Dark Shadows, the supernaturally-themed daytime series that ran from 1966-71 on ABC, was a true phenomenon. The show's combination of traditional soap opera elements with horror and (later) science-fiction themed storylines caught the attention of young viewers and the series became a major hit. The show was brainchild of writer-producer-director Dan Curtis, who was also involved in the production of several classic made for television horror films, including the The Night Stalker, The Night Strangler, Trilogy of Terror, as well as the big-screen terror tale, Burnt Offerings, which featured Oliver Reed and Bette Davis. Curtis later went on to produce and direct the mini-series The Winds of War, as well as its sequel, War and Remembrance.
Master of Dark Shadows (2019), an absorbing documentary, traces the life and career of Dan Curtis through in-depth interviews with the cast and crew of Dark Shadows, as well as Curtis himself. Dark Shadows (which was based in part on a dream that Curtis had) started out as more of a Gothic romance, with storylines inspired by classic novels like Jane Eyre. When the low-rated series was in danger of cancellation, Curtis and his writers introduced more overt supernatural elements into the show, including the character of a vampire, Barnabas Collins, portrayed by Jonathan Frid. Ratings went up, and the series became a substantial hit. The series ran in a late afternoon time slot, so it was the perfect time for kids who were just getting home from school to tune in and watch the show. They turned out to be some of the series biggest fans.
The interviews with Curtis and cast members including David Selby, John Karlen and Lara Parker are fascinating and engrossing. You get a real sense of what it was like to work on a show that was filmed as quickly and efficiently as possible in those long ago days of television in the 1960s and 1970s. There's also vintage interview footage with Frid (who passed away in 2012) and new comments by Dark Shadows superfan Whoopi Goldberg. The film briefly covers Curtis' work on The Night Stalker, and his adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula, which starred Jack Palance, as well as some of his other tales of television terror. The last portion of the movie covers Curtis' work on the epic mini-series The Winds of War, and its sequel, War and Remembrance. These productions were a massive undertaking, and Curtis was particularly proud of their success, as they afforded him the opportunity to work outside of the horror genre for a change.
The movie briefly covers the short-lived 1991 prime-time version of Dark Shadows, which featured Ben Cross as Barnabas, Barbara Steele, Roy Thinnes, and a young Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Both Cross and co-star Barbara Steele are interviewed in the film. It's particularly fun to see horror icon Steele discuss her time working with Curtis, both as an actor on the Dark Shadows revival and a co-producer on The Winds of War and War and Remembrance. Master of Dark Shadows (2019) is a captivating documentary that paints a three-dimensional portrait of Dan Curtis, a talented man who was truly passionate about his work. Sadly, Curtis passed away in 2006, but this compelling film is a fitting tribute to him. If you're a fan of Dark Shadows or any of his other projects, this is a must watch. Master of Dark Shadows (2019) is available for viewing on Amazon Prime, and is also available on DVD and Blu-ray from MPI Home Video. Here's a link to the trailer for the film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kevjwzLxU4.
Excellent article, as always, John.
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