Dark Shadows Star Jonathan Frid Dead at 87

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the death of Jonathan Frid, known for his role as Barnabas Collins in the gothic soap opera Dark Shadows. Participants reflect on their memories of the show, its impact, and the upcoming film remake directed by Tim Burton, which features Johnny Depp as Barnabas. The conversation touches on themes of nostalgia, the evolution of the show, and expectations for the film adaptation.

Discussion Character

  • Nostalgic reflection
  • Debate/contested
  • Meta-discussion

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express fond memories of watching Dark Shadows and its unique gothic atmosphere.
  • Others mention the show's initial lack of supernatural elements, which changed with the introduction of Barnabas, leading to a surge in popularity.
  • Several participants discuss their anticipation for the Tim Burton film, noting its campy tone and potential divergence from the original series.
  • Some express skepticism about the film's ability to capture the essence of the original show, suggesting it may be more of a comedy.
  • Participants share mixed feelings about remakes, with some viewing the new film as a tribute while others criticize adaptations that alter the original's tone.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally share a sense of nostalgia for Dark Shadows, but there are competing views regarding the expectations for the film adaptation and its relationship to the original series. The discussion remains unresolved regarding how closely the film will align with the original show's themes and tone.

Contextual Notes

Some participants note the show's pacing issues in later episodes and the evolution of its storylines, which may influence their perceptions of the film. There are also references to personal viewing experiences that shape their opinions on the remake.

Who May Find This Useful

Fans of Dark Shadows, those interested in television history, and viewers curious about film adaptations of classic series may find this discussion relevant.

Evo
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I used to watch Dark Shadows when I was little. I can still hear the music. RIP Barnabas.

Dark Shadows, a gothic soap opera, aired from 1966 to 1971 and drew nearly 20 million viewers at the height of its popularity. Frid joined the show in 1967 as Barnabas Collins, a vampire returning to his family's estate, and quickly became the star of the show.

Before his death, Frid, who also starred in the TV movie The Devil's Daughter and the horror film, Seizure, filmed a cameo appearance for Tim Burton's forthcoming big-screen remake of Dark Shadows, in which Johnny Depp will play Barnabas. The film is set to be released May 11.

http://www.tvguide.com/News/Darks-Shadows-Star-Jonathan-Frid-Death-Obit-1046239.aspx

Oooh, Johhny Depp as Barnabas, I can't wait!
 
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The trailer paints the movie as a tongue-in-cheek (though well-made) campy movie.
 
daveb said:
The trailer paints the movie as a tongue-in-cheek (though well-made) campy movie.
I can't wait, sounds like a great tribute. The original Dark Shadows was a lot of fun to watch. I can't stop humming the theme song.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSbCqp_a3iE
 
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I used to watch Dark Shadows just about every day for a while. Unlike all other soap operas, they aired it late in the afternoon so kids could watch it after school. It started off great, but then the plot slowed to a snail's pace and whole episodes would go by where nothing cool happened.
 
zoobyshoe said:
I used to watch Dark Shadows just about every day for a while. Unlike all other soap operas, they aired it late in the afternoon so kids could watch it after school. It started off great, but then the plot slowed to a snail's pace and whole episodes would go by where nothing cool happened.
Yeah there were some plot parts and characters I didn't care for towards the end. My favorite parts were where they went back in time to when Barnabas got cursed.
 
I never got into watching the show but it was required watching for all the moms in the neighborhood.

I think this conflicted with Gilligans Island, which was mandatory watching for us kids. :biggrin:
 
I can't remember a damned thing about it other than the gothic aspect. It is the only soap that I ever watched, and I did so faithfully as soon as I was put onto it by a classmate. I didn't even realize that it was a soap; I watched just because it had vampires. It aired at about 4:00 pm, which was just in time for me to catch when I got home from school.
I've seen the teasers for the movie, and can't wait for it to show up here. If it were anyone other than Tim Burton and Johnny Depp, I probably wouldn't bother, but those two make magic together.
 
