years since it went off the air, because it is there all of the character development is put in place. The original cast, though, does a terrific job of recreating the atmosphere and the magic in the short feature film time frame that they have. There are a couple of odd casting decisions though. Onr of those is Dennis Patrick playing the sheriff here. In the TV show the same actor played Jason McGuire, a shady character and a very hissable villain who blackmailed Elizabeth Collins.
Standouts are John Karlen as Willy Loomis - he is a great modern Renfield without the appetite for insects - and Thayer David as Professor Stokes. He really does remind me of classic Hollywood actor Sydney Greenstreet. Too bad he died so young. But of course, the centerpiece is Jonathan Frid as Barnabus. I believe him when he erupts into uncontrollable anger and violence and I believe him when he is a romantic, marveling at how beautiful the trees look glistening in the sunlight. How is a vampire able to be outside in the daytime? Watch and find out.
I watched the television show in reruns when it appeared on afternoon TV in 1976. Frid is a most unconventionally attractive man, but he has class and style, and he is most magnetic. Frid introduces himself to the Collins clan as Barnabus, a distant cousin who has been living in England. He takes up residence in "the old house" - the Collins family home as it existed when Barnabus was "alive" - and fixes it up to restore it to its former glory. This allows Barnabus to have his vampire existence without prying eyes. Here as in the TV show, the main line of the plot is that Barnabus becomes attracted to Maggie, a servant to the Collins family, because she is a body double to Josette, the girl he was to have married until his vampire existence and Josette's death got in the way.
This is mainly going to be of interest to people who remember the TV show or who have spent time watching the TV show in the years since it went off the air, because it is there all of the character development is put in place. The original cast, though, does a terrific job of recreating the atmosphere and the magic in the short feature film time frame that they have. There are a couple of odd casting decisions though. Onr of those is Dennis Patrick playing the sheriff here. In the TV show the same actor played Jason McGuire, a shady character and a very hissable villain who blackmailed Elizabeth Collins.
Standouts are John Karlen as Willy Loomis - he is a great modern Renfield without the appetite for insects - and Thayer David as Professor Stokes. He really does remind me of classic Hollywood actor Sydney Greenstreet. Too bad he died so young. But of course, the centerpiece is Jonathan Frid as Barnabus. I believe him when he erupts into uncontrollable anger and violence and I believe him when he is a romantic, marveling at how beautiful the trees look glistening in the sunlight. How is a vampire able to be outside in the daytime? Watch and find out.
Dark Shadows On The Big Screen In 1970
virek2131 January 2017
There has never been any other single daytime TV program like "Dark Shadows", the creation of producer Dan Curtis, which ran on ABC-TV from 1966 to 1971. What began as a typical soap opera instead evolved into a Gothic melodrama that would involve ghosts, zombies, and, most of all, a vampire named Barnabas Collins. It was the first time that horror had invaded daytime television, and it may have been too unique, since it hasn't been done again in any way, shape, or form on daytime television. Yes, it was a very low budget undertaking; the sets were threadbare; and the acting was what you'd expect for any other soap opera, even one literally full of cobwebs. Nevertheless, it was on for five years, with an astounding 1,225 episodes being aired in the afternoon hours for those five years. And Curtis, realizing how the show was gaining a cult audience unheard of among soap opera fans, decided to make two big-screen films from it. The first of these was HOUSE OF DARK SHADOWS, released in 1970.
Using many of the characters and actors that regularly appeared in the TV serial itself, HOUSE OF DARK SHADOWS sees the 175 year-old vampire Barnabas Collins (Jonathan Frid) being unwisely released from his resting place by a callow undertaker (John Karlen), and he goes to the Collinwood estate to cause all manner of vampiric mayhem on the Collins family. He introduces himself as a cousin from England, but he pretty soon proves to be much more than that, first killing off the secretary (Lisa Blake Richards) to Collinwood matriarch Elizabeth Collins Stoddard (Joan Bennett). This leads off to many other ghoulish things, as anyone bitten by Frid comes back to life as a vampire as well. A nominally related sequel to the film, NIGHT OF DARK SHADOWS, would follow in 1971; but by that time, the series itself had come to an end, awaiting syndication revivals in the 1980s and beyond.
