DARK SHADOWS: The Complete Series

For The First Time In One Colossal Set, Every Episode Of The Legendary Series That Launched An Undying Vampire Craze!

Before ‘Twilight’ and ‘True Blood’ There Was the Gripping Saga of

Vampire Barnabas Collins – It Rises Again on May 8, 2012, in

An Extraordinary 131-DVD Box Set Featuring 1,225 Episodes

Director Tim Burton’s Hugely Anticipated Reimagining Hits Theaters Nationwide In May 2012 Starring Johnny Depp As Barnabas Collins

The vampire romance is one of today’s hottest genres in movies, television and novels, from the Twilight and True Blood to The Vampire Diaries, Underworld and Interview With the Vampire, but it all started with DARK SHADOWS, the ABC daytime series that brought tormented hero Barnabas Collins into the homes of devoted fans every weekday for five years. Now, in an unprecedented event, the entire series – 1,225 episodes on 131 discs – will be released in a single deluxe set. On May 8, 2012, MPI will release DARK SHADOWS: THE COMPLETE ORIGINAL SERIES in a custom coffin shaped box with bonus, in-depth interviews and other video extras, a commemorative booklet and more. The SRP for this collector’s set is $599.98.

The creation of Dan Curtis (The Winds of War, The Night Stalker), DARK SHADOWS premiered in 1966 as a unique series in TV history – a gothic daytime serial set in a forbidding, mist-shrouded Maine estate inhabited by a wealthy extended family as well as ghosts, demons and, most frightening of all, vampire Barnabas Collins (Jonathan Frid). For five years, 200-year-old Barnabas and his Collins family relatives made their way through hauntings and possessions, jumped through time, mysterious parallel worlds and were the victims of other eerie events. Add in a vengeful witch, a horrifying werewolf, a count with mystical powers, a female doctor obsessed with Barnabas and young, beautiful women encountering love and other dangers – all framed by haunting music – and you have a series that became a nationwide cult sensation.

Now, 41 years after the series went off the air, the cult continues to flourish. DARK SHADOWS has spun off novels, audio dramas, feature films, a Grammy-nominated hit song (“Quentin’s Theme”) and soundtrack album, DVDs, television reruns and regular fan conventions attended by original cast members. On May 11, 2012, director Tim Burton’s hugely anticipated reimagining of the show will hit the big screen, with lifelong “DS” fan Johnny Depp portraying Barnabas Collins. Original series cast members Jonathan Frid (Barnabas), Lara Parker (Angelique), David Selby (Quentin) and Kathryn Leigh Scott (Maggie/Josette) make cameo appearances in the new film.

DARK SHADOWS: THE COMPLETE ORIGINAL SERIES includes more than 100 bonus interviews with the actors and production personnel – its cast included Kate Jackson, Oscar nominee Grayson Hall and Hollywood Golden Era movie star Joan Bennett, plus a 96-page booklet with photographs and episode summaries, DVDs of bloopers, behind-the-scenes documentary and cast reunion – all housed in a coffin-shaped box.

DARK SHADOWS truly lives on in this remarkable release sure to thrill longtime fans and create a new generation of enthusiastic followers.


For fans who do not get the opportunity to purchase the $600 box set, MPI is releasing FAN FAVORITES and THE BEST OF BARNABAS on April 10th. Priced at $14.98, each release offers 9 complete episodes that are among the most popular in the history of the show, serving as an ideal introduction to new viewers as well as an enticing overview for devotees of the series. Included in FAN FAVORITES are Barnabas’ return to Collinwood after being release from his chained coffin; Barnabas and Dr.


Julia Hoffman (Grayson Hall) discovering the secret of the werewolf; Maggie Evans (Kathryn Leigh Scott) becoming the victim of a vampire, and more. THE BEST OF BARNABAS includes Julia’s attempts to cure the cursed Barnabas; eerie trips back in time to 1795 and 1897; the popular Parallel Time story line, and more. Each set includes informative new introductions by Kathryn Leigh Scott and Lara Parker (Angelique).

About MPI Home Video
Chicago based MPI Home Video, a subsidiary of MPI Media Group, is a market leader for high-quality releases to both wide and specialized audiences through home video distribution. Founded in 1976, MPI Home Video remains one of the largest independent companies producing and distributing a compelling slate of the world’s most respected cinema, documentaries, performances and television programs. www.mpihomevideo.com .


DARK SHADOWS: THE COMPLETE ORIGINAL SERIES

Street date: May 8, 2012

SRP: $599.98
Running time: 457 hours plus extras (131 discs)
Rating: Not rated
Full screen


FAN FAVORITES and THE BEST OF BARNABAS

Street date: April 10, 2012

SRP: $14.98each
Running time: 200 minutes each
Rating: Not rated

For the Second Year, Johnny Depp is America's Favorite Actor

Denzel Washington remains at number two, but in a tie this year with Clint Eastwood

NEW YORK, Jan. 19, 2012  -- In 2011 he was the voice of Rango, he was Captain Jack Sparrow (again) and he was also a journalist. And, again this year, Johnny Depp has the distinction of being America's Favorite Actor. Next on the list are two actors who haven't actually acted in a movie this past year. Tied for number two are Denzel Washington, who was in the second spot last year, and Clint Eastwood who was number 9 on the list last year.

