& yesterday it raised the hair on the back of grandson's neck. What was it? Why "House of the Dark Shadows" (1970), of course. This was a real story of "blood relations". I watched this movie relishing every one of his reactions. Here I had a youngster of today admitting this was better than any horror flick they now put out. (The kisses were better because most included blood.)
The Kid sat with his hands in front of his face, "Tell me when I can look!"
Me, asking sweetly, "Do you want me to turn the movie off?"
Him, properly horrified at the thought, "No! Just tell me when Barnabas closes his mouth!"
Me, in my most grandmotherly fashion, "But if it's scaring you that much I need to change the channels." (I nod sagely & reach for the remote.)
Him; "Nooooooo! If you do I'll never get to see how Barnabas gets caught, if he does. I'll never know what happens." (It's taped for heaven's sake but I don't want to waste that knowledge on him...this is fun.)
Actually, after the music, IMO director Dan Curtis & the cast make of this film. The draw was Joan Bennett starring as Elizabeth Collins Stoddard. Then there's Jonathan Frid as Barnabas Collins has the protein & dental problems. Greyson Hall has a definite bad hair day. She portrays Dr. Julia Hoffman who falls for Barnabas & decides she can cure him. Kathryn Leigh Scott is the love of Jeff's life Maggie Evans who is on the estate as young David's caregiver. Then we have Roger Davis who is the handsome hero Jeff Clark. We learn quickly that Barnabas has a yen for Maggie.
The rest were: Nancy Barrett as Elizabeth's daughter Carolyn Stoddard. She & "Cousin" Barnabas have a "close encounter". John Karlen as Willie Loomis who searches for treasure & finds more than anticipated. Thayer David is Professor T. Eliot Stokes who figures out Barnabas' identity. Louis Edmonds is Roger Collins who is the father of Carolyn & young David (David Hensey who does a good job at being "weird").
So I took him back to those thrilling days of yesteryear when I use to race home after school to watch the series "Dark Shadows" (1966-1971) that made this movie & "Night of Dark Shadows" (1971) possible. Somehow he seemed more interested in where'd all the blood come from?' Why wasn't there more wooden stakes. Where was the blood from the silver bullets? What about the crossbow/wooden arrows Jeff found? Why were they laying around? If Professor Stokes & Roger were so smart why did they get caught?
Well, to finish up we decided the special effects of darkness, fog, eerie lighting, along with the puncturing, blood letting & make-up didn't hurt this movie either.
One last question to the Kid; How was this movie better than horror movies today? He said, because these effects don't show you body parts flying & stuff. They let you use your imagination...we saw blood & wounds but we still get to pretend.
The Kid sat with his hands in front of his face, "Tell me when I can look!"
Me, asking sweetly, "Do you want me to turn the movie off?"
Him, properly horrified at the thought, "No! Just tell me when Barnabas closes his mouth!"
Me, in my most grandmotherly fashion, "But if it's scaring you that much I need to change the channels." (I nod sagely & reach for the remote.)
Him; "Nooooooo! If you do I'll never get to see how Barnabas gets caught, if he does. I'll never know what happens." (It's taped for heaven's sake but I don't want to waste that knowledge on him...this is fun.)
Actually, after the music, IMO director Dan Curtis & the cast make of this film. The draw was Joan Bennett starring as Elizabeth Collins Stoddard. Then there's Jonathan Frid as Barnabas Collins has the protein & dental problems. Greyson Hall has a definite bad hair day. She portrays Dr. Julia Hoffman who falls for Barnabas & decides she can cure him. Kathryn Leigh Scott is the love of Jeff's life Maggie Evans who is on the estate as young David's caregiver. Then we have Roger Davis who is the handsome hero Jeff Clark. We learn quickly that Barnabas has a yen for Maggie.
The rest were: Nancy Barrett as Elizabeth's daughter Carolyn Stoddard. She & "Cousin" Barnabas have a "close encounter". John Karlen as Willie Loomis who searches for treasure & finds more than anticipated. Thayer David is Professor T. Eliot Stokes who figures out Barnabas' identity. Louis Edmonds is Roger Collins who is the father of Carolyn & young David (David Hensey who does a good job at being "weird").
So I took him back to those thrilling days of yesteryear when I use to race home after school to watch the series "Dark Shadows" (1966-1971) that made this movie & "Night of Dark Shadows" (1971) possible. Somehow he seemed more interested in where'd all the blood come from?' Why wasn't there more wooden stakes. Where was the blood from the silver bullets? What about the crossbow/wooden arrows Jeff found? Why were they laying around? If Professor Stokes & Roger were so smart why did they get caught?
Well, to finish up we decided the special effects of darkness, fog, eerie lighting, along with the puncturing, blood letting & make-up didn't hurt this movie either.
One last question to the Kid; How was this movie better than horror movies today? He said, because these effects don't show you body parts flying & stuff. They let you use your imagination...we saw blood & wounds but we still get to pretend.