The ironic thing is that the release of HOUSE OF DARK SHADOWS in the late summer of 1970 may have partially hastened the demise of the TV series itself. Due to the very low budget of the series, and the restrictions placed on television during the late 1960s and early 1970s, much of what went on was largely implied, or given Gothic flourishes (cobwebs; fog; sometimes nourish photography). But even though the budget for HOUSE OF DARK SHADOWS wasn't exactly big either, at just $750,000, Curtis, freed from TV censorship restrictions, was able to show a lot more in the way of sex and violence, especially in Frid's bloodthirsty activities. And while nothing in this film even comes remotely close to HOSTEL/SAW-type torture porn, the biting and staking scenes as such were nevertheless quite hair-raising, bloody, and horrific for their time. The series' ratings decline may have been due to the fact that parents discouraged their young kids from seeing it after the film's release, owing to the much more explicit material of the film.
Curtis went on to make a number of very solid made-for-TV horror films, notably 1972's THE NIGHT STALKER, 1973's THE NIGHT STRANGLER, 1975's TRILOGY OF TERROR, and a very good 1974 adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula (with Jack Palance as the world's best-known bloodsucker), all of which were scripted by the legendary Richard Matheson. He also went on to do some miniseries work for TV ("The Winds Of War") and the 1976 feature horror film BURNT OFFERINGS. But HOUSE OF DARK SHADOWS, despite its low-budget flaws, nevertheless distinguishes itself as a thoroughly unique horror film, especially of the vampire genre, of the early 1970s, much as the series that spawned it remains, again with all its flaws in mind, one of the most unique TV shows ever put on the air.
Using many of the characters and actors that regularly appeared in the TV serial itself, HOUSE OF DARK SHADOWS sees the 175 year-old vampire Barnabas Collins (Jonathan Frid) being unwisely released from his resting place by a callow undertaker (John Karlen), and he goes to the Collinwood estate to cause all manner of vampiric mayhem on the Collins family. He introduces himself as a cousin from England, but he pretty soon proves to be much more than that, first killing off the secretary (Lisa Blake Richards) to Collinwood matriarch Elizabeth Collins Stoddard (Joan Bennett). This leads off to many other ghoulish things, as anyone bitten by Frid comes back to life as a vampire as well. A nominally related sequel to the film, NIGHT OF DARK SHADOWS, would follow in 1971; but by that time, the series itself had come to an end, awaiting syndication revivals in the 1980s and beyond.
The ironic thing is that the release of HOUSE OF DARK SHADOWS in the late summer of 1970 may have partially hastened the demise of the TV series itself. Due to the very low budget of the series, and the restrictions placed on television during the late 1960s and early 1970s, much of what went on was largely implied, or given Gothic flourishes (cobwebs; fog; sometimes nourish photography). But even though the budget for HOUSE OF DARK SHADOWS wasn't exactly big either, at just $750,000, Curtis, freed from TV censorship restrictions, was able to show a lot more in the way of sex and violence, especially in Frid's bloodthirsty activities. And while nothing in this film even comes remotely close to HOSTEL/SAW-type torture porn, the biting and staking scenes as such were nevertheless quite hair-raising, bloody, and horrific for their time. The series' ratings decline may have been due to the fact that parents discouraged their young kids from seeing it after the film's release, owing to the much more explicit material of the film.
Curtis went on to make a number of very solid made-for-TV horror films, notably 1972's THE NIGHT STALKER, 1973's THE NIGHT STRANGLER, 1975's TRILOGY OF TERROR, and a very good 1974 adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula (with Jack Palance as the world's best-known bloodsucker), all of which were scripted by the legendary Richard Matheson. He also went on to do some miniseries work for TV ("The Winds Of War") and the 1976 feature horror film BURNT OFFERINGS. But HOUSE OF DARK SHADOWS, despite its low-budget flaws, nevertheless distinguishes itself as a thoroughly unique horror film, especially of the vampire genre, of the early 1970s, much as the series that spawned it remains, again with all its flaws in mind, one of the most unique TV shows ever put on the air.
A masterpiece of Gothic horror!
HumanoidOfFlesh4 November 2002
Made in 1970,"House of Dark Shadows" has some genuinely tension-building moments and quite a few decent scares.It may be dated for some,but it works as a creepy vampiric horror.The atmosphere is very dark and eerie,and the setting is wonderful.If you liked this one don't forget to watch its sequel "Night of Dark Shadows"(1971).Recommended!
