Master of Dark Shadows (2019)

Master of Dark Shadows 2019

7/10
A straightforward documentary depicting how a small time Gothic soap opera surprisingly changes the face of daytime television

While cable television didn’t have the same prestige as movies for decades, nevertheless the format garnered some influence, even then, with generations of viewers and filmmakers growing up in the medium. Dark Shadows is one such influential television show, and its journey from middling soap opera to groundbreaking drama is depicted in Master of Dark Shadows. Viewers totally unfamiliar with the 60s-70s program might only appreciate the film for its slice of media history, as the documentary takes a rather ordinary, interview-focused approach, but Master of Dark Shadows is clearly a tribute to Dan Curtis, the man behind the midday monsters, and the legions of fans it inadvertently garnered.

Synopsis

Revealing the fascinating impact of the ground-breaking Gothic drama Dark Shadows with a compelling blend of rare footage and behind-the-scenes stories exploring the diverse talents of creator-producer-director Dan Curtis.

Storyline

Writer-director-producer Dan Curtis creates Gothic series Dark Shadows, unexpectedly shifting the way America treated the soap opera, the monsters, and horror as we know it today.

TLDR

Thank you, Dark Shadows, for creating sexy vampires.

What stands out

Most of the runtime is dedicated to Dark Shadows, rather than Dan Curtis himself, but maybe that’s not a bad thing, considering the way everyone describes him with a terrible personality in the most polite way.