DEREK MARTINUS 1931 – 2014

Posted on March 28, 2014 by Planet Mondas News

[singlepic id=816 w=321 h=245 float=right]Veteran Doctor Who director Derek Martinus has died at the age of 82.

Derek Martinus directed 26 episodes of Doctor Who beginning with the 1965 story Galaxy Four starring William Hartnell. He then stayed on to direct the single episode story Mission to the Unknown, which is unique in that it featured none of the show’s regular cast.

Martinus returned the following year to direct The Tenth Planet which featured the first appearance of the Cybermen and the departure of the First Doctor. He went on to direct Patrick Troughton in the 1967 story The Evil of the Daleks and later the same year returned for The Ice Warriors. His final story for Doctor Who was Spearhead from Space which introduced Jon Pertwee as third incarnation of the Time Lord.

Martinus enjoyed a long and successful career in the theatre, which is where he met his Swedish wife of 50 years, Eivor, who worked as a translator on many of the stage plays he directed for theatres in Sweden.

On television he directed on shows including Crown Court, Z Cars, Angles, Penmaric and two episodes of Blakes 7. He also worked on several children’s TV series including The Paper Lads, Dodger and Bonzo and the Rest, twice winning the Pye Award for best children’s drama. He also directed TV shows The Black Tulip, What Maisie Knew, A Legacy and A Little Princess.

Martinus studied at Yale Drama School and began his career as an actor with a minor role in the first Carry On film, Carry on Sergeant starring William Hartnell.

Derek Martinus’ family told the BBC he died on Thursday evening having suffered from Alzheimer’s for many years. His daughter Charlotta Martinus, who worked at the BBC as a documentary maker, paid tribute to her father:

He was a legend, just an absolute legend. He taught me how to love, live and laugh, he was just such an amazing man.

It was an amazing childhood to be living among the Doctor Who paraphernalia. We used to go down and watch Doctor Who being made and see the Daleks, and even get inside the Daleks. Having those famous people walk through your door… Jon Pertwee would come for tea.

Ten years after he left, everyone used to say to me, ‘Are you really his daughter?’. He was really inspirational for me and my sister Pia who is a doctor. He was a leader of men and he inspired everyone.

Derek Martinus is survived by his wife, two daughters and three grandchildren.

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MARY TAMM – SECOND GENERATION

Posted on March 27, 2014 by Planet Mondas News

[singlepic id=810 w=427 h=347 float=right]Fantom Publishing have released the final cover for the second part of Mary Tamm’s autobiography, due out in April.

Bradford-born Mary Tamm was already a successful actress on stage, TV and the big screen when, in 1978, she joined the cast of Doctor Who as the Time Lady, Romana, in the company of Tom Baker’s incarnation of the Doctor.

In 2009, her book First Generation recounted the story of her life before Who and her journey of self-discovery to her parents’ homeland of Estonia. Tantalisingly for Who fans, the book came to an end half way through Mary’s year on board the TARDIS. This new volume (written before her tragic death from cancer in 2012) picks up where First Generation ends, with the inside story of the filming of her final three Doctor Who adventures; and continues with tales of her subsequent TV work, her return to the stage, her ventures into the world of Who fandom, and the personal joy and fulfilment brought to her by the birth of her own ‘second generation’ – her daughter, Lauren.

Packed with incidents and anecdotes recounted with Mary’s trademark no-nonsense Northern wit, Second Generation is rounded out with tributes and reflections from some of her closest friends and colleagues, including Miriam Margolyes, Carol Royle and Steven Berkoff.

The book will be available in paperback and limited edition hardback; full details are available via the Fantom Films website along with details of the first part of her autobiography, First Generation.

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REVIEW – SCAVENGER

Posted on March 27, 2014 by Planet Mondas News

[singlepic id=808 w=208 h=208 float=right]Only in Doctor Who could a story like Scavenger happen, and I really do mean that. What starts off as an homage to Gravity in episode one, turns in to Flight of the Navigator in episode two and by the end of episode four we have crossed over into a centuries spanning search for a lost love that ends the only way it can.

This is the last in a trilogy of three stories featuring Colin Baker as the Sixth Doctor and Lisa Greenwood as his companion Flip. They materialise on a space station in 2071 called the Mandela, meet a young Indian astronaut called Jyoti Cutler played by Anjli Mohindra (Rani from The Sarah Jane Adventures) and are soon caught up in events as Salvage 2, a rocket designed to clean up space junk, flies off course and heads towards the Mandela.  The Doctor heads to earth to help out at mission control, India now has a space programme as seen in the TV episode Dinosaurs On A Spaceship, and the Doctor co-ordinates events as Flip and Jyoti attempt to evacuate the Mandela. Things go very very wrong when the station is struck. Jyoti and Flip find themselves suited up, floating in space with the oxygen running out, and in to the story comes The Scavenger, a piece of alien tech lying dormant in orbit for five centuries, waiting for a new host, and Flip fits the bill nicely. At mission control, the Doctor has to deal with ego, politics and ambition to rescue Flip and prevent a disaster, but one of the team at mission control has been waiting a VERY long time for Scavenger to reawaken.

