And Now The Return of Another New Slideshow (Sort of), Part 2 [**Now featuring alternate versions of scenes - see replies #18,#21,#23,#49,#64,#69,#76,#88,#90,#100,#105,#107,#115**]

[Mysterious Benefactor]

I'm sharing the novelization of Scenes 124 through 126 because once again it's the case that the version of the sequence in the script that was used for the novel is somewhat different and has a bit more dialogue than what appears in DC's script:

Darkness had cloaked the ancient estate. And the shadows covered David in the deep hole by the indoor swimming pool where he'd toppled earlier while playing with his ball. Now he began to slowly stir and moan. After a little he opened his eyes. His head was aching. Aching as he'd never known it to before. He touched his hand to it and winced at the pain. Gradually he began to sort out what had happened in his mind and where he was.   Faint and dizzy, he struggled to his feet. The darkness of the deserted building frightened him. Fortunately he knew his way around it fairly well from his many visits there. He laboriously climbed up on the planking. Then he walked along the planks and looked into the swim- ming pool area.   David stood there still somewhat stunned. He glanced up at the broken skylight through which the moon bathed the pool with an eerie blue light. he had no idea what time it was, but he knew it must be late. And he ruefully though of his father's rage at his disobeying him by coming to the pool and the reception he might expect at Collinwood. He'd missed his dinner and probably upset everyone as well. The sooner he got back home the better. He turned to leave.   Suddenly from the distant shadows there came a thin, ghostly voice. "David!"   The boy spun around and stared into the grim dark- ness of the cavernous place. he was too startled to utter a sound.   The voice came again and now it had a familiar ring. "David!"   He didn't dare believe his ears. Finally managing to speak, he cried, "Who is it? Who's calling me?" The phantom replied, "I'm here, David. Come and see me!"   David's eyes widened with astonishment. It was Carolyn! Carolyn, whose body he had seen carried into the mausoleum only that afternoon! Carolyn, who was dead!   He stared in the darkness, a frightened boy. Carolyn? Is it really you?   "Yes. Keep coming to me, David," the thin voice said. "I want so much to see you."   David began to move slowly along the walkway through the shadowed gloom. He moved past the giant pillars which reflected the faint moonlight, then hesitated for a moment.   "Carolyn, I knew you weren't dead! I knew it! I knew it!"   The thin voice beckoned him. "Over here, David. Over here. I'm waiting for you." David reached the end of the walkway and peered into the darkness. From out of a shadowed corner he saw her emerge and step into a shaft of moonlight, in a long trans- parent gown, her face deathly pale. She moved toward him slowly, her arms outstretched to him. David watched her with growing fear. Without understanding, he knew that this strange manifestation of Carolyn posed a threat for him.   "Go away," he said in a tremulous tone as he started to inch back from her.   Carolyn came closer to him. "You mustn't be afraid, David!"   "You're not really Carolyn," he pretested in a fright- ened voice as he tried to escape her. His eyes fixed on her in eerie fascination.   "I'm not going to hurt you," she said, her pale face showing a weird blank look, and her voice thin and un- real.   "I don't believe you," the boy protested, ready to make a break for it and run at the first opportunity.   Carolyn coaxed, "You know I'd never do anything to hurt you."   Now she was very near him. Suddenly she opened her mouth to reveal two glistening fangs as she made a grab for him. Horrified, David jumped out of the way and screamed.   "Stay away from me!" he cried. "You're dead!"   And with that he turned and ran wildly back along the walkway.

Interesting how Carolyn's shroud was originally referred to as being "transparent" rather than "diaphanous" (or diaphonous, as it is misspelled in the script). Thankfully they didn't go with a transparent shroud - for Nancy Barrett's sake, anyway.    Though as I said, in Blu-ray HD, what she is wearing doesn't exactly leave much to the imagination in certain instances...

[Uncle Roger]

In certain publicity stills, it's quite obvious that Carolyn is indeed going commando. I guess it depends on the lighting.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

And before we move on to Scene 127, I'd like to share some stills from Scene 126. Obviously, the shots of Carolyn baring her fangs to David and then making a grab for him are no longer in the film. But I'm pretty sure they were in the film - at least when I saw it in September of 1970 and then again in October. We all know how NoDS was edited more even after its release and I'm thinking the same happened to hoDS. And I'm not simply relying on my what could easily be a faulty memory at this point for this because after I'd seen hoDS the first two times, the second two times I went to see it I took notes so that I could write up a summary of the film relying on my notes for visuals and a tape recording for the audio (who knew there would be a Paperback Library novelization?). Unfortunately, I no longer have the audio tape - but I do have the notes - and they clearly mention the baring of the fangs and the making a grab. So, unless somehow I hallucinated those things happening (and you never know because I'm sure I was high on candy/sugar from the concession stand), they were in the film...

