j***@gmail.com
2010-09-11 16:08:50 UTC
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5767212/what_really_started_the_vampire_craze.html?cat=37
Thanks to Hollywood, everyone knows how popular vampires are these
days. Just look at box office hits such as Twilight, New Moon, and
Eclipse. But did you know that beginning in 1966 and continuing until
1971 that a hugely successful daytime soap opera- Dark Shadows- began
the vampire costume craze? That's right- 40 years ago, Barnabas
Collins was as well known as Edward Cullen is today.
Dark Shadows was considered daring and unprecedented in daytime
television when it first aired weekday afternoons on ABC. The TV show
was produced in black and white from 1966 to 1967, then in color from
1967 to 1971. The series became a surprising phenomenon a year into
its run when vampire Barnabas Collins, played by Jonathan Frid,
appeared in the story line. Episode after episode, Barnabas Collins, a
nearly 200-year-old vampire that was released from his coffin, brought
terror to the town of Collinsport!
In addition to vampires, Dark Shadows featured a wolfman, ghosts,
zombies, man-made monsters, witches, warlocks, time travel (both into
the past and into the future), and a parallel universe. Pretty far-
fetched stuff for 1960s daytime TV! A small company of actors each
played many roles and, as actors came and went, some characters were
played by several actors. Dark Shadows was distinguished by its
vividly melodramatic performances, atmospheric interiors, memorable
story lines and an unusually adventurous music score. Obviously the
special effects were pretty lame compared to today's technology, but
Dark Shadows was a hit until the show was cancelled after 1225
episodes. It still retains a bit of a cult following after all these
years, and of course, a vampire Halloween costume has never stopped
being a classic.
Thanks to Hollywood, everyone knows how popular vampires are these
days. Just look at box office hits such as Twilight, New Moon, and
Eclipse. But did you know that beginning in 1966 and continuing until
1971 that a hugely successful daytime soap opera- Dark Shadows- began
the vampire costume craze? That's right- 40 years ago, Barnabas
Collins was as well known as Edward Cullen is today.
Dark Shadows was considered daring and unprecedented in daytime
television when it first aired weekday afternoons on ABC. The TV show
was produced in black and white from 1966 to 1967, then in color from
1967 to 1971. The series became a surprising phenomenon a year into
its run when vampire Barnabas Collins, played by Jonathan Frid,
appeared in the story line. Episode after episode, Barnabas Collins, a
nearly 200-year-old vampire that was released from his coffin, brought
terror to the town of Collinsport!
In addition to vampires, Dark Shadows featured a wolfman, ghosts,
zombies, man-made monsters, witches, warlocks, time travel (both into
the past and into the future), and a parallel universe. Pretty far-
fetched stuff for 1960s daytime TV! A small company of actors each
played many roles and, as actors came and went, some characters were
played by several actors. Dark Shadows was distinguished by its
vividly melodramatic performances, atmospheric interiors, memorable
story lines and an unusually adventurous music score. Obviously the
special effects were pretty lame compared to today's technology, but
Dark Shadows was a hit until the show was cancelled after 1225
episodes. It still retains a bit of a cult following after all these
years, and of course, a vampire Halloween costume has never stopped
being a classic.