Win a Soundtrack CD

We have another great competition this month, with a chance to win one of two copies of Dark Shadows: Music From The Audio Dramas, courtesy of Big Finish Productions. The album collects the best of Nigel Fairs' original music for the Big Finish series of Dark Shadows audio dramas, incorporating classic compositions from Robert Cobert. To enter, just answer this simple question:

What famous piece of music from Dark Shadows has received over one million radio plays?

Send your answer, along with your name and postal address to webmaster@collinwood.net before September 30. Music From The Audio Dramas can be purchased on CD by clicking here.

Picture of the Week: So Cool, It's Chilling

Here's a great 1968 magazine advert for the Barnabas glow-in-the-dark poster, one of the earliest pieces of merchandise to feature Collinwood's resident vampire. "Here at last, in all his gory glory..." gushed the copy, adding that potential customers should: "Hang it in your pad, your den, your bedroom – wherever you want to curdle your blood." Click on the image for a larger view.

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

Skins Actress Cast in Dark Shadows Movie

British actress Hannah Murray, best known for her role in British drama Skins, is the latest confirmed cast member for the new Dark Shadows feature film. A posting on her management's website confirms that she will be playing a "hippie chick". Her other credits include a recent appearance on Game of Thrones and the Marple adaptation Why Didn't They Ask Evans?

Elsewhere, Johnny Depp has been taking a break from his role as Barnabas over the last week, holidaying with his family in the south of France. Recent dispatches from the production team on Twitter indicate that filming on Dark Shadows will wrap before the end of September. Fabric dyers Schultz & Wiremu, who have been working with the movie's costume department, recently tweeted: "Dark Shadows will be sending all our... equipment back before 16 September! Filming must nearly be over."

Barnabas Costume Now Available

The first items in the new range of licensed Dark Shadows costumes and accessories from Elope are now available to buy, just in time for Halloween.

The first wave comprises a Barnabas Collins inverness cape, a wig and the vampire's distinctive onyx ring. An affordable reproduction of the character's wolf's head cane is also in the works.

To order the Barnabas cape, wig and ring online, just click on the hyperlinked titles.

News Bites

• Ever wanted to build Barnabas? Round 2 Model's re-issue of the classic 1969 Barnabas Collins model kit is now available, accurately reproducing the original release with extra improved tooling. The new version also includes additional glow-in-the-dark parts and optional moveable arms. To order online, click here.
• Seaview Terrace, the Rhode Island property used for the exterior of Collinwood on the original Dark Shadows, recently played host to SyFy's Ghost Hunters. The paranormal investigation show has taped an upcoming installment at the mansion, due to air on September 7. To read more about the series, click here.
• Alec Newman (2004 Barnabas Collins) is to join the cast of BBC One's drama Waterloo Road as a new series regular. Alec will be playing incoming school head teacher Michael Byrne when the show returns later this year.
• And finally, Dark Shadows News Page editor Stuart Manning recently spoke to website Newsarama about his work as writer of the new Dark Shadows Comic Book, which is due out in October. To read the full interview, click here.

Picture of the Week: Diana Gets Bold

Before she rose from the flames as Laura Collins, Dark Shadows' resident phoenix, Diana Millay had a successful career as a photographic model, including showing off swimwear for the Sears catalogue. Here she is striking a coquettish pose for the cover of men's magazine Bold, in a issue first published in August 1958.

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

Dark Shadows Movie Filming Continues

Regular readers will have noticed that updates on the filming of the new Dark Shadows feature film have slowed down in recent weeks, as shooting enters its latter stages. Speaking on Twitter, actress Chloe Moretz (Carolyn Stoddard), has confirmed that she is set to finish filming within the next two weeks, though the Dark Shadows shoot is expected to continue for some some time beyond.

Meanwhile, UK newspaper The Sun reports that Pablo, a 13-month-old Akita dog, has scooped a role in Dark Shadows alongside his owner, Warwick Aldersley, Jr. To read the full story, click here. And finally, IMDB has reported some supporting artists for the production, including a listing for Michael Anthony Brown as a 'Windcliff doctor'. Windcliff was the psychiatric institution run by Dr. Julia Hoffman in the original series, and this posting is the first indication that it will appear in the film's storyline.

