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Post by kfbate on Sept 25, 2015 21:02:32 GMT
Dark Shadows intrigues me I have never listened to any, I have not seen the so called dreadful remake with Johnny Depp, and although I am pretty much up on my cult tv I have not seen the original t.v serial. So with that in mind, BF bought this back and I am wondering where to begin?
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Post by iainbenson on Sept 26, 2015 7:12:07 GMT
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Rob Morris
Big Finish Creative Team
Avoiding this place for a while as it's become somewhat toxic.
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Post by Rob Morris on Sept 26, 2015 11:16:18 GMT
"Bloodlust" is a great start. It introduces you to Collinsport through the eyes of strangers and gradually adds in the main players. You can then pick and choose older titles based on who you like.
It's a pricier option as it's in two volumes, but it's a great serialised story. Thirteen episodes of a developing murder mystery with the supernatural elements creeping in. (The part four and six cliffhangers are genuinely myfavourite cliffhangers of anything ever.)
You can also pick up episode one and it's prequel "Snowflake" for free which are nice tasters.
Alternatively if you just want to dip in for an hour and see how it goes there are two options:
If you're a Doctor Who fan then "House by the Sea" or "the Creeping Fog" are no brainers as they both feature brilliant performances from Doctor Who alumni. The former again features a newcomer coming to town, the latter is a genuine standalone story you need know nothing about beforehand.
Alternatively "Beneath the Veil" kind of works as a starting point, too as it features an English couple visting the town and getting caught up in it. It also links nicely to "Beyond the Grave". (The events of "Beneath the Veil" and the events of "The Enemy Within" finally culiminate in "Deliver Us from Evil" which came out only last month.)
Any questions give me a shout. I probably may not visit every day but I'll certainly pop in!
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Post by kfbate on Sept 29, 2015 5:57:10 GMT
Ok I didn't see your post Leonfreshbob, so I started with The House of Despair. It was a tad confusing, There is a long lost son, who has made it back to a much altered Collinsport, and then he brings forth a witch, ably unassisted by the family caretaker I think, the people within the town are under some sort of spell, for which he is trying to rectify. There is something happening with birds, a spirit called Stryx I think, I am very confused. I did like the general spooky, sort of haunted house. As a newcomer I sort of got a feeling that it Haven from the Syfy channel as leant heavily on this as influence. I will crack on the stories being around hour or so make easy listening. I purchased the 13 part series so I will pop that onto the IPhone to listen to as I travel. I listen to so much audio due to travelling, since discovering BF I tend just to buy what they put out. I must say it is a million miles away from the standard BF stuff I have listened too, it almost feels like it is a different production company and different product. Enjoyable but confused listener.
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Rob Morris
Big Finish Creative Team
Avoiding this place for a while as it's become somewhat toxic.
Likes: 781
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Post by Rob Morris on Sept 29, 2015 18:44:29 GMT
Yeah, unless you know the characters deeply that first series is a bit hard going in my opinion.
Bloodust is a much better introduction if you want a full cast series. And this year's six audiobooks (mine included) then follow on from it so you'd also know everyone in those.
But glad you enjoyed what you heard so far - even if it doesn't gel yet.
And yes, they have a very different tone and style. Totally different origins and producers!
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Post by kfbate on Sept 29, 2015 19:50:03 GMT
Yeah, unless you know the characters deeply that first series is a bit hard going in my opinion. Bloodust is a much better introduction if you want a full cast series. And this year's six audiobooks (mine included) then follow on from it so you'd also know everyone in those. But glad you enjoyed what you heard so far - even if it doesn't gel yet. And yes, they have a very different tone and style. Totally different origins and producers! Cheers Lemon Bob I will take the Bloodlust for a spin and see how I get on, I do sort of like the whole audio soundscape that is created with these audio's I cannot still get over how they feel and sound like nothing Big Finish actually produce, which is refreshing. I have managed to locate some of the original videos via a US website, which I have ordered of the t.v. series, I am nothing if not committed or perhaps a little OCD about stuff when I get my teeth into it.
