Movie Review - Dark Shadows

I’m an avid Dark Shadows fan as I use to watch the original soap when it aired in reruns on the former Scifi Channel, and I recently watch the DVD of the 1991 revival series. I was aware of all the mixed reviews that Tim Burton’s remake received, but I still wanted to see the film. Dark Shadows happened to playing at my small local theater last weekend and I went to see the film at the Sunday matinee.

    The film starts in the year 1760, where the Collins along with their young son Barnabas leave Liverpool and travel to the United States, where they open up a fishing port in Maine. Years go by and Barnabas (Johnny Depp) grows up to be somewhat of a playboy, fooling around a servant, Angelique Bouchard (Eva Green), who is actually a powerful witch. Barnabas falls in love with Josette du Pres and rejects Angelique’s affections, but the witch doesn’t like rejection. She forces Josette to jump off a cliff, and one by one the Collins die. All but Barnabas as Angelique has cursed him into a vampire. When the town people find out about the vampire, they chain Barnabas inside a coffin and bury him.

    It’s now 1972 and a young woman named Maggie Evans is arriving at the Collinwood Manor. She is running away from her haunting past and uses the name Victoria Winters as she accepts the job as David Collin’s governess.

Movie Review - Sarah Landon and the Paranormal Hour

Last week I happened to catch the movie Sarah Landon and the Paranormal Hour on an Encore channel. I very seldom watch a movie during the day, let alone turn on the television, but after reading the title on the menu guide, I thought I would give the movie a try.

    The Paranormal Hour begins with a seventeen-year-old Sarah Landon (played by Rissa Walters) returning to Pine Valley, California to visit her grandmother, Thelma Shaw. Before she arrives at her grandma’s, she has car problems and stops by a local repair shop where she hears part of a disturbing story. She doesn’t get the full story until she asks her grandma about it, who was more than glad to tell the tale.

    A young man, David Baker, is cursed! On his 21st birthday, which is only a few days away, he will be killed by his dead uncle, Ben Woods. Years ago, Ben’s son, on his 21st birthday, was killed in a car accident that David’s mother caused. David was known as a good kid and was getting ready to go to college, but then he learned of the curse and cut himself off from the world. He has become obsessed with the paranormal, and is trying to find away to stop his uncle.

Movie Review - Night of Dark Shadows

After the success of House of Dark Shadows, MGM greenlit a sequel Curse of Dark Shadows. By the time production near, the soap series was canceled by ABC and actor Jonathan Frid didn’t want to return as fear of being typecast. Therefore, the co-writer and director Dan Curtis (creator of Dark Shadows) changed the title to Night of Dark Shadows and focused the main character onto Quentin Collins (played by David Selby), whom was absent from the previous film. This time the plot didn’t involve vampires, but returned to Dark Shadows original theme of ghosts.

    Quentin Collins along with his wife Tracy (played by Kate Jackson) arrives at their newly-inherited estate, Collinwood, as most of the Collins were killed in the previous film. Actress Grayson Hall returns, but she’s playing a new role as the housekeeper Carlotta Drake. The couple is introduced to her and the caretaker Gerard Stiles. There is no mentioned of the events that happened in House of Dark Shadows.

    The couple’s novelists’ friends Alex and Claire Jenkins (Played by returning actors John Karlen and Nancy Barrett, but in different roles.) move into the small cottage that is located on the estate. Quentin soon has weird and realistic dreams about his ancestor Charles Collins, who had an affair with Angelique (Once again played by actress Lara Parker.). Upon hearing about his dreams, Carlotta tells him that she is the reincarnation of Sarah Castle, a girl who once lived at Collinwood, and that he is the reincarnation of Charles Collins. Charles had a passionate affair with his brother’s wife, Angelique. Because of their actions, Angelique was hanged and Charles was buried alive in her crypt.

Movie Review - House of Dark Shadows

After the success of the ABC’s daytime soap Dark Shadows, the creator Dan Curtis directed a darker version from the script written by Sam Hall and Gordon Russell and produced by MGM back in 1970. The script was based on the popular Barnabas storyline and starred the original cast such as Jonathan Frid, Grayson Hall, Kathryn Leigh Scott, David Henesy, and Roger Davis. The movie was shot in six weeks with a budget of $750,000, which is now considered a low-budget.

    The movie uses an altered version of the Barnabas plot. The recently fired handyman Willie Loomis visit’s the Collins’ family Old House in an attempt to steal rare jewels, but instead he unleashes the vampire cursed Barnabas from his 150-year confinement. Using his vampire powers, Barnabas makes Willie his slave. Barnabas wastes no time and introduces his self to the Collins family as a cousin to England.

    Barnabas meets the young governess, Maggie Evans, who looks exactly like his lost-love Josette. While during this time, Barnabas turns Carolyn, whom is later staked by Professor T. Eliot Stokes.

    The family doctor, Julia Hoffman, examines the blood of the victims and, for some unknown reason, knows that vampirism is behind the deaths. She soon realizes that Barnabas is a vampire and she offers to cure him. Barnabas accepts the offer. For a short time he is cured and begins to romance Maggie Evans.

A New Design, More Books, The Littles, The Muppets, and Follow Friday

Do you like the new look on here? I think it looks great! Blogovation Design did a remarkable job creating a design the represents my blog. Please comment on what you think of it!

I actually bought the Muppets on DVD this week. I haven't been a Muppet film in probably twenty years. I recall watching a few of the movies and The Muppet Babies cartoon series, but I have lost touch with these cute characters. I remember seeing this movie advertise at the theater last year and I thought it would be horrible due to the fact that Jason Segel is in it. Surprisingly, I wasn't annoyed with his character, even though it is unbelievable that Amy Adams' character actually liked him. All the Muppet characters are back, but some of them could have had more screen time, like Fozzie Bear - who didn't have much to do. The movie is cute for kids with enough humor for adults to enjoy it as well.

Last night I watched The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo with Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara. I haven't read the books, even though I do have them on Kindle, and I haven't seen the Swedish films either. I was shockingly surprised at the brutal violence in the film, and this is coming for someone who is fan of Spartacus on Starz. The movie is well-acted, beautifully filmed, and the dark mystery keeps you watching till the very end.

I also watched Bag of Bones on DVD which is based on a novel by Stephen King. I bought the book years ago on the bargain shelf at Barnes & Nobles. I read it quickly and loved it. When the miniseries aired back in December, I had other things going on and I didn't get a chance to watch it. Bag of Bones is good, but several things have been changed and left out from the book. I love ghost stories, so I naturally love it despite of it's flaws.

I received The Little: The Complete Collection in the mail on Monday. The short-lived series is based on John Peterson's children books and aired when I was two years old back in 1983. The series only had 29 episodes, one prequel feature film, and one TV Movie. The show aired in reruns for several years after it ended. I'm glad that I found it on DVD and under ten dollars. I've only had a chance to watch a few episodes, but they are just as I remember them. It would be nice to see The Littles have a comeback like the Thundercats did last year.