Easy Love: Terror and Spearhead Out on Plastic Disc Now!

[Si Hunt]

What Steve means is, this release is masquerading as a "replacement" to the best edition available (we've already disposed of the old version before we knew about this), rather than being a special/alternate version, like for example the re-edits of "Fenric" or "The Five Doctors".

Si.

[Antony Cox]

He can waffle on all he likes about pre-cut Dicks

Si.

It's a bit disappointing that they've done this. I accept entirely his explanation on thechnical grounds, but to all us oldies who've watched Spearhead over and over since it came out on video decades ago, it's now going to sound completely wrong and stick out like a sore thumb, much more, I'm sure, than it previously stuck out to Mark who just happens to have control over things like this.

I'm not saying what he's done is wrong in principle, but I do think the result is wrong in terms of what we've known and loved for years.

[Si Hunt]

I wouldn't mind if it was a bit in Episode 3 with Hibbert or something, but it would have to be THE iconic shot of the story they've fiddled with!

Si.

[Jason Thompson]

I wouldn't mind if it was a bit in Episode 3 with Hibbert or something, but it would have to be THE iconic shot of the story they've fiddled with!

Surely THE iconic shot of Spearhead is the shop window dummies marching down the street, nattily dressed, gunning down innocent bus-stop patrons and cyclists?

[SiHart]

I thought THE iconic shot was the Autons coming to life, not a model shot that doesn't match the actual TARDIS on location!

[SiHart]

The clips from Terror on the Coming Soon trailer looks astonishingly brilliant!

[SiHart]

It's on the way!

[Rob McCow]

No doubt arriving in a thin funnel of super-heated air!

[Si Hunt]

There's a strange twinkly octopus of light crouched over our house. What can it mean?

Si.

[Rob McCow]

Probably that you haven't finished watching Planet of The Spiders yet!

[Si Hunt]

Oh but we have! It was polished off yesterday, a fine story. Sir Barry Letts is such a gentleman on the extras!

Si.

[Larry]

mine has now been dispatched great thing pre-ordering you forget all about it and then you see your e-mail and you're wondering what it was you ordered.

[SiHart]

The documentaries on this set are rather different in style to more recent episodes. The Spearhead one has a strange typist in a smoky room typing up notes from a reel to reel tape of the interviews. I wasn't quite sure what the point of it was, but it looked nice and there were some good graphics.

The main one on Terror was better, with some lovely stuff from Barry and Terrance contrasting with a view of New Who from Phil Collinson. It was interesting to hear Barry and Terrance's views on the new show, and how humbled they were than Collinson and Davies took their inspiration from the template the two of them had set up in the early 70s. Combine this with some lovely little nuggets from Katy and Richard on joining the show and some good Life on Mars-esque graphics, you get a decent doc.

[Andrew Curnow]

How's Terror looking, Si?

[SiHart]

Good, but not great. The sequences on film are a bit smudgy and there's a bit of motion blur on them when people are running. But a whole lot better than the VHS version.

[Rob McCow]

Interestingly, the version of Spearhead is noticeably better than the previous DVD release. Plus they've re-instated some music in the doll factory scenes that I'd never heard before.

[Andrew Curnow]

I think it slipped out accidentally on the episodic VHS, but apart from that has not been clearable till now (Fleetwood Mac is it?)

[Dave Tudor]

Yes, 'Oh Well (Part 1)' by Fleetwood Mac. It was edited out of the original VHS release for copyright reasons, before being reinstated for the episodic version. Maybe they got round the rights issues for that one, or (less likely) it was left in by mistake - either way, it was missing again from the original DVD release.

I always thought that was a bit odd - it's meant to be a radio in the factory, but it just suddenly appears as if someone has randomly decided to put it on the soundtrack!

[SiHart]

The Terror commentary was really lovely and warm. There's Nick and Barry at the top of their game, sounding bright and sparky (this was obviously recorded quite a while ago) and it was just a joy to hear them and Katy reminiscing about it. After hearing Barry sound so old and ill on some of the more recent releases, this was good to hear.

Derrick and Terrance did a good job on Spearhead too. There were a couple of stories repeated, so they must have had a long break between recording the episodes!

[Si Hunt]

I think "Terror" looks just wonderful. It's telling that they were able to drop the pristine clip from Episode 1 back into the episode and you barely notice the quality jump/dip.

Si.

[SiHart]

I thinkt he vidfired scenes are more successful than the film scenes. The vidfire stuff looks lovely and sharp and vibrant. It's not perfect but it's a whole lot better than the previous version.

[Si Hunt]

Episode 3 doesn't advance the plot anywhere, but it's full of lovely set peices: the Troll Doll, the Auton in the safe, the gun fight in the quarry... it's just like Robert Holmes has thought it would be fun to just do cool things for a week.

Pertwee really is a git in this episode though! He's "Daemons" bad, which is actually quite interesting considering how soon after his 'bedding in' season this is. He absolutely rules the roost here and he's appallingly rude to everyone! The "Tubby Rowlands" scene with the civil servant seems there entirely to allow him to insult someone (the MP then just dissapears) - "Wrong sort of chap creeping into your lot, Tubby I said". And we loved the bit later on when someone says "You're right Doctor" and he says "I invariably am!". Fantastic!

Later on he suddenly has a go at the Brigadier for not having the exact equipment he needs in stock immediately. "Really Brigadier! How am I expected to work without the correct equipment!". Then there's the meeting where he wanders off into the TARDIS half-way through. "Well having come to that brilliant conclusion... how about getting on with it!". He's an absolute nightmare!

Si.

[brandynigma]

Strange question re: Spearhead. Has the original colour scheme for the closing titles for Episode 1 been reinstated? (lime green and yellow)