My BSD collection - Dark Shadows Play

I love classical horror, and especially love vampires. The genesis of my interest in vampires was the thrilling literary classic by Bram Stoker, which I have read twice.

The second source was Francis Ford Coppola's Bram Stoker's Dracula, which premiered on Friday the 13th of November 1992. Enchanted by the lush visuals, in camera effects, and moving love story, I watched BSD 13 times in the theater, and have enjoyed collecting BSD memorabilia.

I later enjoyed The Vampire Chronicles books by Anne Rice, and the masterpiece film Interview with the Vampire (1994) by Neil Jordan. I eventually warmed to the classic Hammer series starring Sir Christopher Lee, and now particularly enjoy them as well. I of course have watched Herzog's and F.W. Murnau's films, as well as the film adaptation of the stage play by Balderston and Deane, starring Bela Lugosi. I can add here a plethora of Karnstein and other vampire themed B-movies by Paul Naschy and many others.

My mother wouldn't let me watch Dark Shadows as a child. Streaming on Amazon is giving me a new vampire collection obsession, only this time it is online, on my Dark Shadows website!

PHOTOS: I claim no rights to these photos from the web, which represent most of the items in my BSD collection.

My BSD collection

These photos represent most of the items in my BSD collection

Framed one-sheet movie poster
DVD soundtrack
Old world, masterpiece soundtrack by Wojciech Kilar
Laserdisc w/special features
The Criterion Collection special 3 Disc edition of the Bram Stoker's Dracula laserdisc release (pre-DVDs) My copy is still mint Special Features Include: Audio commentaries by director Francis Ford Coppola, special effects supervisor Roman Coppola and make-up supervisor Greg Cannom on analog track 2 Seperate presentation of complete music and Oscar-winning effects track on analog track 1 The original teaser trailer A look at the historic Dracula legend Artistic influence: Reproductions of paintings and excerpts from films the makers of Bram Stoker's Dracula drew upon the craft the unique visual style of their film An article of Dracula's scene-by-scene analysis appeared in the Cinefex magazine revised and edited for LaserDisc (over 200 stills) Nearly 500 storyboards Editing Dracula: A look at the editing of the film with videotapes presenting dailies and storyboards for the film with a narrator describing each scene; Also included: Interactive "hands on" editing workshop that allows you to put together your own scene Behind-the-scenes: A 9-minute video documentary on the production of Dracula
Criterion Collection laserdisc

Criterion Collection laserdisc
Criterion Collection laserdisc

Copy of BSD shooting script, from the screenplay by James V. Hart (similar to this photo)
Hand written notes regarding costuming suggests someone in wardrobe smuggled out a script. This is a huge deal on any project, but on a Coppola project? Coppola kept the raw footage of the film in a top secret location until it was time to pass it to the post-production facility, fearing a studio recut of his work.
Coppola and Eiko on Bram Stoker's Dracula

In an interview with Coppola, he said he had to include only some of everyone's ideas, but Eiko was given free reign.

Photography by David Seidner
Eiko's design included Dracula's hair
Photos by David Seidner

Eiko Ishioka accepting the 1992 Oscar for Best Costume Design. BSD also received Oscars for Best Sound Editing and Best Makeup, and a nomination for Best Art Direction.
Greg Cannom, a student of Dark Shadow's Dick Smith, received a Best Makeup Oscar for his work on Bram Stoker's Dracula. Dick Smith’s Advanced Professional Makeup training is still considered the best makeup training courses available.
Bram Stoker's Dracula: The Film and the Legend, Newmarket Pictorial Moviebook

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