Following from Doctor Who #54: Inferno...
Once more, these are all wonderful DVD packages that include an audio commentary by surviving cast and crew, dense production note subtitles, brand new making of documentaries and photo galleries. The first four of these include the participation of Katy Manning (Jo Grant) on the commentaries and she is an outright loon! Not always, but usually. Your mileage may definitely vary, but she's having fun, and that's not a bad thing, is it?
Doctor Who #57: The Claws of Axos (Michael Ferguson, 1971)
Starring the 3rd Doctor, Jo Grant and UNIT. The only story out on DVD for now with the original Master, Roger Delgado. This is really something they should rectify, because Axons isn't very good. The director has learned how to superimpose images one on top of the other so that you don't know what the heck everybody's smoking, there's a bicycling scene right out of Monty Python, and apparently, you can safely hide from a nuclear explosion at a 100 paces behind a simple truck. Still, Delgado. The DVD also includes ton of documentary extras, unused footage and vists to the locations.
Doctor Who #65: The Three Doctors (Lennie Mayne, 1972)
Starring the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Doctors, Jo Grant and UNIT. You won't see much of Hartnell because he was very sick at the time, but this is nevertheless the first "anniversary" meeting between different versions of the Doctor, as they square off against the ancient - and now mad - Time Lord Omega. There a bits of fun, but it's standard 70s glitz, with silly anti-matter blob monsters and cardboard sets. Still, Troughton. DVD extras include interviews done at the time by various BBC shows and a 1993 30th anniversary panel featuring Jon Pertwee and others.
Doctor Who #66: Carnival of Monsters (Barry Letts, 1973)
Starring the 3rd Doctor and Jo Grant. Heralded as a superb story by most because of its satirical look at television, I've never been a big fan of Carnival. I mean, it's ok (and much better than the two preceding DVDs), but to me, the 3rd Doctor's era may have aged the least well. The look is cheap and glitzy and the story rather silly. Still, Drashigs, the ultimate hand puppets of doom. This was an early release, and so there are fewer extras (no real documentary), but the DVD still includes deleted scenes (a rarity), behind the scenes footage and model sequences.
Doctor Who #69: The Green Death (Michael Briant, 1973)
Starring the 3rd Doctor, Jo Grant and UNIT. Though not the first Doctor Who I ever saw, The Green Death marks the start of my love for the show. back in the late 80s, YTV was showing Who from 3rd to 5th Doctors at one half-hour a day right after school. "Hey, let's check it out!" It was certainly less of a commitment for other family members than the combined stories showing weekly on PBS (sans cliffhangers). Mmm, giant maggots, bad CSO (blue screen), a giant computer with a flair for the dramatic, a hippie commune... And then a maggot turns into a giant fly and attacks the Doctor's car. Well, let's just say my sister was hooked right then and there. And with such familial support, Doctor Who became a daily tradition. I even got her the DVD for her birthday when it came out (though I don't think she ever forgave his regenerating into "that other Doctor"). It's also a touching farewell for Jo. DVD extras include a comedy documentary on what happened to the characters from The Green Death after this (great fun!).
Doctor Who #75: Robot (Christopher Barry, 1975)
Starring the 4th Doctor, Sarah Jane, Harry and UNIT. Tom Baker's first story as The Doctor, and he's already the witty, manic bohemian he will always be, and he's with his best-loved companion, Miss Sarah Jane Smith. She's great too. It's something of a farewell to UNIT, though they'll be seen again, but it's really time the show moved on. Sadly, the story's not very good. Fascist scientists build a robot with feeeeeeeelings in their bid to control the world's nuclear arsenal. It's pretty dopey, especially the toy tank that gets disintegrated. The cast keeps it alive though. DVD extras include a feature on how they do that opening tunnel effect (I still don't get it).
But what did YOU think? Next: Doctor Who: The Ark in Space to The Hand of Fear...