Long time readers may know I am not much of a “sci-fi” fan, preferring human drama, and this is very much a sci-fi story, but with very human elements, it’s just that the human elements take a while to get to. Almost a whole episode of Flip and Jyoti floating in space, then another half an episode trying to get Oxygen to Flip almost feel like padding, but it’s little moments that shine out amongst the main plot – a prince who has waited 500 Years to rescue his lost love, Flip becoming absorbed by Scavenger and trying to reassert her personality, the bittersweet meeting of the lost lovers and the very last scene are all gems, however, the story as a whole was not really my cup of tea, it just seemed a bit lifeless despite all the goings on, which is a shame as the concept was very interesting. Maybe it was just a bit too long, or maybe it’s just that this is not my type of story, or maybe the last two Six and Flip stories were so good that I expected too much? Who knows, not a bad story by any means, but more of an album track than a single.

Overall , I would say the Gravity of the situation warrants 6/10.

Written by Ed Watkinson

SYNOPSIS:

Thursday 28 May 2071: the day the Anglo-Indian Salvage 2 rocket launches. Its mission: to clean up space; to remove from Earth’s orbit over a century’s worth of man-made junk…

From the viewing window of a nearby space station, the Doctor and Flip have a unique view of Salvage 2 as it sets about its essential task – and of the disaster that unfolds when Salvage 2 encounters something it’s not been programmed to deal with. Something not of human manufacture…

Back on Earth, the Doctor fights to save Flip from becoming part of a 500-year tragedy being played out in orbit, hundreds of miles above. And millions will die if he fails.

CAST:

Colin Baker (The Doctor), Lisa Greenwood (Flip Jackson), Anjli Mohindra (Jyoti Cutler), Tariq Bhatti (Salim), Kate McEwen (Jessica Allaway), Tania Rodrigues (Anarkali/Melissa/Isra Tech #2), John Banks (Commander Gabbard/Scavenger/Isra Tech #1/Security Guy)

Written By: William Gallagher
Directed By: Nicholas Briggs

BUY YOUR COPY HERE

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DWAS – MYTH MAKERS EVENT ANNOUNCED

Posted on March 23, 2014 by Planet Mondas News

The Doctor Who Appreciation Society has announced it will be holding an event on Sunday 1st June 2014 at Riverside Studios in Hammersmith, London.

DWASOver the last 51 years the Doctor has travelled through time and space on a never ending voyage of discovery. Similarly, the making of the show itself has undertaken its own journey. Today Doctor Who is a colour, HD, CGI, surround sound spectacle – a far cry from its humble beginnings as a studio bound production made for monochrome 405 line televisions.

But how has the production of the programme changed in over half a century… and exactly how have they gone about making such a show over the years?

‘Myth Makers’ will feature guests involved in the ‘The Making of Doctor Who’ on both sides of the camera, and will take place at Riverside Studios, itself a home for Doctor Who during the black and white era of the 1960’s.

Join us for our usual mix of panels, autographs and on screen presentations, and find out a little more about how our favourite show gets put together…

No guests have been announced for this event as yet but watch this space for further updates.

Thanks to the Doctor Who Appreciation Society

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REVIEW – THE CROOKED MAN

Posted on March 21, 2014 by Planet Mondas News

[singlepic id=807 w=208 h=208 float=right]Season Fifteen was a transitional era for Doctor Who, one part hangover from the gothic Hinchcliffe era, one part brave new era which would be honed to perfection in Season Sixteen and Seventeen, and the latest release in the Fourth Doctor series, The Crooked Man, is a great homage to this transitional period.  It treads the well trodden path of gothic horror in part one, and goes all bonkers sci-fi in part two, but does it work? Well dear reader, read on and we shall see…

The Crooked Man starts with a scene in an antiquarian book shop and a quite horrific death. Books are very very important to the story in fact, the books ARE the story in many ways. The Doctor and Leela arrive at the scene and Tom commandingly takes over with his usual bonhomie, having the local constable defer to him in almost no time, he then goes on to investigate a series of murders that have taken place in this sleepy seaside town.  The investigation eventually brings him into contact with Laura and Simon Corbett and their baby son Edward (great choice of name by the way!) but giving any more away would spoil the story.

Laura is played by Sarah Smart (of Ganger fame), a perfect choice as the bookish new mum Laura, as I said, books are very very important to the story, in fact the questions posed regarding the nature of reality contained within them is integral to the resolution.

The Crooked Man of the title is played by Neil Stuke, he plays it with a delightful evil glee and is really quite revolting, think the child catcher mixed with the Judder Man from the old Metz advert, throw into the mix a character called Lesley King who is a fab Peggy Mitchell parody and you have a melting pot of different styles that shouldn’t work, but they really really do.

