Discussion»Questions»Names» Why isn't my name "Lola" ? Life isn't fair. What woulda shoulda colulda been your name? You're answer needs a song cos I said so.
So you like to indentify with a werewolf who abused his wife Jenny and had an affair wioth his brothers wife and then left his children for Egypt and then as aghost decided to haunt the children playroom?
I saw a set like that, yes! Pretty pricey, too - but not really, I guess -- it WAS the entire series, so I think the price was reasonable for a fan! :)
It was shown in reruns in the early 90's and I got into then. They even tried to make a new one in the 90's. It was pretty good for a remake but a little cheesier. Anyway. My mother, Father, Uncle, and Grandmother all liked it when it was originally on and when they started showing the reruns of it told me to check it out because I really liked Twilight Zone and old horror themed stuff since I was kid. So I did and it was one of those things I could watch with them. Tah was the early 90's, then it got aired again in the late 90's. truth be told as a kid I watched more old TV shows from the 50's,60's, and 70's the I did the contemporary ones as a kid. It was all cartoons, Tales from the DarkSide, Twilight Zone, Outer Limits, and Nick at Nite when I was a lad. Oh and Emergency.
In that remake series of Dark Shadows in the 90's -- I thought the original series was way cheesier than the remake in the 90's. Funny how we see them differently. I, too, liked the remake series -- it only lasted barely one season, I think? I REALLY liked Ben Cross as 'Barnabas' in the remake series - - he was much scarier and more believable than Jonathan Frid (and I found him a better actor than Frid; though I still adore Frid as Barnabas) -- if all of that makes any sense.
By chance, Glis -- Do you remember an Outer Limits episode -- I think it was entitled "Do Not Open Until Doomsday" - - about an ugly, big frog-like creature in a wedding present-box in a motel room and the frog sucked a newlywed bride (or groom? or both?) in to the box and they were trapped in the box? That one scared the living daylights out of me. :)
WQ, now that you mention Ben Cross, I do remember the remake! Ah, I tried but just couldn't get into it. I am a purist by nature. I do agree Ben Cross is a better actor than Jonathan Frid was. But, for me, that was part of the charm of the original series. Jonathan Frid was a stage actor. Television and movies were not his medium and out of his comfort zone. His over the top cheesy Barnabas was why I loved the original so much. LOL!
I suspect Glis does know the Outer Limits episode you are talking about. If he doesn't, I certainly do! I don't know why I wasn't scared by it. That episode always cracked me up. I watched all the shows he mentioned religiously, except Emergency. Couldn't stand the acting or the content. In my mind it was created in the same vein as CHIPS. To avoid completely offending my boy Glis with how I REALLY felt about that show, all I will say is, it was schlock to me.
"But, for me, that was part of the charm of the original series. Jonathan Frid was a stage actor. Television and movies were not his medium and out of his comfort zone. His over the top cheesy Barnabas was why I loved the original so much. LOL!"
Frid indeed brought such a successful over-the-topness to his role. It worked great for him in the role! :)
just as you don't know why it didn't scare you, I don't know exactly what it is about that Outer Limits episode that scares me so. I first saw it in reruns somewhere in my life. I've seen it as an adult sometime in recent years and it still gives me chills. :)
Now that you mention that episode the story is coming back to me a little.
As for Dark Shadows. I liked both but the remake had that soft, glaring lighting with slight over exposure and typical forced emotion mellow drama that was really in vogue for a lot of television in the late 80's and early 90's. That kind of cinematography always has a cheese element for me in retrospect. It wasn't a bad show though.
You're got a great eye for detail, Glis. :) Overall the original Dark Shadows for me is more 'addicting' to watch for me, as much as I liked the remake, too.
Benedict Arnold 