Danger said:
I've seen the teasers for the movie, and can't wait for it to show up here. If it were anyone other than Tim Burton and Johnny Depp, I probably wouldn't bother, but those two make magic together.
I think anyone that expects the movie to be anything like the show will be disappointed.

It appears to be a comedy as only Tim Burton and Johnny Depp can pull off. I love Johnny Depp.
 
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  • #10
Evo said:
I used to watch Dark Shadows when I was little. I can still hear the music. RIP Barnabas.



http://www.tvguide.com/News/Darks-Shadows-Star-Jonathan-Frid-Death-Obit-1046239.aspx

Ironically, on the day the news broke, my wife got a flyer in the mail advertising a "Dark Shadows" convention. Jonathon was billed as making an appearance. Oddly enough, the thought that jumped into my mind that that he were to show up, it would be taking "committing to the role" to a whole new level.
 
  • #11
Danger said:
I can't remember a damned thing about it other than the gothic aspect. It is the only soap that I ever watched, and I did so faithfully as soon as I was put onto it by a classmate. I didn't even realize that it was a soap; I watched just because it had vampires. It aired at about 4:00 pm, which was just in time for me to catch when I got home from school.

Here's an interesting fact about how the show evolved. Initially it just started out to a straight Soap opera with a Gothic feel, nothing supernatural at all. Then they started a story about the return of the head of the household's ex-wife, and it turns out that she is something like a Phoenix, in that she dies by fire and is reborn again.

The ratings for the show, which had not been good, shot up. They started to go back to a normal story line, and the ratings fell again. They quickly cobbled together a new story line and introduced Barnabas. The rating went back up.

The Barnabas character was, like the Phoenix, only supposed to be a short-lived character. They'd play out his story (the one were he abducts a local girl to replace his lost love), and he would eventually be found out and destroyed. However, Barnabas became so popular that they decided that they couldn't get rid of him, so they made it a continuing character, and thus permanently changed the direction of the show.
 
  • #12
Janus said:
Here's an interesting fact about how the show evolved. Initially it just started out to a straight Soap opera with a Gothic feel, nothing supernatural at all. Then they started a story about the return of the head of the household's ex-wife, and it turns out that she is something like a Phoenix, in that she dies by fire and is reborn again.

The ratings for the show, which had not been good, shot up. They started to go back to a normal story line, and the ratings fell again. They quickly cobbled together a new story line and introduced Barnabas. The rating went back up.

The Barnabas character was, like the Phoenix, only supposed to be a short-lived character. They'd play out his story (the one were he abducts a local girl to replace his lost love), and he would eventually be found out and destroyed. However, Barnabas became so popular that they decided that they couldn't get rid of him, so they made it a continuing character, and thus permanently changed the direction of the show.
That's very interesting.

I'm tempted to re-watch the series.
 
  • #13
That's sad news about Jonathan Frid :frown:
I also watched Dark Shadows regularly in late afternoons. The attraction for me was its supernatural feeling with people who transcended time. More recently, I learned that a building that I frequented and enjoyed ambling around the grounds, was used as the exterior shot of Collinwood Mansion
 
  • #14
I do regret the death of Mr. Frid. I never knew him personally, but I don't like to see anyone die (unless I caused it). He and his castmates afforded me hours upon hours of enjoyment through their show. The movie will be nothing like it, but it's one of the few remakes that probably won't offend me. I'll never watch the movie versions of Starsky & Hutch, The Mod Squad, etc. because those were not comedies originally and to make them such was an insult to me as a fan. (I made the mistake of seeing Wild Wild West, and shall not repeat the experience.)
This, on the other hand, is essentially a new show with the same title as an old one. Just as The Addams Family movies paid high tribute to the original series, which in turn had paid high tribute to the original cartoons, this seems to be an affectionate nod toward the series without bastardizing it.
 
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