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Post by Rob Morris on Nov 9, 2015 11:19:37 GMT
I hesitate to start a thread about my own work (it seems a bit bad form), but the excellent Dark Shadows Every Day blog has just put out an entry about the first two of this years' dramatic readings. It's to be found in a post called Straight Outta Collinsport. I can't entirely disagree with his main quibble about my one. Panic comes out rather well, though. |
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Post by barnabasbytes on Nov 9, 2015 12:24:56 GMT
I disagree that you can't take Dark Shadows on the road. And as for fighting monsters, all the spinoffs have done so since the Ross novels of the 1960s. On the show proper, yes, i can't think of a villain who didn't threaten the Collinses before Barn/Julia/Stokes or Quentin fought back. But that's because they never went anywhere. Liz and Carolyn went to Little Windward Island, Quentin and Amanda went to Hades, Angelique went to hell. In Curse of Shurafa, I think the flies attacked Julia first -- so Barnabas had to get involved.
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Post by barnabaslives on Nov 9, 2015 15:16:39 GMT
I thought that was a remarkably attentive and open-minded review except for qualms with The Curse of Shurafa. I should thank them for being that nice to my favorite series mostly. Not sure it's fair to have expected more rationale for everyone being in Cairo without acknowledging the limitations of the media. Dan Curtis might have had them there a season doing all sorts of things and getting the most out of sets by doing so but this of course isn't going to fit into a single audio.
Also, it's the story as told to Harry Cunningham by Barnabas, which might include omissions or embellishments. I think naturally if they're in Cairo it's probably something to do with Laura but Barnabas might be hesitant to inform the poor lad there's another monster in the family considering what Harry is already dealing with... so I think there's room for them to have been in Cairo for reasons other than just the particular battle in the story?
Anyway, I think the review makes a good case about Dark Shadows being portable when it goes to London, so I can't see why isn't equally portable to anywhere else. Also, I think it was probably perfectly appropriate in itself that in The Curse of Shurafa, Dark Shadows goes to Egypt rather than Egypt coming to Dark Shadows as in The Curse of the Pharoah. It's a nice contrast.
Likewise, I'm not sure that physical horror is quite as foreign to Dark Shadows as the review suggests, given a more thorough recounting or pending clarification of what counts as such exactly. I think I count two other disfigurements besides Josette and the Hand of Petofi (looks pretty horrific to me) just off the top of my head?
As for training flies, that's maybe kinda silly - if Dan Curtis had decided to pour honey over Frid, Hall and David who'd have stopped him? ;-) Seriously, though, it probably isn't something we could have ever seen on the TV series, but sometimes that's the beauty of audio to get stories that wouldn't have happened in the visual medium.
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Post by Zagreus on Nov 9, 2015 17:38:23 GMT
I thought that was a remarkably attentive and open-minded review except for qualms with The Curse of Shurafa. I should thank them for being that nice to my favorite series mostly. Not sure it's fair to have expected more rationale for everyone being in Cairo without acknowledging the limitations of the media. Dan Curtis might have had them there a season doing all sorts of things and getting the most out of sets by doing so but this of course isn't going to fit into a single audio. I would adore a "season" of this trio in Cairo, with maybe Quentin popping in for a visit to wrap up some unfinished business from his joint over there with Laura. |
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Post by barnabasbytes on Nov 11, 2015 4:48:07 GMT
Yes, more in Cairo would be fun
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Post by Rob Morris on Nov 29, 2015 12:02:46 GMT
I'd be happy to do a mini-series with them battling monsters all over Europe. Anyway, on a whim I knocked this up last night because it amused me so I thought I'd share. (To be honest, this is the title Shurafa really has in my head.)  |
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Post by Trace on Nov 30, 2015 2:46:26 GMT
Brilliant, Rob!! I love it!
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Post by coldlazarou on Nov 30, 2015 15:51:54 GMT
I wish that the audios all had reversible covers with these kinds of Marilyn Ross-style ones as an option. Excellent.  |
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Post by gljohnson17 on Dec 1, 2015 20:24:07 GMT
The Flies of Death.....
I thought the review was a little rough in places and disagreed with a lot of the negativity in it. But to each their own
But after reading the review and the flies being with The Veil in Heaven Sent episode of Dr Who... I had to smile.
Rob beat Moffat to it! Go Rob!
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Post by Zagreus on Dec 1, 2015 23:38:21 GMT
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Post by Trace on Dec 2, 2015 4:09:47 GMT
I disagree that you can't take Dark Shadows on the road. And as for fighting monsters, all the spinoffs have done so since the Ross novels of the 1960s. On the show proper, yes, i can't think of a villain who didn't threaten the Collinses before Barn/Julia/Stokes or Quentin fought back. But that's because they never went anywhere. Liz and Carolyn went to Little Windward Island, Quentin and Amanda went to Hades, Angelique went to hell. In Curse of Shurafa, I think the flies attacked Julia first -- so Barnabas had to get involved. I agree with barnabasbytes. Having followed every incarnation of DS ever released, I am rather used to our happy little band fighting monsters all over the world and beyond. One needs look no further than the Ross novels (already mentioned here) and the Gold Key comics from the 70s. These stories often did not revolve around the Collins family or Collinsport/Collinwood, yet they work tangentially because Barnabas (or other familiar characters) get into the action. |
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Post by Rob Morris on Dec 2, 2015 10:24:36 GMT
It's interesting that Trace mentions the Gold Key comics. I seem to remember that they were specifically mentioned by Jim @ Dan Curtis Productions when the pitch was submitted in that he said it echoed that sort of thing and that combined with the presence of Barnabas, Julia and Stokes it could be a fan-pleaser (so no pressure there).
