Christian Cawley's Blog, page 288

Who’s Changing: An Adventure In Time With Fans

Danny_Weasel is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

For those of us who enjoy the special features on Doctor Who DVDs almost as much as the show itself, myself included, there is something rather special about to appear on your radar. I’m talking about Who’s Changing: An Adventure In Time With Fans, a new documentary feature coming out on January 27th.

The documentary is directed by Cameron K. McEwan who many of you may know as the author of the book, The Who’s Who of Doctor Who, or as the man behind Blogtor Who and throughout the anniversary year it took him across the length and breadth of the country hitting as many conventions as possible to provide a wealth of interviews with many of the big names from the show’s 50 year history including: Louise Jameson (Leela), Sophie Aldred (Ace), Simon Fisher-Becker (Dorium Maldovar), Neve McIntosh (Madame Vastra), Catrin Stewart (Jenny Flint), Caitlin Blackwood (Amelia Pond), Dan Starkey (Commander Strax) as well as faces from behind the scenes such as script editors Gary Russell and Eric Saward and scriptwriters Andrew Smith (Full Circle), Jane Espenson (Torchwood: Miracle Day) and James Moran (The Fires of Pompeii). Cameron says:

“I’ve loved Doctor Who all my life and some of my earliest memories are of Doctor Who, and it was great to meet and interview so many people who felt the same…It’s an amazing journey from the start of fandom to where it is now – a genuinely fascinating story from hugely entertaining characters.”

The documentary covers the whole spectrum of the Doctor Who fan culture, from the very first conventions through to the current (and mighty impressive) batch of cosplayers as it looks at how and why the nature of Doctor Who‘s fans changed as mainstream interest in the show took hold.

Who’s Changing will be available to buy on DVD from Amazon as well as specialist cult TV and sci-fi retailers such as Forbidden Planet, Galaxy 4, The Who Shop, StarTrader, The Cinema Store and WhoOne, priced at £12.99 RRP as well as being available to stream online on VOD from the official website, priced at £3.49.

So does this release tickle your fancy? Are you one of those fabulous people who helped fund the production when it was being crowd funded? Speak up into the void below and share your mind with us.

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‘Forgotten’ Story in TV Comic

Alex Skerratt is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

Anybody attempting to canonise all-things Who might encounter a stumbling block with this one! Some fascinating comic book pages have surfaced which depict a ‘forgotten’ Doctor Who story entitled The Magician. Ripped from a now-defunct ’70s publication known as TV Comic, these obscure frames show an early Tom Baker in fine form at the wheel of his trusty TARDIS. Or should that be Jon Pertwee…?

Well, both, as it turns out. Apparently, the adventure was originally released with the Third Doctor at the helm, but in the mid 1970s the strips were reprinted to save money, and Jon Pertwee was unceremoniously ‘painted over’ and replaced with Tom Baker! This leaves us with the slight problem of two separate Doctors experiencing the same adventure twice, which is enough to rip a hole in the fabric of the space-time continuum. Unless we say the whole thing took place inside the Matrix (I like to think it did…).

In all seriousness, these frames give us a fascinating insight into the Time Lord’s more obscure adventures, so meticulously realised by artists Gerry Haylock and John Canning.

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Verity Lambert Biography for 2015

Jonathan Appleton is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

A full-length biography of Verity Lambert, the first producer of Doctor Who, is to be published in January of next year. Drama and Delight: The Life and Legacy of Verity Lambert will see Richard Marson explore one of television’s most extraordinarily successful behind the scenes names.

It was Lambert, of course, who oversaw the launch of the series, cast William Hartnell as the Doctor and famously won that blazing argument with Sydney Newman about bug-eyed monsters.

Although probably still best known for launching Doctor Who, Lambert went on to oversee a huge range of some of the most celebrated British dramas including The Naked Civil Servant, Minder and Edward and Mrs Simpson. As well as being a pioneering figure at the BBC in the 1960s, she went on to blaze a trail for independent producers with her company, Cinema Verity.

Richard Marson is the author of last year’s JN-T: The Life and Scandalous Times of John Nathan-Turner, a somewhat notorious book due to its revelations about the 1980′s producer. If you haven’t read it yet, don’t let that put you off – it’s incredibly well researched and a rather moving account of the man at the helm of the programme in that era.

Drama and Delight will be published by Miwk in January 2015.

