Dark Shadows: The Revival - The Complete Series (DVD, 3-Disc Set, Sensormatic)

The original series from the 60's was drawing room soap opera complete with stilted dialogue, wooden acting and extremely slow paced plotting. Due to the times, the series had limitations due to censorship and one should view each series as two completely different shows. The Revival in 1991 allow3ed more freedom lasting a mere half a season due to the Gulf War coverage and was was ill-timed. This is unfortunate. The episodes are all tightly plodded and each episode is a real cliff hanger. We have TV favorite Ben Cross as vampire Barnabas Collins. He is feral and wolf-like in his living dead guise and when he expresses love, it is dysfunctional and tortured. Half way through the series it flashes back 200 years and Barnabas before he is damned is still consumed with love for his Josette. Someone I have not seen until now, Joanna Going plays the governess to Collinwood, Victoria Winters who is a reincarnation of Josette. Her role of Josette and Victoria are nice contrasts and she manages to pull of a good performance. Another TV fav Roy Thinnes pays the family patriarch stoically to cover his inability and frustration to return to his painting. In flashback he plays the fanatical witchhunter Reverend Trask in overtly grotesque make-up and is a bit over the top. Cult horror movie queen Barbara Steele is a welcome sight to see again in a mainstream feature role after many years as Dr. Hoffman. Her appearance is too severe and she walks around with a terminal case of lockjaw. As Countess DuPree she wears a ridiculous moppet of curls and sports an equally inept French accent but is more lively in this role. Then the great Jean Simmons steals the show from ensemble cast As Elizabeth Collins Stoddard. She is self-assured and strong willed in sharp contrast to her alter ego in 17902 Naomi Collins the frightened and confused mistress of Collinwood. She has several great scenes filled with pathos, particularly when she sees her dead son Barnabas then reverts into madness. Under less-skilled hands, her character would be ludicrous. But you can't deny a class act. For those younger audiences who mistake the name for the Kiss rocker should delve into her past work to discover what an exceptional actress she is--one of Hollywood's last greatest icons.

In 12 short episodes the series does manage to tie up the loose ends which is nice. But you still beg for more. And again, you must judge both series individually on their own merits. The first had a class act with Joan Bennett, the Revival has another in Jean Simmons.

Great stuff delving into the realm of gothic evil. A must have.

After watching all 200 episodes of Dark Shadows and getting into it whole heartedly I was a little depressed when I wateched the last tape so I went ahead and ordered "The Revival", thinking no one could play Barnabas and Julia like Jonathan Frid and Grayson Hall. In my mind they're will only be one Barnabas and that's Jonathan Frid but I have to admit Ben Cross did an excellent job with the role. He was able to portray Barnabas's soft side and turn around on a dime to be the ruthless vampire the part demanded. Another pleasant suprise was the special effects in this series that made it more believeable not to mention the passion and romance that was in the original series but not to the degree of "The Revival" it was almost as if "The Revival" brought a new element into the series. "The Revival" follows the story line but with out as much detail as the original soap opra. The editing was definately better, apparently Dan Curtis did not know the meaning of the word "CUT" back in the 60's. I thoroughly enjoyed the dvd's and am passing them around to friends and family.

The series is an awesome vampire story containing family drama, love, loss, revenge, tragedy and triumph! It has it all. The storyline jumps back and forth between modern day and the 1790's. And the costumes are perfect for the historical scenes.

Barnabas (main character) is cursed into a vampire by a witch named Angelic in 1790 when he rejects her for the-love-of-his-life Josette. Unfortunately he loses Josette tragically, but then discovers a second chance when he is awakened from his tomb and meets modern-day Victoria (the reincarnation of Josette). However, again their way is paved with one disaster after another. And, of course, there is lots of neck-biting and death along the way.

This isn't a series I'd recommend for those younger than thirteen, simply because of the nature of the theme. However, I highly recommend it to Twilight lovers and for those who like vampire flicks.

My only complaint about the Dark Shadows Revival is that they cancelled it after the first season - due to a time conflict with the airing of the 90's Gulf War. It did, however, end much better than a lot series do.

Dark Shadows - The Complete Revival Series (2005, DVD)was a made for television series that had old Shadows fans glued to their screens in the 1990s for the premiere. It also created new fans, such as my friend, a woman too young to have seen the original 1968-71 series. The series was excellent in keeping with the old story lines, but providng an updated and fresh view of the series. The new Barnabas, played by Ben Cross, had a more "Dracula" feel than Jonathan Frid's original Barnabas character. The new Barnabas appears a bit more cold and cruel than his predecessor, and this may have been why the new series was so short-lived. Old Shadows fans came to sympathize with Frid's courtly and romantic manner as the self-loathing, reluctant vampire rather than Cross who comes across as more bitter and calculating. Still, Cross's portrayal was a pleasure to watch. Though many of the characters are played differently in this revival,not as campy in some roles, thank God, (I still liked John Karlen's "Willie Lumas" character better than the updated version), fans of the old Shadows series will not be disappointed, except that unlike the original, it ends much too soon. Excellent picture quality and special effects. Beware, this series may cause insomnia!

This is a revival of the original Dark Shadows Soap Opera from the late 1960's and the early 1970's. Unfortunately this series was not given a fair chance of survival in 1991. It was a very high-quality television show. Ben Cross was a strong and powerful Barnabas Collins. Unlike the original Barnabas played by Jonathon Frid who was truly uinsurpassable, Cross gives an unbelievable performance. The supporting cast is equally impressive. What a shame this series was cancelled after only 12 episodes yet these twelve will live on and should not be missed by true fans of Dark Shadows. It is definately worth the time and cost. Happy viewing!!! Chas