Master of Dark Shadows review: It’s time for a nostalgic look back at America’s craziest soap opera with David Gregory’s documentary.
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Modern audiences know Dark Shadows as being that Tim Burton film which came out a few years back that no many people really watched. That wasn’t the first iteration of Dark Shadows. The original Dark Shadows aired in the US from June 27th, 1966 to April 2nd, 1971 and started life as a fairly regular soap opera until creator Dan Curtis and his writing team came up with a genius idea. This idea was to give the show a supernatural spin and so added a vampire character, Barnabas Collins, to spice it up in the run down to its cancellation. The new, rather strange, addition actually saved the show; after vampires, it toured almost every classic monster.
All of this, and a whole heap more are discussed in new documentary Master of Dark Shadows, as it celebrates the late Dan Curtis. Narrated by the velvety vocal chords of Ian McShane, the film charts Curtis’ upbringing and the family tragedy that shaped him, before moving onto his most famous creation. There are interviews with his family, co-workers, as well as the cast of the show, and one of its most famous fans – Whoopi Goldberg. Each person recounts memories of their time on the show, as well as their relationship with Curtis who had a reputation for being a bit of a hot-headed perfectionist. Much later on, the film shifts to Curtis’ post-Dark Shadowswork, but this documentary is all about what made him a name.
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Having the focus essentially purely on Dark Shadows makes sense, not only is it Curtis’ most famous work, but it’s also the one that has the most material. In addition to the original series run, Curtis returned to make a spin-off and eventually returned in 1991 to reboot the show. Whilst all of the stories and information is interesting, it’s a shame that the documentary doesn’t cover the show’s legacy outside of its own remakes.
That irritation aside, Master of Dark Shadows is a well-made and highly educational look back at one of America’s wackiest television series. Who knows, if the documentary does well maybe we’ll get (yet) another retread.
