A Halloween Treat

A glimpse of the unseen 2004 Dark Shadows pilot episode has surfaced online, as part of the demo reel of VFX artist Dave Rinder. The mute clip features an impressive computer-generated opening shot of Victoria Winters on the train to Collinsport. To view the sequence, click here; The Dark Shadows portion begins at 5:43. Thanks to site reader David Ciminello for the tip.

News Bites

• The 1991 Dark Shadows Revival Series DVD has been re-packaged a third time, this time with a more romantic cover of Barnabas and Josette, to capitalise on the appeal of Twilight; The discs themselves remain unchanged. New stock should begin trickling through to various retailers.
• Barbara Steele (1991 Julia) was interviewed as part of BBC Four's documentary series A History of Horror. Barbara spoke about her work with Roger Corman and Mario Bava in the show's second episode.
• The Greystone mansion, which was the filming location for Collinwood in 1991, is set to appear in this week's episode of CBS' The Mentalist. The episode airs on October 28.
• Horror magazine Fangoria has devoted some coverage to Dark Shadows in recent months. Their August issue featured an interview with Jerry Lacy (Trask) and a chat with Chris Pennock (Jeb Hawkes) is slated for publication soon.
• Sotheby's are to auction a rare piece of furniture once owned by Grayson Hall (Julia), as part of their Impressionist and Modern Art Day Sale. The piece is a decorative table by Diego Giacometti, valued at $80,000; to read the sales listing, click here.

Classic Model Kit Reissues

Model kit company Round 2 have announced that they are to re-issue three classic 1960s plastic Dark Shadows model kits, originally produced by MPC. The prototypes for the new editions were displayed at the recent IHobby Expo. Round 2 specialise in retro and cult-themed models, and have made many classic kits available to new audiences in recent years.

The original kits faithfully reproduced Barnabas Collins and a Werewolf, complete with glow-in-the-dark parts, and somewhat less faithfully presented young hobbyists with the Barnabas Collins Vampire Van, a dragster-style hearse for Barnabas to zip around Collinsport in. All three models will be reissued in deluxe collector's editions, available from Spring 2011.

Halloween DVD Sale

Halloween is just around the corner, and Amazon are celebrating with some great discounts on the Dark Shadows DVD series. For a limited time, each four-disc volume is available for only $19.49, a saving of nearly 70% on the retail price. Here are ordering links:

Dark Shadows: The Beginning (pre-Barnabas episodes): Collection 1, Collection 2, Collection 3, Collection 4, Collection 5, Collection 6

Dark Shadows DVD Collections (episodes from Barnabas' arrival onwards): Collection 1, Collection 2, Collection 3, Collection 4, Collection 5, Collection 6, Collection 7, Collection 8, Collection 9, Collection 10, Collection 11, Collection 12, Collection 13, Collection 14, Collection 15, Collection 16, Collection 17, Collection 18, Collection 19, Collection 20, Collection 21, Collection 22, Collection 23, Collection 24, Collection 25, Collection 26

People News

• David Selby (Quentin) can currently be seen in the chart-topping new film The Social Network, which chronicles the rise of Facebook. The film is playing across the United States and opens in the UK this weekend.
• Joseph Gordon-Levitt (1991 David) has reported the death of his brother via his Twitter account; Dan Gordon-Levitt died on October 3 aged 36. Our condolences go out to Joseph and his family.
• Donna Wandrey (Roxanne) is to appear in a new production of The Glass Menagerie at the Vermont Stage Lake Regional Theatre. The production runs until October 24. For more details and to book tickets online, click here.
• The Sag Harbor Express recently featured a column by Harvey Jacobs discussing Dark Shadows. Jacobs was working for ABC-TV when he was drafted in to work on the show during a technician's strike in 1967. To read the piece, click here.

February Start Date for Dark Shadows Movie?

News on the development of the new Dark Shadows movie has been thin on the ground recently, but Collider reports that the project is on track to begin filming in February 2011. The same website reports that actor Johnny Depp's commitment to the project may scupper plans for him to appear in the upcoming Tom Hanks film Triple Frontier.

Dark Shadows is set to star Johnny Depp as Barnabas, with Tim Burton directing a script by Seth Grahame-Smith. The film is currently slated for release in 2012.

Win Barnabas!

Jonathan Frid made a special return to the role of Barnabas earlier this year in The Night Whispers, an original audio drama featuring John Karlen and Barbara Steele. Courtesy of Big Finish Productions, we have two copies of the CD to give away. To be in with a chance of winning, just answer this simple question:

Which character did Jonathan Frid play on Dark Shadows other than Barnabas?

Send your answer, along with your name and postal address to webmaster@collinwood.net before October 31. For more information on Big Finish's range of Dark Shadows audio productions, click here.

New Chris Pennock Comic Book

Chris Pennock (Jeb) has just written and drawn the latest volume of his autobiographical comic book series Fear and Loathing... and the Chakra Shack in Idyllwild, California, is hosting a launch party to mark its release, with Chris in attendance. The event takes place on October 23 and copies of the new title, Fear and Loathing on Facebook will be on sale. For more information, click here.

