Jonathan Frid's theatrical background is clearly evident in these solo scenes. It's easy to visualize him on stage in a Shakespearean play. Mr. Frid is a master at using voice and expression to convey the emotions of his character.
Barnabas' monolouge about Julia's letter features the interesting technique of the character thinking to himself while occasionally speaking outloud to punctuate certain thoughts. Laurence Olivier used this technique to great effect in his film adaptation fo Hamlet. Incidentally, both Jonathan Frid and Laurence Olivier were Shakespearean actors!
He wasn't just the best vampire--he invented it. Not even Bella could top him. And these clips show his abilities go far beyond DS. Thanks for the post.
Jonathan Frid was frightening & exciting at the same time as Barnabus Collins. You felt sympathy for his situations and horror that he could kill so calmly. There will never be another Jonathan Frid or "Barnabus Collins" for me. Thank you for this collection.
dedou30 And, I absolutely abhorred the Dark Shadows movie with Depp portraying Barnabas!!! 😤 To me, the whole movie just mocked the series. Guess they had to have the "sex - scenes" with Barnabas and Angelique, "flying" around the room and knocking things over, to satisfy the modern audience, though. But, that was an *"UGGGH!* moment for me!!! And, it was soooo cheesy when they made Barnabas (Depp) able to walk around in the daytime *just because* he had on a pair of very dark sunglasses!!! Wish that movie had been more "true" to the story - line of the series - it would have been a LOT better to see!!!
This takes me back to the sixth grade when I fell under the intoxicating spell of Dark Shadows. I saw it evolve from a daytime mystery series to the supernatural phenomenon that it eventually became. I was there when Burke Devlin was exonerated of vehicular homicide, there when Laura graced us with us with the final flight of the phoenix and there when Jonathan Frid took this series over the top. It was a disgrace that the politics of the industry denied this cast the praises that they were due.
Just read(on MSN) of the passing away of Jonathan apparently on April 13th/my deepest condolences to you Patricia,to Jonathan's family and all of his legions of fans/the professionalism,depth and empathy he brought to the character of Barnabas Collins was a high water mark for television in general and daytime drama in particular/A true original beloved by millions/as one who lived in the last half of the 60's and remembers DS then,and in the early 2000's rediscovered on SciFi/touched then&now
Jonathan Frid is telling his story on not only to himself and his following actors cast on all of the DS episodes, he seems to even tell the viewers audience about it too.
@ThymeBottle Thank you for your insightful comments; they echo my own sentiments. Jonathan Frid’s introspective quality transcends the screen and draws us into the soul of his character. He doesn’t just mimic; he convinces us that he is actually feeling, experiencing, and internally processing that moment-acting “inside out” if you will. Mr. Frid always said that he “offered his soul” to the theatre. We are blessed that the series provides us with a permanent record of his unique gift.
The thinking Barnabas, pondering his and the fate of others...electrifying and mesmerizing to see and hear. What a magnificent voice and presence he has as Barnabas; thank you for including Edmund from "Seizure", as well. The soliloquies, more than anything else, help to establish the inner turmoil and depth of these characters he played so brilliantly. There is nothing "campy" or "corny" in his performance and those seeking to extract the essence of Barnabas Collins should look no further.
Shakespeare would have loved him. Even just listening to him with eyes closed can give one chills. The greatest vampire to captivate you in any century. Bravo!!
He was the best! Love him, his works were so infrequent, and he was such a thoughtful performer. Wish he had a greater body of work. Poetry and grace!!
You're welcome! I'm so glad you enjoyed it. These scenes, rather than focusing on the bloodthirsty vampire, highlight Mr. Frid's virtuosity as an actor. If he appeared on an empty stage, without props, costume or makeup, he would have been just as successful portraying his multidimensional character, Barnabas Collins.
@bracherpix Thank you for mentioning Robert Cobert, the composer of the music for Dark Shadows. Omitting his name from the credits is an unintentional oversight on my part. Cobert's music is also featured in the latter half of my video: Jonathan Frid: The Scholar.
All one has to do is be in another room, far removed from this for many years and just to hear the UNMISTAKABLE music from that room and immediately know that "That's from Dark Shadows!!!!!!"
@willowwisp11 Since Barnabas Collins was "a cousin from England," Jonathan Frid speaks with an English accent on "Dark Shadows." In "Seizure" he speaks with his natural voice (Canadian). The audio picks up how mellow and resonant his distinctive voice is. Edmund's and Barnabas's voices differ, as well as their personalities--a testament to Mr. Frid's talent.
Jonathan Frid's character Barnabas Collins was the Best Character on Dark Shadows!I started watching it in 1968 when I was in 6th grade. It came on at 3 to 3:30 every day but weekends! I watched him faithfully till DS ended! I watched the DS remake of DS on Sci- Fi with Ben Cross as Barnabas Collins! I didn't like it. No one could play the part but Jonathan Frid! He's the " One and Only Barnabas Collins 4 ever and I will never forget him! Thank you for sharing this with all the fans!
In episode 233 Jonathan Frid delivers 2 terrific Barnabas soliloquies about the storms of the past and of the death of Josette Collins. Brilliant.in 4:12 512 in this post also
I agree. He actually turned down offers to do more TV and movies so that he could concentrate on his one-man shows. His non-speaking role as Mr. Howard in "Devil's Daughter" had real potential. I'm disappointed with how it turned out; his part was underwritten and he was relegated to the background. If anyone can pull off "silent acting" as a leading character, it's Jonathan Frid.
I'm glad he did. Other actors are the distracting things in the corner of my eye which only get in the way! I kid, I kid. But there really was a "who can block JF from the camera most efficiently"-competition going on with the DS cast....tssss
I LOVE this series, but, I absolutely abhorred the Dark Shadows movie with Depp portraying Barnabas!!! 😤 To me, the whole movie just mocked the series. Guess they had to have the "sex - scenes" with Barnabas and Angelique, "flying" around the room and knocking things over, to satisfy the modern audience, though. But, that was an *"UGGGH!* moment for me!!! And, it was soooo cheesy when they made Barnabas (Depp) able to walk around in the daytime *just because* he had on a pair of very dark sunglasses!!! Wish that movie had been more "true" to the story - line of the series - it would have been a LOT better to see!!!
lawl! I didn't bother watching that travesty of a movie, and I never will. The original show is the only DS, it cannot be redone, ever. I would have been curious to see how the sequel to House of DS might have turned out, but considering how bad that movie regrettably was compared to the show, maybe it's just as well it never got made.
Dark Shadows the MOVIE was an absolute travesty. Depp could have REALLY done it justice with Frid as a mentor in the plot - IDIOTS run Hollywood... IDIOTS, I say !!!
This is great but I would have enjoyed more of his SPOKEN and acted soliloquies rather than just BARNABAS standing around. This mostly shows Frid was an excellent reader.
I probably selected these particular scenes more for their effect than whether Mr. Frid was actually speaking his lines or whether he used voice-overs. Good point, though. And you're right that he was an excellent reader. He went on to produce and perform years of Reader's Theater.
