Picture of the Week: David Daydreams

This week, it's a candid 1969 shot of David Selby (Quentin Collins), rehearsing out of costume on the Collinwood foyer set. "My life has changed so much since I became a regular on Dark Shadows that I seldom have time for thought," David told 16 Magazine in 1970. "But when I do, I welcome a moment of silence to contemplate things."

If you would like to submit an image for Picture of the Week, email webmaster@collinwood.net.

Dark Shadows Takings Reach $130 Million

Box Office Mojo have published revised global takings for Dark Shadows, revealing that the film has generated over $132 million in less than two weeks in cinemas. As of May 20, the US domestic total is estimated at $50.9 million, with $81.3 million for overseas territories. 

In addition, The Hollywood Reporter have noted that Dark Shadows' opening weekend in Japan has generated another $5 million not included in these figures, which also omit the $5.3 million Russian takings reported earlier in the week. When these sums are factored in, as it enters its third week of release, Dark Shadows' combined earnings stand at over $142 million.

While the US box office for the film has been sluggish compared to the stellar business enjoyed by The Avengers, Dark Shadows has performed strongly in a number of foreign territories. In France, it beat The Avengers for a second week and has additionally opened as the number one film in Belgium, Finland, Italy, Japan, Portugal and Spain. In the US, Dark Shadows slipped to fourth place, but was still estimated to generate $12.7 million over the course of its second weekend.

Three New Shadows Movie TV Spots

Warner Bros. have released three new TV spots for the Dark Shadows movie, which have been broadcast on US television over the past week. The film is now on general release and can be seen in cinemas everywhere, with Imax screenings at selected outlets.

Classic Dark Shadows Updates

• Dynamite Comics will be pitting Barnabas Collins against one of their other vampire properties, Vampirella, in a new crossover beginning in August. The story sees the pair forming an alliance to hunt for a murderer in the Big Apple.
• The Dark Shadows Festival are now accepting memberships for July's Day at Collinwood event, taking place in Tarrytown, New York on July 28. The itinerary will now include a tribute to Jonathan Frid (Barnabas Collins) and the premiere screening of his final video interview. For more information, click here.
• Fans in New York City can catch Marie Wallace (Eve) and Larry Storch in a charity performance of Love Letters, taking place on June 24 to benefit the Manhattan Actors Temple. For more information, click here.
• Lara Parker (Angelique) is interviewed by the Memphis Commercial Appeal about the enduring popularity of Dark Shadows: "Longing for immortality is the source of religion – we want to live forever. Barnabas got to do that, but on the other hand, he's dead. Would we choose immortality if we had to be monsters? It's a fascinating idea."
• A few readers have emailed in asking if the recently-reissued Dark Shadows DVD volumes feature the restored footage included in the new Complete Series DVD Box Set; As we reported previously, the opportunity was taken to reinstate some sequences that were accidentally removed from the original discs. We can confirm that episodes 451 and 695 are now included as broadcast on Collection 6 and Collection 12.

Jonathan Frid: Nancy Kersey Remembers

As a writer for Clunes Associates, Jonathan Frid's production company, Nancy Kersey worked closely with Jonathan for over a decade on his one-man shows. She shares her memories of a loyal employer and dear friend...

Jonathan Frid was one of the funniest people I have ever known. That fact befuddles those I have said this to... "Barnabas? Funny? Really?" Yes, really. And then some. John (I called him 'John', 'Uncle Gaunty' and 'Friddlesticks') was like a multi-layered banana; you could peel and peel and never quite pin him down. Forget trying to predict him. He was a complex individualist, disliking going with the flow for the sake of just keeping the status quo. He had no interest in keeping the status quo.

He refused to capitalise on his fame as Barnabas Collins when Dark Shadows was in its heyday and that refusal cost him work. He wanted to explore being a talk show host, a nod to his constant curiosity about world and national affairs. That didn’t pan out. He could have taken the many horror roles offered to him, but Jonathan disliked the genre in general and didn’t pursue that kind of work either. Most actors would say that was kind of dumb, but that's how Jonathan was – he did what he wanted. If other people understand why, fine, if they didn't... well, that was fine too.

Dark Shadows Movie Digest

• The Los Angeles Times has interviewed Colleen Atwood about her costume designs for the new Dark Shadows movie, discussing the influences she drew upon for the production. "Some of it was from reference materials and some of it I remember from growing up," she explains. "There was also a nod to the old show. I tried to pay homage to that with things like Johnny's little cape coat that he wears."
• Many news sources have picked up on The Killers' surprise contribution to the Dark Shadows soundtrack. The band produced a cover version of the Raspberries' Go All The Way heard during the film's closing credits. The track isn't included on the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack album, but may be released at a later date.
• Website DigitalArts goes behind the scenes of the MPC's visual effects work on Dark Shadows. The company produced over 100 shots for the film, including a virtual Widows' Hill and the Liverpool docks seen in the film's opening sequence. To read the full article, click here.
• And finally, AMC have denied that the Dark Shadows reference on Mad Men in last week's episode was planned as a promotion for the movie; The sixties-set drama featured a scene of Don Draper's wife Megan helping a friend prepare for an audition for the soap: "[It] has absolutely nothing to do with [the] film and is definitely not any kind of tie-in," a spokesperson tells The Wall Street Journal.