The post Verity Lambert Biography for 2015 appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

The TARDIS Goes Steampunk

Rebecca Crockett is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

We’ve seen the TARDIS transformed and imagined in a number of ways beyond its beautiful blue box, from the TARDIS as the Yellow Submarine, to a Transformers robot, to an automobile – including the Catbus and Mrs Frizzle’s Magic schoolbus – to a teapot, and even to a human form! (Hello Sexy!)

Thanks to artist Andrew Colunga, that Blue Box has been given a steampunk makeover, with bras details, wood paneling, and stained glass.

For some reason, I think if the TARDIS had gone through an exterior redesign with the TV Movie, I wonder if it would’ve come out something like this, as it seems fitting with the Eighth Doctor’s Victorian dress.

The artist has also done a version of the console room with hanging lights, comfy looking sofas, and a time rotor that looks a lot like the TARDIS in her human form.

 

(Via io9.com | Thanks to Kopic)

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Coleman: Peter is “Going to be Wonderful”

Alex Skerratt is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

Jenna Coleman has reassured everybody about Peter Capaldi’s casting as the Twelfth Doctor – not that we needed it!

Speaking at the 19th National Television Awards, Coleman had nothing but praise for the new Time Lord, who has just started work on Series 8:

“[Peter is] great of course – we all know he’s going to be wonderful.It’s been great to get up on our feet and get started. We just seem to have taken off like a rocket.”

The new series, which began filming earlier this year, is scheduled to air in late 2014, with Coleman promising ”exciting times ahead” for the mad man with a box. We can’t wait!

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PodKast: Moffat’s “Plot Holes” & The Value of Missing Doctor Who Episodes

Christian Cawley is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

This week’s podKast features Christian Cawley and James McLean discussing Doctor Who plot holes and missing episodes, specifically how their value has changed from being worth less than video tape in the 1960s to making millions on iTunes in 2013.

We’re covering a lot of topics this time around, with topics as diverse as Tom Baker’s birthday and Paddington Bear to the amazing reaction to the previous podKast!

Sadly, Brian Terranova was unable to appear in this week’s podKast, but worry not as he may turn up later in the week…

Kasterborous PodKast Series 3 Episode 50 Shownotes

Paddington Bear: Something Nasty in the Kitchen
Bagpuss: The Mouse Mill
Tom Baker is 80
Steven Moffat wanted Peter Cushing Dr Who movie posters in The Day of the Doctor
Vworp Vworp #1 and #2
The Time Leech
Doctor Who and the Changing Value of Television
Bernard Cribbins on Jackanory
Jamie and the Magic Torch theme tune and cover version
Ripper Street cancellation
Wikipedia definition of a plot hole
Recommendations: The Flames of Cadiz , The Robots of Death DVD, Revisitations 3 boxset
Marc Platt interview

 

Listen to the PodKast

There are several ways to listen. In addition to the usual player above, we’re pleased to announce that you can also stream the podKast using Stitcher, an award-winning, free mobile app available for Android and iPhone/iPad. This pretty much means that you can listen to us anywhere without downloading – pretty neat, we think you’ll agree! (Note that it can take a few hours after a new podKast is published to “catch up”.)

What’s more, you can now listen and subscribe to the podKast via our Audioboo channel! Head to http://audioboo.fm/channel/doctorwhopodkast and click play to start listening. You can also comment and record your own boos in response to our discussions!

Meanwhile you can use the player below to listen through Audioboo:

You haven’t clicked play yet?! What are you waiting for? As well as our new Stitcher and Audioboo presence you can also use one of these amazingly convenient ways to download and enjoy this week’s podKast.

Use the player in the top right of the Kasterborous home page, or visit the podKast menu link.
Listen with the “pop out” player above, which also allows you to download the podKast to your computer.
You can also take advantage of the RSS feed to subscribe to the podKast for your media player, and even find us on iTunes!

Incidentally, if you are listening on iTunes, please take the time to leave a rating and review and help us to bring in new listeners to the podKast!

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The Web of Fear DVD Release Date Confirmed

Christian Cawley is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

Previously unseen in the UK for 45 years and re-mastered from newly discovered tapes located in Nigeria, the formerly missing Doctor Who classic – The Web of Fear – will be available to own on DVD from February 24th.

The following has been sent by BBC Worldwide:

 

Starring Patrick Troughton as the Doctor, alongside Frazer Hines (Jamie) and Deborah Watling (Victoria) as companions, this iconic story sees the TARDIS narrowly avoid becoming engulfed in a mysterious cobweb-like substance in space before arriving in the London Underground railway, where the Doctor soon discovers that something strange is afoot as the tunnels are being overrun by the web, an army or robotic yetis and The Great Intelligence.

