What are you watching now?

[Peter]

For those who didn't see the it first time around here is the excellent BBC series 'Great Composers' kicking off with Bach.

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LD-eSW69DvI[/YOUTUBE]

[Peter]

Wonderful and rare 1962 interview with the remarkably gifted and beautiful pianist Harriet Cohen who was friends with all the great musicians and writers and influential of her day - Einstein, Casals, Manuel de Falla, Sibelius, Elgar, Picasso, Bax, Beaverbrook, Bernard Shaw, D.H.Lawrence - she knew them all.

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVSqSIMujW8[/YOUTUBE]

[Harvey]

Massenet's Le Cid on You Tube with Placido Domingo as Le Cid and with English subtitles.

[Decrepit Poster]

Friday afternoon I watched my newly acquired Kino Restored Deluxe Edition DVD of F.W. Murnau's The Last Laugh. I viewed the restored German version, which includes the original 1924 music score by Giuseppe Becce, performed by the Saarbrucken Radio Symphony Orchestra. (A second disc houses the unrestored 'export' version with a special written orchestra score by Timothy Brock.) I had not seen the film before, except in excerpt. I enjoyed it. Even its tacked on 'happy' ending, though that came close to overstaying its welcome.

[Sorrano]

Quentin Collins bothered me but only because that seemed to take away from Barnabas. I did watch both the movies that were done, mostly by the original actors, and did enjoy both of them. The boy I did not like at all, can't remember his name. Unfortunately, as I could only watch this at a neighbor's house I did not get to see very many episodes at all, but eventually purchased a CD set (I think volume 8) and enjoyed that quite a bit.

[AeolianHarp]

Barnabas was always my favorite character.

He's awesome! I usually watch at least one episode a day. I have seen them all now and am on a second watching.

This may sound strange, but I did like Angelique, too.

I can't stand her! Such a wicked horrible creature! I loved it when Ben Stokes and Barnabas torched her when Barnabas returned to 1796 to save Vicki and Peter Bradford.

Did you see the brief revival series with Ben Cross as Barnabas? Personally, I thought they did a great job on it, but sadly it was cancelled.

That's never been shown over here, though I saw a few clips on you tube. I have to say it didn't grab me- the original actors can't be beaten!

[Sorrano]

Barnabas was always my favorite character. This may sound strange, but I did like Angelique, too. Did you see the brief revival series with Ben Cross as Barnabas? Personally, I thought they did a great job on it, but sadly it was cancelled.

[AeolianHarp]

Another big Dark Shadows fan here. I was 10 years old when it was first aired on TV back in 1966. By that time I was already a huge fan of anything that had to do with vampires so needless to say Barnabas Collins was my favorite character from the show. I even have a couple of the Dark Shadow books that came out back in 1969, like "Barnabas Collins In a Funny Vein" and "Barnabas Collins". My copy of "The Dark Shadows Companion, 25th Anniversary Collection" is one of my so called coffee table books. Another huge thrill for me was going to see the movie House of Dark Shadows in the Kino when it premiered back in 1970.

I just saw your post too! I was never that into vampires, so I didn't start watching it for this- I was hooked after episode 3, but when Barnabas showed up- OMG- he really grabbed my attention. I adore him- he's gorgeous and captivating!
Have you got the DVDs then?

[AeolianHarp]

I couldn't wait to get home from school to catch the next episode of Dark Shadows, but always had to go to a neighbor's house to watch it as my parents didn't want us watching Soap Operas. Had they any idea this one was about vampires and werewolves I would have been in big trouble.

Dark Shadows is my favourite TV show of all time. Barnabas Collins is so compelling, charismatic and fascinating ( he's also extremely handsome- those eyes.... )

LOL that you used to watch it sneakily.

As a Brit I stood no chance of ever seeing it on TV had I been of that era- since it was never sent over to Britain. Big mistake I say as us Brits love Gothic, ghosts, spooky stuff etc- we pretty much invented the Gothic genre.

I believe some episodes were shown in the 1990s on satellite TV ( which few people had), so it is virtually unknown over here- which is a shame!!!

So, how do I know it? YOU TUBE! Hurray for you tube!

Who are your favourite characters?

Mine:
Barnabas
Quentin
Julia Hoffman
Roger
Eliot Stokes

[Decrepit Poster]

Yesterday evening I watched the three final episodes of I Claudius on DVD. Such a marvelous series! It's gonna be hard to follow it up. I have the last two episodes of GOT season 1, and the entirety of season 2, on disc to watch, but can't seem to drum up the enthusiasm to do so.

[Decrepit Poster]

Yesterday evening I watched episodes eight and nine of I Claudius, the latter of which closes with the death of the god Caligula and Claudius mockingly proclaimed emperor by the guards. I think the series portrays Caligula's descent into madness rather well. Then again it portrays most things rather well.

I checked out a few excerpts from Bleak House at YouTube. What I saw was very impressive. I'll add it to my acquisition list, though I doubt I'll procure it any time soon. Then again, who knows?

[Sorrano]

I couldn't wait to get home from school to catch the next episode of Dark Shadows, but always had to go to a neighbor's house to watch it as my parents didn't want us watching Soap Operas. Had they any idea this one was about vampires and werewolves I would have been in big trouble.

[Hollywood]

Another big Dark Shadows fan here. I was 10 years old when it was first aired on TV back in 1966. By that time I was already a huge fan of anything that had to do with vampires so needless to say Barnabas Collins was my favorite character from the show. I even have a couple of the Dark Shadow books that came out back in 1969, like "Barnabas Collins In a Funny Vein" and "Barnabas Collins". My copy of "The Dark Shadows Companion, 25th Anniversary Collection" is one of my so called coffee table books. Another huge thrill for me was going to see the movie House of Dark Shadows in the Kino when it premiered back in 1970.

[Decrepit Poster]

Yes the excellent I Claudius is also in my collection - superb drama that just shows how far the BBC has sunk these days. The last really good thing they did was Bleak House, well worth getting if you don't have it already!

Funny, but I often think of modern day BBC as being light-years better than our PBS. Not that I doubt BBC was itself likely better in days gone by. I never heard of Bleak House. Will see if any of it is available at YouTube. Speaking of I Claudius, I watched episode five this afternoon.

ADDENDUM: This evening I watched episodes six and seven of I Claudius.

[Peter]

Over the past several days I watched the first four episodes of my newly acquired DVD set of the 1970s BBC series, I Claudius. I hadn't seen it since its initial PBS airing. It's every bit as good as I remember.

Also recently acquired, an upgrade to my early DVD era copy of All Quiet On The Western Front, an all time favorite. The new edition sports improved/restored image and sound, and comes with both DVD and blu-ray discs. I intended to watch only the beginning to verify its improvements, but ended up seeing it whole thing.

I also bought an upgrade to my laserdisc of D.W. Griffith's Intolerance, again for improved image quality and, in this case, a specially composed orchestral score by Carl Davis, whose silent film work I admire. Alas, I am unable to watch it for now, not having made the jump to blu-ray. I plan to do so, but am not yet sure when I'll take the plunge.

Yes the excellent I Claudius is also in my collection - superb drama that just shows how far the BBC has sunk these days. The last really good thing they did was Bleak House, well worth getting if you don't have it already!