Post by JOHN SMITH on Jul 10, 2008 11:21:54 GMT
Hi
I know that this might sound as if i'm stating the obvious. (But sometimes it is the lack of stating the obvious that can be importantly overlooked)
Scenario 1:
All the countries that 'supposedly' junked/destroyed their 16mm copies of Dr Who etc as per instructions, rather than send them back.
Where is the ACTUAL PROOF that they DID indeed dispose of the said film reel(s)??
Anybody can sign a bit of paper and send it back to the BBC to say 'Yes, it's done, it's been destroyed', but that does NOT NECESSARILY mean that the person DID destroy the print. (You could even see a photo of a film tin in a skip, but that's not to say that the print IS in the tin)
Especially if it was a print (or prints)of something that they (or their children or friend or whoever else liked), the 'destroyer' could have just as easily walked off with it/them and NOBODY would be any the wiser.
Scenario 2:
Also, it is not unknown for employees of TV stations to make either an 'unauthorised' copy of a programme for themself, or a copy upon request for cash (and I know the latter is ABSOLUTELY true because 4 years ago I 'bought' a copy of a programme that I missed. I just got in touch with the station that screened it, asked discreetly if they could copy it for a small payment (which turned out to be 2 English Pounds), and an hour later the VHS was in my hand)
Plus both scenarios are even the MORE likely regarding 'missing' Dr Who if projectors capable of showing 16mm prints were available for sale in the mid to late 70's. (Maybe someone can comment on such availability and prices)
And even episodes that were put in the skip. There were many that were took out by the skip operators before they got anywhere near landfill. And that's a fact.
What it ALL boils down to is how honest people are. And let's face it, MOST people are DISHONEST, MOST OF THE TIME.
When was the last time YOU told a lie or were not 100% accurate with the truth. (And if you go back more than 24 hours you are obviously lying)
If YOU liked Dr Who, and let's face it it WAS a popular programme even when it was B&W. Would YOU have junked film reels of Dr Who? The hell I would, and chances are the hell you would have either.
Maybe it is NO coincidence that those reels from the Ice Warriors just happened to be 'misplaced'. Or episodes strangely found in the wrong tins. How many episodes may have been 'deliberately misplaced' so that they could have been 'reclaimed' by said person or said person's friend at a later time?
For all we know, there may be (and probably are) complete stories out there, never mind just an episode here or there.
Especially of Troughton since it was during Troughton that many of the classic monsters first appeared.
As for keeping quiet, I read somewhere that the Lion changed hands a number of times without ANY knowledge by fandom, before getting into Grenville's possession.
Barring a TARDIS there is ONLY 1 episode 'TRULY' out of ALL reach and that's DMP7.
The other 107 are just MAYBE's. And given the honesty of the human race that could be a 'small maybe' rather than a big one.
I know that this might sound as if i'm stating the obvious. (But sometimes it is the lack of stating the obvious that can be importantly overlooked)
Scenario 1:
All the countries that 'supposedly' junked/destroyed their 16mm copies of Dr Who etc as per instructions, rather than send them back.
Where is the ACTUAL PROOF that they DID indeed dispose of the said film reel(s)??
Anybody can sign a bit of paper and send it back to the BBC to say 'Yes, it's done, it's been destroyed', but that does NOT NECESSARILY mean that the person DID destroy the print. (You could even see a photo of a film tin in a skip, but that's not to say that the print IS in the tin)
Especially if it was a print (or prints)of something that they (or their children or friend or whoever else liked), the 'destroyer' could have just as easily walked off with it/them and NOBODY would be any the wiser.
Scenario 2:
Also, it is not unknown for employees of TV stations to make either an 'unauthorised' copy of a programme for themself, or a copy upon request for cash (and I know the latter is ABSOLUTELY true because 4 years ago I 'bought' a copy of a programme that I missed. I just got in touch with the station that screened it, asked discreetly if they could copy it for a small payment (which turned out to be 2 English Pounds), and an hour later the VHS was in my hand)
Plus both scenarios are even the MORE likely regarding 'missing' Dr Who if projectors capable of showing 16mm prints were available for sale in the mid to late 70's. (Maybe someone can comment on such availability and prices)
And even episodes that were put in the skip. There were many that were took out by the skip operators before they got anywhere near landfill. And that's a fact.
What it ALL boils down to is how honest people are. And let's face it, MOST people are DISHONEST, MOST OF THE TIME.
When was the last time YOU told a lie or were not 100% accurate with the truth. (And if you go back more than 24 hours you are obviously lying)
If YOU liked Dr Who, and let's face it it WAS a popular programme even when it was B&W. Would YOU have junked film reels of Dr Who? The hell I would, and chances are the hell you would have either.
Maybe it is NO coincidence that those reels from the Ice Warriors just happened to be 'misplaced'. Or episodes strangely found in the wrong tins. How many episodes may have been 'deliberately misplaced' so that they could have been 'reclaimed' by said person or said person's friend at a later time?
For all we know, there may be (and probably are) complete stories out there, never mind just an episode here or there.
Especially of Troughton since it was during Troughton that many of the classic monsters first appeared.
As for keeping quiet, I read somewhere that the Lion changed hands a number of times without ANY knowledge by fandom, before getting into Grenville's possession.
Barring a TARDIS there is ONLY 1 episode 'TRULY' out of ALL reach and that's DMP7.
The other 107 are just MAYBE's. And given the honesty of the human race that could be a 'small maybe' rather than a big one.