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Rob Morris
Big Finish Creative Team
Avoiding this place for a while as it's become somewhat toxic.
Likes: 781
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Post by Rob Morris on Sept 30, 2015 18:23:51 GMT
If anyone hasn't already mentioned it to you, I'd suggest not starting with episode 1 of the TV show when you get there.
Episode 210 onwards is where it really became a success
But yeah, hope you enjoy Bloodlust. I absolutely love it still - I may start a listen again now!
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Another Manic Mondas
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Post by Another Manic Mondas on Oct 3, 2015 17:08:44 GMT
My only experience of Dark Shadows has been with big Finish In putting together my own suggested listening order which others may disagree with) I believe the audios should be split up into 3 groups one for the characters from the 19th Century (1840 and 1896) one for the Modern day cast (1960s-1980s) and, for experienced listeners, 18th Century and beyond. I have found a good starting place for the 19th Century and for modern stories. I have loosely followed chronological sequence. Note the sequence for the modern day is a work in progress. Note also that my listing 19th century cast stories before the modern does not mean they should be listened to first, merely that one list had to be before the others.
19th Century cast Speak No Evil (28) Curtain Call (39) Dress Me in Dark Dreams (24) The Doll House (14) The Wicked and the Dead (07) The Blind Painter (15) The Skin Walkers (05) Blood Dance (11) A Collinwood Christmas (32) The Carrion Queen (18) The Poisoned Soul (19) London's Burning (13) The Fall of the House of Trask (26) The Creeping Fog (17) Operation Victor (27) The Eternal Actress (25) The Darkest Shadow (44) The Haunted Refrain (31)
Modern day stories The House By The Sea (23) Clothes of Sand (03) Echoes of Insanity (08) Dreaming Of The Water (30) The Ghost Watcher (04) Curse of the Pharoah (09) The Death Mask (16) The Voodoo Amulet (22) The Last Stop (29) The Phantom Bride (33) The Devil Cat (43) Beneath The Veil (34) The Enemy Within (35) The Lucifer Gambit (36) The Flip Side (37) Beyond the Grave (38) The Harvest of Souls (40) The Happier Dead (41) Carriage of the Damned (42) 1.1 - The House of Despair 1.2 - The Book of Temptation 1.3 - The Christmas Presence 1.4 - The Rage Beneath 2 - Kingdom of the Dead Part 1-4 Snowflake 3-Bloodlust part 1-13 Panic (45) The Curse of Shurafa (46) In the Twinkling of an Eye (47) Deliver Us from Evil (48) Tainted Love (49) ...And Red All Over (50)
18th Century and Beyond (suggested for experienced listeners) Angelique's Descent Part 1 (01) Angelique's Descent Part 2 (02) Final Judgement (10) The Lost Girl (20) The Crimson Pearl (21) The Path of Fate (06) The Night Whispers (12)
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Post by pawntake on Oct 4, 2015 10:24:21 GMT
Good work A M mondas,i might adopt this as my listening order,i have soo many DS audios to listen to.I know there is a suggested listening order on the old forum.but I like this!