How cinema improved over the years when you see this.
deloudelouvain9 July 2022
I don't remember if I watched this movie when I was young. I probably did as I used to watch every horror movie that was available. Probably thought it was okay at that time, but that was in the seventies when we hadn't that much to choose from, when the special effects looked fake but we were used to it. But I watched it now, in 2022, and to be honest it isn't good. It's more laughable than anything else. The acting looks like acting, which in my opinion is never good, that's the irony of acting. If it looks like acting, if it doesn't feel natural, you're just not that good of an actor. Nobody stood out in this movie, some were okay but nothing incredible. The story could be okay if it was shot now, but it isn't. Maybe I should rate the movie thinking about the seventies but I can't. You have to remain honest, and almost any other horror movie made now, even the mediocre ones, just look better. So yes maybe in 1970 this was success, but we're in 2022 and so it's a failure for now. Still good enough to laugh about it though, and that's exactly what I did during the entire movie.
A quick return through the series
BandSAboutMovies23 March 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Dark Shadows was a phenomenon. The kind of cultural big deal that needed to be cashed in on, which is why producer and creator Dan Curtis started pitching a featuring length TV movie from 1968 on.
The original idea was to simply edit together old episodes of the show, but soon the idea to tell the entire Barnabas Collins saga - complete with bloody bites and gore - took over. As the TV series was still on the air, several of the actors were written out, with Barnabas being trapped in a coffin - for 28 episodes - by a writer who was trying to use the vampire for a biographical novel. Other characters were replaced in the 1970 parallel world story arc.
With a budget of $750,000 - that was probably enough for 750 episodes of the actual series - and on location shooting at the Lyndhurst Estate in Tarrytown, New York and that town's Sleepy Hollow Cemetery (as well as the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion in Norwalk, Connecticut), this movie looks gorgeous. And it's a joy to see so much of the original cast come back and play modified versions of their roles.
However, what takes years on the soap opera now takes moments. It's a bit disconcerting.
Much like his entry on the show, Barnabas (Johnathan Frid) is found by handyman Willie Loomis (John Karlen) and within moments, is both introducing himself as a long-lost European relative while also taking bites out of almost every single female castmember.
Daphne Budd? Bitten. Carolyn Stoddard? She gets a bite. Maggie Evans? Yep, her too.
Barnabas also gets transformed into a human by Dr. Julia Hoffman, but she falls for him and jealously transforms him into his true age. No worries - a few bites from his chosen bride, Maggie, brings him back to vitality.
The only part that you may not enjoy is Willie turning on Barnabas and the titular vampire succumbing to a crossbow to the back. That said, his bat flies away - Curtis was doing end credit teases way before the Marvel movies - in a nod to a projected sequel that never happened, Curse of Dark Shadows.
There's also a moment where Quentin Collins' theme is heard, but he doesn't show up. I'm certain there were many young ladies who were crushed by this fact.
If you've never watched the original episodes, this is a fun movie. If you have, you may just end up upset that so much is glossed over. Regardless, I saw it at the drive-in, paired with its spiritual sequel and I enjoyed the hell out of it.
The original idea was to simply edit together old episodes of the show, but soon the idea to tell the entire Barnabas Collins saga - complete with bloody bites and gore - took over. As the TV series was still on the air, several of the actors were written out, with Barnabas being trapped in a coffin - for 28 episodes - by a writer who was trying to use the vampire for a biographical novel. Other characters were replaced in the 1970 parallel world story arc.
With a budget of $750,000 - that was probably enough for 750 episodes of the actual series - and on location shooting at the Lyndhurst Estate in Tarrytown, New York and that town's Sleepy Hollow Cemetery (as well as the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion in Norwalk, Connecticut), this movie looks gorgeous. And it's a joy to see so much of the original cast come back and play modified versions of their roles.
However, what takes years on the soap opera now takes moments. It's a bit disconcerting.
Much like his entry on the show, Barnabas (Johnathan Frid) is found by handyman Willie Loomis (John Karlen) and within moments, is both introducing himself as a long-lost European relative while also taking bites out of almost every single female castmember.
Daphne Budd? Bitten. Carolyn Stoddard? She gets a bite. Maggie Evans? Yep, her too.
Barnabas also gets transformed into a human by Dr. Julia Hoffman, but she falls for him and jealously transforms him into his true age. No worries - a few bites from his chosen bride, Maggie, brings him back to vitality.
The only part that you may not enjoy is Willie turning on Barnabas and the titular vampire succumbing to a crossbow to the back. That said, his bat flies away - Curtis was doing end credit teases way before the Marvel movies - in a nod to a projected sequel that never happened, Curse of Dark Shadows.
There's also a moment where Quentin Collins' theme is heard, but he doesn't show up. I'm certain there were many young ladies who were crushed by this fact.
