jakob1978
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Posts posted by jakob1978
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I think regarding the lines, you have to remember the way they filmed those episodes compared to the colour stories. When you consider that they were basically shooting a brand new 25 minute play every single week (for 48 weeks of the year), virtually live (most of those episodes were shot in about 2, maybe 3 single takes of 7 to 10 minutes each) with Hartnell taking quite a lot of the material, it's pretty astounding that he only fluffed the occasional line, given he wasn't in the best of health (it wasn't long after the show started that he first started getting the effects of his arteriosclerosis which badly affected his memory in later life).
There was an opinion piece in an old Doctor WHo Magazine talking about this subject, and it made the very valid point, that could you imagine the mess of a show you'd have, if they'd had Jon Pertwee or Tom Baker filming their episodes like that? Tom Baker in particular was notorious for going off script, or them having to retake things because he'd just decide on a whim to do something different (there's a story about "THe Horror of Fang Rock" where they took take after take of Tom and Louise Jameson just coming through a door, because instead of walking through it, he insisted on Running through at full speed, too fast for the camera to stay on him and eventually the director got so pissed off she just told the cameraman to just concentrate on Louise Jameson and ignore him). They also made the point about what a good actor Hartnell was in relation to knowing where the camera is, and knowing what shot is being taken (It's a subtle thing, but you can see him change his expression and movements when a shot is moving from long shot (which needs more exaggerated movements) to a close up (where he tones it down)...something Jon Pertwee could have occasionally used (I'm particularly thinking of all that facial gymnastics he was using in Spearhead when the octopus Nestene attacks him).
Personally, I love his portrayal of the Doctor.
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Ahhh....UNIT dating...what a fun subject. Derrick Sherwin who set up the UNIT/stranded on earth situation intended it to be a few years in the future, but later production teams (even as early as Barry Letts producership) decided they were set in the year it was made, but even then there were inconstancies. There's a whole wiki page devoted to the subject (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UNIT_dating_controversy).
This story had 4 different writers. David Whitaker wrote it (and rewrote it, and rewrote it) and eventually Terrence Dicks arranged for him to be paid in full for the story, and then took it to Malcolm Hulke and totally rewrote it with him (with assistant script editor Trevor Ray doing a rewrite too). I rather like it, but it is a bit of a mess.
The problem with any Computer game is, given the Doctor doesn't use a lot of physical violence (and doesn't use guns) it's hard to have him as the hero/protaganist. I think some sort of quest would be a good storyline (a Keys of Marinus/Key to Time type thing).
Regarding Liz leaving (and i know this is covering ground for next week), it was a combination of two things. Barry Letts and Terrence Dicks decided she wasn't working and that having a companion who was as intelligent as the Doctor was the wrong dynamic, and that you needed someone for the Doctor to explain things to. But even if they wanted to keep her on, the actress Caroline John was pregnant and had decided she wanted to leave.
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another good episode.
I really like this story, I wouldn't say it's one of my favourites, but it's certainly entertaining. Strangely I first saw this in the Black and White version which was all that existed for a long time, and despite seeing it in colour since then, I still think it works a bit better in B&W.
Dr Lawrence is written a bit irritatingly..thankfully the actor has 2 much better roles later on in the series (he's really good in Genesis of the Daleks).
Bit of trivia, the actor playing Dr Quinn, Fulton Mackay, was one of Barry Letts choices to replace Jon Pertwee as the Doctor. he's probably most well known for his role in the comedy series Porridge, but for my generation he's also "the Captain" in the UK version of Fraggle Rock (he was our "Doc").
If you hated the music on this, I can't wait to hear what you think of the music in the semi-followup "The Sea Devils" which is similar....but worse.
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Pertwee had quite a schnoz.
yes, it's well known that Pertwee didn't like to be filmed in low angle shots, because he didn't like how big his nose and nostrils were (which is why Terrance Dicks, script editor for the whole of Pertwee's era, put in a joke in Tom Baker's first story where the Doctor comments that "the nose is a definite improvement").
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In light of the Kung Fu Rod Stewart era beginning, don't forget to start a "reverse the polarity" count.
or even a "Pertwee giving the moralising speech at the end of the story" count.