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Post by kfbate on Oct 4, 2015 12:01:05 GMT
My only experience of Dark Shadows has been with big Finish In putting together my own suggested listening order which others may disagree with) I believe the audios should be split up into 3 groups one for the characters from the 19th Century (1840 and 1896) one for the Modern day cast (1960s-1980s) and, for experienced listeners, 18th Century and beyond. I have found a good starting place for the 19th Century and for modern stories. I have loosely followed chronological sequence. Note the sequence for the modern day is a work in progress. Note also that my listing 19th century cast stories before the modern does not mean they should be listened to first, merely that one list had to be before the others. 19th Century cast Speak No Evil (28) Curtain Call (39) Dress Me in Dark Dreams (24) The Doll House (14) The Wicked and the Dead (07) The Blind Painter (15) The Skin Walkers (05) Blood Dance (11) A Collinwood Christmas (32) The Carrion Queen (18) The Poisoned Soul (19) London's Burning (13) The Fall of the House of Trask (26) The Creeping Fog (17) Operation Victor (27) The Eternal Actress (25) The Darkest Shadow (44) The Haunted Refrain (31) Modern day stories The House By The Sea (23) Clothes of Sand (03) Echoes of Insanity (08) Dreaming Of The Water (30) The Ghost Watcher (04) Curse of the Pharoah (09) The Death Mask (16) The Voodoo Amulet (22) The Last Stop (29) The Phantom Bride (33) The Devil Cat (43) Beneath The Veil (34) The Enemy Within (35) The Lucifer Gambit (36) The Flip Side (37) Beyond the Grave (38) The Harvest of Souls (40) The Happier Dead (41) Carriage of the Damned (42) 1.1 - The House of Despair 1.2 - The Book of Temptation 1.3 - The Christmas Presence 1.4 - The Rage Beneath 2 - Kingdom of the Dead Part 1-4 Snowflake 3-Bloodlust part 1-13 Panic (45) The Curse of Shurafa (46) In the Twinkling of an Eye (47) Deliver Us from Evil (48) Tainted Love (49) ...And Red All Over (50) 18th Century and Beyond (suggested for experienced listeners) Angelique's Descent Part 1 (01) Angelique's Descent Part 2 (02) Final Judgement (10) The Lost Girl (20) The Crimson Pearl (21) The Path of Fate (06) The Night Whispers (12) Thanks so much for this, I will go away and give it a whirl and let you know how I get on, thanking you.
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Another Manic Mondas
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Post by Another Manic Mondas on Oct 4, 2015 12:40:12 GMT
I feel I should make clear that while I have listened to all the 19th Century cast stories so have put them in a sequence where all the story arcs go in the right direction (Quentin, Faye, Trask, etc),I am still working through the modern list myself (so I listed many in release sequence)- this week I should be listening to Beneath the Veil
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Post by david on Oct 5, 2015 11:58:11 GMT
I've recently started in the world of DS too.
I started with House By The Sea (amazing) and Beyond The Grave (far too derivative of Ghostwatch to be the stone-cold classic some say but still strong).
From there I went right into Bloodlust and believe me it IS a perfect jumping on point. You start with two episodes of mostly new-and-non-tv characters with more classic characters being woven in as you go on.
I have a working knowledge of the TV show (haven't watched it all though) but I don't think you need that at all for most of the audios.
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Post by bohnny on Oct 6, 2015 5:39:50 GMT
I've never seen an episode of the TV series either, but was intrigued by the amount of love DS got on the forums and felt it was worth jumping in.
I started with the first full cast series and then the audiobooks in order. There were some I didn't really get (or get all the nuances of), but I gradually picked things up - I knew as I was listening that there is lots I was missing the first time round as a result, but because I enjoyed the 'mood' of them I knew I would be relistening and getting more each time, so that didn't bother me too much.
I have more recently been relistening to the audiobooks in 'arcs' - there is a drop down menu at the side of the DS page on the BF website - and have really enjoyed listening to them that way. You get to see the links between stories more clearly that way (at least I have been).
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Post by Trace on Oct 8, 2015 1:26:05 GMT
It's nice to find you all--and nice to see some new DS listeners! I think you may find it addictive!
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Post by acousticwolf on Oct 8, 2015 9:15:32 GMT
Glad to see you over here Trace. Now, how do you feel about moving your "Audio Chronology and Cast List" over from the old forum ... in case it goes completely offline . Cheers Tony
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Rob Morris
Big Finish Creative Team
Avoiding this place for a while as it's become somewhat toxic.
Likes: 781
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Post by Rob Morris on Oct 8, 2015 21:07:33 GMT
Yay! Trace is here!
As for Beyond the Grave I feel I have to stick up for it. For me it's Ghostwatch with even more edge. Yes it may have a few moments which echo the original Screenwatch drama (which I love) I think Beyond the Grave bests it by going further, having more defined ending and - lets face it - having some Collinsport residents in.
Ghostwatch is great (I seriously love it, and helped finance the doc and everything) but I think Joe and Davy do a better, more unsettling, and character-driven version of it.
