Before Twilight: Dark Shadows

As we walked to the car a few weeks ago, my daughter and I crossed Broad Street in South Philly in the warm autumn light of dusk.  Even in the concrete landscape, the soft glow of remaining sunlight tempered the harsh urban edges reminding me that this time of day is probably my favorite.  Twilight's moment is so brief and gorgeous no matter where I am.

As far as atmospheric changes of light go, I am a twilight girl.

As far as the Twilight films and book series go, I am not.

Last night I stumbled across "Twilight," the first movie created from author Stephenie Meyer's vampire sagas. With only 45 minutes left to go, I decided to have a look.  Here is what I found: there is lots of intense staring, tremendously high leaping, and lightening speed running. I even tried to read the first book in the Twilight series a few years back and could not make it to my self-imposed reading rule of giving any novel 100 pages of attention before I decide to continue or not. (I continue 99% of the time.) It had all the appeal (and imaginative writing) contained in the phone book. The angsty attraction that the movie and book contain for young viewers has been heard loud and clear. They have exploded on to the scene as publishing phenoms and box office smashes.  It is also clear that if I was a tween or teen today, I most likely would be among the throngs of Twi-Hards. Why? Because I had my spin in the vampire world when I was a tween, back in the day. 

Jonathon Frid as Barnabas

I was a huge fan of the gloomy, gothic television show - Dark Shadows. I remember rushing home daily from school to tune in to watch Barnabas and company wrestle with their conflicted, brooding lives.  It was campy and, yes - dark, at the same time. There was a veneer of family life that barely covered the underpinnings of bloodlust, revenge and desire all on after school TV.   I hung a poster of Barnabas Collins with multi-colored lights around it, appropriately enough, in the basement of my childhood home to pay homage to this unlikely hero. (My dad transformed our row house basement into a comfy den, but Barnabas still had a special spot). 

And just to up the show stakes, as it were, Barnabas was a vampire. Unlike Twilight's Edward, Barnabas actually bit people - imagine that in the mid to late 1960s daytime television!  Barnabas (actor Jonathan Frid) with his high collar capes and natty cravats; Angelique (actress Lara Parker) in her uber-laced gowns and those impossibly long lashes and green eyes; and the doe-eyed Josette (actress Kathryn Leigh Scott) all furtively moving from mansion, to forest, to dungeon, to wharf protecting the secrets they all passionately kept or desperately searching for those they wanted to unearth.  For thirty minutes every day, five days a week, the comings and goings of the Collinsport locals became the stuff of legend for my grade school girlfriends and me. 

Lara Parker as Angelique

Throughout it all, Barnabas ruled our emotions.  He introduced us to the possibility a of a good vampire who was twisted by circumstance and unrequited love. He rankled our notions of good and evil with charm (and those fangs). He opened a casket full of angst and we sucked it all in.  Come to think of it -angst ruled the day in Collinsport just as it does in Fork, Washington.  It was just layered in period costumes and stark settings (which could sometimes been seen wobbling) all within earshot of the ubiquitous organ music that moved us from place to place. The actors even played multiple roles and we unquestioningly bought it all.  It was ludicrous. It was forceful.  It was a feast for fermenting pre-teen fretfulness.

While the premiere of "Breaking Dawn-Part 1" rules this week's entertainment headlines, it is another premiere which is capturing my attention.  In May 2012, Dark Shadows the movie will hit theaters, starring Johnny Depp as Barnabas.  Directed by Tim Burton, the movie includes in its cast Helena Bonham Carter as Dr. Julia Hoffman, Michelle Pfeiffer as Elizabeth Collins Stoddard, and Alice Cooper as himself (love it!). The original Barnabas and Quentin Collins actors (Mr. Frid and Mr. Selby) will appear in cameo roles. 

When promoting another movie this year, Johnny Depp was asked about his characterization of the famed Barnabas, and here is how he honored the originator of this neck biting role: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0ywSz8jqtM&NR=1

This clip compares the 1966 Dark Shadows cast with the cast of the 2012 movie:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SZWuyAXV4A

The recent spin-off of vampire themed shows and movies swirl around us as the entertainment industry looks to capitalize on Ms. Meyer's popular books.  None has had much allure for me, proving the indelible imprint a single vampire can make on a tween girl.   Unlike Bella, I have a personality, but, like Bella, I am a one-vampire girl.