Audio Dramas Update

Big Finish Productions have recently released Kingdom of the Dead, the long-awaited sequel to their first series of continuing Dark Shadows audio dramas. The four-part serial is available as a boxed set and as individual discs.

The cast includes David Selby as Quentin, Lara Parker as Angelique, Kathryn Leigh Scott as Maggie, John Karlen as Willie and Jerry Lacy as Reverend Hartswood. The guest cast includes appearances from Nancy Barrett (Carolyn), James Storm (Gerard), Marie Wallace (Eve), Alec Newman (2004 Barnabas), Lysette Anthony (1991 Angelique) and Emmy Award winner David Warner. Kingdom of the Dead is written by Stuart Manning and Eric Wallace, and directed by Darren Gross. For more information and to purchase on CD, click here.

Debuting at the end of this month is The Doll House, which explores the doomed bride Jenny Collins. The CD was recorded in New York City in May, with Marie Wallace returning to the role of Jenny, alongside Terry Crawford as Beth Chavez. The script is by James Goss, whose Doctor Who audio CD Dead Air has just been voted Audiobook of the Year by the Audiobook Store. To pre-order The Doll House from Big Finish, click here.

The Doll House concludes 2010's Dark Shadows audio releases, but more titles are planned for 2011, including a full-cast sequel to Kingdom of the Dead. For more news and information on therange, plus exclusive recording photos, visit the Big Finish Dark Shadows Audio Dramas Group on Facebook, by clicking here.

DVD Sale and Video On Demand

For the first time, Amazon have begun offering completed Dark Shadows episodes through their video-on-demand service. The first 40 episodes following Barnabas' release (210-250) are currently available and can be viewed online here.

Amazon are also having another sale on the Dark Shadows DVD boxsets. For a limited time, all volumes are being offered at a 55% discount on the retail price. Here are ordering links:

Dark Shadows: The Beginning (pre-Barnabas episodes): Collection 1, Collection 2, Collection 3, Collection 4, Collection 5,Collection 6

Dark Shadows DVD Collections (episodes from Barnabas' arrival onwards): Collection 1, Collection 2, Collection 3, Collection 4,Collection 5, Collection 6, Collection 7, Collection 8, Collection 9,Collection 10, Collection 11, Collection 12, Collection 13, Collection 14, Collection 15, Collection 16, Collection 17, Collection 18, Collection 19, Collection 20,Collection 21, Collection 22, Collection 23, Collection 24, Collection 25, Collection 26

Compilations: The Vampire Curse, The Haunting of Collinwood

News Digest

• Amazon are now stocking Spectre Toys' new range of Dark Shadows action figures, which comprises a vampire Barnabas Collins, Angelique Bouchard in 1795 costume and Werewolf Chris Jennings. To order, click on the hyperlinked names.
• Kathryn Leigh Scott (Maggie) has updated her official website with photos from August's Dark Shadows Festival. She's currently working on a documentary based on the investigative feature for Opera News, The Star and the Stalker, alongside Dark Shadows cameraman Stuart Goodman, and has just filmed commercials for Capital One and Kia.
• John Karlen's (Willie) classic 1970 horror movie Daughters of Darkness is coming to BluRay in December. To pre-order it from Amazon, click here.
• Roy Thinnes (1991 Roger) is to appear at October's Chiller Theatre nostalgia convention, which takes place in New Jersey on October 29-31. For more information, click here.

Comics Collection Released

Hermes Press' first collection of Dark Shadows comic strip reprints is finally available after some delays, and copies are beginning to ship from major retailers.

Dark Shadows: The Complete Series Volume One collects the classic 1960s Gold Key stories in a collector's hardback, with extensive digital restoration and bonus features. Amazon are offering the book at a 35% discount. To order, click here.

Volume Two is still on track for a November release and can be pre-ordered at a discount price by clicking here.

Win Action!

Spectre Toys have just released two new retro-style Dark Shadows action figures of Barnabas and Angelique, the first in an ongoing series, showcasing classic characters from the show.

Thanks to our friends at Spectre Toys, we have two sets of figures to give away to readers. To be in with a chance of winning, just answer this simple question:

Where did Barnabas and Angelique first meet?

Send your answer, along with your name and postal address to webmaster@collinwood.net before September 30.

Main Website Downtime

Regular site visitors may have noticed that the main Dark Shadows Journal website at www.collinwood.net has been out of commission for the last couple of days, due to problems with our web provider. We're currently working to resolve these, and the site should be accessible soon.

George DiCenzo: 1940-2010

It is with sadness that we report the death of Dark Shadows associate producer George DiCenzo, who passed away on August 9 in Middletown Township, Philadelphia. He was 70 years old.

George began his career in television production, before moving into acting in the 1970s. He featured briefly in an uncredited part in House of Dark Shadows, as the sheriff's deputy, and spun an extensive career in character roles, with his film credits including Back to the Future and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, plus guest roles in many television shows, such as Murder, She Wrote, NYPD Blue and Law & Order.

He was best known, however, as a highly-respected acting coach. Burt Reynolds singled George out for praise during an Inside the Actor's Studio interview, calling him "the best acting teacher in America." Donations in his memory may be made to A Woman's Place, PO Box 299, Doylestown, PA 18901.