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Great episode as usual...I've edited this to put my comments about The End of Time and the S5 trailer under a spoiler cut
regarding the mysterious woman, the upcoming second edition of "the Writer's Tale" (which based on the first edition I hugely recommend) reveals that RTD did intend her to be the Doctor's mother, and that was what the actress was told she was playing. Of course as it wasn't said onscreen, it's still valid to think whatever you like.
I think the rumoured villains were in the trailer, but they've been redesigned...they're the lizard looking creatures (one is holding a gun which is very like the guns the Sea Devils use).
Spearhead is a good story...it's filmed totally differently from the rest of the series (due to a strike, it had to be filmed completely on film). I have to say, I'm not a huge fan of the Pertwee Era, but this is a very good start.
They use the "Wizard of Oz" b&w switching to colour effect in the Two Doctors, when they start with the Second Doctor in black and white and fade the scene into colour.
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my thoughts about EoT part 2....are still arranging themselves in my head. All I'll say is I enjoyed it more than part 1.
Till i can formulate my thoughts about it though, here are my thoughts on the trailer for next series
- the TARDIS looks better than it did in those first photo's...it doesn't look as squat as it did in those pics.
- I see Daleks in different colours...we see 1 in grey/camouflage (with what looks like netting around it. And we also see a White Dalek (when we see the close up of it's eyestalk).
- Are the reptilians Silurians/Sea Devils? The gun that one of them fires, seems reminiscent of the guns the Sea Devils had.
- Looks like "Geronimo" is the new "Fantastic", "Allonsy".
- We get a few glimpses of the new interior. At 24 seconds it looks like it could be a lower level (there were rumours that the new console room had 2 levels). it looks a bit more silver than the old one, but it's hard to get too much idea from teh brief glimpses. But there's a hatstand :-)
- River Song is back (although I already knew that from the location pics)
- As are the Weeping Angels
- What's with the random shot of a child (in a graveyard?)
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and for those outside the UK, the next series trailer is here
http://blogtorwho.blogspot.com/2010/01/2010-series-trailer.html
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well..it's not long to go till the "End of Time Part 2", and the official website has posted a message about what's to come on there after the broadcast. There's the usual vids, commentary and fact files but tantalisingly there's also this
But we'll also have tons of great stuff on the Eleventh Doctor! Get a sensational sneak peek of the new series and check out exclusive new videos... that's all on this site immediately after The End of Time, Part Two finishes.From that, it looks like there'll probably be a trailer for the next series after the episode, which will be exciting :-) should be good to see what else there is too.
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he is in it, it's been confirmed at other places...hang on i'll see if i can find it.
yeah, here's an interview with him
(dealing with Being Human).
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/interviews/a191004/russell-tovey-being-human.html
You've been confirmed as being on the cast list for the second Doctor Who Christmas special, airing on New Year's Day. How big a role do you play?"It's the same character that I played before and he pops in."
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just for the record, showing just how nerdy the makers of modern Doctor Who are
The War Games
The Sound of Drums
Also...did you recognise that the actor playing the lead Time Lord (the one in the middle, Bernard Horsfall), is the same actor who played Gulliver in the Mind Robber.
And all 3 actors playing time lords, play time lords again in some way (Clyde Pollitt in "The Three Doctors", Bernard Horsfall in Deadly Assassin, and Trevor Martin played the Doctor in the stage play "Seven Keys to Doomsday" in the mid 70's (and reprised the role in the Big Finish version of the play last year)).
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Who are the two woman covering their faces at the end? I'm hoping one is...
... Susan (though I've always thought Donna might be Susan), and the other could be Romana I suppose.
One of them (the one on the right of the screen) is the woman seen tapping her finger in the next time bit (and seems to be some sort of prophet). I think the other one is a man...there's a scene of them from behind and that person has very broad shoulders
here's a screencap under the spoiler
There's a lot of speculation on various forums with some people convinved that
the person has the same hairstyle as either Matt Smith, or Paul McGann lol...I've no idea though..could be anyone
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You know, I have always hated the 'War Chief is The Master is The Meddling Monk' theory ever since FASA first put forth the theory in a supplement to their DOCTOR WHO Game.
