Baby boomers can find some post-Halloween thrills on two films inspired by the cult gothic soap opera “Dark Shadows.”
“House of Dark Shadows,” 97 minutes; and “Night of Dark Shadows,” 94 minutes – Warner Home Video. Blu-ray, $19.98; and DVD, $14.96 each.
Baby boomers can find some post-Halloween thrills on two films inspired by the cult gothic soap opera “Dark Shadows.”
The feature film “House of Dark Shadows” (1970) starring Jonathan Frid and the follow-up “Night of Dark Shadows” (1971) with David Selby are now available on DVD and Blu-ray.
The former offers a feature-length retelling of the tale of vampire Barnabas Collins. Freed from his crypt, he tears through a Maine community, while seeking a cure to rid him of his curse. Frid’s portrayal of Barnabas endeared the late actor to a generation of horror fans. He is joined in this bloody big screen romp by series co-stars Grayson Hall and Kathryn Leigh Scott.
“House of Dark Shadows” is not quite as successful a movie. The immensley talented Selby, the beautiful Lara Parker and a pre-“Charlie’s Angels” Kate Jackson do their best, but MGM butchered this film before its theatrical release. The studio gave creator-director Dan Curtis (“The Winds of War”) just 24 hours to trim 35 minutes from the 129-minute running time. The excised footage was recovered more than a decade ago, though apparently the sound elements have not been located.
Outside of the theatrical trailers, neither disc boasts any extras, a pity since several of its stars could have provided a fine commentary.
Curtis, who passed away in 2006, revisited “Dark Shadows” in a sadly short-lived revival series in 1991. Available on DVD, it is worth seeking out. The recent comedy horror treatment by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp is best left forgotten.