|
Post by Tim Roll-Pickering on Feb 26, 2006 6:01:50 GMT
Having recently replayed the audio of The Daleks' Master Plan (probably the highlight of the audio collection) I think I'd plump for the final episode as well. (As an aside, being too lazy to count, am I right in thinking this was the 100th episode of the series?) Being able to see the Daleks' underground base, the fall of Mavic Chen, the Doctor's direct confrontation with the Daleks, the effects of the time destructor, the death of Sara...
Of course it could just as easily disillusion me. (Though "Day of Armageddon" did just the opposite, elevating the story in my opinion.) During the scene where Chen, Steven and Sara are walking through the base there's some stock music that was previously used on the first Dalek story to enhance the scene where we first see the Dalek city. So the mind starts to imagine something spectacular and starts recalling John Peel's novelisation describing a huge army and battle fleet underground. Then I recall that this music was also used for the scene in The Power of the Daleks for when the Doctor enters the radio room! So just what would I see?
|
|
|
Post by B Thomas on Feb 27, 2006 8:17:09 GMT
I'd have to agree - this would be a great episode to see (from an already great Dalek serial). Just to be anal: "The Destruction of Time" was episode 102
|
|
|
Post by LanceM on Feb 27, 2006 18:33:27 GMT
So we actually do havwe the 100th episode "Escape Switch" .
|
|
|
Post by B Thomas on Feb 28, 2006 3:57:31 GMT
Yep
|
|
|
Post by Chris Gilbert on Apr 4, 2006 16:44:33 GMT
The Massacre Episode 4 to see what Hartnell looked like when he gave his speech after Steven walked out.
|
|
|
Post by Bobby Clark (synthpopalooza) on Apr 4, 2006 17:52:12 GMT
I've been fortunate enough to catch the loose cannon recon of the Dalek Master Plan ... if you can, I'd recommend sending these guys a couple of VHS tapes and getting a copy dubbed off for you. They have done a wonderful job with it, especially episode 12, and the scenes of the Time Destructor where Sara Kingdom ages to death. It really makes you wonder what the original special fx must have looked like, and it really conveys the mood of the story very well. Plus, I think it makes me agonize all that more, over the fact that these episodes were wiped!
I also liked how they handled Katarina's death in episode 4, with some computer animation of floating in space ... and the usage of the volcano footage from Pertwe's "Inferno" during the Volcano episode.
|
|
|
Post by ron on Apr 6, 2006 21:11:13 GMT
The Massacre Episode 4 to see what Hartnell looked like when he gave his speech after Steven walked out. That is a good bit (I just heard the story); also the bit before Steven walks out when he and the Doctor are talking quite seriously to each other. Would be my second choice now after Tenth Planet 4.
|
|
|
Post by Bobby Clark (synthpopalooza) on Apr 6, 2006 22:05:10 GMT
I am considering getting the LC recon of The Massacre. I have been told that this story ranks right up there with The Caves of Androzani, the final episode of Blake's 7, and The Parting of The Ways (from last year's season), in terms of the doom and gloom factor: It's one of those stories where you can feel the inevitable doom of it all, where you know everyone's going to die, and you think for a moment that everything will be alright, while all the time knowing it's not. Like Androzani, the companions get mixed up in the political/religious mess, and are just trying to survive and get back to the TARDIS without getting dragged down or becoming yet another casualty in the slaughter. It makes for an excellent continuation of the doom and gloom left over from episode 12 of the Dalek masterplan.
Oh, and by the end of episode 3, it's entirely possible that the Doctor himself is lying dead in the street. How's that for a cliffhanger?
The only complaint is the abrupt entrance of Dodo Chaplet into the TARDIS, which is tacked onto the end of The Massacre 4 for no coherent reason. Perhaps it could have been better left for the beginning of The Ark 1?
|
|
|
Post by Chris Gilbert on Apr 7, 2006 9:40:08 GMT
Its good to know other people think this story is an overlooked little gem. I find it sweetly funny when we all hope and think (myself included) the next find will be a Dalek Master Plan, an Evil or a Marco. Why cant it be a Massacre though?
The added on part with Dodo was I guess a coda to cut off from all the horror and sadness and to try and calm down any upset viewers who thought Anne Chaplet had died. It must have been quite a distressing story if you were 5 or 6 in 1966!
