barnabas collins

When I was in middle school or so, I went through a period when I couldn't sleep at night. Bizarrely, the first night of my sleeplessness coincided with the beginning of a series of all-night marathons of the 1960's soap opera Dark Shadows (appropriately enough about vampires, who tend not to sleep at night either). So over the course of several weeks I managed to watch nearly every episode of the entire series (which had a 5-year run), and while I don't remember it all that well (I was sleepy at the time), I do remember loving it--especially the opening theme. All the crashing waves and eerie music. The wind and silhouetted mansion. And the guilty pleasure of watching evil.

Here is a clip that has set a scene with Barnabas Collins to music. Who knows what is going on, or why he opens the miniature urn on the nightstand, but what tickles me about this clip is the way Barnabas Collins lifts the frilly overhang in order to get a better view of the sleeping woman. Not only once, but twice!



And oh, all the dark shadows!

Here's another Barnabas Collins fan clip. Notice the return of the miniature urn (keepsake box?). And the bat! The blue candles and white girl. Barnabas at the window.



I could watch Dark Shadows clips all day, and I look forward to the Tim Burton Johnny Depp (Helena Bonham Carter?) film version, coming soon.

that's bob dylan

This clip came up on the "most watched" page of youtube. I haven't watched her other videos, so I can't say if this one is representative, but I enjoyed this one.



Things I like about this clip:

1. The reenactment
2. The repeat of the reenactment (but with a difference)
3. The background (lockers? where is she? so mysterious)
4. The invitation for her viewers to participate

This Vlogger (natalie) seems to be doing good work (lots of views, lots of participation, etc), and I may as well share two anecdotes her video made me think of.

First. When In the Heights was still off Broadway, a couple friends and I stayed around afterwards to meet Mandy Gonzalez as she came out of the stage door. But when she appeared, I realized I didn't have anything in particular to say (and my friends weren't speaking either), so rather than continue to stand and stare, I blurted out, "We've loved you since AIDA!" The "we" only actually counted for me and one of my friends (the other could have cared less), but I implicated them both, sharing my awkwardness rather than taking it all on myself (we ALL loved you since Aida; we are ALL crazy stalker fans who wait by the stage door en masse to tell you how long we've been following you). Mandy responded cheerfully, "Oh really? Aww!"

Second. This story comes to me second hand (and I only know one of players). At a fancy restaurant a few years back, a friend of mine and his companion were having a pleasant meal when who should sit down at the very next table but Bob Dylan himself! Seeing that his dinner companion didn't recognize Bob Dylan, my friend wondered how he could notify his companion as inconspicuously as possible. So he took out a pen and very casually wrote on his napkin, "That's Bob Dylan." He slid the napkin to his companion, pointing to the napkin as if to say "read this." The companion read the napkin. He looked up at my friend in bewilderment. My friend subtly, but excitedly, nodded his head. The companion looked down at the napkin and then up again at my friend--this time as though my friend were a crazy person. Putting his finger on the napkin, and exclaiming in a far-too-loud voice, the companion asked, "THAT'S Bob Dylan??!"

very angry hurt song

My idea for this blog is simple: Post something everyday about some object I have that day come in contact with. I begin with a clip of Dame Judi Dench singing "Send in the Clowns."

Now what I especially like about this clip (besides Dench's performance of the song, which speaks for itself) is the interview bit before the song. When the interviewer tries to put words into Dench's mouth, mumbling something about the "consummate tragedy" of the character's life, Dench interrupts him with the words, "Very angry hurt song." She's not interested in labeling the action a "tragedy," let alone a consummate one; that jargon is too distant. The interviewer had just been waiting to say his little phrase, sure of his lines, but thank goodness Dench interrupts him with words spontaneous and stunning.

The first three words--very angry hurt--seem to refer to the character who sings the song: Desiree is very angry (at herself? at him? at the director? at the stagehands?) and very hurt. But then Dench adds a fourth word--song--allowing the character's feelings to spill over into the song. Both character and song are angry. Both character and song are hurt.




I also like that Judi Dench, when asked if she likes playing the role of Desiree, responds with a single word: hugely.