Alicia I love this movie so much

Baseshment I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

Invaderbank The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

Matylda Swan It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.

Pumpkin_Man Last year, I was introduced to the world of 'Dark Shadows' by Tim Burton's movie. I loved it, so I wanted to buy the complete series. I started watching this series on July 20th, 2012 and I finally finished it tonight. It has been a great experience watching the whole series, but it has been stressful as well. I love how it changed direction once Barnabas Collins showed up. It's a shame that people diss the beginning episodes 1-210 because he hasn't shown up yet. Some of the stories were really good. This show is filled with ghosts, vampires, phoenixes time travel, witches, werewolves, monsters, warlocks, possession, crazy dream sequences and much more. It has a great classic look.It was great in the beginning. Very mysterious with ominous characters who were always up to something. You have Victoria Winters, who has been asked by Elizabeth Collins Stoddard to come to Collinwood and be a Governess to Roger's son, David. Getting off the train with Vicky was Burke Devlin, one of my favorite characters. He has come back to seek revenge against Roger Collins for a crime he didn't commit. While Vicky is dealing with the ghosts of Collinwood, Roger, Sam Evans, and Burke must deal with the police and try to figure out who killed Bill Malloy.Willie Loomis shows up to Collinwood, harassing them and looking for money. When he finds the Collins mausoleum, he finds something much worse. Barnabas Collins, a vampire from the 1790's is unchained on the present day family of Collinses. He meets the waitress, Maggie Evans and kidnaps her, forcing her to marry him and become his lost love, Josette. When she escapes, she is taken to Windcliff Asylum, under the care of Dr. Julia Hoffman, who hypnotizes her and makes her forget everything. Dr. Hoffman arrives at Collinwood to figure out what happened to Maggie. When she learns Barnabas's secret, she offers to help him and tries to cure his curse. When a seance is held to contact the ghost of Barnabas's sister, Sarah, Victoria Winters is transported back in time to Collinwood 1795.Vicky meets Barnabas beforehe was a vampire. The family in that time slowly begin to think Vicky is a witch because of her 1960's clothing. We are introduced to Angelique, the real witch who was in love with Barnabas. When Barnabas refuses her and wants to marry Josette, she places a curse on the family, making Jeremiah Collins fall in love with Josette, Sarah Collins become sick, and eventually turns Barnabas into the vampire we know and love. Reverend Trask arrives and holds a trial for Vicky for witchcraft. When she is hung, she is transferred back to 1968.When Vicky gets back to 1968, Barnabas is afraid that she may have learned his secret. While driving at night, Vicky and Barnabas have a car-crash. Dr. Lang cures Barnabas of his curse and reluctantly agrees to help Dr. Lang with his 'project' Dr. Lang is trying to create life out of dead human parts, like Frankenstein. The monster comes alive, and named Adam. Barnabas tries to teach him, but Adam is very slow and dim- witted. Angelique returns and puts a dream curse on the family.We are soon introduced to Warlock, Nicholas Blair, who is very interested in Adam and creating more monsters like him. Adam soon becomes violent and forces Barnabas and Dr. Hoffman to create a mate for him.After Adam and Eve disappear, we are introduced to Chris Jennings, who becomes a Werewolf when the moon is full. Chris's sister, Amy begins a friendship with David and wonder off to a closed-off room in Collinwood. They find an antique telephone that holds the spirit of Quentin Collins. Quentin begins harassing the residents of Collinwood, so Barnabas uses the I-Ching wands to travel back in time to 1897 to stop him.In 1897, Barnabas has become a vampire again and needs the help of gypsies, Magda and Sandor to protect him during the day. Magda has put the Werewolf curse on Quentin for killing her sister. Barnabas tries to help him fight it. Soon, they must deal with Count Petofi, an evil being with special powers in his hand.When Barnabas returns to the present, he becomes the leader of a Leviathan cult, under their control. He recruits Megan and Philip Todd to help him. The Leviathans are after Paul Stoddard for a promise he made to them 20 years earlier. A Leviathan baby is born and grows rapidly into Jeb Hawkes. Jeb is infatuated by Carolyn, who he intends to marry.Barnabas and Julia must once again travel back in time to 1840 to stop Gerard Stiles from taking over Collinwood. They learn that he became possessed by the head of Judah Zachery. Reverend Trask's son believes that Quentin is a Warlock and tries to convince the court to hang him. In the end, Barnabas succeeds and gets back to his own time. This seemingly would've been a great way to end the series because Barnabas was cured and everything was right with Collinwood, but it doesn't end there.1840 parallel time, we are introduced to a new set of Collinses. Johnathan Frid is now playing Bramwell Collins, a human that is in love with Catherine. The Collins family must hold a lottery and force one member of the family to spend a night in a haunted room, possessed by Brutus Collins. Will the family finally be able to rid themselves of this curse? I highly recommend DARK SHADOWS: THE COMPLETE ORIGINAL SERIES!!!