Does anyone remember seeing it when it was transmitted?
|
|
|
Post by Bobby Clark (synthpopalooza) on Apr 7, 2006 21:45:14 GMT
You're right. I think people too easily dismiss stories like Massacre because it's one of those supposedly boring "historicals" ... so what? Doesn't mean it's not an interesting story!
To wit, I am currently in the middle of watching "The Crusade" from the second season of Hartnell. Only episodes 1 and 3 exist, the rest I am enjoying courtesy of Loose Cannon. Let me tell you, that story is probably one of the highlights of that season, coming right on the heels of a clunker of a story, the Web Planet. Julian Glover is terrific as King Richard the Lionheart, Jean Marsh as the King's sister Joanna ... the acting is superb all around and the story never gets bogged down or feels padded. Plus you gotta love how the Doctor manages to "borrow" clothing from the town merchant and then slyly talk his way out of trouble. A very impish fellow, Hartnel's Doctor ...
|
|
|
Post by Chris Gilbert on Apr 8, 2006 17:06:29 GMT
Couldnt agree with you more regarding The Crusade. I watched eps 1 and 3 again the other week and just loved Hartnells scenes with the market trader.
Yes, when I was growing up received wisdom in magazines told me that The Web Planet was an awesome classic. Well all I would say is I too now prefer The Crusade to the insects of Vortis!
Wouldnt it be great to find the 2 missing episodes of The Crusade? Season 2 would also be complete as well of course.
I think since the audios have been commercially released the historicals have been given a good re-appraisal and as much as I still adore the DMP I would really like The Massacre, The Crusade and The Myth Makers back before some other stories.
|
|
|
Post by Bobby Clark (synthpopalooza) on Apr 8, 2006 18:44:37 GMT
Well, I finally finished the Crusade ... my only real beef with the story, is the way that the thoroughly villainous and nasty El Akir met his end ... just a quick knife stab in the back. I personally would have liked to have seen something nastier happen to him, or maybe have him suffer a bit. This is truly the most nasty, heinous and slimy villain ever seen in Doctor Who up to this point. He's kidnapped Barbara with the intention of raping her (keep in mind this is 1965 folks ... very strong stuff), kidnapped this other poor fellow's daughter for his harem, slaughtered his wife and all but one of the rest of his children ... but at least he gets his just desserts in the end.
|
|
|
Post by Chris Gilbert on Apr 9, 2006 13:14:53 GMT
Yes, these Hartnell historicals certainly had some horror, doom and gloom and hidden implications (Barbara's potential rape). Last week I leant The Missing Years DVD to a work colleugue who was born in 1960. He had vague memories of Steven being held captive and small little robots. I showed him a picture of a Chumblie and he said "Yes thats them!". He watched some of the Hartnell and Troughton episodes on the DVD and also watched the Green Death on BBC4 last week. He thought that these B&W episodes had dated less than the Green Death. I had to agree as although Pertwee is my 3rd favourite Doctor and I really love the Green Death, Hartnell is my second favourite and I am really enjoying these historicals again at the moment. Last night I listened to the end of The Massacre again where Steven argues with the Doctor. Hartnell was so quietly spoken when Steven ranted. I would love to see what it looked like on screen. Plus on a lighter note I wonder what the poor stand in TARDIS prop looked like that Dodo ran towards. On the photo of her alongside it, it looks awful! Lets hope it wasnt on screen for long!
|
|
|
Post by Bobby Clark (synthpopalooza) on Apr 11, 2006 3:31:09 GMT
It's odd that you mention "The Green Death" ... now while I do like the story itself, I always thought that the special fx for the giant insects were a bit dodgy.
By comparison, I just finished watching Hartnell's "Planet of Giants" and they did a VERY convincing rendition of a giant fly. I reckon it looks even more convincing that what got used for "The Green Death" about 10 years later.
|
|
|
Post by Chris Gilbert on Apr 11, 2006 10:04:07 GMT
Yes, again I agree with you in that the effects in The Green Death are a bit dodgy. Your point about the fly in Planet of The Giants being much better than the one in The Green Death adds to my colleugues point about some of the Pertwee's dating worse than the B&W era.
Planet of the Giants is I feel another oft overlooked gem too. Jaqueline Hill gives yet another great performance as Barbara, hiding her "illness" from her friends as she thinks they have enough to worry about.
The Hartnell era rocks!
|
|