If you've never watched the original episodes, this is a fun movie. If you have, you may just end up upset that so much is glossed over. Regardless, I saw it at the drive-in, paired with its spiritual sequel and I enjoyed the hell out of it.
Come See the Dark Shadows Vampires Do It
wes-connors16 August 2007
This is an excellent, flawed film spin-off of the classic TV serial "Dark Shadows". It captures Jonathan Frid, Joan Bennett, Grayson Hall and many of the cast on film, in character, during the time of the original Dark Shadows-mania. For that, we should be eternally grateful. Other favorites David Selby, Kate Jackson, and Lara Parker can be found in the next Dark Shadows movie.
What keeps this movie from becoming truly exceptional is that it overindulges. The thing you expect too happen in a vampire horror story happens over and over AND OVER again, to seemingly every character. It's all very stylish and well-done - but, it's OVERKILL. The production, by Dan Curtis is marvelous, but he takes the characters too, too far away from their television characterizations; at times, they seem like strangers.
If considered another in the band of Dark Shadows' "Parallel Time", it works. It's a surprise Dick Smith's make-up and Bob Cobert's music weren't Oscar-nominated.
******* House of Dark Shadows (1970) Dan Curtis ~ Jonathan Frid, Grayson Hall, Joan Bennett
What keeps this movie from becoming truly exceptional is that it overindulges. The thing you expect too happen in a vampire horror story happens over and over AND OVER again, to seemingly every character. It's all very stylish and well-done - but, it's OVERKILL. The production, by Dan Curtis is marvelous, but he takes the characters too, too far away from their television characterizations; at times, they seem like strangers.
If considered another in the band of Dark Shadows' "Parallel Time", it works. It's a surprise Dick Smith's make-up and Bob Cobert's music weren't Oscar-nominated.
******* House of Dark Shadows (1970) Dan Curtis ~ Jonathan Frid, Grayson Hall, Joan Bennett
No Where Near As Good As It Should Have Been...
P3n-E-W1s321 April 2020
I was looking forward to viewing this movie adaptation of the TV series Dark Shadows. Boy, was I let down.
It wasn't by the story that disappointed me. I liked the way the Sam Hall and Gordon Russell incorporated the full life of Barnabas Collins. Though his resurrection sequence is weak. When Willie Loomis, played brilliantly by John Karlen, finds a riddle, he quickly and easily reduces its meaning. Unluckily for the family, it releases Barnabas from his imprisonment. It's the speed Loomis finds and frees Barnabas that is a tad unbelievable. However, it appears there might have been time restrictions to the movie to force a runtime of an hour and a half. This would explain the quick cuts and jumps in the film towards the end.
Barnabas enthrals the family's females the instant he enters the family home. He mesmerises them with his Vampyric stare. He's lucky to possess the Lady Magnet super-power as he's no great looker. It's another element of the story which beggars belief. However, while they are under his hypnotic spell the story gains strength as they do his bidding. Murder and chaos follow.
On the whole, Dan Curtis does a good job of directing. He gives the audience some nice scenic and atmospheric shots. Good composition, camera angles, and lighting. Lamentably, the butchery towards the story's climax rips the heart and soul out of both story and film. This may be been down to Curtis, but more than likely the film company, trying to hit their wonderful runtime limit. Shame is the story held all the elements to create a great film. Even the special effects are way above par, especially the old Barnabas makeup, which is flawless and superb.
Such as the acting. As I stated before, John Karlin is great as Willie Loomis, so much so I thought it a shame not to place him in a greater role. Nancy Barrett oozes sexuality after her metamorphosis into a creature of the night. I loved the way Curtis changed his way of shooting her. As a normal human, she was cold and staid, which she captures to perfection. But afterwards, she is warm and possesses an aura that entrances her prey and draws them in. I would've gone willingly... and with a big smile. One of my favourite characters though is the Van Helsing-like Professor T Eliot-Stokes. Thayer David gives him the right amount of bravado and self-confidence. I've got an issue with Jonathan Frid. Barnabas is a ladies' man. I cannot see that in Frid. Granted, he relies on hypnotising his prey, but still, I can't see Frid or Barnabas making the ladies swoon.
So, is the film worth watching? Well, I'm on the fence with that answer. If I'd known how bad the end cuts were and how badly they affected the film, I wouldn't have bothered. Though in some ways I'm glad I did. It made me smile at its ludicrousness, and smiling is always good. I just didn't enjoy it as much as I should have. So, feel free to make up your own mind on this one... but remember... you have been warned.
