What greater Halloween treat could there be for a classic soap opera fan than to visit the House of Dark Shadows itself? Based on the beloved television series Dark Shadows, the 1970 film directed by Dan Curtis revisited the original storyline of Barnabas Collins (Jonathan Frid). Cursed with his fate of being a vampire, Barnabas searches for a cure of his condition so he can marry a woman who resembles his long-lost fiancée Josette (Kathryn Leigh Scott).

At an October 2023 weekend meet and greet, Kathryn Leigh Scott (Maggie Evans of Dark Shadows and House of Dark Shadows fame) recalls that “the film was made on a miniscule budget, but ended up making money for MGM.” Indeed, the movie was shot in six weeks for a budget of $750,000.  Released at the height of Dark Shadows popularity, the bloodier and more graphic film received great commercial success.

Portrait of Barnabas Collins (as portrayed by Jonathan Frid)

A central player in the gothic tale is the eerie mansion of Collinwood set on Widow’s Hill among the dangerous cliffs and stormy seas of Collinsport, Maine. Many exterior and interior scenes of the film were actually shot at Lyndhurst, a Gothic Revival country house situated by the Hudson River in Tarrytown, New York. With narrow hallways, small and sharply arched windows and vaulted ceilings, this 1838 home reeks of gloominess, somberness and romance. What could be more perfect? “We filmed around every square foot of this property,” said Scott.

Lyndhurst Mansion in Tarrytown, New York

Author of The Dark Shadows Movie Book, Scott compiled producer/director Dan Curtis’ original shooting scripts as well as her own notes on the original call sheet from the production, rewarding fans with stories…such as Curtis’ frustration of trying to film the graveyard scenes around real life funerals as well as the complexity of simultaneously shooting the original series and the movie at the same time, dealing with the schedules of all cast members involved. On display at the fan event was a replica dress created by Michael Hannah of the ballgown that Maggie wears in the film where she first is approached by Barnabas Collins.

Kathryn Leigh Scott fondly remembers her own interpretation of the Maggie Evans character. Inspired by a Carl Sandburg poem, Scott felt that Maggie was a woman that was trapped in her own circumstances of being “on the wrong side of the tracks”. With an insatiable curiosity for the new and different, Maggie was immediately drawn to the mysterious Barnabas Collins. “Jonathan Frid came in with the character fully formed.” The connection between the two characters was instantaneous…which Dan Curtis latched on to and used to best advantage.

This past October 12th, the sad news broke that cast member Lara Parker (Angelique) had passed away. The actress would have celebrated her eighty-fifth birthday this past October 27th. Both Kathryn Leigh Scott and Marie Wallace shared their memories of working with their friend and costar. Wallace eloquently stated that “we wish she could be here with us, but in many ways she still is. Her strong spirit will stay with all of us.”

Wallace recounted her own experiences working on Dark Shadows, playing three different characters (as Eve, Jenny Collins and Megan Todd). Repeatedly, she thought her time on the show had come to an end, only to be asked back again to create a new character. Not only has it been unexpected for her that a soap opera job would lead to such a longtime legacy, but that the show itself still has such a life through its fans.

Perhaps one of the greatest gifts for the Dark Shadows legacy is the streaming entertainment platform of today. Even when so many of the cast members are no longer with us, younger viewers are able to revisit the cult classic television series and resulting films through platforms such as Peacock and Amazon Prime. Like Barnabas’ love for his long-lost Josette, the universal love for this show is seemingly eternal.