The Good: Some moments of worthwhile plot and character movement, Character growth for Victoria/Barnabas.
The Bad: Medium issues, Utterly campy, Dim reversals.
The Basics: A slightly less disappointing collection, Volume 14 has five episodes of Dark Shadows which redirect the show to Barnabas Collins and his machinations.
The last few reviews I have posted from the Dark Shadows video saga have taken a pretty solid beating under my pen. I think that beating is rightful as Dark Shadows had a pretty dismal section where the stories were very much more soap opera than they were supernatural. In Volume 14, the show edges back to the supernatural and it actually has a progression of the plot that makes it fun to watch at least once, even if it is substandard television on a pretty lousy, outdated medium.
What keeps Volume 14 from the doldrums of all television I’ve panned, as well as the bottom of this series’ particular barrel is that the show takes a few risks and actually returns to a more dangerous sensibility of the characters. While there have been transition episodes before, Volume 14 actually feels like it is going somewhere and the viewer wants to see what the machinations of Barnabas Collins are leading to.
"Volume 14" features episodes sixty-six through seventy and it redirects the series from the brooding soap opera the show had become and makes it back into an intriguing gothic horror show. This basically picks up right where Volume 13 (reviewed here!) left off, with Jason McGuire on the run and the authorities trying to figure out what will happen with Elizabeth Collins-Stoddard after her confession of murder.
Episode sixty-six opens with Jason encountering Barnabas Collins. Jason dies at Barnabas's hands and Barnabas charges Willie with burying the body in the Collins family crypt where his body ought never to be found. Doctor Woodard and Dr. Hoffman debate showing Maggie Evans the picture Sam drew of Sarah, but they decide to and Maggie begins to remember her captivity. When Barnabas and Willie bury Jason, Barnabas opens up about the Collins family, including revealing Sarah's identity.
In episode sixty-seven, Barnabas reveals to Willie that he intends to make Victoria Winters his new Josette. As a result, Barnabas calls upon Victoria and begins the work of seducing her, playing off her desire to know him and the Collins family history better. Barnabas pitches a ruse to get Victoria to dress in Josette's old gown, a method he believes will turn her to his cause, by proposing a family recreation of a Collins family ball.
In the sixty-eighth episode, Elizabeth is reluctant to go along with Barnabas's costume ball idea. While Roger tries to talk her into it, Elizabeth seems to change her mind. Seeing Victoria's excitement to be able to wear Josette's dress, Elizabeth relents and Barnabas brings Victoria to the Old House to have her try on the costume.
The sixty-ninth episode finds Carolyn and Victoria preparing for the costume ball and Carolyn commenting that Victoria makes a convincing Josette Collins. Willie prepares for the ball and Victoria, excited about the prospect, is visited by Burke Devlin, who feels uneasy that Victoria will be playing Josette. Victoria visits the Old House and Barnabas and tries to convince him to invite Devlin to the ball.
Episode seventy has the family dressing up for the costume ball and Victoria especially being blown away by the dress she gets to wear for the occasion. Barnabas puts his hopes on Victoria's performance as Josette and the ball begins. Barnabas slips occasionally, referring to those playing his contemporaries by his actual relationship with them. Soon, everyone begins to feel very strange and Roger's solution is a séance!
Even though much of this video’s episodes are preparation for the séance which dominates the next volume, Volume 14 actually feels like it is telling a decent-enough story in its own right. Barnabas is clearly manipulating the residents of Collinwood and the viewer quickly becomes intrigued by the direction.
The emphasis on Barnabas makes both sense from a character level and a standpoint of retaining the audience. Jonathan Frid, neglected on the last video for sure, returns with a confidence for his character that makes Barnabas Collins eerie and intriguing to watch. Frid has an unsettling characteristic to his body language and facial expressions that makes watching him act as something as otherworldly as the vampire Barnabas a real pleasure.
Sadly, even Frid’s acting cannot save Volume 14 from the ultimate “not recommend.” Volume 14 is still a soap opera, even if it is more interesting than in prior volumes. While Frid is professional and cool, the full ensemble is not as strong. While Alexandra Isles is good as the young Victoria Winters, playing her as needy and in awe, Louis Edmonds is stiff as Roger Collins. Anthony George also has not gotten into the role of Burke Devlin in a way that convinces the viewers that he is at all comfortable with the role.
As well, because this is on video, the replayability is physically low, which is problematic for a work where the content is hard to want to sit through more than once. Ultimately, this video may have some appeal for the diehard Dark Shadows fans, but for those looking for great television, they will need to keep looking after this video!
[For a much better value, check out Dark Shadows Volume 2 on DVD, reviewed here, as it has over forty episodes on the currently dominant medium!]
3/10
For other television and movie reviews, be sure to check out my Movie Review Index Page for an organized listing!
© 2012, 2010 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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