Ratings: Story 1.25 : Direction 0.5 : Pace 0.75 : Acting 1 : Enjoyment 0.75 : Total 4.25 / 10
Spread your wings and fly on over to my Absolute Horror list and see where this tidbit of terror charted. You may find your next flick to watch.
Take Care and Stay Well.
It wasn't by the story that disappointed me. I liked the way the Sam Hall and Gordon Russell incorporated the full life of Barnabas Collins. Though his resurrection sequence is weak. When Willie Loomis, played brilliantly by John Karlen, finds a riddle, he quickly and easily reduces its meaning. Unluckily for the family, it releases Barnabas from his imprisonment. It's the speed Loomis finds and frees Barnabas that is a tad unbelievable. However, it appears there might have been time restrictions to the movie to force a runtime of an hour and a half. This would explain the quick cuts and jumps in the film towards the end.
Barnabas enthrals the family's females the instant he enters the family home. He mesmerises them with his Vampyric stare. He's lucky to possess the Lady Magnet super-power as he's no great looker. It's another element of the story which beggars belief. However, while they are under his hypnotic spell the story gains strength as they do his bidding. Murder and chaos follow.
On the whole, Dan Curtis does a good job of directing. He gives the audience some nice scenic and atmospheric shots. Good composition, camera angles, and lighting. Lamentably, the butchery towards the story's climax rips the heart and soul out of both story and film. This may be been down to Curtis, but more than likely the film company, trying to hit their wonderful runtime limit. Shame is the story held all the elements to create a great film. Even the special effects are way above par, especially the old Barnabas makeup, which is flawless and superb.
Such as the acting. As I stated before, John Karlin is great as Willie Loomis, so much so I thought it a shame not to place him in a greater role. Nancy Barrett oozes sexuality after her metamorphosis into a creature of the night. I loved the way Curtis changed his way of shooting her. As a normal human, she was cold and staid, which she captures to perfection. But afterwards, she is warm and possesses an aura that entrances her prey and draws them in. I would've gone willingly... and with a big smile. One of my favourite characters though is the Van Helsing-like Professor T Eliot-Stokes. Thayer David gives him the right amount of bravado and self-confidence. I've got an issue with Jonathan Frid. Barnabas is a ladies' man. I cannot see that in Frid. Granted, he relies on hypnotising his prey, but still, I can't see Frid or Barnabas making the ladies swoon.
So, is the film worth watching? Well, I'm on the fence with that answer. If I'd known how bad the end cuts were and how badly they affected the film, I wouldn't have bothered. Though in some ways I'm glad I did. It made me smile at its ludicrousness, and smiling is always good. I just didn't enjoy it as much as I should have. So, feel free to make up your own mind on this one... but remember... you have been warned.
Ratings: Story 1.25 : Direction 0.5 : Pace 0.75 : Acting 1 : Enjoyment 0.75 : Total 4.25 / 10
Spread your wings and fly on over to my Absolute Horror list and see where this tidbit of terror charted. You may find your next flick to watch.
Take Care and Stay Well.
Darkness Falls on Collinwood
hellraiser77 June 2019
TV to Movie adaptations are always a hit or miss affair. This film though is one of the hits, it's one of my favorite TV to Movie adaptation films, let alone the fact it's based on one of my favorite TV shows "Dark Shadows". To this day it still holds up and still surpasses the recent treatment from Tim Burton which I thought was ok, but as a fan of the series it wasn't what I had in mind and we could do better.
When I heard about this film, I was actually excited, I remember seeing that trailer which was a really cool trailer reminds me of the kind of trailers for Hammer films, and then in the last minutes we see a blood red graphic overlap the last image and that narrator says the tag line, "Come see how the vampires do it." Man, that tag line gave me chills but also excited me as it really tells your about to see the vampires do it right. It was also on an episode of "Elvira's Movie Macabre" which is a really funny episode and one of my favorites from her as she has some funny things to say about this film and the show, on a side note the actress is also a fan of the series.
For a TV to Movie adaptation and as a Dark Shadows fan, I was actually impressed not just that it stayed true to the spirt of the show but that in a way it stood out as a film on its own; the film almost feels like it could of easily of been one of the Hammer company's last movies.
The music is great, as usual they use some of the tracks from the original show but also there are a few new tracks mixed in. The effects are good, I'll admit watching this show I was amazed in seeing really good effects where in the original show most of them weren't so good. One effect we never saw in the show is of course blood effect which are good in this film, it not like super gory but you see blood spill all the same, like blood squirting out in a staking scene. But one effect that impressed me the most was seeing Barnaba's turning into an old man, which was done by one of my favorites make up effects legends Dick Smith whom of course did that same effect for the original show.
