The UNIT Files - Pull your loaded finger Out NOW

[J.R. Southall]

Actually, it was one of a series of "The Story of" documentaries (the others were mostly comedies, if I recall, the only one that springs to mind being Absolutely Fabulous), and the 40th anniversary tie-in with the broadcast (which was over a month out, anyway) was really only half deliberate, half coincidence.

Here's some more info: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0393826/

[Awesome Wells]

Actually, it was one of a series of "The Story of" documentaries (the others were mostly comedies, if I recall, the only one that springs to mind being Absolutely Fabulous), and the 40th anniversary tie-in with the broadcast (which was over a month out, anyway) was really only half deliberate, half coincidence.

Here's some more info: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0393826/

Thanks, JR. The "Doctor Who Stories: Sarah Jane" feature is footage from that documentary, hence my curiosity.

[J.R. Southall]

Thanks, JR. The "Doctor Who Stories: Sarah Jane" feature is footage from that documentary, hence my curiosity.

Ah, how interesting!

I wish they'd release that documentary on DVD, by the way. For some people, probably quite a few (given it was repeated on BBC Three's Doctor Who night just before the broadcast of New Earth), it would have been their first introduction to the classic series, and in many respects would therefore be just as important as 30 Years in the TARDIS.

[Andrew Curnow]

I really enjoyed it, I've watched it a few times over the years. Particularly like the end, where McCoy talks about [of being one of the Doctors] "I embrace it and enjoy it" (or something like that) and especially where an unusually honest Tom calls it "the best time of my life".

[Simon R]

The Only Fools and Horses one came out on dvd so it's odd the Who one hasn't. Mind you neither has most of the Doctor Who Night stuff from 1999

[J.R. Southall]

I really enjoyed it, I've watched it a few times over the years. Particularly like the end, where McCoy talks about [of being one of the Doctors] "I embrace it and enjoy it" (or something like that) and especially where an unusually honest Tom calls it "the best time of my life".

Yes, it was filled with a lot of love and affection. I've only watched it the twice, I think (might have to dig it out again...), but I remember it really tapped into the fondness people were feeling then towards the classic series, and the announcement of the forthcoming new series had caught that and amplified it as well.

[Perry Vale]

Wasn't 'Story of...' contentious because it failed to mention the TVM completely?

[J.R. Southall]

That's true. But then, it was a documentary about the classic series, and as such, its remit was to cover 1963 - 1989, which it did. Remember, this was a documentary aimed at people who had no more than a passing interest in Doctor Who, certainly not targeted specifically at fans, and therefore it had no interest in bogging itself down in questions of foreign co-authorship, authenticity, canon and continuity. Deciding to take the story up to 1989, and thereby skipping not just the TV Movie, but also Big Finish and Virgin and everything else, was probably quite wise. It was simple, and it was sweet. And I kind of liked that.

[Perry Vale]

By contentious I was really referring to the "furore" that followed when the BBC's Information Department stated that it wasn't included because it didn't count and was a "one-off experiment" and "not an addition to the series".

Ah, happy days.

[J.R. Southall]

Ah, I missed all that. Didn't join the internet until three years or so ago!

[SiHart]

It's on its way and the BBC shop have honoured the £12.99 price tag!

[Si Hunt]

Ours too!

We're hoping it'll come by the weekend!

Si.

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

And mine. So glad to get a bit of good news today.

[Antony Cox]

Mine too!

[Stephen Morgan]

So's mine. I was quite shocked that they honoured the £12.99 price. Happy days.

[Antony Cox]

I got an extra 15% off mine via my work rewards website!

[Si Hunt]

The colour Episode 1 is fine! The scenes of London buildings and parks you wouldn't know weren't original colour, on account of Pertwee era film sequences being quite grainy anyway. When people appear, the flesh tones are a little faint. The whole thing looks a little... pale. But personally I prefer this to, for example, the original colourisation of "The Daemons" which seemed over washed with colour.

They were probably right to spread caution, as if we'd expected a top class job we'd have been dissapointed, but this is a perfectly fine colour version of the episode, and streets ahead of the black and white version.

Si.

[Rob McCow]

We watched the colour episode 1 too this morning - no problem with it at all. In fact, I'm a little annoyed that the default option is for the black and white version. But only a very little bit.

The Matthew Sweet documentary is good too.

[Awesome Wells]

Honestly thought the colour version was poor to the point of unwatchability. Tried ten minutes and had to switch back to the vastly superior black-and-white.

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

It's not perfect but I'm happy enough with the colourised ep 1. Didn't bother with rewatching the other 5 eps though.

Agree with comments about the Matthew Sweet documentary and will be giving the Sarah Jane feature a look in a minute.

[Si Hunt]

Honestly thought the colour version was poor to the point of unwatchability. Tried ten minutes and had to switch back to the vastly superior black-and-white.

Oh dear. I was perfectly happy with it.

My only complaint is really that they didn't try and do anything with the Dinosaurs. I've been watching every shot, and it really wouldn't require anything they haven't pulled off before. Most of the shots just have a Dinosaur in. For others, there is a character with their back to the camera in the foreground which they could easily get an extra to dress up as, as per "Day of the Daleks" Special Edition. They could have great fun re-building the models!

Si.

[SiHart]

I found it a very different experience watching the colour version. It wasn't perfect and if it's the best it's going to be, then that's fine- it gives us some idea of what it would have looked like in 1974, but I can see why they didn't think it was acceptable to be the official version on the DVD- it's very orange in places and very grey in others and isn't quite right. It's lovely to see and amazing that we've even got this.

[SiHart]

My only complaint is really that they didn't try and do anything with the Dinosaurs. I've been watching every shot, and it really wouldn't require anything they haven't pulled off before. Most of the shots just have a Dinosaur in. For others, there is a character with their back to the camera in the foreground which they could easily get an extra to dress up as, as per "Day of the Daleks" Special Edition. They could have great fun re-building the models!

This is from Ed Stradling on this matter: (from Roobarbs)

A word about the cost implications.

To have redone all the Dino effects to industry standard would probably have cost around the same as an entire year's DVD VAM.

The CGI snake in Kinda (which was on screen for well under a minute) was done at a heavily discounted rate, and my understanding is that it still cost more than all of the CGI on the Black Guardian set.

We could have done it on the cheap, but not on my watch. I'm moderately proud of the VAM package on this set, whereas if I'd spent a massive chunk of the budget replacing sub-standard CSO/model work with sub-standard CGI dinosaurs, I would be deeply ashamed of it.

So while I'm sorry to disappoint those who like CGI extras, I hope everyone will understand why CGI dinosaurs weren't really on the cards. And you won't be getting a CGI skarasen either, I'm afraid.

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

Presuming this gives a clue as to why they've postponed the releases of The Mind of Evil and The Ambassadors of Death due to issues with the colourisation process.

[SiHart]

It seems likely, doesn't it? It's astounding we've got this out of a black and white episode telerecording though, but obviously the process isn't faultless.