New Backstage Shadows Movie Pictures

Warner Bros. have released another batch of publicity stills for the Dark Shadows movie, going behind the scenes of the production. Shown are director Tim Burton with Eva Green (Angelique Bouchard); The cavernous foyer of Collinwood constructed at Pinewood Studios; And finally, filming Barnabas' arrival with Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer (Elizabeth Collins Stoddard) and Jackie Earle Haley (Willie Loomis). Click on the images for a larger view. And to see all our photo posts from the film, click here.

Images © Warner Bros. Entertainment Ltd.

Lara Parker Talks Wolf Moon Rising

We recently chatted to actress Lara Parker about her cameo in the new Dark Shadows movie. In recent years, she's carved out a second career as a writer, and her third Dark Shadows novel, Wolf Moon Rising, is out later this year... 

You've recently completed the manuscript for Wolf Moon Rising. How was the writing process this time around?
Honestly? It was hard – grueling at times. This is a complicated story and there are four or five points of view from various characters, so it was much harder to write. I gave myself a difficult task, to take this whole group of characters and have their stories intertwine.

When you're writing, do you have any tricks to get you into the story?
I always pick a season. For The Salem Branch, it was fall and the trees... This time it's the dead of winter – everything's white and covered in snow. David has a snowmobile he dug out of the garage – he's quite handy with mechanical things. So he drives this snowmobile quite recklessly through the woods behind Collinwood and the sea road on the way to the Old House.  

In The Salem Branch, you explored a more adolescent version of David Collins than we saw on the series...
I tend to be much fonder of my own characters – they're much more alive for me. I think that the 16-year-old David is really my creation now. When we last saw him [on television], he was eleven or twelve, but had certain characteristics that are still there. He's quite self-centred and full of himself, and thinks himself to be very smart.

$65 Million Worldwide Opening Weekend For Shadows

The first weekend's takings are in, and The Wrap reports that the Dark Shadows has done respectable business in its opening few days, raking in $28.8 million in the US and a further $36.7 million in oversea territories, making over $65 million so far. 

As was widely predicted, family-friendly The Avengers continued its record-breaking blockbuster run, taking the lion's share of the weekend's business with over $100 million in the US alone, plus the number one slot. Depp's Barnabas comfortably made second place ahead of nearest competitor, Think Like A Man, which took $6.3 million. The Hollywood Reporter adds that Dark Shadows "came in No. 1 ahead of Avengers in several European markets, including France (where Depp lives), where it grossed $4.6 million. It scored its biggest number in Russia, grossing $5.3 million."

Elsewhere, Collider has interviewed Dark Shadows screenwriter Seth Grahame-Smith, who echoed comments from director Tim Burton earlier this week that the film's DVD and BluRay release will feature deleted scenes: "There was a lot cut out... As a writer, you want all of those great actors to have those [great] moments... What happens then, is you then have a three-hour movie!"

"There's some stuff with Barnabas and David getting to know each other, a little earlier on," says Seth. "I think that the plan is to release those scenes on the BluRay. I'd love to – personally – see an extended cut of this movie. Because there is so much other stuff, not just with Barnabas, but so many other characters." The interview also includes Seth reflecting on the film's box office prospects and the development of the script from John August's initial draft. To view the full chat online, click here.

$10 Million First-Day Takings For Dark Shadows

• The Hollywood Reporter says that early indications are that Dark Shadows took $10 million on its Friday opening in the United States. This figure remains in line with industry predictions, which suggest the movie will gross $30-35 million across its first weekend. 
• The Tokyo premiere of Dark Shadows took place earlier today, with Johnny Depp (Barnabas Collins) and director Tim Burton in attendance. As can be seen right, Johnny took the opportunity to demonstrate some of Barnabas' trademark hand movements.
• The Los Angeles Times takes a look at the sets for the Dark Shadows movie, with unseen photography and commentary from production designer Rick Heinrichs, who discusses the detailed work involved: "When Barnabas walks into Collinwood, he makes a reference to the artisans and craftspeople who worked on the house. So it needed to reflect that amount of effort."
• UK newspaper The Daily Telegraph has published a Dark Shadows set report by Tim Burton biographer Mark Salisbury, interviewing cast and crew on location. To read it online click here.
• Fox10TV celebrates Dark Shadows across the ages with a photo gallery of the original series, featuring never-before-seen shots. Pay a visit by clicking here.
• And, signing off, here are some video treats: A new Dark Shadows TV spot and a CBS news report about a Pittsburgh fan who has taken his devotion to another level by creating his own version of Collinwood to live in.