Dark Shadows Story Digest Preview

The classic 1970 Dark Shadows Story Digest storybook has just been reprinted in a deluxe edition with digitally restored artwork, essays and a gallery of rare photography. Courtesy of publishers Hermes Press, we're pleased to be able to share a 10-page sampler from the book with our readers.

To view and download the beginning of Interrupted Voyage in PDF format, click here. Dark Shadows: The Original Series Story Digest can be ordered from Amazon at a discount price by clicking here.

Picture of the Week: Frid Talk

It's all smiles in this snapshot from the set of The Mike Douglas Show, where Jonathan Frid (Barnabas Collins) gave one of his first on-camera interviews discussing Dark Shadows. Originally broadcast on July 16, 1968, this particular edition unfortunately no longer exists. Mike Douglas also paid host to Joan Bennett (Elizabeth Collins Stoddard) repeatedly in 1967 and 1970. One of Joan's surviving appearances is included on the Dark Shadows Reunion DVD.

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

Audio Releases For August

Big Finish Productions have unveiled covers and advance information for this month's Dark Shadows CDs, which are out this week. The Crimson Pearl is a special anthology story featuring cast and characters spanning the history of Dark Shadows, in celebration of the show's 45th anniversary. Also new for August is Music From the Audio Dramas Volume Two, compiling original soundtracks created for recent Big Finish stories.

The Crimson Pearl

The year is 1690. Isaac Collins is sailing to America to establish a new life for his family. Suddenly, during a strange and unnatural blizzard, he discovers a single blood-red pearl – a pearl that seems to sing to him… The pearl will be going on a journey, passed down through generations, bringing luck both good and bad. But what does it want? Why is its journey so linked to the Collins family, and who will ultimately take ownership of the Crimson Pearl?

Music From The Audio Dramas Volume Two

Featuring original music scores from The Doll House, The Death Mask, The Blind Painter, The Creeping Fog, The Carrion Queen, The Poisoned Soul and The Lost Girl.

Both discs can be ordered now on CD by clicking on the hyperlinked titles above.

First Glimpse of Dark Shadows Movie Backlot

Since the Dark Shadows movie began production there have been numerous reports about the huge backlot facade built around the Pinewood Studios water tank, representing the fishing town of Collinsport. And now a small glimpse of the set has surfaced on IMDB, apparently posted by one of the film's supporting artists.

NB. This image has subsequently been withdrawn, so accordingly we have also removed it.

And in other Dark Shadows movie news, original series actress Kathryn Leigh Scott (Maggie Evans) is interviewed in today's Los Angeles Times and talks briefly about recently filming her cameo for the film. "I did an episode of 21 Jump Street years ago and the moment I walked into the trailer... everyone said 'Johnny Depp is such a fan of Dark Shadows and he wants to play Barnabas Collins.'" To read the full article, click here.

Picture of the Week: Vamping It Up

Ben Cross snarls as Barnabas Collins in a publicity shot from NBC's 1991 Dark Shadows primetime remake. "I wanted to do American episodic TV, and I didn't want to play a cop or a lawyer or a gangster," Cross told Entertainment Weekly during filming. "I'm playing this for as much eroticism and sensuality as I possibly can."

MGM Digital Media have recently made the 1991 Dark Shadows Revival series available on Youtube. All 12 episodes can be viewed for free within the US by clicking here.

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

News in Brief

• Dick Smith, the legendary make-up artist who aged Jonathan Frid for Dark Shadows, is to be honoured by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. Dick will receive a Governors Award, an honorary Oscar, this November for his contribution to the industry.
• David Selby (Quentin Collins) is to narrate a new production of Into the Woods for the Morganstown Theatre Company. The play runs on August 26 and 27 at Morganstown, West Virginia's Metropolitan Theatre. For more information, click here.
• Glee creator Ryan Murphy has revealed a childhood fascination with Dark Shadows. Promoting his new FX series American Horror Story, he said: "My grandmother would force me, even when I was sobbing and screaming, to watch Dark Shadows... and when I was bad, I had to watch The Waltons." To read more, click here.
• The Sleepy Hollow Cemetery Historic Fund is to hold a special screening of House of Dark Shadows in Tarrytown, New York; The famous cemetery featured as a location in the movie. The event takes place on September 23 and more information can be found by clicking here.