I hope I stuck within the right characterisations and continuity better than Gold Key and the Paperback Library Gothics do. though. I do sometimes read a Ross novel and find myself going "who is this? That's not Quentin at all!"
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Post by Trace on Dec 3, 2015 3:54:18 GMT
It's interesting that Trace mentions the Gold Key comics. I seem to remember that they were specifically mentioned by Jim @ Dan Curtis Productions when the pitch was submitted in that he said it echoed that sort of thing and that combined with the presence of Barnabas, Julia and Stokes it could be a fan-pleaser (so no pressure there). I hope I stuck within the right characterisations and continuity better than Gold Key and the Paperback Library Gothics do. though. I do sometimes read a Ross novel and find myself going "who is this? That's not Quentin at all!" You absolutely do. They both missed the boat occasionally with utter disregard for continuity (both with the original series, AND also with themselves.). Also, they had familiar characters acting WAY OUT of character. They worked, because they existed in their own parallel universes, but frequentally they even contradicted themselves! In '...Shurafa', Barnabas, Julia, Stokes and Harry are all faithfully IN character...and the continuity is flawless. |
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Post by Rob Morris on Dec 3, 2015 10:19:14 GMT
Thank you! Strangely enough, it was very easy to do as I was steeped in the characters by that point. I remember Joe sending an email going "Oh my God! Fridspeak!" when I sent over the scenes for Stephanie to record. (She was in studio for Bloodlust pickups) so even though the script was only at second draft they wanted her bits nailed down so they wouldn't have to call her in again.)
The exception I think to the PLG out-of-character thing is Carolyn in "Barnabas, Quentin and the Magic Potion". I could totally see Nancy Barratt as Carolyn in that. The character there is pretty consistent with what we see on TV (albeit, if I recall correctly, with a bit of mooning over Barnabas which is a bit creepy).
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Post by Trace on Feb 15, 2016 23:18:18 GMT
Moving this one to the top for our group listen! Looking forward to hearing it again!
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Post by elkawho on Feb 16, 2016 1:53:20 GMT
I'm in the middle of it. Rob, I just want you to know that I'm loving it more the second time, and that surprises me. This is so freakin' creepy. You must have had nightmares writing it.
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Post by kimalysong on Feb 16, 2016 1:57:05 GMT
Will be listening tomorrow. Took a sick day today so I am going to need something to get me through the mountain of work that I know will be waiting for me.
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Post by silverednickle on Feb 16, 2016 3:27:49 GMT
I certainly loved this story, and the insight from the most recent podcast made me appreciate it even more. Oddly, I had known those details the author was thoughtful enough to put in, but somehow didn't appreciate just how thoughtful that was.
The audio bits were wonderful between background music like the flies, and the use of the voices were so very wonderful. While I can only imagine the effort put in to obtain those parts, I would love to hear more of that in the future.
Big Finish has done such a wonderful job at bringing in different talents. This time around, I thought of Curse of the Pharaoh and how the different talents all around brought about rather different experiences of tales about the mysterious land of Egypt.
I have a few more cents to add, but I don't want to spoil all the fun for the new listeners.
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Post by Trace on Feb 16, 2016 4:32:14 GMT
Wow...even more disturbing this time! The flies are repulsive and really add to the shock value. I love how the trio of Barnabas, Julia and Stokes have not missed a beat and the camaraderie is still evident. Plus, Egypt lends itself so well to scary tales with its tombs, ancient curses, and history of life/death/afterlife. Plus, so much of the Collins history is intertwined with Egypt...Laura & Quentin, Prof. Stokes & Amy, Carolyn and Gretchen Warwick, It just feels like a good fit.
The inclusion of real-Julia still has that same magic--and I think Andrew Collins manages Barnabas perfectly. Also, like Panic with Quentin & Tom, the pairing of B with Harry works so well. Scott Haran is a natural, and hopefully his Harry will be sticking around for Bloodline.
Very cool that the Collinsport fly and a few thousand of his closest friends have a starring role here. A great story...entertaining and nightmarish! An excellent first DS entry for Rob--can't wait to hear what he does for Bloodline!
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bobod
Chancellery Guard
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Post by bobod on Feb 16, 2016 11:43:29 GMT
Wow...even more disturbing this time! The flies are repulsive and really add to the shock value. I love how the trio of Barnabas, Julia and Stokes have not missed a beat and the camaraderie is still evident. Plus, Egypt lends itself so well to scary tales with its tombs, ancient curses, and history of life/death/afterlife. Plus, so much of the Collins history is intertwined with Egypt...Laura & Quentin, Prof. Stokes & Amy, Carolyn and Gretchen Warwick, It just feels like a good fit. The inclusion of real-Julia still has that same magic--and I think Andrew Collins manages Barnabas perfectly. Also, like Panic with Quentin & Tom, the pairing of B with Harry works so well. Scott Haran is a natural, and hopefully his Harry will be sticking around for Bloodline. Very cool that the Collinsport fly and a few thousand of his closest friends have a starring role here. A great story...entertaining and nightmarish! An excellent first DS entry for Rob--can't wait to hear what he does for Bloodline! Scott is fantastic, isn't he? I think Davy, Joe and the writers were so clever to come up with a gang of kids. Jackie, Cody, Harry and Tom are all great and feel integral to Collinsport already. |
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