The production value of this film is impressive, yeah it was done on a low budget, but they used it very well. For fans of the show it was a real treat because on the original show it took place within a studio with a limited amount of sets, it was a daytime soap opera after all. But in this film, it really looks and feels like the grand vision Dan wanted to present us. I really like the use of the locations, especially the new Collins estate, which is still there, so any film/Dark Shadows fan that is into location visiting can go.
I really like that we actually get to see most of the outside of the estate, the crypt, the outside Collinwood, though my favorite is on the finale of the film seeing Barnaba's lair which has cobwebs, mist and coffins it was really creepy and has a throwback feel to the vampire films of yesteryear. But I also just like the use of the darkness, really give the movie it's gothic tone but also creates a spooky unsafe atmosphere, showing how the forces of darkness is slowly enveloping this beautiful land.
Just seeing those things showed how possible it was for the show to convert to be a prime-time soap, which it of course did with the underrated 1991 revival; but also seeing this really makes me want a recent revival.
Characters are really good, if you familiar with the show you pretty much know who's who, everyone is pretty much how you remember and seen them but in this film with slight differences which let you know this is an alternative version of the show your watching. There is even a cameo or two by a familiar face most notable the actor that played Nicolas Blair, here he's a different character.
Barnabas is still Barnabas though in this film he's a little more violent and on the evil end of things. Julia Hoffman is also good she's still herself only in this film she really gets in over her head and learns the hard way jealousy is a b....
Katherine Leigh Scott is hot as usual, she's still the same vibrant naive beauty Maggie Evans though in this film this time she sort of also in the Victoria Winters role because in this film she's a governess. Which I didn't mind and makes more sense story wise as Maggie is the reincarnation of Barnaba's love Josette.
James Karen is good as Willie as usual but what I like in this film is he actually has an interesting character arc which almost makes him the main protagonist in the film, which also kind of makes what happens in the end all the more satisfying. I really like when we see he is sort of the usual weak creep at first but then from what he goes though he grows more of a conscious and actually finds some meddle to do what he has to do in the end.
Roger Davis is good as Jeff Clarke, yeah, it's true like in the show he's the straight arrow type but that's not a bad thing. In a way he sort of represents us the every man, really like how he reacts to certain things it feel like how any of us may react. But it was also cool seeing him kick a little ass in this film from shooting silver bullets from a revolver at one of the vampires, down to using that crossbow that shoots out rocket stakes.
There is also the usual gothic melodrama which has a couple of good dynamics. The chemistry between Clark and Maggie is decent. It's kind of interesting considering if you know the show both characters were never a couple in the TV show. Though I'll admit that's one weak point of the film, both don't have enough scenes together; I really which there we're so there would be depth provided showing why both are right for one another.
Though I really like the chemistry between both Barnabas and Maggie, from their interaction you really could go either way. At first when things go well you feel Barnabas could have a life within the realm of the living.
But when things go to hell in a hand basket faster than the lid can be closed, it's kind of tragic because it's like Barnaba's last chance at love and even redemption is lost forever. And that lair of his in the final scene sort of reflects his state of mind where he is no longer a mortal that lives within our realm but a total monster that dwells in a realm where light and love doesn't exist.
Thought it's true this coffin does have a few splinters, first one I already stated. For one thing certain transitions in the film aren't very smooth, there are some scenes when some things happen but then suddenly it just jump cuts to another thing happening. Like in one scene, a character I won't say who, just out of the left field is a vampire, I couldn't help but think when and where in the film did this happened. It felt like a scene or a page from the script was missing.
Another splinter is there are a few too many charters in the film, which for fans of the show may put them off a little as most of the familiar faces in the film aren't in it enough which might make those characters seem slightly undeveloped and nothing more than background players. But since this an entire show condensed into a movie running time which has only a limited amount it couldn't be helped.
And like in the show I was in this film really for the central characters focused like Barnabas and Maggie whom are some of the main reason I watch the show in the first place, so I really can't complain much.
And the last is that this film didn't get a proper sequel, it did have a follow up which is "Night of Dark Shadows" but it wasn't very good nor did it feel like a real follow up as the story was too far removed from the series, let alone wasn't what the creator wanted in the first place.
After what looked like a sequel baited ending from this film, it really made me wonder what that real sequel would have been, would it be a movie version of the 1795 arc, or the film takes place years latter there is some vampire apocalypse around the world and Maggie and Jeff come back and have to not just fight of Barnabas again but also Angelique and Nicolas Blair. I don't know only in the realm of fan fiction will we have a proper sequel to this version of the "Dark Shadows" series.