But be that as it may, at least these two stills do exist. First, Carolyn baring her fangs -

- which as far as I know had only been published once in a 1970 article from a now defunct magazine called TV Radio Show (and it was published after the film had already opened, which is what they know Nancy Barrett gives "a socko performance") before a more detailed and better quality version was finally published in 2012 in the Return to Collinwood book - and secondly, David turning to run from Carolyn's attack -

- which as far as I can recall has only been published as part of an article Tiger Beat did on the film as well as one of the photos in the center of the novelization. Though it was sort of reworked for one of the teaser posters:

[Mysterious Benefactor]

In certain publicity stills, it's quite obvious that Carolyn is indeed going commando. I guess it depends on the lighting.

The revelations I've recently discovered are above the waist...

[Uncle Roger]

Yes! I don't think that i would ever ask Nancy to sign it but i do have an 8x10 where it's extremely obvious.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

And we still have one more thing to deal with before the slideshow switches to DC's script's version of Scene 127 - and that's the beginning of the novelization's version of Scene 127, which, similar to Gallery Scene 80, where there is small talk before Barnabas shows up to be introduced, apparently in the version of the script that was used for the novelization, there is small talk before David makes his big revelation at dinner:

The atmosphere in the dining room of Collinwood was solemn. Mrs. Johnson served with a sad expression on her matronly face. Seated at the table were Elizabeth, Roger, Todd, Julia, Stokes and Maggie. No one seemed to have any desire for conversation. As a result there were frequent long periods of silence.   For all the poignant grief she felt, Elizabeth managed to maintain a very good front before the others. She in- quired if the roast beef was sufficiently well done and urged them all on to enjoy the meal. She even kept up the pretense of eating, although little of the food on her own plate disappeared.   Roger showed none of his usual coldness.  He was also solicitous of their guests and did his best to keep the conversation going. "I'll trust we'll have no more wet weather for a while," he said.   Julia Hoffman picked up the cue. "So do I," she agreed. "More rain could be ruinous to the farm crops and we've had quite enough of it."   "Especially the thunder and lightening storms," Maggie spoke up, trying to do her part. "They frighten me."   Professor Stokes offered her one of his dignified smiles. "I don't want to upset you, Miss Evans. But I believe the long term weather reports predict that this year we shall have more than the usual amount of thunderstorms. So you may expect one soon again."   Roger said, "Then I don't put too much stock in weather reports. They are too often wrong."   Professor Stokes looked affronted. "I'm referring to the New York Times long term weather report, to be precise. And over the years I've seldom found it wrong."   Todd, looking pale, said grimly, "We have plenty of things to worry about besides the weather." They became silent, all thinking about Carolyn.   "It has been a tragic year for us at Collinwood," Eliza- beth agreed quietly. "But then this is only a very small part of the world."   Todd's boyish face was almost reproachful. "It happens that this small area is the nearest and dearest to us," he said. "So what takes place here holds the most importance to our group."   "And rightly," Professor Stokes nodded wisely.   Roger glanced Jeff's way. "Done any painting lately?"   "No," he replied rather awkwardly, "not since"--he hesitated, too late realizing what he was saying--"not since Nancy Hodiak was murdered."   There was an unhappy silence. Then Roger said solemnly, "That was the start of the tragedies here."   Julia Hoffman said quietly, "You are forgetting the attack on Daphne Budd."   "Of course," Roger admitted with some embarrass- ment, I don't know why I did that."   Elizabeth sighed "So much has happened in so short a time."   "True," Stokes said. "It is my opinion that the police are not able to cope with this type of criminal."   Julia flashed him a warning glance across the table. "None of us are too well qualified to follow your esoteric deductions. I think you should save them for some other time."   The stout man took the hint and his face flamed crimson. "Sorry. The table is not the place to discuss such matters. My apologies to you all."   Elizabeth's attention had been caught and she sur- prised the others by telling the professor, "I think you have a perfect right to talk about your deductions con- cerning the crimes at any time. After all, we are close friends. We are all of us part of a close circle. No one should take offense. And I, for one, would be interested in anything you have to offer."   Professor Stokes looked both pleased and embarrassed. "That is most kind of you, dear lady," he said. "But I believe Julia is right. What I have to offer is of such small importance it is better postponed."   Roger, with a shade of his old stern manner said, "I think the police are criticized too often in instances like this. We mustn't be too quick to condemn them."   Todd commented unhappily, "Still I maintain there have been enough unsolved crimes in the area. The police should come up with something."

