And Even Yet Another New Slideshow

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Just before today's quote -

Page 05 - Willie: 'Sorry about the mix-up, but the train usually runs twenty minutes behind.'

 - is when Willie actually introduces himself in the pilot, which certainly leads one to believe that the quotes from the 10th and the 11th were deliberately cut before shooting. And in the pilot Willie doesn't mention anything about a specific twenty minute delay - he simply says the trains usually run late.

And speaking of things that were probably cut before shooting, you'll soon notice that there are several more "cut, trimmed, or changed" quotes coming up. Once they finish I'll explain how they fit into the script and what they were replaced with. 

[Cousin_Barnabas]

Really hating the "No offense" line today.  Eww...  Dark Shadows calls for far better dialogue than that. Anything that includes that terribly adolescent phrase is...  It makes Vicki sound like a 13-year-old. 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Maybe that's why it was cut or possibly never even shot. 

[Cousin_Barnabas]

I had the exact same thought! 

I followed the making of this pilot rather closely and, while I don't recall many specifics now, I remember hearing about a lot of fireworks between the second (?) director and the other creatives involved.  It's fascinating to read how his vision differs from the scripted vision.  I guess we regular members will have to wait until December to determine which one was better. 

[Gothick]

This really is a fascinating thread.  (Back from my Caribbean cruise--a surreal and yet strangely uneventful experience.)

Given how good Alec Newman was as Barnabas, I think this had the potential to be the most intriguing re-casting of Dark Shadows ever, and I would include the 1970s feature films in that--so long as we're talking about a re-casting of the original material; I think NoDS stands in its own category as a sort of meditation upon the themes of DS.

As I look back over what has been shared this past week--and my fervent thanks to MB for his literate, erudite annotations to the material--I'm more excited than ever to view the unfolding of this thread over 2014.  I'm also feeling deeper pangs of regret not to be able to review the finished film, as well as regret over certain decisions that were made about the physicalization of certain sequences and how certain story events ultimately played out.  But I'll save those reflections for a more appropriate time.

Best wishes,

Gothick

[DarkLady]

Welcome back, Gothick! I don't imagine your cruise included Martinique!

And thanks again to MB for doing all this work. I never got to see this pilot, so I can only sigh over what might have been. But at least now I'll be able to do it somewhat intelligently.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

The latest batch of "cut, trimmed or changed" quotes that began on the 18th and ended yesterday take place in the script on the walk to Willie's truck and during the bumpy ride to Collinwood. They were all replaced by a simple moment in Willie's truck where, as they ride across the bumpy road and the truck bounces, Willie once again injects some humor by crying out "Whoa! Hold on there. It's gonna get bumpy."

Then both in the script and the pilot, as the truck rounds a bend, they pass an old gate. Beyond the gate what the script describes as an overgrown, little-used road juts off into the darkness. It is at that point that today's quote from the script comes up:

Page 06 - Victoria: 'Wait, wasn't that the turn-off?'

However, what she actually asks in the pilot is "Wait, wasn't that the house?"

I don't honestly recall if we get our first glimpse of the Old House at this point or if it doesn't come up until later (though, given what Vicki says, I presume that we do see it), but for the sake of those who've never seen the pilot, here's what I once posted about the look of the Old House:

I looked through my architecture books, and the house that I came across that people might be most familiar with that came closest to resembling what the Old House looked like is Biltmore, located in Asheville, North Carolina:

The Old House wasn't anywhere near on the grand scale that Biltmore is, but it was all very much spires and pinnacles.

[DarkLady]

That's a very cool building! Thanks yet again!

[Mysterious Benefactor]

As for today's quote -

Page 06 - Willie: 'That's the old house... as in ruins, rats, etc.'

- what Willie actually says in the pilot is "No, that's the old house... as in ruins, rats, ghosts." And then, injecting a bit more humor, he laughs maniacally to punctuate the "ghosts" part. And after Vicki ribs him good-naturedly with a sigh, he says "It sucks."

And with that the slideshow will once again be entering "cut, trimmed, or changed" territory for a few days. Though one of the quotes will basically show up in a later moment in the pilot, once again showing that some bits of dialogue were definitely rearranged before shooting.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Tomorrow the slideshow returns to things that are actually in the pilot. But before we get to that point, I was wondering if anyone has any thoughts as to which of the most recent "cut, trimmed, or changed" lines will pretty much appear at a later point in the pilot. Could it be:

Victoria: 'Tell me we're at least getting close.'
Willie: 'We've been on the grounds the last half hour.'
Willie: 'I've got a place over the garage. You want a ride back, just yell.'
Victoria: 'No, I've come this far.'

Though if you've already seen the pilot, you may remember which one it is...

[Gothick]

Willie's line about the garage, I think--delivered with a sexy smile (or should that be a leer)--probably hallucinating that particular memory.  Ah well...

G.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Before Vicki delivers today's line -

Page 07 - Victoria: 'Hello, I'm --'

- Elizabeth rather effusively greets her with "Oh, at last, at last. You're here." None of that appears in the script. And Vicki says "Hi" rather than "Hello". She also gets to say that she's Victoria.

There will also be changes to the next two day's entries in the slideshow - but more on those when they come up.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Willie's line about the garage, I think

Yes, that is indeed the one. Though we won't be revisiting it until about halfway through February.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Oops - I just realized I forgot to put the four "cut, trimmed, or changed" quotes in their context in the pilot's script. So:

As Willie and Vicki continue the drive in Willie's truck, they hit another hard bump in the road and Vicki winces. This is where she asks Willie to tell her that they're at least getting close to Collinwood and he replies that they've already been on the grounds for the last half hour. As Vicki reacts with amazement to that, the truck comes up a rise in the road and the "monstrous" silhouette of Collinwood begins to loom. After Willie finally pulls up near the main entrance and stops the truck, Vicki steps out and stares at the facade. It is at that point that as Willie pulls out Vicki's bags, he informs her that he has a place over the garage and if she wants a ride back, all she has to do is yell. Vicki eyes Willie's truck, ruefully remembering the ride, and then tells him that she's come this far. Then she makes her way to the huge doors of Collinwood and knocks. After a moment, they swing open, revealing Liz, and at that point Vicki begins to introduce herself before Liz cuts her off. But that's getting into tomorrow's quote, so we'll leave things in the script there.

However, in the actual pilot, soon after Willie jokes about the Old House being in ruins with rats and ghosts, that's when they arrive at Collinwood. And as the brakes on Willie's truck screech as he comes to a stop, the sound alerts Liz and she comes out on her own to greet Vicki in the manner that I've already explained in reply #56. And the good thing is that beginning at this point and lasting for a bit more than two weeks the slideshow will be featuring things that are actually in the pilot. 

[Josette]

By now I've forgotten who most of the cast is.  Could you post a list?