CHRISTINE'S
DARK SHADOWS WEB PAGE
Dark Shadows was a gothic
soap opera that was on the air from 1966-1971. It aired every weekday
for half an hour--with the exception of holiday exemptions. The show
followed the "adventures" of the Collins family, a rich family who had
founded the tiny village of Collinsport, and whose residents live in
Collinwood, the large family estate. What was unique about the show was
that it was not limited to the 1960's. Characters--mostly the 175-year
old vampire called Barnabas--traveled throughout time, from 1795, where
the horror began, to 1897, 1840, and even the future of 1995 (which is
now the past, but it was very much in the future then). Dark Shadows also had two spin-off
movies, House
of Dark Shadows and
Night of
Dark Shadows, as well
as a short-lived resurrection in 1991. In 2004, a pilot was requested
and made for the WB network, but was not picked up.
The
character of Barnabas
Collins,
a 175-year old guilt-ridden
vampire, was introduced in the storyline to boost sagging ratings.
Originally only supposed to be on for thirteen weeks, he proved so
popular that he became a permanent and well-loved character. The show
explored the origins of his vampire-curse, taking the show back in time
to the 1790's, when Barnabas was a mere mortal.
Another
popular character was that
of Angelique
Bouchard Collins,
whom Barnabas met while he was in Martinique. She placed the curse on
him because he spurned her for another. Angelique proved to be a tough
adversary, showing up in every time line in which Barnabas appeared; if
he managed to pull one over on Fate and get rid of his curse, she was
there to give it back to him.
This is Quentin
Collins,
who first appeared as a ghost
threatening the life of little terror David Collins. To save the young
boy's life, Barnabas goes back in time. During this trip to the past, a
curse is placed on Quentin by a gypsy, turning him into a werewolf. He
is also in possession of a portrait which takes on the effects of aging
and his transformation to a werewolf. He also proved to be a quite
popular character.
A Major Award!
No, it's not a
bowling alley, or a leg of lamp (sorry, I couldn't resist that!) but it
is an award for my website, given to me by Rosemary! Thanks Rosemary!
Please
e-mail all questions and comments to [email protected].
Dark Shadows and all characters belong to Dan Curtis. Their
use on this page is intended for entertainment use only and not for
monetary gain.