On June 27, 1966, a serial drama on ABC started running that would remain as a force in pop culture for many years.  That show, “Dark Shadows” created by my late friend Dan Curtis has either remained on TV or has been available on video since its inception.  To this day, there are still “Dark Shadows” conventions held in various parts of the country almost each and every year.  The surviving cast members attend these conventions and do whatever they can to keep the show alive. 

When I was growing up on Long Island in the late 1960’s, this was the show that everyone ran home from school to watch because it was on at 4:00 pm in the afternoon.  It almost became a cult to those of us that lived during those historic times of Martin Luther King, Woodstock, the Space Program, and the 1969 Mets.  There were “Dark Shadows” toy figures, games and Barnabas Collins Vampire Teeth.  It was an industry more so than any other soap opera in TV history.  In fact, to some extent it probably helped to create merchandising as a concept in the entertainment industry.  I confess that Davy Crocket Coonskin Hats were first, but nothing reached this level up to that point. 

The memories of those times are now being relived by the HBO drama “True Blood.”  In my opinion, “True Blood” is an updated version of “Dark Shadows” and appears to be getting more and more supernatural with each passing week, which is exactly what happened with “Dark Shadows.”  (more…)

This Sunday, the 62^nd Primetime Emmy Awards will be handed out to some of the best shows and actors from the past year. Although some shows and performances were snubbed, there are numerous nominees that are worth rooting for during the award show which will be hosted by Jimmy Fallon. In the midst of a lot of previously-nominated shows and performers, there are also some newcomers and previously-overlooked nominees that are worth getting excited about.

In the best drama category, the highly-acclaimed and perennial winner “Mad Men” will be facing some mildly tough competition. It will be up against HBO’s “True Blood,” Showtime’s “Dexter,” AMC’s “Breaking Bad,” ABC’s “Lost,” and CBS’ “The Good Wife.” Even though “Lost” just aired its final season, many expect that “Mad Men” will walk away with its third consecutive best drama award. Several of last year’s nominees for this category were snubbed this year (“House,” “Big Love,” and “Damages”) along with at least one departing show that had previously won this competition (“24”).    (more…)

Hollywood is at it again, pulling out all the stops on a genre and twisting it to promote their backwards value system of unbridled debauchery while at the same time taking a swipe at conservatives and more importantly, people of faith.

In this NY Times article titled “Necks Overflowing With Rivers of Metaphor,” the argument is gleefully made that the vampire genre is the perfect platform to expose the idiocy of the right and our strange repulsion against poor vampires who merely want to fuck all night and sleep all day.

You want to see an accurate portrayal of the modern day leftist liberal, using the vampire genre correctly? Watch my very first short film that I wrote, produced, directed and edited back in 2005 on pocket change, in 5 days in rural New Jersey using a digital camera and all unknown actors.

It is based on a short story by Richard Matheson titled “Drink My Red Blood” and what compelled me to make it was one scene in particular where the lead character, Jules, shares his composition in school called “My Ambition.” The movie is 15 minutes long. I broke it into two parts and uploaded it to YouTube for you to watch (NSFW). (more…)

William Sanderson says he likes to fly under the radar. The in-demand character actor’s resume just won’t let him get away with it. Sanderson‘s career has brought him to the past (“Deadwood“), the future (“Blade Runner“) and a few surreal points in between (the long-running “Newhart“).

The actor is currently co-starring in HBO’s vampire drama “True Blood,“ set to begin its second season at 9 p.m. EST June 14. Sanderson plays Sheriff Dearborne, a character whose normalcy stands apart from the show’s menagerie of shape shifters, neck biters and mind readers. “You can hide when you have beards and mustaches. I don’t have a lot of that,” he says of the straightforward sheriff.

What he and his colleagues do have is the respect of HBO’s higher ups. HBO executives “trust the creators of their show,” he says. “They set the tone. If they’re under pressure, Lord, it’ll reach us,” he says.

The 65-year-old actor is at a loss as to why the vampire genre cannot be killed, adding even show creator Alan Ball (“Six Feet Under”) can’t break down the appeal of the undead. (more…)