Dark Shadows London Premiere Video

• Premiere Scene have posted footage of the London Dark Shadows movie premiere, which includes interviews with the film's stars and can be viewed in the window above.
• BoxOfficeMojo reports that Dark Shadows took a respectable $550,000 from US midnight screenings last night, and echoes previous industry predictions of the film reaching second place in the US market this weekend behind juggernaut The Avengers, with projected takings of $33.3 million.
• Eva Green had admitted she was unsure about dyeing her hair to play the witch Angelique: "I didn't want it to look like a silly blonde," she tells People Magazine, but concedes: "It was a great choice, because it represents America, sunshine... health."
• Yahoo Movies interviews original Victoria Winters actress Alexandra Moltke-Isles about Dark Shadows, her thoughts on the new movie and her memories of Jonathan Frid (Barnabas Collins): "He was a little reserved, terribly nice, gentlemanly," says Alexandra, who also recalls his problems remembering dialogue. "People misinterpreted that as a different kind of yearning, worry and concern." 
• The new limited edition Dark Shadows Crimson Amulet make-up set by NYX is now on sale, featuring looks inspired by the new movie. To purchase it online, click here.
• And finally, Alice Cooper's Dark Shadows costume can be seen on display at Phoenix's Musical Instrument Museum. Curator Cullen Strawn tells the Phoenix New Times that the pieces were "made specifically for Alice to wear in Dark Shadows by [costume designer] Coleen Atwood. It's based on an outfit he wore in the seventies."

Dark Shadows Is Released Today

Today the new Dark Shadows movie from Tim Burton and Johnny Depp is released in cinemas, following more than five years of production. We've chronicled the project from its earliest announcement, and you can re-visit all our coverage by clicking here. 

Dark Shadows has already done brisk business in France, where the movie released midweek, commanding double the audience of blockbuster The Avengers. "Dark Shadows could beat Avengers in certain territories but might not be able to match Avengers' overall weekend international gross," comments The Hollywood Reporter. "Burton's film got off to a strong start Wednesday in France, grossing roughly $770,000 to beat Avengers on its third Wednesday."

It's now over 41 years since the original show left television screens, but its influence remains far-reaching, in the work of Tim Burton and many others working in the film industry today. The new film is dedicated to the memory of Dark Shadows creator Dan Curtis, but perhaps this also is a good time to remember some of the show's other creative leading lights – writers Art Wallace, Sam Hall, Gordon Russell, Violet Welles, Malcolm Marmorstein, Ron Sproat and Joe Caldwell, directors Lela Swift, John Sedwick and Henry Kaplan, original producer Robert Costello, and most of all, our recently-departed original Barnabas, Jonathan Frid.

New TV Spot Emerges As Release Approaches

Warner Bros. have unveiled a new TV spot for the Dark Shadows movie, which is released in most major territories tomorrow. Special midnight screenings are taking place this evening across the US, and if you're seeing the film tonight, have a great time and look our for our review coming soon.

Dark Shadows Hits London!

•  As we reported yesterday, the UK premiere of the Dark Shadows took place last night, with the film's stars braving a drizzly Leicester Square to meet fans and and walk along a Dark Shadows-themed purple carpet. Among the celebrities in attendance were Paloma Faith and director Terry Gilliam. 
• TV Guide looks at the enduring appeal of Dark Shadows and the new film, speaking to director Tim Burton and others. "Dark Shadows is a part of my DNA," says Burton proudly. "I discovered it when I was a pre-teen feeling very awkward... I was crazy about its mash-up of vampires, witches and werewolves all swirling in this weird melodrama – there was nothing like it on TV! It formed who I am and the kind of films I would go on to make."
•  Elsewhere, Music maestro Danny Elfman speaks to website The A.V. Club about his Dark Shadows movie soundtrack and the influences of the show's original composer Robert Cobert: "Tim [Burton] really did like the tone of the music to the TV show, and he got me listening to it... we're going to use an ensemble that's very much like the ensemble might have been in 1970. A very, very small orchestra, mostly just three solo instruments – a bass clarinet, bass flute, and vibes. There were these riffs that they did that I really liked, so I did pull some music from the TV show into the score, and Bob Cobert... is credited in the cue sheets for those moments where it kind of becomes a co-composition." 
• Original series actress Lara Parker (Angelique) is full of praise for the new Barnabas Collins: "Johnny Depp has his own presence and mystery that is so superb," she tells The Boston Herald. "He understands the poignancy of the character, the desperation... and the guilt. They didn’t wipe the slate clean, all the motivations are the same."
• And finally, the Dark Shadows: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack album is now available to download, mixing highlights of Danny Elfman's orchestral score with archive tracks from Alice Cooper, The Moody Blues and others. To purchase it online, click here.

Hollywood Dark Shadows Premiere Featurette

Hollywood.com have posted a video of Monday's US Dark Shadows premiere, interviewing the film's stars on the red... erm... black carpet, including Johnny Depp (Barnabas Collins), director Tim Burton and Eva Green (Angelique Bouchard). Also, for your viewing pleasure, are two new video spots from Warner Bros. promoting the film – a featurette exploring the continued collaboration of Tim Burton and Johnny Depp and a new TV spot.