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285 |
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July 16, 1967 |
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| We have 3 images of Dark Shadows 289 | |
Julia sneaks into the Old House during the day and finds Barnabas in his coffin.
Synopsis[]
Teaser
- There are those who watch in the night. They move about unseen, covered by the mantle of darkness. Some who are watched never become aware of it. But others, who are more sensitive, can feel the burning eyes upon them.
Night at Collinwood, and Victoria Winters gazes out of her bedroom window as a storm threatens to break over the Great House. Believing she saw someone watching her amongst the trees, Victoria quickly shuts the window and returns to bed. She picks up Josette's music box and plays it in an attempt to calm her nerves. Carolyn Stoddard knocks on her door, and comes in. Like Victoria, she can't fall asleep with the constant thunder rumbling and lightning crashing around the house. Victoria returns to the window, and confides in Carolyn her fear of someone watching her. Suddenly, she sees a figure standing behind a tree. But the shadows make it seem to Carolyn that there are many someones behind every tree. Unbeknown to the girls, someone is indeed watching Victoria: Barnabas Collins.
Act I
Victoria offers to sit up with Carolyn, but "Miss Jitters of 1967" decides to try and go back to sleep. Victoria returns to bed, playing the music box and winding her alarm clock. Although the storm threatens to keep her awake, she closes the music box and finally drifts off to sleep. Sometime later, Barnabas appears in her bedroom and approaches the slumbering governess. He bares his fangs and prepares to bite her, only to find he cannot bring himself to harm Victoria. Instead, he plays Josette's music box for her before vanishing from the room. The sound of the music wakes Victoria; she tries to turn on her bedside table lamp, but the electricity has gone out. Carolyn returns, lit candle in hand, and Victoria tells her she has a feeling something or someone was in the room and that she was in danger.
Act II
The girls move downstairs, intent on shaking off both the chill and their nerves with some coffee. They find Julia Hoffman in the drawing room researching through a stack of books. Mrs. Johnson has already made coffee, and Carolyn goes to the Kitchen to bring it in. Meantime, Julia questions Victoria about Josette Collins and her impressions of her. Victoria believes Josette was a warm person who liked people and parties and fine clothing. They go on to discuss Barnabas' own interest in Josette, and Victoria shows Julia the music box. The "tinkling" melody raises red flags for Julia, who secretly remembers her session with Maggie Evans in which her patient attempted to describe such music.
Act III
Julia is further alarmed to learn that Josette's special scent was jasmine, and that there is a bottle of it in her room at the Old House. Victoria becomes offended when Julia suggests that Barnabas is trying to recreate Josette through her. She doesn't care for Julia's insinuations or her constant questions, and storms out of the room. Carolyn returns with the coffee, and Victoria's agitated state prompts her into confiding in Julia the governess' suspicion someone was watching her and that someone was even inside her bedroom. Julia wonders if Victoria has an inclination for the supernatural, and Carolyn admits that strange things do tend to happen around her. Before Julia can question Carolyn about Barnabas, the power returns and Carolyn excuses herself. Julia recovers her coat from the foyer, and takes a moment to gaze at the Portrait of Barnabas before going out into the storm.
Act IV
At the Old House, Barnabas, wishing he could hold back the dawn and make the night eternal, gives instructions to Willie Loomis to travel to Portland and purchase a list of items he needs. He also orders Willie to take greater care in watching the house, especially with "that Hoffman woman" snooping around. Barnabas retires to his coffin, and Willie departs for his trip. Meanwhile Julia, who has been listening outside, sneaks inside the house once the coast is clear. She makes her way down to the basement where she discovers Barnabas' coffin. She lifts the lid, and finds Barnabas sleeping inside.
Memorable quotes[]
- Carolyn: You can call me Miss Jitters of 1967.
- Willie: It's getting close to dawn.
- Barnabas: I know. It's something I always know, something I can't control. I wish I could control it, though. I wish I could hold back the dawn and make the night eternal. But that's a power that will never come to me.
Dramatis personae[]
- Jonathan Frid as Barnabas Collins
- Nancy Barrett as Carolyn Stoddard
- Grayson Hall as Julia Hoffman
- John Karlen as Willie Loomis
- Alexandra Moltke as Victoria Winters
Background information and notes[]
Production[]
- This episode originally survived on videotape only from a Spanish language dub with the English audio heard taken from a kinescope copy. This "hybrid" version is featured on the Dark Shadows Volume 12 VHS tape and has aired when the episode was rerun on Sci-Fi Channel. A version with the Spanish audio track appears on Special Edition (Disc 130 of The Complete Original Series). However, for some reason, the copy in English on DVD in Collection 2 Disc 4 (Disc 32 of The Complete Original Series) is completely from the kinescope backup and not the hybrid. It is the last b/w episode to be preserved this way.
- The present year is given as 1967.
- TIMELINE: 11:35pm at the start of this episode. Day 106 begins, and will end in 290. 1:35am: Barnabas in Victoria's room.
Bloopers and continuity errors[]
- After Victoria closes the lid on the music box, the music continues to play.
- Although it has never been mentioned, the only way the antique music box would be able to run were to be if it has a spring that is wound up. That would be another reason to be suspicious when Victoria woke to it playing, since even if it had been running when she fell asleep, the wind would have run out by the time she awoke.
- How is the coffee perking if the power is out? On a gas stove, maybe? [gas stoves are highly common in New England] [Addendum: The clear assumption is that it must be a gas stove. The coffee is "perking," which means percolating, presumably on a stove. Electric drop coffee makers were not really available for home use until 1972's Mr. Coffee, which is post-DS, so the common electric coffee maker we use today was obviously not being used by Mrs. Johnson.] This is neither a blooper nor a continuity error. Gas stoves were not just common in New England but in any town in America for decades after this show aired. Also it is quite clear the coffee pot Carolyn pours from is a ceramic decorative pot.
- The outside windows do not match the inside when Julia enters the Old House. She first tries to open a window just to the left of the front door, which is the window she looked in when Barnabas and Willie were talking. That window does not open for Julia when she tries, so she moves further to another window. That second window is the one she opens and climbs into the drawing room from; however, there is no other "first" window that one can see from inside the house. Julia walks from that supposed second window straight to the foyer with no sign of another window.(This is not a blooper or continuity error. The design of the window is very clear in every episode showcasing it. There are 2 side windows where the shudders are and the larger window is between them. From the inside of the set the side windows are (mostly) covered by the drapes.
End credits announcements[]
- Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis Production.
External links []
Dark Shadows - Episode 289 on the IMDb
Dark Shadows Everyday - Episode 289 - That Hoffman Woman