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DARK SHADOWSWeekdays, 4 PM, ABCNew York producer Dan Curtis has incorporated the brooding sinister atmosphere and tangled human emotions of the American Gothic romance novel into a weekday “detergent drama” format. Current popularity of such fiction writers as Daphne du Maurier, Victoria Holt and Mary Stewart (past mistresses of the Gothic novel genre), convinces Curtis that there is a pressing need for the American housewife to lose herself (for 30 minutes, weekdays) in the problems of a sympathetic young heroine thrust inio “an Old Dark House” mystery. The only pity is that hard-working businessmen—often discerning mystery fans—have scant opportunity of viewing the new scries, entitled Dark Shadows.In the opening episode, Victoria Winters, the young orphanage-reared heroine, is in the midst of a quest for identity. Star billing in the series is given to veteran screen actress Joan Bennett, who portrays the mistress of Collinwood Manor near Widow’s Hill, outside a smalt Maine fishing community, “fifty mites from Bangor.” This setting is both familiar and remote. Collinwood’s breadwinner believes lhat Miss Bennett has made a mistake inbringing in an outsider to act as governess for their 10-year-oldson. Villagers warn the New York girl against accepting the position, but the gir] (along with the viewer) is compelled tu investigate the mystery that enshrouds the great old family mansion.Highly evocative musical scoring and oppressive Victorian manor settings effectively create a subtly chilling mood. Dark Shadows is not for the “hard-core” mystery fan. The story line promises to uncover skeletons—not fresh corpses—in closets and attics. If subsequent episodes match th^ premiere installment’s impact, Dark Shadows shows promise of generating vitality and excitement that Peylon Place somehow lacks. R. L. EMERSON, Jr.Pasadena
Newspaper Details
Daily Review
Hayward, California, US
Sun, Jul 17, 1966
Page 29
Full Page
Clipped by
Boyd C.
KY, USA 02 May 2021
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