Mark Dawidziak is a noted television, film, and theatre critic, author, actor, and Journalism Hall of Fame inductee. He visits the podcast for an in-depth discussion about the pivotal influence of Barnabas Collins on vampire fiction, the importance of Dark Shadows to the horror genre, and the fact that DS often doesn’t get enough credit for the significant impact it continues to have on popular culture. Other topics include: Mark’s conversations with Dan Curtis, Mark’s childhood introduction to horror and DS, writing about Carl Kolchak, Dark Shadows and the cultural influence of the 60’s, Edgar Allan Poe, and much more!

The twenty-first annual Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards are upon us! A special category in the Rondos is the write-in for Monster Kid Hall of Fame, which honors those who’ve made a permanent mark on the world of classic horror appreciation. Many of the inductees are/were fans of the genre themselves. This award is a rare distinction indeed, and there are several notable recipients. Missing from the list, however, is Dark Shadows creator Dan Curtis! This episode of Terror at Collinwood includes a series of interview clips featuring Dan Curtis himself, along with writer Sam Hall and actress Lara Parker. The clips help illustrate why Curtis should be considered for Monster Kid Hall of Fame status. A known enthusiast of classic terror tales and motion pictures, Curtis certainly made prominent puncture marks on the genre with Dark Shadows. He also unleashed the iconic The Night Stalker and The Night Strangler, and he helmed adaptations of Dracula, Frankenstein, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, The Turn of the Screw, and The Picture of Dorian Gray. He directed both Dark Shadows MGM feature films, the horror cult classics Burnt Offerings, Trilogy of Terror, Dead of Night, and many more! After his epic miniseries Winds of War and War and Remembrance, he returned to the world of the gothic with the 1991 Dark Shadows revival series, which featured horror legend Barbara Steele (who is also long past due for induction into the Monster Kid Hall of Fame). See the full ballot at https://rondoaward.com/ and email your votes to taraco@aol.com. Voting is open until Sunday at midnight, April 23, 2023. PS - And thanks to those who nominated Terror at Collinwood for Best Podcast and Penny Dreadful for Favorite Horror Host. It's an honor to be on the ballot, twice! Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.

Todd Tarantula, the new film from director Ansel H. Faraj, is a psychedelic journey across Los Angeles. In the movie, antihero Todd Tarantula undergoes time-bending experiences to uncover the secrets of his past. Visiting the podcast to discuss this fascinating new film are Dark Shadows' own David Selby (Lucifer Grey), actor and producer Nathan Wilson (Barracuda), and director/writer, Ansel Faraj! Join us to get a tantalizing taste of this exciting new motion picture!

The Dark Shadows Discord server provides an online space where a new generation of DS fans gather to hang out, discuss DS, post fanfic and fan art, and just have fun. This episode features a lively discussion about this community with moderator Madelyn Marks and active DS Discord members, Tina Marie DeLucia and Max Kern. We also look at Madelyn’s incredible LEGO Collinwood foyer, drawing room, and custom minifigures! Additional topics include: Tubmlr blogs, differences in how younger fans view DS characters, DS merchandise wants, Tina’s article on gender nonconformity in DS and trans Julia theory, subjective nature of DS and the various audiences for the show, critiques of Big Finish Audio plays, future hopes for new media, archiving classic DS fanzines, Madelyn’s DS Spotify playlists, and much more!

Rondo Award-winning writer Patrick McCray returns to Terror at Collinwood to discuss ‘The Dark Shadows Daybook: Unbound’. The new 430-page book features a delightful foreword by Mark B. Perry, followed by Patrick’s in-depth, witty, and insightful analyses of many original Dark Shadows episodes. He also provides memorial tributes to recently departed stars from the show, looks at the 1991 revival series, reviews ‘A Dark Shadows Christmas Carol’, and more. Additional discussion topics include: Dark Shadows fandom, the ghost of Quentin Collins, the Leviathans, 1840 Barnabas conundrums, and much more.

Released in 1971, MGM’s ‘Night of Dark Shadows’ was the second DS feature film. Directed by Dan Curtis, the motion picture featured many members of the TV series cast in a gothic tale of ghostly obsession. Sadly, after viewing the 129-minute director’s cut of Night of Dark Shadows, MGM studio head James Aubrey demanded that Curtis cut nearly 45 minutes out of the movie, giving him until the next day to do so. In this episode, director and film archivist Darren Gross visits the podcast to share his thoughts on NoDS and also offers updates on his long-anticipated restoration of the director’s cut of the picture. Described by ‘The Guardian’ as a “movie sleuth and champion of lost causes,” Darren miraculously unearthed the previously lost NoDS footage and prepared a restored version of the movie which has not yet been released to the public. In addition to discussing NoDS and its restoration, Darren also talks about his work on the ‘Dark Shadows’ Big Finish audio dramas, his enthusiasm for TV horror host Commander USA, and much more!

A claustrophobic sense of doom pervades the Summer of 1970, the final present-day storyline on Dark Shadows. In it, Barnabas Collins and Dr. Julia Hoffman try to unravel the mystery behind the insidious and increasingly malignant hauntings at the great house in an effort to prevent the destruction of Collinwood and its inhabitants. Meanwhile, they must also deal with a mysterious new vampire who prowls the estate. Professor and writer David M. Wingrove and writer Stephen R. Shutt visit the Terror at Collinwood podcast to dissect and explore this oft-ignored and/or scorned storyline, examining its various literary inspirations along the way. Often seen as DS’ attempt to recapture the success of the 'Turn of the Screw'-inspired “ghosts of Quentin and Beth” storyline, Summer of 1970 pulls inspiration from several classic sources, including tales by Oliver Onions and M.R. James, with a nod to Sheridan Le Fanu.

It’s a ghoul-tide trip down memory lane in this Terror at Collinwood Christmas/Holiday special. I sit down with my family to discuss their memories of Dark Shadows. Other topics include: moving to America from Portugal, getting into 60’s pop culture, growing up in the 60's, Dracula actors, binge watching in the 80’s before it was a thing, family interests in spooky stuff, and much more! Featuring, in order of appearance, interviews with my: aunt Agatha, mom Zezinha, uncle Valdemar, cousin Karen, cousin Elijah, dad Tony, sister Amy, and sister Maggie.

The 1995 segment on Dark Shadows lasted only two weeks, but its grim and apocalyptic tone left an indelible mark on fans as they witnessed the horror and madness that awaited the Collins family in the future. Raymond Castile, filmmaker, actor, collector, musician, and host of the Raymond Castile's Basement of Horror YouTube channel, visits Terror at Collinwood to discuss this popular and shocking Dark Shadows sequence! The first half of the show features monstrous topics that include: being cast as young Coffin Joe in ‘Embodiment of Evil’, collecting monster toys, an impromptu review of the new Barnabas bobblehead, and more! The second half of the show focuses on a discussion of the 1995 storyline!

On November 22, 1967, the vengeful and powerful witch Angelique made her debut on Dark Shadows and became an instant hit with viewers, remaining an important part of the series for the remainder of its run. The character subsequently took her place alongside Barnabas, and later Quentin, as a pop culture icon, appearing on assorted products and in DS spinoff media. Visiting the podcast to commemorate her legendary character's 55th anniversary is Lara Parker, the talented actress who portrayed Angelique onscreen! Discussion topics include: Lara's thoughts on Angelique, memories of working on DS, Night of Dark Shadows, Lara's DS novels, what makes DS special, terror vs. horror, the allure of vampires, the fans, and much more!