If you're a fan of the show, this film is a real treat as you are seeing the show once more but on a bigger scale. For newcomers that never seen the show in their life, this film is a pretty good starting point but also is simply fun to watch as a stand-alone vampire film. Come see how the vampires do it.
Rating: 3 and a half stars
When I heard about this film, I was actually excited, I remember seeing that trailer which was a really cool trailer reminds me of the kind of trailers for Hammer films, and then in the last minutes we see a blood red graphic overlap the last image and that narrator says the tag line, "Come see how the vampires do it." Man, that tag line gave me chills but also excited me as it really tells your about to see the vampires do it right. It was also on an episode of "Elvira's Movie Macabre" which is a really funny episode and one of my favorites from her as she has some funny things to say about this film and the show, on a side note the actress is also a fan of the series.
For a TV to Movie adaptation and as a Dark Shadows fan, I was actually impressed not just that it stayed true to the spirt of the show but that in a way it stood out as a film on its own; the film almost feels like it could of easily of been one of the Hammer company's last movies.
The music is great, as usual they use some of the tracks from the original show but also there are a few new tracks mixed in. The effects are good, I'll admit watching this show I was amazed in seeing really good effects where in the original show most of them weren't so good. One effect we never saw in the show is of course blood effect which are good in this film, it not like super gory but you see blood spill all the same, like blood squirting out in a staking scene. But one effect that impressed me the most was seeing Barnaba's turning into an old man, which was done by one of my favorites make up effects legends Dick Smith whom of course did that same effect for the original show.
The production value of this film is impressive, yeah it was done on a low budget, but they used it very well. For fans of the show it was a real treat because on the original show it took place within a studio with a limited amount of sets, it was a daytime soap opera after all. But in this film, it really looks and feels like the grand vision Dan wanted to present us. I really like the use of the locations, especially the new Collins estate, which is still there, so any film/Dark Shadows fan that is into location visiting can go.
I really like that we actually get to see most of the outside of the estate, the crypt, the outside Collinwood, though my favorite is on the finale of the film seeing Barnaba's lair which has cobwebs, mist and coffins it was really creepy and has a throwback feel to the vampire films of yesteryear. But I also just like the use of the darkness, really give the movie it's gothic tone but also creates a spooky unsafe atmosphere, showing how the forces of darkness is slowly enveloping this beautiful land.
Just seeing those things showed how possible it was for the show to convert to be a prime-time soap, which it of course did with the underrated 1991 revival; but also seeing this really makes me want a recent revival.
Characters are really good, if you familiar with the show you pretty much know who's who, everyone is pretty much how you remember and seen them but in this film with slight differences which let you know this is an alternative version of the show your watching. There is even a cameo or two by a familiar face most notable the actor that played Nicolas Blair, here he's a different character.
Barnabas is still Barnabas though in this film he's a little more violent and on the evil end of things. Julia Hoffman is also good she's still herself only in this film she really gets in over her head and learns the hard way jealousy is a b....
Katherine Leigh Scott is hot as usual, she's still the same vibrant naive beauty Maggie Evans though in this film this time she sort of also in the Victoria Winters role because in this film she's a governess. Which I didn't mind and makes more sense story wise as Maggie is the reincarnation of Barnaba's love Josette.
James Karen is good as Willie as usual but what I like in this film is he actually has an interesting character arc which almost makes him the main protagonist in the film, which also kind of makes what happens in the end all the more satisfying. I really like when we see he is sort of the usual weak creep at first but then from what he goes though he grows more of a conscious and actually finds some meddle to do what he has to do in the end.
Roger Davis is good as Jeff Clarke, yeah, it's true like in the show he's the straight arrow type but that's not a bad thing. In a way he sort of represents us the every man, really like how he reacts to certain things it feel like how any of us may react. But it was also cool seeing him kick a little ass in this film from shooting silver bullets from a revolver at one of the vampires, down to using that crossbow that shoots out rocket stakes.
There is also the usual gothic melodrama which has a couple of good dynamics. The chemistry between Clark and Maggie is decent. It's kind of interesting considering if you know the show both characters were never a couple in the TV show. Though I'll admit that's one weak point of the film, both don't have enough scenes together; I really which there we're so there would be depth provided showing why both are right for one another.
