There is a HUGE Difference.
BTW, if you want to see what ol Lord StarFyre LOOKS like, watch the 1790's Trial Sequence in DS1991, and look next to the Evil Aunt during the Trial. Also, when Victoria Winters is being escorted to the Gallows, the Duffus escorting her, holding the Rifle, is your truly...
hehehehe
(A Friend works for the Casting Co, and I volunteered to work that one, in any capacity)
The Differences are Dan Curtis, the Producer/Creator of the Dark Shadow TOS, was also the Producer/Director/Creator of the Remake. The Halls, the original Writers from the Original were also the Writers on the Remake. ALL of the Original Actors Endorsed the Remake. Many of the Scripts from the Original were used as "blueprints" for the Remake (as it was, a single episode in the remake series was a conglomeration of about 30 episodes of the Original).
Dan Curtis made certain that his Remake Honored his original creation, right down to some of the smallest details.
Asside from using the Greystone Manor as Collinwood (Which is the SPOOKIEST PLACE I CAN DESCRIBE. The night they shot Barnabas's first night as a Vampire was enough to give you goosebumps) Curtis was very particular that people working on various parts were familiar with what had come before.
If Moore and Co had approached Galactica with the same attention to detail and the same Honor for the Original, I would have probably backed him.
If he had cast Joanna Going as Athena or Sheba, I would have supported him without reservation... God, she's Beautiful...