I doubt many of us missed much of that. But what is interesting is that Jeff was originally a part of the scene. And honestly I've always wondered why he isn't a part of it in the film. Just where did he have to go. And why wouldn't he be there at the very least to support Maggie. But I suppose only DC knows for sure why Jeff was dropped from the scene - especially given how much DC loves RD!!

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Setting up today's new scene:

REV. - 3/13/70 127.   INT. DINING ROOM - NIGHT        WIDE ANGLE - Roger picks up bottle of wine.  Crosses        around and pours for Elizabeth and from the right of Julia.        CAMERA HAS TRUCKED with him until we are framed between        Julia and Stokes.  (Pouring from right frame.)  A hysterical        David appears.  Present at the table are Liz, Roger, Todd,        Julia, Stokes and Maggie.

And that's when today's quote -

Page 55/Scene 127 - David: 'I saw Carolyn! I saw Carolyn!'

- comes up.

But when it comes to the dialogue, the descriptions, and the directions, very little of that is how things actually play in the film. The scene actually opens with everyone mentioned sitting at the table in silence and Mrs. Johnson doing -

- wine pouring duty (and interestingly enough, it's Stokes who's smoking and not Julia) - and as Mrs. Johnson makes her way around the table, Stokes, Julia and Roger all -

- take sips of wine, but it's Julia who gets Mrs. Johnson's attention and quietly says an unscripted -

"I'd like some more, please."

- and after Mrs. Johnson finishes pouring for Julia, we suddenly see -

- David appear at the far end of the hallway - and soon as he runs down the hallway he begins screaming today's quote -

- but he delivers it as "I saw her! I saw her!" - and he follows that with an unscripted -

"She's alive. She's alive."

- as the camera pushes in on the stunned diners - and after David enters the dining room, he delivers an unscripted -

"Carolyn's alive."

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Yes! I don't think that i would ever ask Nancy to sign it but i do have an 8x10 where it's extremely obvious.

Surprisingly, there are some photos of vampire Carolyn in My Scrapbook Memories (and I say "surprisingly" because almost all the photos in the book in some way involve KLS - but considering it's a book about her, that isn't particularly surprising). But I'm holding off sharing them until after Scene 138 comes up in the slideshow because most of the photos are from behind the scenes of that scene. But to get back to your point, I never noticed how revealing one of the photos is until I was checking it out yesterday. If that's the photo you have as an 8X10, I can easily see why you'd never ask Nancy to sign it!!

[Uncle Roger]

I've seen several different versions of the photo in question. It depends on how crisp the source negative is but, in some versions, it is extremely obvious.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

More of Scene 127:

Roger, standing next to Julia, starts crossing around the        end of the table to the right of the chair, delivering        his line.

And that's when today's quote -

Page 55/Scene 127 - Roger: 'David, how dare you pull one of your tricks at a time like this!'

- comes up, followed in the script by:

CUR                                                                            LIZ                                         MAGGIE                                     (as she rises and moves                                     to David.)                                David --- please not now!                                         DAVID                                Maggie, I did see her...I did...       end on                                                                       Tight                                         ROGER                          Stokes                                David, I toldyou...

And when it comes to the dialogue, the descriptions, the directions, and the notations, again some things are quite different from how things actually play in the film. As we saw yesterday, it's Mrs. Johnson and not Roger who's pouring the wine, so he actually jumps up from his chair to deliver today's quote exactly as scripted, though there is no close-up of Roger or Liz as DC's notations indicate - and speaking of today's quote, I love the look Julia gives Stokes while Roger is delivering it -

- and I love how as soon as Roger starts yelling at David, Mrs. Johnson hightails it out of the room as soon as possible - and right at the tail end of today's quote, Maggie delivers her line - but what is different is that the camera whip pans past Julia to Stokes and he calls out before he's scripted to -

"David."

- then the camera switches back to Maggie, Todd, David and Roger as David delivers his next scripted lines, which he simply delivers as "But I saw her" -

- and Roger begins railing again as he delivers his next scripted line, but he delivers it as "David, I told you and I will not tell you again!" (and I like how the script tried to introduce a new word/verb, "toldyou," into the English language - it's too bad it didn't take hold  ) - and over the end of Roger, Stokes calls out "David" again, but from off camera, and everyone turns -

- to look in Stokes' direction, though Julia lowers her eyes, no doubt because she knows what's about to come...

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Continuing with Scene 127, beginning with today's first quote -

Page 55/Scene 127 - Stokes: 'David, come here for a minute ...'

