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| DR. WHO copyright BBC TV. The DALEKS copyright BBC TV and the Estate of TERRY NATION |
Someone I know very kindly gave me the new DOCTOR WHO DVD, The POWER Of The DALEKS recently. The master tapes were wiped in the '60s & '70s, but the soundtrack to each episode somehow survived. Cue some bright spark suggesting utilising animation to resurrect the episodes for modern-day viewing. Great idea, woeful execution, alas.
Sadly, the animation isn't much better than an episode of CAPTAIN PUGWASH. So far I've watched the special features disc and the first episode of the actual serial, but the BBC should really have put more money into the project as it's painfully obvious that it was produced on an extremely limited budget. So just what's wrong with it?
What isn't? The accompanying booklet is riddled with typos that render some sentences gibberish, and, on screen, there's no consistency between the sizes of POLLY and BEN. Sometimes Ben is taller than Polly, sometimes it's the other way around, and sometimes they're both the same size. You can actually see through the DOCTOR's coat to his shirt and braces underneath, and in one scene his left hand is several times the size of his right and can be seen through his body.
The animation is basic and jerky, the backgrounds static, with characters often facing in the wrong direction to what's supposed to be occurring the other way. The animation in SCOOBY DOO is better, so that should give you all an idea of just how bad it is. In one scene, the Doctor and his two companions are being kept in a room, and Ben and Polly are seen in"suitable clothing" - which hasn't yet been given to them at that point in the story.
Anyway, I'll persevere with the remaining episodes when my masochistic tendencies kick in again, but I may just book an appointment with the dentist instead. Not quite one to avoid, because the documentary on the making of the programme is interesting, but don't expect PIXAR quality animation or you're bound to be disappointed. Marks? Only four out of ten, sadly. Should've been much better.
6 comments:
There are mixed opinions coming in about this DVD. I think there was a bit of a fight to get it released AT ALL, so many a Who fan is just grateful to get it in any shape or form and are crying out for the other wiped episodes to be given similar treatment! You can understand people wanting to fill the gaps in their collections.
Anyway, not seen it myself, so I won't comment one way or the other.
But, it's a shame that some people are going to be disappointed!
I understand that there was a bit of a rush on to get this into the shops prior to Christmas which is a shame but good for them to produce what they have done.
Captain Pugwash, eh? No Seaman Stains in it is there?
I think that diehard Who fans will like it, JP & CN, as they seem rabid for any Who-related merchandise, but it doesn't really cut the mustard as an animated programme in its own right. I hear a full-colour version is due for release sometime this month by the way. And I'm sure you know, CN, that those naughty names were nothing but an urban myth, and none of them ever appeared in Captain Pugwash books or programmes.
Indeed that's right. I have a children's TV book in which the Captain Pugwash page has a printed sticker over whatever lurks below in print. The publisher chose to do that rather than pulp the books given their repeated slander.
I've got that very book, CN. The Golden Age of Children's Television I think it's called. Great wee book.
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