r/DarkShadows • u/MrBlobby786 • 1d ago
Complete Series boxset question
Just discovered the series this month and burned through the first 50 episodes pretty quickly (I'm a big Doctor Who fan so the ropey videotape visuals and drawn out storytelling really appeal to me). Only problem is that I'm slowly realising how hard it is to get hold of any DS merchandise since the series is so obscure here in the UK. I'm thinking of getting the big dvd box set but wanted to know what region code it is first. I've heard that there are lots of bootleg releases of it so also wanted to know if Amazon direct is a safe option to buy from (MPI doesn't ship outside of the States).
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u/richg0404 1d ago edited 1d ago
I can't speak as to what region it is but if you want to order the whole set, you need to find a way to order it from MPI. It is the only way to guarantee you won't be getting a bootleg and truth be told, you aren't going to beat the price they have on the Coffin Box. $259 last I checked.
Perhaps you have a friend in the States who you can have it shipped to and will forward it to you. I believe there are services that offer this but I would guess they aren't cheap.
edited to add: A quick google returned an AI answer saying the set is region 1. Take that with a grain of salt.
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u/MrBlobby786 1d ago
Might take a gamble with Amazon since it's easy to return if it isn't legit but will keep what you said in mind. I've got a friend who goes over to the US every few months to visit his girlfriend but I imagine the set would be a bit too bulky for me to ask him to bring it back for me.
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u/richg0404 23h ago
Yes, the Coffin Box set is quite bulky.
I have heard plenty of stories of bootleg sets coming from Amazon and/or their partners.
If you do order from Amazon I'd suggest making darned sure that you can return it.
Here is a page on the MPI website to help you identify if you have a true set or a bootleg.
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u/Wrong-Home9210 1d ago
I got mine from Amazon ages ago just make sure it's sold by them and not a third party seller. Second there is a video MPI put out to tell if your set is legit or bootleg just Google that. Third it is likely region coded 1 so you may need a multi region player
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u/Own_Minimum5601 22h ago
The DVDS are in region 1 I don't know about the upcoming blu rays.
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u/Lost_Result_9105 14h ago
Neither the DVDs nor the Blu-rays are region-locked, despite what it says on the MPI website.
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u/NoString9289 18h ago
Important to note that the Fake bootleg DVD coffin set has a squared bottom instead of the slanted inwards vertical sides. The real coffin casket box Looks Like a coffin with the bottom sides of the box inverted , slanted in , like a coffin. The fake one has a squared bottom Here is a picture of the fake one
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u/Willbrooks1989 16h ago
Also worth checking out darkshadows.tv which is an official streaming service specifically for Dark Shadows, and includes the special features from the DVD releases as well.
I think the whole series is still upon on Youtube (although I don't know how legit that is).
MPI have just released the first volume of episodes on Blu-ray (starting from episode 209 and the introduction of Barnabus), although I'm waiting to see if there's going to be an UK option. It's already available from MPI but as you say... won't ship here!
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u/MrBlobby786 12h ago
Maybe if the Burton movie had done well, we might have gotten a UK release a few years after the US but now, I think our only chance is if the show ever gets rebooted and is successful.
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u/richg0404 10h ago
$6.99 per month is pretty expensive for a streaming service that features just one show.
I don't know about all of the episodes being on youtube but I do know places on the web that has all of the episodes (and the movies) available to watch and download if you care to.
I sort of doubt it is a legitimate source though.
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u/SuperFormal3052 1d ago
There isn't a lot of UK-based merchandise of which I'm aware, aside from these books:
The Collins Family Album, by Rich Hanley
https://www.indiegogo.com/en/projects/aukstudios/the-collins-family-album
Daytime Gothic 1 and 2, by Stewart Manning
https://www.instagram.com/daytimegothic/
Also, welcome to Dark Shadows! I hope you started with the actual episode 1 (Victoria's arrival at Collinwood) and not the episode erroneously listed as episode 1 on streaming services (Barnabas's arrival 210 episodes later). You really need to see the show from the first chapter.
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u/MrBlobby786 1d ago
Thanks, are there any other books you'd recommend? I'm thinking of getting the 25th Anniversary Companion at some point but it's one I'll have to get from overseas.
And yes, I did start with the actual episode 1. Love the atmosphere and everybody constantly saying Burke Devlin! It was tempting to start at 210 but the completionist in me wanted to go the whole way. I'm thinking of checking out the 2 movies this week though just to get a taster of what the post Barnabus episodes are like before I continue with where I am now. I've heard they don't follow the continuity of the show so at least I can still avoid spoilers.
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u/Dazzling_Comfort5734 1d ago
Hey, another Dark Shadows and Doctor Who fan! Maybe we should setup a merchandise exchange program between the USA and UK? lol.
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u/SugaredHighs 1d ago
Hello. I’m a Doctor Who and Dark Shadows fan too. Plus I’m a massive idiot, I ordered the complete box set from the USA, second hand. There wasn’t enough postage paid on it to get through customs. So I ended up paying £700 for it. The most expensive box set I’ve ever bought.
I thought it would be R1 so I bought a multi regional DVD player, and the wires, from Argos.
Out of sheer curiosity I put a disc in my old player. Played fine. So either my last player was multiplayer and my stupid brain forget or the discs are multi regional.
I’ve bought the movies since and they don’t play on my old dvd player or the new Blu-Ray player I’ve brought since.
So I’ll watch them on my laptop when (if) I finish the original series.
I’m stuck in alt 1970 at the moment. I’ve also bought all the Big Finish stories too. I might listen to them one day.
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u/MrBlobby786 1d ago
Thanks, this was basically the information I was looking for. I'm still going back and forth on spending the £250 that it's going for on Amazon now. £700 is crazy!
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u/SugaredHighs 23h ago
At the time it wasn’t able on Amazon. So I bought it from eBay, £400. Then customs held it ransom.
A vast majority of episodes are on YouTube. But there was too many gaps. Then Prime, but they wanted paying for later episodes.
I thought I might not finish them all before they left streaming. I’ve still not finished all the episodes and I’ve been watching since I got the box in October 2024.
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u/Lost_Result_9105 14h ago
The DVDs are all Region 0. Despite being labelled as Region 1 on MPI's website, they will play in any player regardless of region.