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I already own many early episodes of Doctor Who on DVD, including the first serial featuring The Daleks, but when I saw this colourised, 75 minutes-long edited version on sale, I snapped it up. Haven't watched the main feature yet, but took a look at the 'making of' documentary and found it interesting. The colour seems to me more like an old MGM movie than a contemporary colour TV show, though that's merely an observation, not a criticism.
I'd have thought that the best way to edit the original seven 25 minute episodes down to 75 minutes in total would be to follow the template of the Dr. Who And The Daleks movie from the '60s, so it'll be interesting to see if that's what the BBC have done when I finally view the 'film', or have they gone in another direction? Time (most apt in the case of the Doctor) will tell.
In the meantime, here are some screen-grabs until I can tell you what I think of the newest addition to the Doctor Who legend. Incidentally, I know 'silver' is the correct colour for The Daleks' 'waist bands', but does anyone else wish they'd rendered them gold as they were in TV Century 21 and other '60s representations (Dalek Annuals and toys), or is it just me?
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| Who else thinks that Carole Ann Ford looks like Valerie Singleton? |
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10 comments:
I watched this 75-min colourized version on BBC iPlayer a few months ago, and thought it was surprisingly good. As a child I didn't really like the William Hartnell Doctor Who serials because I was too young to follow the plot or dialogue properly (altohugh I loved the comic version in TV21 and the annuals), and as an adult I've been put off by the fuzzy, low-contrast visuals, but this new version really brought it all to life.
Thanks for sharing, AM, as it gives me hope that I'll likewise enjoy it in the same way you did. Looking forward to getting the time to watch it. At 75 minutes, it's surely far better paced than the original 7 episodes, which were padded out just to fill the requirements of a 7-parter.
I watched a bit of it as it was broadcast. I found the addition of a background music track extremely irritating and switched off. I'll probably buy it for completion purposes but only when it's reduced.
It starts off in poor quality b&w for a few seconds, then morphs into colour. Not quite sure why they did that. It sort of looks like they were late sliding up the controls to transform it into colour. (Though I know that's not quite how it's done.)
Probably just to show the difference between b&w and colour as in The Wizard of Oz. Although the music annoyed me the visuals are stunning and lovely to look at. The thing I like about DVDs as you mentioned is the additional behind the scenes stuff and I particularly like the restoration features.
Yeah, but it was pointless as there can't be anyone buying it who doesn't know that it was originally b&w - and there are plenty examples of the 'before and after' process in the documentary. Also, it comes with a second disc which apparently contains the original b&w episodes, though I haven'y played it yet. Right, I was only up for a wee, back to bed for me.
A thought occurred to me. They occasionally do. The picture on the front of the DVD shows the Doctor and companions in the Tardis console room. It also shows two daleks in there, yet in the programme, the daleks never leave the city and certainly don't get in to the Tardis. There are plenty of shots they could have used showing the Doctor and co. together with the daleks so why make one up? The BBC changing history again.
The cover is such an obvious CGI 'paste up', it's a mystery they decided to use it. The Dalek on the right isn't even on the same level as the Doc & co. However, I don't think the BBC meant to change history, they were just looking for a symbolic image. They could have used a better one though.
I watched it and it didn't do anything for me. They butchered it and colored it hoping to bullshit us into buying it. Honestly fellas the version I watched back in 1964 was a masterpiece! . This was just an copycat of the movie . Same name and all. If the BBC plan on doing something like this again just do it properly and colourise all episodes not condense and colour.
I reckon that'll be on the cards for the future, LH - all 7 episodes colourised. I haven't watched the abridged version yet, but a few years ago when I watched the original serial, I found it tedious in places. That was probably because I watched all 7 in a row, and it just wasn't paced for that. One episode at a time, with at least a few days in between - if not a week.
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