- comes up, followed in the script by:

David goes to Stokes.  Maggie takes two steps after him                and stops.  Before she gets to Elizabeth,David crosses                to Stoke's left.                         LIZ                                                         Eliot  please  I can't  take                                                            any more of this

And we see that Liz' line that is used for today's second quote is an addition DC added to his script. And normally we only use actual dialogue in the scripts for quote. But that is such an important moment in the scene that an exception was made.

So, when it comes to the dialogue, the descriptions, and the directions, and the notations, things in the scene finally reach the point when Stokes delivers his actually scripted line on camera -

- though he simply delivers it as "David, come here" - and after we see David begin -

- to move toward Stokes, for some reason that is interrupted by a close-up of Liz -

- which is probably the close-up that DC notes as intended for earlier in the scene when Roger reprimands David for supposedly pulling one of tricks when he says Carolyn is alive, and I honestly think it would have been much more effective there, but apparently DC did not - and then we see David walk past Maggie as he gets closer to Liz -

- but unlike what the script indicates, Maggie does not take two steps after him and then stops because she never actually moves from the spot she's been standing in all along - and then once David comes up behind Liz chair is when she delivers -

- her line that was added to the script, though she simply delivers it as "Eliot, please", as a beseechment for him to stop, which of course he won't...

[Gothick]

Beautiful captures.  And had ANY of the pre-dinner scene been included, it would have helped us realize what a betrayal Elizabeth must feel Eliot's words are now.

But no... forget the psychological dynamics or pretending the characters are people we care about.  (And have known for years, in fact, for fans who were in there for this back in '70.) 

DC's goal was just to maximize the gore, the fangs, the screams, and minimize anything that gets in the way of all that.

G.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Beautiful captures.

Thanks.

And had ANY of the pre-dinner scene been included, it would have helped us realize what a betrayal Elizabeth must feel Eliot's words are now.

Indeed! There's no way Liz would have been expecting Stokes theory that Carolyn is a vampire!!

But no... forget the psychological dynamics or pretending the characters are people we care about.  (And have known for years, in fact, for fans who were in there for this back in '70.) 

DC's goal was just to maximize the gore, the fangs, the screams, and minimize anything that gets in the way of all that.

Well, you're preaching to choir when it comes to me. I couldn't agree with you more!!

[Mysterious Benefactor]

More of Scene 127:

STOKES                                Where did you see her, David?                                          TODD       really     |_______ CU TODD                                Professor, you don't^believe for a                                minute he really saw her, do you?

And that's when today's first quote -

Page 55/Scene 127 - Stokes: 'Where did you see her?'

- comes up, followed by today's second quote -

Page 55/Scene 127 - David: 'At the swimming pool.'

- coming up.

And when it comes to the dialogue and the notations, Stokes delivers his first line as "Where did you see her?" with the "David" dropped - and despite the changes DC made, Todd actually only gets to say "You don't believe he saw--" before Stokes cuts him off, and despite DC's other notation for Todd, he doesn't get a close-up because, worse than no close-up, he delivers the line off camera - and when Stokes cuts Todd off, he delivers today's first quote exactly as scripted - but when it comes to David, his actual response is "At the old swimming pool", with "old" being added to DC's script in the same way that "really" is added to Todd's line, plus DC has a notation that David would be seen in closeup, which as we can see in today's second capture -

- he obviously isn't - and in the background we see Liz reacting to all this as she prepares to say something. But we'll deal with what Liz says next time...

[Mysterious Benefactor]

And yet more of Scene 127 as scripted:

Elizabeth rises and crosses to the window.   LIZ                                                    Roger!                                                       CONTINUED REV. - 3/13/70 127.   (CONT'D)                                  ROGER |_________________    CUR                        Eliot, I think this has gone                        far enough.                                  STOKES |_________________ wide from                        Roger, I think it would be a good     in back of              MASER -> idea if Maggie took the boy to his                        room.              does not look at Maggie        Roger looks at Maggie and nods his approval.  Maggie        crosses to David.  takes    him    to    door     - Roger  stops her                                  DAVID                        Father, I saw her ... Please be-                        lieve me. she   called   to   me  -  She wanted me                                  ROGER                        Alright   son   -   go to your room    now - we'll talk about        Maggie takes David gently by the shoulders.  (Ad libs:  later        "That's alright, David, come with me now.  We'll talk        about it later")

And that's when today's first quote -

Page 55A/Scene 127 - David: 'Why won't anyone believe me? I saw her. She called to me. She wanted me.'

- comes up.

And probably needless to say, with all those notations, things play in the film differently from the way it's scripted. And there are even more changes in the film. But we'll get into all that next time...*

(* because I'm starving and I need to go make my lunch. )