As a Doctor Who fan I feel it’s my solemn duty to find at least one criticism of this event. Unfortunately it was so hugely enjoyable and superbly well organised the best I can come up with is that I wish the air-con in the auditorium had been turned up a bit as it was sweltering in there. So with that devastating criticism out of the way I’ll get on with reviewing the Day of the Daleks Special Edition screening hosted by the DWAS at Riverside Studios in London, September 4th 2011.
The first thing I have to commend the organisers on is their choice of venue. Riverside Studios has a long history in film and TV dating back to the early thirties, in fact during the sixties many Hartnell and Troughton episodes of Doctor Who were filmed there, and it continues to be a working site to this day. As a venue it’s also deceptively spacious, allowing attendees to mingle prior to the screening and enjoy the facilities – and by facilities I mean the bar.
The screening began at 1.55pm with a specially filmed prologue linking Day with Destiny of the Daleks, explaining that the Daleks had invaded Earth to plunder it’s resources for their war with the Movellans. My inner fanboy was quite delighted with this clever bit of continuity but before I had the opportunity to discuss it at length with my fellow nerds, inconveniently, the screening of the episodes began.
The first two episodes were followed by a panel with producer Steve Broster and graphic designer Michael Dinsdale chaired by Karen Davies. Steve told us that the idea for a special edition began with the initial desire to replace the original Dalek voices, which many fans consider too robotic. So who better to step up to the plate than Big Finish producer and voice of the new series Daleks, Nicholas Briggs, who as expected does a splendid job here. Broster also explained how he’d wanted the updated special effects to compliment and enhance the existing ones, his aim being to do what he thought the production team in 1971 would have done had they had the time, money and technology. The man responsible for making it happen is Michael Dinsdale to whom this project wasn’t merely a job but a labour of love. Dinsdale admits that after the budget ran out he continued to put in many unpaid hours to ensure he achieved the best possible results – and it shows, as some of his new effects are startlingly good.
Then came the highlight of the day for me as Paul Winter took to the stage to announce the election of Colin Baker as the new Honorary President of the DWAS, at which point Mr Baker made a suprise appearance, joining Paul on stage to accept the honour. Colin could barely contain his delight which was shared by the whole auditorium. Tony Jordan then stepped forward to present Colin with a portrait of himself in costume as The Sixth Doctor bearing the DWAS logo and the words: “Colin Baker, Hon. President, 4th September 2011” saying in due course a new seal of office would be made for him. Following his inauguration Colin spent the next hour in the bar happily meeting the fans, chatting, and signing anything that was put in front of him with his customary charm and good humour.
After lunch we returned to the auditorium where the final two episodes of Day of the Daleks were screened. Jo hitting an Ogron over the head with a wine bottle and her infamous knicker-flashing moment both received a big cheer! Following the episodes came a panel with Katy Manning, Richard Franklin and Scott Fredericks chaired by Antony Wainer. The actors remembered their time working together on the story with great fondness and surprising clarity considering it was forty years ago.
At 6pm the auditorium closed but the event was far from over as we moved down to the bar area where signings and lots of socialising was taking place… at which point your humble reviewer finally clocked off duty and imbibed several small tinctures of the olde Methuselah, purely for medicinal reasons, you understand.
In conclusion I have to say that as someone who has been attending these events on and off since the mid 1980’s I honestly can’t remember enjoying one more. Great venue, great episodes, great panels, great atmosphere – topped off by Colin Baker’s surprise inauguration. Marvellous!
Well done DWAS.
Written by Mike Nuttall