hellraiser7 Personally I hate soap operas from their crappy and overlong story lines, unrelatable and unbelievable characters, and just simply being boring as hell at least that's my opinion. However this show is the only exception I make because it is what most to all of them aren't actually good. This wasn't just a show back them it was a phenomenon that was a huge influence for TV shows "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", "Angel", and a little of "Once Upon a Time". But most importantly the show was revolutionary for it's time because it helped bring monsters from the horror genre we know and love translated to our modern times.I got into this show when I was about 11, one day decided out of boredom to give it a shot and of course I watched more and more and soon it grew to become a show I really like. I'm just going to present at least five reasons why I like this show.1. It's funny well uninterionally: Yeah this show had a lot of hiccups from it's budget and technological limitations it has some of the worst special effects I've seen or non existent effects, it was hilalrous. But that to me is part of the shows charm it's like those amateur films from independent production companies like "Dead Gentlemen" and "Zombie Oupaus" despite the limitations they are entertaining all the same because you can see they really try and it's the same with this show. The limitations of the show were to it's advantage because it gave the show an almost lighthearted sensibility about it which re enforced the fun of the show. 2. The use of progressing story arcs: What I love about these story arcs are each of them are used the right way because they are actually interesting and do add up to something. From this and what goes on I actually found myself caring and it really felt like what happened next mattered. 3. 1790 episode arc: Alright this is really more opinion of episode but it's a good enough reason. This arc is my favorite of the entire show and I personally is is what most Pre Sequels fail to be. What made this intriguing is even though we have been given some info on the past we really don't know all of the details, and as Victoria Winters discovered the hard way most of what we've known is false which gives the story it's mystery element. But also from how much you invest emotional in the love stories with Josette and Barnabas as well as Peter and Victoria it was all the more suspenseful and sad because we know what's going to happen and I wished to God it wouldn't but their was nothing I could do about it.4. Sense of participation: Throughout what happens in the episode and the knowledge we hold, there are time I couldn't help but at times say out loud "No don't do it Barnabas, don't bite her" or even "Don't go over there your going to die." This is all because of how much emotional investment and time we have spent on the show, and that is a good feeling I don't get often.5. The colorful characters: Yeah this show had tons of characters and usually that's not always a good idea but here it works because of the characters in the show were actually fully developed which was something most shows back then lacked. They really felt human at times because the characters make good and bad choices which puts them in a gray area at times, or even do things that can at times put us at odds with how we feel. But most importantly we actually cared about them what happened with them mattered. I'll just say four characters I really like since there is no room.Barnabas Collins: He's a great character due to how dark and complex he is and yet at times is capable of warmth. I like the fact that his character is one like the protagonists in the "Elmare Lennard" stories is crippled both psychologically and physically with his vampirism. He is capable of heroism as well as viciousness necessary or unnecessary. He's also a person plagued by great loss of his lover Josette and is struggling to move on.Angelique du Pres: She is one of my favorite fictional villains because she is one that you love to hate. From the amount of menace she displays she is someone you wouldn't want to be alone in a room with. However what makes her the most interest is that fact she is somewhat sympathetic, there are times you feel bad for her because her feelings of love for Barnabas are genuine. However she does cross the line which at times makes you plain hate her.Dr. Julia Hoffman: I like how she is a person of science but she is also open minded to the realm of the supernatural. She is dark and gutsy which made her a great sidekick for Barnabas and personally I felt both of them as a romance couple are a better match. It's true she's not the most beautiful but from her persona she's almost even more attractive that the other women. Maggie Evans: I remember when I was a kid(I said I was a kid) I had a crush on Kathern Leigh Scott she was just so fraking hot and with the persona to boot. The naivety, vibrancy, even charisma of her character perfectly reflected her beauty. It's always great seeing her happy and whenever she was in trouble or depressed you really felt sad, it was times like that I almost wanted to just come to her rescue.Well I've said enough, so visit Collinwood but beware there are creatures lurking in the shadows.Rating: 4 stars

