Tuesday, December 18, 2007

"My name is Victoria Winters...."

Here's a quiz...who knows what that phrase is from?

Times up pencils down!

It's from the coolest soap opera....EVER! Dark Shadows. It was about a vampire, Barnabas Collins, and the soap was filled with werewolves and other Gothic goodies. Way cool. Each episode opened with Victoria Winters reading her journal entry...thus "my name is Victoria Winters". I used to watch it with my mum (Judy is influencing me again) after preschool, kindergarten etc. I also remember that when my mother was into puzzles she had a huge one of Barnabas that she glued to a board and hung in my playroom...I was no ordinary child.

Okay here is the news....I just got an email from a patron of mine, Vickie, that they are doing a movie of this show...and best news yet...Johnny Depp is Barnabas. He too was a D.S. fanatic and rumor is that 2009 it will be out.

Here are a few quotes from the show

Barnabas Collins: "At last darkness has come. Goodbye, Maggie Evans. I might have loved you, I might have spared you, but now you must die"


Victoria Winters: "My name is Victoria Winters. My journey is beginning. A journey that I hope will open the doors of life to me and link my past with my future. A journey that will bring me to a strange and dark place, to the edge of the sea high atop Widows' Hill - a house called Collinwood. A world I've never known, with people I've never met. People who tonight are still only shadows in my mind, but who will soon fill the days and nights of my tomorrows. "

Coming soon,
some photos of some of the new pieces I've been working on while here in Sydney

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yes my little Barnabas Buddy, Johnny Depp is one of us, a Dark Shadows uberfan. I couldn't figure out why my novel for nanowrimo in November morphed into a vampire story. My friends just laughed when I mentioned my surprise. My Dark Shadows shrine is still a work in progess, but a coffin-shaped nicho is the focal point.
Obsessed? Perhaps, but loving it. And yes, my Neflix que has Dark Shadows sprinkled in liberally, with dark vampire love.
Looking forward to a peek at your new work.

Judy Vars said...

I loved Dark Shadows I ran home from school to see it. It was so campy and fun can't wait for the movie with Jonny Depp, perfect.

Jen Worden said...

NO sh*t! My sister and I used to hurry home from the pool during the summer to watch Dark Shadows. Frankly at 8 years old a lot of it went right over my head but it is tied up with eating PB'n'J sammiches (the only kind we were allowed to make while Mom was still at work), that heavily sated feeling of sun and water, the coolness of drawn curtains on a hot summer afternoon and the feeling that the days would languidly stretch on and on.

And of course Johnny Depp? What's NOT to like!

Anonymous said...

Hi Michael,
I love DARK Shadows! I used to run home from
school so I wouldn't miss it, and of course I had
to watch Star Trek too!! Geez, I thought I was the only strange kid, running home from school!
Love Johnny, it will be interesting to watch him portray Barnabas. Can't wait to take your class at Artfest!
Lorraine

Anonymous said...

I too was a preschooler obsessed with Dark Shadows. I would watch it every afternoon waiting for Barnabas to bite someone. It scared the bajeebers out of me but I couldn't stop watching. A few years back got my daughter watching it with me on the scifi channel. She is so excited to hear Johnny Depp will be starring. Thanks for passing on the news Michael. Love your alter ego too!

Anonymous said...

Okay, coming on top of the news that Peter Jackson and New Line have finally ironed out their differences and the Hobbit movies (TWO of them) are now a go, and the new Dark Knight trailer, this news just made my head explode. Call me a pop culture victim, but I am SO there for all three. Thanks for the news.

KRCampbellArt said...

That was the best soap opera! Why has there never been another vampire inspired soap? tee-hee
Having seen all kinds of promos for Sweeney Todd I can see Johnny Depp as Barnabas. Thanks for the info.

kelsey said...

I too have recollections of this tv show when I was very young. My Auntie & Uncle used to take me to all the Bella Lugosi movies at the drive-ins when I was in primary school and I'm still a "neck-biter" lover....though it's ALWAYS done with tenderness....hehehehe

To top it off with Jonny Depp...well, what more could a girl ask for....swoon!!!

LLYYNN - Lynn Davis said...

I loved that campy show, but I kept getting lost in the story line. I wonder if it's in re-runs somewhere. For back history comparison, in case my memory doesn't do it justice. Can't wait for the movie.
LLYYNN

Angie at Home said...

Oh my gosh... I would run home from school to watch Dark Shadows. I collected the trading cards and the paperback books. I listened to the soundtrack, over and over again... I mean I know Josette's theme by heart.

I wonder if any of the original cast members will make a cameo?

I must say... Johnny Depp will be much more erotic than Jonathan Fried... but most vampires are pretty sexy... that sucking fluid thingy, searing their teeth into your flesh, etc... etc... etc.

Anonymous said...

Don't know if they are still airing it but a few years ago it was being shown on the sci-fi channel. Check your local listings! You can also get it on DVD - look for listings on Ebay.

henrysmom said...

remember the episode when he took an oil painting of one of the women (can't remember who) and started "aging" it? every time he painted a line on it, she got a wrinkle, until she looked like a very old woman. it took all day for him to do it, but months in TV-time. Linda

Elizabeth Parsons said...

I loved it too! I live near the mansion where it was filmed! It overlooks the Hudson River in NY in Putnam County- very pretty area!
eBeth
www.allthingspaper.com