Before the original broadcast in 1967, this story was deemed so scary that the Doctor delivered the following message to television audiences:

Thank goodness… Oh, it’s you… I thought for one moment it was… I’ll just sit down for a minute. I’m glad I met you as a matter of fact; there’s something I want to tell you. When we start out on our next adventure – Jamie, Victoria and I – we meet some old friends. Yes, and we also meet some old enemies. Very old enemies. The Yeti as a matter of fact. Only this time, they’re just a little bit more frightening than the last time. So I’ll warn you that if your Mummy or Daddy are scared, you just get them to hold your hand.

*Gunfire* Here we go again. I’ve got to go. See you soon – I hope!

The Web of Fear is also famed for introducing one of Doctor Who folklore’s most beloved characters: Nicholas Courtney as Colonel Lethbridge-Stewart who later became the Brigadier. The Brigadier’s legacy lives on in contemporary Doctor Who, with Kate Lethbridge-Stewart (his daughter) starring in the anniversary episode The Day of the Doctor.

You will notice there is no mention of extras (not a surprise), or of any relation between this release and that seen on iTunes. However, missing episodes aficionados should not expect to find anything other than complete versions of parts one, two, four, five and six and the abridged third episode on this DVD.

The Web of Fear can be ordered now from Amazon, where the £20.42 RRP is reduced to just £13.97, ahead of the February 24th release date.

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Daleks’ Master Plan Update: 85 Copies Shipped!

Christian Cawley is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

Quick update time, ladies and gentlemen, if you were one of those who ordered our charity graphic novel adaptation of The Daleks’ Master Plan.

85 copies have now been shipped, which means we’re around half-way through. We expect to have dispatched the remainder in the next seven days.

Additionally, the first bunch of overseas copies have been sent to addresses in the USA and Australia, so if you’re based in these territories, keep an eye out for your copy landing in the next two weeks (depending on your location).

In summary: we’re halfway through distribution. Your graphic novel is on its way!

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The First and Last Line of Every Doctor

Nick Kitchen is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

Once upon a time, I was an eager and aspiring musician. In my quest for vocal dominance, I received a very important piece of advice regarding performing.

It was simply this: your audience will typically only remember the first and last song of any set you perform; thus, it is imperative that you knock both of them out of the park. I found that to be very true. It doesn’t diminish the fact that everything that happens between the first and last needs to be solid and strong, but the reality is you have two fleeting moments to gain their attention and to keep you in their minds long after the moment is over.

You can make the argument that the same can be said of the Doctor’s first and last words. A chance to captivate us from the beginning and to bring us to tears when it’s time to say goodbye. With that in mind, the folks at ComicBookMove.com have shared a pretty epic infographic that entails the first and last words of every incarnation of the Doctor to date! Yes, that even includes the War Doctor and the first words of Peter Capaldi’s Twelfth Doctor. It also includes a nice little head shot of each Doctor next to the quotes.

 

If Doctor Who and infographics are your thing, then this is definitely for you! Actually, it’s just occurred to me that this would make a fantastic wall poster…

Check out the infographic and let us know what you think. Do you have a favourite?

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Matt Smith & Doctor Who Win National Television Awards

Andrew Reynolds is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

Congratulations and the general popping of corks are in order for Matt Smith and the whole Doctor Who team as they came away triumphant from last night’s National Television Awards.

Picking up the Best Drama Performance prize – beating the likes of Doc Martin’s Martin Clunes, Call the Midwife’s Miranda Hart and Downton Abbey’s Maggie Smith – Matt Smith released this acceptance video from back stage at the Almeida Theatre, London where he’s currently appearing in American Psycho, shortly after Steven Moffat and Jenna Coleman collected his gong.

Thanking fans for ‘the best and most audacious part of my career’ the video serves as a fitting end to a magnificent four years at the helm of the TARDIS, I think you’ll agree.

Against some very stiff competition from ITV’s Broadchurch and Downton Abbey as well as BBC1′s own Call the Midwife, Doctor Who was also named Best Drama for the first time since 2010 where, on hand again to collect the award from England manager Roy Hodgson, Jenna Coleman said:

Fifty years and still going strong. Well done Who!  I think this award absolutely belongs to the team, the cast and crew who are grafting away in Cardiff as we speak. The genius and mastermind that is Moff, and of course Matt Smith. Thanks to everyone who voted.

Other notable winners included a board shorts wearing Benedict Cumberbatch, who won Best TV Detective for Sherlock.

 

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