Scarecrow-88 I picked up the special edition Dark Shadows disc commemorating the Gothic soap featuring episodes celebrating the immortal (pun intended) Barnabas Collins, chosen by popularity. Because IMDb doesn't have an episode listing (boo!), I will have to edit this review with the episodes featured.The first is Episode 221 where Barnabas eyes waitress Maggie, striking up a conversation after the diner has closed. This has dialogue about his wolfshead cane, as the two become acquainted. It is obvious even here Barnabas's intentions, his infatuation with the innocent and sweet Maggie, and how whiny, weak servant Willie expresses his concern for her as his master becomes irritated at his accusations. Barnabas tells her that he is a cousin of Elizabeth Stoddard and will be staying at the decrepit "Old House" near Collins' master house. Maggie's boyfriend, Joe, mentions a near-attack on a local girl and we hear the cries of restless dogs, not to mention, the ominous nature surrounding Barnabas, that palpable menace is established excellently in this great episode. Remember that this is a soap opera so dialogue and performance, as well as, staging, are of particular importance so Dark Shadows won't be for everyone. The inspiration of Dracula is obvious during this period of Dark Shadows, but to the soap's credit, it would eventually evolve beyond this source of vampire lore.Watching Episode 349 just has me yearning for the entire series of Dark Shadows. It concerns an aged Barnabas (the horrifying results of Dr. Julia Hoffman's failed experiments to cure his vampirism) aching from the wrinkled body he now has and how Hoffman tries to convince him to feed from the blood of Victoria Winters in order to regain his youthful appearance. Meanwhile Carolyn Stoddard speaks with both Victoria and Joe about her concerns regarding boy cousin David's fear of Barnabas. Lots of story is covered in this episode but I felt you long to have seen these events covered in conversations. Carolyn is the device who fills us into what has been missed; in particular, David's seeing Sarah, a girl considered fictional, and the complex relationship between Hoffman and Barnabas is noticeable. Willie is in prison, and Carolyn will soon be Barnabas victim, herself to be a vampire. Also, Hoffman's in love with Barnabas so her motivations regarding his using Victoria for a meal has ulterior motives, at the forefront jealousy. It is hard not to envy what is missing while watching this set as huge leaps are taken per episode featured.

JustJennings This has to be one of my all time favourite shows! It is true that it is somewhat dated in production, but when one considers that it was produced in the same manner of the soaps of the day, it is outstanding. There are some flaws such as the microphone appearing, the sets shaking, or a missed line, but they do little to detract from the total effect. Many of the lines have become memorable quotes, and I even found some tee shirts with some on them at Zazzle.com! The characters were great, and the writing was excellent. I would love to see a truly great remake of the series without the limitations of the previous filming era, but I doubt it will ever happen.