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Post by david on Oct 8, 2015 21:29:55 GMT
Yay! Trace is here! As for Beyond the Grave I feel I have to stick up for it. For me it's Ghostwatch with even more edge. Yes it may have a few moments which echo the original Screenwatch drama (which I love) I think Beyond the Grave bests it by going further, having more defined ending and - lets face it - having some Collinsport residents in. Ghostwatch is great (I seriously love it, and helped finance the doc and everything) but I think Joe and Davy do a better, more unsettling, and character-driven version of it. I would agree that Beyond takes the ball and runs with it but as you say it IS a version of Ghostwatch. I could let it slide untill the motif of the evil using the fact it's being broadcast to reach audience members and spread itself. That was one pinch too many. It in no way makes it a bad story - it's still very, very good. But when thinking of "the best" of drama, I like a lot more originality and less homage. It's still a great listen and hey, Ghostwatch is prtty obscure for non-Brits under 30 anyway.
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Post by Trace on Oct 9, 2015 2:57:20 GMT
How lovely to be cheered upon arrival! Love you guys too! And I will be glad to bring over the chronology and cast list--I do have it updated now to include Tainted Love! What a fun lot this series has been, not the least of which was your winner, Rob!
I have to agree with Rob and the majority about Beyond the Grave...I just feel that it's a brilliant and truly unique piece of Dark Shadows. It may be like Ghostwatch, and Vortex compares it to The Blair Witch Project, but as far as Dark Shadows goes, it was completely unchartered and unfamiliar territory and was a piece of horror genius. No audio had ever terrified me that much--the whole soundscape was unsettling--delivering a flesh-crawling sensation and overall nervous anxiety. I remember LITERALLY needing a brandy and a sedative (actually--it was a scotch on the rocks and a Xanax, if I recall.)
Right now I'm enjoying Robert Dick's excellent Big Finish Day podcast...aren't Stephanie Ellyne and Matthew Waterhouse wonderful? I just love both of them--true Dark Shadows stars and supporters. They are both so funny and so very interesting!
UPDATE: Rob--you just showed up talking about "Curse of Shurafa" (love it!), and then Joe Lidster, who is always entertaining, and lovely Lachele Carl! I am loving this!
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Rob Morris
Big Finish Creative Team
Avoiding this place for a while as it's become somewhat toxic.
Likes: 781
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Post by Rob Morris on Oct 9, 2015 22:01:18 GMT
Right now I'm enjoying Robert Dick's excellent Big Finish Day podcast...aren't Stephanie Ellyne and Matthew Waterhouse wonderful? I just love both of them--true Dark Shadows stars and supporters. They are both so funny and so very interesting! Matthew is such an ambassador for the range. He genuinely loves both it and the show and goes out of his way for it - as the podcast shows. Stephanie, too, couldn't be happier at being part of the mythos. She so wants to do more.
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Post by anothermanicmondas on Oct 10, 2015 17:58:01 GMT
I generally found most of the "audiobook" range were easy to listen to in themselves. In the stories featuring the 19th century cast the only stories that I would suggest listening to specific other releases first for were the arc climaxes 32 A Collinwood Christmas - listen to 24 Dress me in Dark Dreams first (and preferably 7 the Wicked and the dead and 14 the Doll House) 26 The fall of the house of Trask (listen to 7 the Wicked and the Dead, 18 the Carrion Queen, 19 the Poisoned Soul and 13 London's burning first) 27 Operation Victor (Listen to 5 The Skin Walkers and preferably 13 London's Burning and 17 the Creeping Fog first) 44 The Darkest Shadow (first preferably 15 the Blind Painter and definitely 25 the Eternal Actress)
still working my way through the modern day releases certainly, the Tony and Cassandra series should be listened to in sequence 16, 22, 29, 33 and 43)
the "1973 arc" (23, 30, 34-38 and 40-42) seem interconnected but I don't let know the extent 34 follows on from 30 and continues a subplot from 23, lays groundwork for 38 and has a sequel in 48
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