Rushing home to watch Dark Shadows after school was something my children all did--and I watched it right along with them. Oh, it was cheesy but so much fun. Barnabas Collins was creepy and scary. We could hardly wait to see what happened next.
We had so much fun with it, when my high school Camp Fire Girls were earning money for a trip to the Grand Canyon, we wrote and put on a musical called Dark Shadows. My oldest girl played Barnabas Collins and was effective enough that when she jumped down into the audience to bite one of the audience members on the neck, all the kids screamed and a few tried to run away.
I can't remember all the songs we incorporated into the musical or even anything about the plot. I know we had terrific sound effects, lots of thunder and the light being clicked off and on for lightning. What I do remember is the ending which more or less was that the whole reason they had so much trouble was that it was always dark, and the finale song was "Let the Sunshine In."
Now Johnny Depp is going to play Barnabas Collins in the Dark Shadows movie. I saw a clip and it look like it'll be great fun.
My daughter has asked that I plan to see Dark Shadows with her. I hope to do that. What memories it will bring back.
Marilyn
Looking forward to this flick.
ReplyDeleteI totally want to hear the Dark Shadows the Musical score!
ReplyDeleteMy younger brother and I were two of those kids rushing home from school to see Dark Shadows. We parked ourselves on the sofa with a blanket to hide behind. We had our brandy sniffers - goblets that came free in the laundry soap box - filled not with Barnabas's brandy but iced tea without the ice. And don't tell my parents, but sometimes we slept with my knee socks tied around our necks. Vampires can't bite through cotton, you know.
ReplyDeleteRhonda
The Southern Half of Evelyn David
(I also loved Kojack - The Night Stalker)
Jake, you really are following me around.
ReplyDeleteJoelle, I have no idea what other sons we used. Some he kids sang, others they lip synched. When I see my daughter next I'll have to see if she remembers any of it.
Rhonda,I think my kids were older than you--or maybe only the two oldest watched. I don't remember them doing anything like you and your brother did--but maybe they kept it a secret.
I so want to see this. I was a Dark Shadows fiend forever. I'd get so mad when the bus was late.
ReplyDelete