Look--all three have different goals and ambitions. All three have different M.O.s. The Doctor knew the Master upon first laying his eyes on him. He didn't recognize either the Monk or The War Chief.
The Master is the Master. Even when he's prancing about to Scissor Sisters and trying desperately to be as freaky as The Joker. The War Chief is the War Chief. The Monk is The Monk. Don't confuse the three.
Well, to be fair, he recognised the War Chief. It's one of my favourite little moments in the War Games, when they first meet in the corridor, and it's all in the look between the two. That glimpse of recognition.
I don't think they're all the same either...I think they're all seperate entities. I know they're not strictly 'canon', but all 3 have lived on in the various novels. There was a whole arc in one of the book series featuring the Meddling Monk, and Terrance Dicks brought back the War Chief in one of his New adventures.
Having said that, I can see why people like to link them all...Although we can see that the Time Lord race have stagnated a bit, and are a bit boring....are there really that many renegades who have escaped (thinking of the ones we've seen in the series...The Doctor, Master, Monk, War Chief, Rani, Drax, Azmael, Morbius....). Plus Doctor Who fans are like that...enjoying trying to link all the stories into one continuity and linking characters from across the differnt periods.
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another great podcast. The War Games is one of my favourite stories.. definitely in my top 3 of all time. I've watched it many times, and never felt bored.
You mentioned that Philip Madoc who played the War Lord returns in later stories, but he actually also appeared in the Krotons, only a few stories ago.
There's an interesting theory in fandom which is usually called Season 6B (and it's later picked up on by Terrance Dicks (one of the writers of this story) and other writers, and used in some BBC novels), where it's theorised that before he is regenerated the Second Doctor is sent on missions by the Time Lords, picks up Jamie again and has more adventures before he is turned into Pertwee. It develped to fit in "The Two Doctors" and "The Five Doctors" where Troughton looked older, and also knew about the events of this story.
One other thing to notice, is that the costumes for the Time Lords in this, are copied for the young Master's clothing in the flashback in The Sound of Drums (where he looks into the thingamajig vortex whatsit).
I'm sad to see the Black and White era go. In many ways, the show is never as varied or as risk taking as it was in the 60's. In some ways that's a good thing (we never have a story as boring as the Space Pirates again lol), but it is sad.
And sad to see Patrick Troughton go. It's no coincidence that later actors to play the Doctor (Davison, Colin Baker, McCoy) have cited him as their inspiration for the role. And I think it was Colin Baker that said that they owed their jobs to Troughton, because he proved that you could take over the role and make it your own....if he'd failed, the show would have ended there and then.
You mention Jamie appearing in more episodes than any other companion...he's actually appeared in more episodes of Doctor Who than any other actor apart from the first 4 doctors.
I don't think The War Chief is the Master...I think he's the Meddling Monk :-) (again Terrance Dicks reuses the character in one of the first of the New Adventure books).
Looking forward to future eps...I have to say, Pertwee is probably my least favourite Doctor (he's still great, but the characterisation is a bit irritating to me...I always found something just wrong about the Doctor being attached to a military organisation), but there's some good stories in there.
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lol..well, i did warn you to have some strong coffee to keep you awake while you watched the Space Pirates. I've only had the misfortune to listen to it once. Never again!! But one thing about it is...Doctor Who is never this boring again. There are stories that may be worse written, there's much worse acting, sets that are more cheap looking, far worse effects (i'd say that's the only plus point about it, the effects and model shots are quite well done), but even something like "Twin Dilemma" which regulalry gets voted worst story is never as boring and dull as this story.
The next story, The War Games is in my top 3 stories of all time...I absolutely love it.
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and another clip...this time Wilf's first look inside the TARDIS, plus a short interview with Bernard Cribbins (nothing spoilery in it, just a bit of discussion about the show, plus talking about "Daleks Invasion Earth 2150AD")
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I have to say though...I can't wait to hear what you think of "The Space Pirates"....I dont' want to say too much...but if you thought the Krotons was boring, make sure you have some strong coffee with you.
Oh... oh, my...
