The opinions expressed by Renfield do not necessarily reflect any one else's in the castle.
Welcome to
your spot for indie horrors!
I, Renfield am your guide through the best indie screamers of all time!
Welcome indie filmmakers and young scream queens to be. Let’s boogie.
PLEASE NOTE:
The indie world is where it’s at. I have been handling the low budget entrees for your ravenous appetites. We must forget our fear and reach for our goal which is, “Disgust, Horrify, and Shock”. Make a terror film and donate the orphaned one to “New Blood”. Why mess around making Hollywood’s dreams come true? Instead of thinking what to do with so much if you had it, try to think about the closet in the basement and all of your horror fan friends. Use your imagination. That counts a great deal more than Hollywood. They are a crooked business. You are a true fan. Show ‘em the difference.
Never put thyself down because of a day job. ALL indie filmmakers have them. When you have time, forget rooting for the elite on television and be your own! Besides, look at what people are calling elite. Screwed up I’d say.
Hollywood never gave a damn about your problems so why watch these morons? If fear and acceptance are what’s making you reluctant to be your own artist then maybe you should keep on listening to the robotic voices that make this world more intolerable as time rolls by. Go back to watching dumb crap like Jessica Alba’s “The Eye”. Your bratty 7 year old nephew will love you for that.
DARK SHADOWS:
A Blog from Burbank
Barnabas Collins, Angelique, Maggie Evans, Carolyn Stoddard, Julia Hoffman, Willie Loomis, Quentin Collins, David Collins, Devlin Burke, Roger Collins…..
And a young governess named Victoria Winters.
An orphan jumps on a train bound for Collinsport, Maine. The town, publicly known for the Collins Family’s cannery business, is known to viewers for something other than fish and harbors. Victoria Winters is now named the guardian of one David Collins, who loves all things strange. Vicky is wrapped into the thickest mysteries surrounding her small pupil’s house, including a few ghosts in the Collins’ closet.
Before you know it, you see a town that is more out of a nightmare than a happy fantasy, unless you already had a bad feeling when the innocent Miss Winters first stepped off the train back in the late 1960’s. One man has lived for centuries and is looking to satisfy his bloodlust, as well as bring back a lost love. One woman is a beautiful sorceress corrupt with evil intentions of her own. A charming young man is cursed to roam the forests as a hungry wolf. The dead is brought back to life in the most sinister version of the book of Genesis. What could all those stakes and rifles mean?
It is the work of the late great DAN CURTIS, who basically geared the horror fans back on the right track with his versions of “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”, “Dracula”, “Turn of the Screw”, “Frankenstein”, and “The Portrait of Dorian Gray”. He wasn’t a fan of gore films surprisingly, but when his series “DARK SHADOWS” was in danger of being cancelled, his children came to the rescue by simply asking, “Why don’t you make it scary?” He did.
While being more kitschy than scary for today’s audiences, the series starring Jonathan Frid and David Selby remains truly atmospheric with dark brooding music cues and eerie soundtracks. I daresay it is the only soap opera I ever had the interest of watching for hours on end. Children as well as adults were hooked on this show like a junkie desperately waiting for some blow, and Curtis made every storyline engaging, and despite many flaws that go with live television, the acting at times was powerful.
Burbank California played host to the Los Angeles edition of the “Dark Shadows Festival” that rotates between there and Manhattan New York. For a shocker, especially for this festival concerning a cult TV classic, Jonathan Frid (Barnabas) appeared live for an overly excited crowd. His chained coffin was brought on stage. Once again, after decades, John Karlen (Willie Loomis) unlocked the coffin’s contents. A pale hand clutched at the air and people screamed with affection! When Jonathan Frid emerged, the packed house confessed their love for him by chanting, “We love you Barnabas!” Such love for a vampire that felt like he lost everything. Women who had fallen in love with Barnabas way back in the day were nearly becoming love starved teeny boppers once again with their hearts fluttering. Yep, at 82, Jonathan Frid is still a heartthrob, way before Gerard Butler and Frank Langella appeared with fangs and a cape. Age means nothing and it showed. Frid proved his chops on stage as well as a “biting” sense of humor that oozed with that gentleman like charm he always had. He is basically the horror/fantasy fan’s “Clark Gable”.
How could I continue without mentioning David Selby? You want to talk about a man who portrayed the guilt ridden Quentin Collins? The actor seems quite the opposite, being mostly joyful and full of overwhelming gusto. Nothing said this more than when we walked into a crowd of hooting fans, sprinkling confetti everywhere and even those who wanted to be doused in it. He got up on stage and did a very humorous monologue proving that despite time, the guy still has the ability to go quite a distance with an audience. I wish more entertainers were as enthusiastic. He easily made the crowd forget their woes.
These were my favorite parts of this festival, as well as the items up for grabs for a DS auction.
However, there were 15 people down from the previous festival and that didn’t spell good news. Also, the festival itself was not as big as it was regarded on paper. Many events seemed to be repetitious with a full end of a hallway empty of any DS memories.
Some of the actors were happy to share and graciously meet with their admirers while others plastered on a fake smile and went on with their “business first” attitudes. At least the autographs were mostly on the house. Of course many times we found ourselves running after them since some actors were wandering around instead of sitting in one place.
The music and designer artists were as sweet as could be and many fans let them know how important their work was and still is. I only hope they are on hand when Tim Burton releases his much wanted “Dark Shadows” movie starring his right hand man, Johnny Depp, who will play Barnabas Collins. Unfortunately, this is still down the road. Worse still is that the writer behind “Charlie’s Angels” is going to be behind this. So, who knows?
On CHILLER TV this month, pay close attention to your sets because HOUSE OF DARK SHADOWS and NIGHT OF DARK SHADOWS will be haunting the airwaves. Keep an eye out for them, or a fang.
Please stay tuned with CULT RADIO A GO GO for more “Dark Shadows” stuff and even more info. Nobody does Collinwood better than Terry and Tiffany DuFoe!
Excuse me, Dita Dirt Nap, who happens to be visiting Castle Gore at this moment, is giving me that look which means she wants to use the computer. How could I say no to a lady?
I guess I’m a fool for a Blonde!
Arrrroooooooooooooooooooooo!
Sorry Garou, I felt the urge.
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