These are some of the results of The Harris Poll ^® of 2,237 adults surveyed online between December 5 and 12, 2011 by Harris Interactive^®.

Se7en
Rounding out the top five favorite actors is Larry Crowne or rather Tom Hanks in the number 4 spot, up from a tie for number 6 last year, and at number 5 the only actor to have been on this list since it began in 1994, the Duke himself, John Wayne down from the number 3 spot last year.

After being part of a three-way tie for number 6 last year, George Clooney now holds that position by himself. Up from number 10 to number 7 is Sandra Bullock who is the only woman in the top ten and dropping from number 4 to number 8 is Harrison Ford. There are two new additions to the list this year. At number 9, returning to the top ten after a two year absence is Will Smith and debuting at number 10 is funny man Adam Sandler.

Phat Girlz
This year there are two additions to the list from last year, which means that two actors have dropped out of the top ten. She made her directorial debut this past year, but Angelina Jolie, who was number 5 last year is not on this year's list. And, America's Sweetheart Julia Roberts dropped out of the top ten from a tie for number 6 last year.

The Change-Up
Age, region, gender and political party and leanings mean different favorite actors. Men cite Clint Eastwood as their favorite while women say it is Johnny Depp. Echo Boomers (those aged 18-34), Gen Xers (aged 35-46) and Baby Boomers (aged 47-65) all say Johnny Depp is their favorite actor while for Matures (those aged 66 and older), George Clooney is their favorite.

The South is a region that stands alone. Those who live in the East, Midwest and West all say Johnny Depp is their favorite while for Southerners, their favorite is Clint Eastwood. Johnny Depp is also the favorite actor for both Republicans and Independents, but Democrats say Denzel Washington is their favorite actor. There is finally something that Liberals and Conservatives agree on – Johnny Depp is their favorite actor however, for Moderates it is Denzel Washington.

TABLE 1FAVORITE MOVIE STAR"Who is your favorite movie star?" Unprompted responses
Base: All adults
	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001
Johnny Depp	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*
Clint Eastwood	1	2	4	1	=4	4	5	7
Denzel Washington	*	4	8	10	10	*	=7	8
Tom Hanks	5	6	7	*	*	=5	6	2
John Wayne	2	1	2	4	2	2	2	6
George Clooney	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*
Sandra Bullock	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	10
Harrison Ford	4	*	*	5	1	1	1	3
Will Smith	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*
Adam Sandler	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

*Not in top 10.

"=" prior to a number indicates a tie

TABLE 1, continuedFAVORITE MOVIE STAR"Who is your favorite movie star?" Unprompted responses
Base: All adults
	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011
Johnny Depp	*	10	4	2	=7	3	8	2	1	1
Clint Eastwood	8	8	8	6	1	*	2	1	9	=2
Denzel Washington	7	9	6	*	1	1	1	3	2	=2
Tom Hanks	1	4	1	1	2	2	7	5	=6	4
John Wayne	6	7	7	=3	3	6	=3	7	3	5
George Clooney	*	*	10	8	9	*	*	6	=6	6
Sandra Bullock	10	*	*	10	*	9	*	4	10	7
Harrison Ford	4	=5	5	=3	10	*	5	*	4	8
Will Smith	*	*	*	*	=5	5	=3	*	*	9
Adam Sandler	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	10

*Not in top 10.

"=" prior to a number indicates a tie

DROPPED OUT OF TOP 10 IN 2011Angelina Jolie (#5) and Julia Roberts (tied for #6)TABLE 2WHICH MOVIE STAR IS #1 AMONG DIFFERENT GROUPS?
Group	Favorite Movie Star
Men	Clint Eastwood
Women	Johnny Depp
Republican	Johnny Depp
Democrat	Denzel Washington
Independent	Johnny Depp
Conservative	Johnny Depp
Moderate	Denzel Washington
Liberal	Johnny Depp
Echo Boomers (18-34)	Johnny Depp
Gen X (35-46)	Johnny Depp
Baby Boomers (47-65)	Johnny Depp
Matures (66+)	George Clooney
East	Johnny Depp
Midwest	Johnny Depp
South	Clint Eastwood
West	Johnny Depp

Methodology
This Harris Poll was conducted online within the United States between December 5 and 12, 2011 among 2,237 adults (aged 18 and over). Figures for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, region and household income were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents' propensity to be online.
All sample surveys and polls, whether or not they use probability sampling, are subject to multiple sources of error which are most often not possible to quantify or estimate, including sampling error, coverage error, error associated with nonresponse, error associated with question wording and response options, and post-survey weighting and adjustments. Therefore, Harris Interactive avoids the words "margin of error" as they are misleading. All that can be calculated are different possible sampling errors with different probabilities for pure, unweighted, random samples with 100% response rates. These are only theoretical because no published polls come close to this ideal.
Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in Harris Interactive surveys. The data have been weighted to reflect the composition of the adult population. Because the sample is based on those who agreed to participate in the Harris Interactive panel, no estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.

These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.