Actually...it's worse when i think about it..not only is it 2 episodes longer, and only 1 ep exists, is incredibly dull...but also has a guest cast with worse accents than Morton Dill (and wheras he was only in 1 scene, this is SIX EPISODES).
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Here are some screencaps from that last trailer :-)
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and even more...this is part of another trailer...quite a few new scenes, including
what looks like the master being reborn, and a strange shot of him at a computer wearing a leather collar (it kinda looks like a belt)
it's posted on the BBC's youtube channel...can't see it anywhere else yet.
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And there's more...here's the BBC Christmas Drama trailer...a few new shots from DW. It's been posted on the BBC youtube channel, but here's a copy someone else has posted, in the hope that people outside the UK can see it.
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I mentioned the BBC1 Christmas Ident's earlier...here's the first one
http://blogtorwho.blogspot.com/2009/12/bbc-chrsitmas-ident.html
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another great podcast. I'm not as much a fan of the Invasion as you both are...it's a bit rambling for me, and although the direction is for the most part excellent, the lack of budget does affect it. As you mentioned...hearing about battles which take place just offscreen is irritating, and there's a bit which makes little sense when Gregory is in Vaughan's office, and we suddenly cut to him in the sewers getting killed by cybermen.
The Kroton's get's a bit of stick among fandom. At this period in the series they were having lots of problems with scripts, with scripts being abandoned and then others havgin to be rushed (the Dominator's rewrite meant another Yeti script was abandoned...there were furthur problems because Fraser Hines was going to leave, so a new companion was created, then Troughton decided to leave and pursuaded Hines to stay on a furthur six months so they could leave together. Which meant furthur rewrites, and another script was abandoned). This story started out as a non Doctor Who story that Holmes submitted to the BBC years earlier, and when they were short of scripts they decided to use it in the series. I actually quite like it...I think the interplay between the regulars works well (I love the whole business with Zoe passing the test first time, then the Doctor failing, and then ultimatly passing).
I have to say though...I can't wait to hear what you think of "The Space Pirates"....I dont' want to say too much...but if you thought the Krotons was boring, make sure you have some strong coffee with you.
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The BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) have cleared the last 2 specials for DVD release next year. It reveals the running times (59 minutes 42 seconds for part 1, and 72 minutes 47 seconds for part 2). Also gives the titles of the DW Confidentials for these 2 parts....I'll put them under spoiler cut because the title of the first one hints at 2 elements that may appear
part 1 - Lords and Masters
part 2 - Allons-y
Also cleared through the BBFC is a 21 minute feature "Doctor Who at Comic Con International 2009"
and also this
BBC CHRISTMAS IDENTS
Video Feature
Classified 27 November, 2009 .
Run Time 0m 46s
00:00:30:11 BBC ONE (BBC CHRISTMAS IDENT - DR WHO CHRISTMAS)
00:00:05:02 BBC ONE (BBC CHRISTMAS BLIP - DR WHO DIGGING IN SNOW)
00:00:05:02 BBC ONE (BBC CHRISTMAS BLIP - REINDEER SNIFFING BY TARDIS)
00:00:05:02 BBC ONE (BBC CHRISTMAS BLIP - REINDEER SNORT)
Which are the idents for BBC1 that run throughout Xmas...which is incredibly prestegious (Wallace and Gromit were the stars last year). They'll be running on BBC1 from the 12th December.
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Ahem.
Squeeeeeee
So, if I'm reading the BBC's website right, is part two more or less confirmed for week 52; i.e., on or about New Year's Day?
the 2 episodes could be on at anytime in those weeks (so anytime from 19th December to 1st January). So the latest it could be on is New Year's Day.
But I'd be prepared to bet my house that they'll be on Xmas Day and New Years Day....they're the 2 big days for the BBC (as an example, a couple of years ago the big shows over the festive period were the final 2 specials of the comedy "Vicar of Dibley", which were on Xmas Day and New Years Day).
The Doctor Who thread
in Horror, Sci-Fi, and Fantasy
Posted
Now confirmed here
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/cult/s7/doctorwho/news/a203905/3d-doctor-who-trailer-to-screen-in-cinemas.html