Jonathan Frid at Pinewood

It was recently announced that four members of the original Dark Shadows cast have filmed cameo appearances for Tim Burton's new movie. We're delighted to be able to share a candid picture of Jonathan Frid (Barnabas Collins) outside his dressing room on the day he shot his scene – July 1 2011. David Selby's official website has also published an image from the Pinewood visit, which can be seen here.

Collinwood Meets Emmerdale

Two enduring soap operas collide in this scene from British serial Emmerdale Farm, featuring a very familiar TV tie-in paperback on sale in the Beckingdale village shop. The book seen is Barnabas Collins and the Mysterious Ghost.

By the 1970s, remaindered stock of the Paperback Library Dark Shadows novels was readily available from British branches of Woolworths, making them just the thing to catch the eye of any canny television prop buyer.

From episode 84 of Emmerdale Farm, originally broadcast on August 7 1973. Screengrab courtesy of Alan Hayes.

Dark Shadows Festival Schedule Unveiled

The Dark Shadows Festival has posted a tentative schedule of event for this month's 45th Anniversary convention, taking place on August 19-21 in Brooklyn, New York. It's also been announced that attendees of Sunday's closing celebrity banquet will receive a commemorative gift bag, including an autographed picture of Jonathan Frid (Barnabas Collins), plus an exclusive Dark Shadows anniversary DVD not available elsewhere. There's still time to attend and registration details can be found on the Festival's official website.

Friday, August 19

4.00: Registration Opens

6.00: Opening Ceremonies

6.30: Dark Shadows episode as aired on ABC-TV with original commercials

7.00: Dark Shadows Remembrances – Kathryn Leigh Scott and Kathleen Cody

7.45: Dark Shadows Remembrances – Lara Parker and Jerry Lacy

8.30: Dark Shadows Remembrances – Marie Wallace and Chris Pennock

9.15: Collinsport Players Skit I
9.30: Dark Shadows Surprise
10.15: Night Of Dark Shadows
12.00: Alexandra Moltke Isles' Hidden Treasures
1.00: Late Night Horror Movie

Saturday, August 20
11.00: Dark Shadows Music Videos/Dark Shadows in the media
12.00: Remembering Joan Bennett – with author Brian Kellow
12.30: Nurse For A Day: Winning a role on Dark Shadows – with Bobbi Ann Woronko
1.00: Dark Shadows Charity Auction I
2.00: Guest – Jonathan Frid presents Frid's Favorites
3.00: Guest – Kathryn Leigh Scott presents Dark Passages
3.30: Dark Shadows Audio Dramas
4.00: Guest – David Selby presents My Shadowed Past
4.30: Dark Shadows Cast Reunion
5.15: Autographs/Dark Shadows in an hour
6.30: Depp Shadows – Discussing the new Dark Shadows movie
7.00: Dark Shadows Influences – The Crucible starring Thayer David, Clarice Blackburn and Kathleen Cody
8.30: Dark Shadows Costume Gala
9.30: Collinsport Players Skit II
10.00: House Of Dark Shadows
11.45: The Devil's Daughter with Jonathan Frid
1.00: Late Night Horror Movies

Sunday, August 21
11.00: Dark Shadows Today – with ShadowGram editor Marcy Robin
12.00: Chris Pennock's Dark Shadows Comics
12.30: Dark Shadows Kids – Sharon Smyth and Kathleen Cody
1.00 Dark Shadows Charity Auction II
2.00: Guest – Roger Davis presents Outside The Shadows
2.30: Guest – Lara Parker: New Dark Shadows novel preview
3.00: Dramatic Performance – Nancy Barrett and Jerry Lacy
3.45: Dramatic Finale – Jonathan Frid and David Selby
6.00: Banquet and Awards Dinner with the stars
9.00: Goodnight/End of Events

Note: All times are approximate and subject to change

Shadows Stars Brave The Dragons

During a break from filming Dark Shadows, Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter recently paid an impromptu visit to the set of BBC One's Dragon's Den, which is also filmed at Pinewood Studios. The show features members of the public pitching business ideas to a panel of potential investors. Alas, according to The Mirror, Helena's idea for a 'prambella', combining a pram and umbrella, was politely declined by the panel of Dragons.

And in other movie news, courtesy of Miles Brown, another brief video clip of last week's Dark Shadows filming in Beckenham has surfaced, which can be seen below.