During the summer of 3rd grade I had an Gothic soap opera romance with the TV series “Dark Shadows.” They would show reruns of the show on the sci-fi channel. I would be glued to my TV every morning at 11 and watched it so intensely that nothing could tear me from it.

I was so devoted to my vampire obsession I wrote in my journal a fantasy story about a vampire, a set of woods and a mystical creature who was a close talker.  I talked nonstop to my parents and my siblings about Dark Shadows  that one day my brother brought home a shopping bag from Suncoast Motion Picture Company and had this VHS inside:

I got so excited that I immediately dropped whatever I was doing and started watching one of my favorite vampire movies ever.

House of Dark Shadows came out in 1970 and directed by Dan Curtis. It starred Jonathan Frid, Kathryn Leigh Scott, and Grayson Hall.

Barnabas Collins (who is played by Jonathan Frid) who was entombed in this coffin was awaken by groundskeeper Willie Loomis (who is played by John Karlen) in the “1970’s future.” He comes in contact with the modern day version of his long lost love who he was suppose to marry before he became a vampire.

Determined to become a regular person he is convinced by Dr. Julia Hoffman (who is played by Grayson Hall) that she is able to turn him back into the person he was before he turned into a vampire. However everything does not go to plan!!!

I won’t lie and say I only watched this movie once over that summer. I want to guess I watched it at least twenty times instead.

Here are some facts about the movie:

The filming location took place in Lyndhurst Estate located in Terrytown, New York and the cemetery scenes were shot at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery :

Dick Smith worked on the makeup special effects on the film. In order to cut some cuts on the movie he actually reused some appliances he used for another movie he worked on: Little Big Man.

Quentin Collins theme songs is played during the costume party.

This was the first movie that was based off a soap opera.

 

 

Until Next time!

 

Source: Wikipedia, Imdb,