Once more, these are all wonderful DVD packages that include an audio commentary by surviving cast and crew, dense production note subtitles, brand new making of documentaries and photo galleries. The first four of these include the participation of Katy Manning (Jo Grant) on the commentaries and she is an outright loon! Not always, but usually. Your mileage may definitely vary, but she's having fun, and that's not a bad thing, is it?
Doctor Who #57: The Claws of Axos (Michael Ferguson, 1971)Starring the 3rd Doctor, Jo Grant and UNIT. The only story out on DVD for now with the original Master, Roger Delgado. This is really something they should rectify, because Axons isn't very good. The director has learned how to superimpose images one on top of the other so that you don't know what the heck everybody's smoking, there's a bicycling scene right out of Monty Python, and apparently, you can safely hide from a nuclear explosion at a 100 paces behind a simple truck. Still, Delgado. The DVD also includes ton of documentary extras, unused footage and vists to the locations.
Doctor Who #65: The Three Doctors (Lennie Mayne, 1972)Starring the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Doctors, Jo Grant and UNIT. You won't see much of Hartnell because he was very sick at the time, but this is nevertheless the first "anniversary" meeting between different versions of the Doctor, as they square off against the ancient - and now mad - Time Lord Omega. There a bits of fun, but it's standard 70s glitz, with silly anti-matter blob monsters and cardboard sets. Still, Troughton. DVD extras include interviews done at the time by various BBC shows and a 1993 30th anniversary panel featuring Jon Pertwee and others.
Doctor Who #66: Carnival of Monsters (Barry Letts, 1973)Starring the 3rd Doctor and Jo Grant. Heralded as a superb story by most because of its satirical look at television, I've never been a big fan of Carnival. I mean, it's ok (and much better than the two preceding DVDs), but to me, the 3rd Doctor's era may have aged the least well. The look is cheap and glitzy and the story rather silly. Still, Drashigs, the ultimate hand puppets of doom. This was an early release, and so there are fewer extras (no real documentary), but the DVD still includes deleted scenes (a rarity), behind the scenes footage and model sequences.
Doctor Who #69: The Green Death (Michael Briant, 1973)Starring the 3rd Doctor, Jo Grant and UNIT. Though not the first Doctor Who I ever saw, The Green Death marks the start of my love for the show. back in the late 80s, YTV was showing Who from 3rd to 5th Doctors at one half-hour a day right after school. "Hey, let's check it out!" It was certainly less of a commitment for other family members than the combined stories showing weekly on PBS (sans cliffhangers). Mmm, giant maggots, bad CSO (blue screen), a giant computer with a flair for the dramatic, a hippie commune... And then a maggot turns into a giant fly and attacks the Doctor's car. Well, let's just say my sister was hooked right then and there. And with such familial support, Doctor Who became a daily tradition. I even got her the DVD for her birthday when it came out (though I don't think she ever forgave his regenerating into "that other Doctor"). It's also a touching farewell for Jo. DVD extras include a comedy documentary on what happened to the characters from The Green Death after this (great fun!).
Doctor Who #75: Robot (Christopher Barry, 1975)Starring the 4th Doctor, Sarah Jane, Harry and UNIT. Tom Baker's first story as The Doctor, and he's already the witty, manic bohemian he will always be, and he's with his best-loved companion, Miss Sarah Jane Smith. She's great too. It's something of a farewell to UNIT, though they'll be seen again, but it's really time the show moved on. Sadly, the story's not very good. Fascist scientists build a robot with feeeeeeeelings in their bid to control the world's nuclear arsenal. It's pretty dopey, especially the toy tank that gets disintegrated. The cast keeps it alive though. DVD extras include a feature on how they do that opening tunnel effect (I still don't get it).
But what did YOU think? Next: Doctor Who: The Ark in Space to The Hand of Fear...
Comments
You're right then they can do a lot better.
The hypnotism bit was overused, but Delgado was an excellent Master.
The next one that's been announced, I guess, is The Sea Devils, again not a high point of the series.