Though I really like the chemistry between both Barnabas and Maggie, from their interaction you really could go either way. At first when things go well you feel Barnabas could have a life within the realm of the living.
But when things go to hell in a hand basket faster than the lid can be closed, it's kind of tragic because it's like Barnaba's last chance at love and even redemption is lost forever. And that lair of his in the final scene sort of reflects his state of mind where he is no longer a mortal that lives within our realm but a total monster that dwells in a realm where light and love doesn't exist.
Thought it's true this coffin does have a few splinters, first one I already stated. For one thing certain transitions in the film aren't very smooth, there are some scenes when some things happen but then suddenly it just jump cuts to another thing happening. Like in one scene, a character I won't say who, just out of the left field is a vampire, I couldn't help but think when and where in the film did this happened. It felt like a scene or a page from the script was missing.
Another splinter is there are a few too many charters in the film, which for fans of the show may put them off a little as most of the familiar faces in the film aren't in it enough which might make those characters seem slightly undeveloped and nothing more than background players. But since this an entire show condensed into a movie running time which has only a limited amount it couldn't be helped.
And like in the show I was in this film really for the central characters focused like Barnabas and Maggie whom are some of the main reason I watch the show in the first place, so I really can't complain much.
And the last is that this film didn't get a proper sequel, it did have a follow up which is "Night of Dark Shadows" but it wasn't very good nor did it feel like a real follow up as the story was too far removed from the series, let alone wasn't what the creator wanted in the first place.
After what looked like a sequel baited ending from this film, it really made me wonder what that real sequel would have been, would it be a movie version of the 1795 arc, or the film takes place years latter there is some vampire apocalypse around the world and Maggie and Jeff come back and have to not just fight of Barnabas again but also Angelique and Nicolas Blair. I don't know only in the realm of fan fiction will we have a proper sequel to this version of the "Dark Shadows" series.
If you're a fan of the show, this film is a real treat as you are seeing the show once more but on a bigger scale. For newcomers that never seen the show in their life, this film is a pretty good starting point but also is simply fun to watch as a stand-alone vampire film. Come see how the vampires do it.
Rating: 3 and a half stars
Not your TV Dark Shadows!
deacon_blues-35 April 2012
Warning: Spoilers
This upgrading of the Barnabas Collins TV version is much darker, much more violent, and much more dramatic. It does not mesh with the TV soap, really. The Barnabas Collins of the soap was a very sympathetic, well-intentioned fellow in the long-run. The BC of this film is a real embodiment of demonic evil. His supposed good intentions are really just a façade that masks his dark, evil schemes for self-fulfillment at the expense of everyone's eventual death. BC is not only evil, he also commands magical powers with the force of his voice, somewhat like Saruman of LOTR (as demonstrated in the final scenes). And he can supernaturally manipulate others for his own purposes. A real vampire tour de force that turns concepts like the Twilight series on their heads. Vampires may look appealing and sympathetic, but they are really just plain evil! The final scenes are really devastating and make for high drama in the classic style!
Movie retelling of the ABC TV soap opera about Barnabus Collins the vampire.
cgvsluis16 November 2022
I don't know if this film suffers from editing or if it was the tv editing because I did watch it on tv over and he Halloween holiday. It's based on the wildly popular ABC TV soap opera Dark Shadows and did use the tv actors, but it was not the most accessible for "newbies" or those who haven't seen the TV soap.
Very soap-opera-y in nature, there is love of all kinds including unrequited, revenge, jealousy and hate. There are some great gothic images including Barnabus outside with the looming castle before him in shadow.
Kudos to the cobweb makers on set, there are amazing and massive cobwebs. The film does suffer a little from lack of direction or plot...although the doctor with the vampire cure was interesting and then how did she know how to reverse it???
Even my husband who watched the tv soap as a kid with his mom had trouble following this film and wasn't a big fan.
I actually really like the vampire genre in general, but I am afraid this does not receive my stamp of recommendation. I imagine fans of the soap may enjoy it however.
Very soap-opera-y in nature, there is love of all kinds including unrequited, revenge, jealousy and hate. There are some great gothic images including Barnabus outside with the looming castle before him in shadow.
Kudos to the cobweb makers on set, there are amazing and massive cobwebs. The film does suffer a little from lack of direction or plot...although the doctor with the vampire cure was interesting and then how did she know how to reverse it???
Even my husband who watched the tv soap as a kid with his mom had trouble following this film and wasn't a big fan.
I actually really like the vampire genre in general, but I am afraid this does not receive my stamp of recommendation. I imagine fans of the soap may enjoy it however.
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