The tone of the two episodes is completely at odds with each other, but it really does gel, and the resolution is very clever, quite well signposted, but still a surprising revelation. The ending brings in so me genuine Nu-Who emotion, however, it’s underplayed very nicely and sadly, sometimes loves doesn’t conquer all and perfection isn’t the solution, but the problem.

A very enjoyable story, quite schizophrenic, with a variety of tones and broad and subtle performances from all involved with many “meta” moments which again I can’t go in to as spoilers will ensue, but believe me, it’s well worth a listen.

I close the book on thus one at chapter 9/10.

Written by Ed Watkinson

SYNOPSIS:

Winter at the seaside. The wind blows. The waves crash. People are dying and a strange spindly figure stalks the cold, deserted streets. A typical holiday for the Doctor and Leela in other words.

When they stumble across a grotesque series of murders at the coast, the TARDIS travellers realise the local constabulary is out of its depth. Something supernatural has come to town, something evil. And it all seems to be tied in to a particular young family.

Monsters lurk behind strange doors. Tragic secrets wait to be uncovered. And somewhere, deep within, the Crooked Man sits. He is waiting for you.

CAST:

Tom Baker (The Doctor), Louise Jameson (Leela), Neil Stuke (The Crooked Man), Sarah Smart (Laura Corbett), Robin Pearce (Simon Corbett/Reporter), Richard Earl (Ellis Andrews/Rance), Lizzie Roper (Celia Turner/Lesley King)

Written By: John Dorney
Directed By: Nicholas Briggs

BUY YOUR COPY HERE

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REVIEW – THE COMPANION CHRONICLES: STARBORN

Posted on March 21, 2014 by Planet Mondas News

[singlepic id=806 w=208 h=208 float=right]For the second month in a row, Companion Chronicles takes us back to the William Hartnell era, we are deep in Season Two, just after The Romans. The Doctor, Ian, Barbara and Vicki have been relaxing in early twentieth century London, having tea at a Lyons Corner House (which isn’t on a corner and doesn’t have any Lions, a running gag) when they help a medium called Madame Violet to get back home, Vicki becomes separated and unable to get back into the TARDIS, and Violet has a story to tell.

This is another two-hander, Maureen O’Brien plays Vicki, sounding amazingly just as she did in the sixties, and Madame Violet is played by Jacqueline King (Donna’s Mum from the TV series). Vicki does not believe in spirits and mediums, so Madame Violet attempts to prove her wrong.  She has someone who has a message for Vicki, and Vicki’s initial scepticism is soon worn away when Violet channels a future version of Vicki, but a version who has died on their very next adventure….

This is another oddball release, very small scale, but amazingly ambitious and dripping with melancholy and regret, it really is a sad little story, desperation runs through it as the future Vicki tries to convince her earlier self not to follow the path that leads to her doom. I was never a fan if Vicki in the TV series, but this story has gone a long way to rectifying that,  it actually feels like Big Finish have given her character a Nu-Who makeover, she is imbued with a depth and personality rarely seen in her on screen adventures.

As for the Starborn of the title, again they are a very sad and melancholy bunch, a society where people transform into stars to keep their society alive, again brimming with a sense of loss and longing. While the resolution could be taken straight from a Moffat era story, the character and emotion conveyed and the genuinely moving story makes it transcend the out of era gimmickry which could have spoiled the story.

To be moved by a Who story is a wonderful thing, but to be moved and made to reappraise a companion I had previously overlooked is praise indeed, and this story is deserving of praise. A small story, but with a big impact, a wonderful character piece that has stayed with me, and one of the very best companion chronicle releases.

Overall 9/10.

Written by Ed Watkinson

SYNOPSIS:

On a visit to early 20th Century Earth, Vicki receives a warning – if she leaves in the TARDIS, then she will die.

Unable to join her friends, Vicki is given an audience by a psychic called Violet, who contacts voices beyond this mortal plain.

And one of those voices is Vicki herself, who reveals what will happen at the ship’s next landing place – and what terrible fate awaits…

CAST:

Maureen O’Brien (Vicki), Jacqueline King (Violet)

Written By: Jacqueline Rayner
Directed By: Lisa Bowerman

BUY YOUR COPY HERE

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50 YEARS OF DOCTOR WHO – FAVOURITE MOMENTS

Posted on March 16, 2014 by Planet Mondas News

To celebrate 50 years of Doctor Who CultBox.co.uk  held a competition asking fans to recreate their favourite moment from the series. Hundreds of fans responded from over thirty countries and below are some of the entries.

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PLANET 55 THREATEN TO LEAVE AUSTRALIA

Posted on March 13, 2014 by Planet Mondas News

[singlepic id=805 w=340 h=260 float=right]The Australian animation company which has animated some of the missing episodes of Doctor Who including The Reign of Terror and The Tenth Planet has told the Australian parliament it may need to relocate to the UK due to it’s difficulties accessing broadband in the country.

The head of Planet 55 Studios, which employs approximately 55 people on the Central Coast in New South Wales, told the Senate Select Committee for the National Broadband Network (NBN) yesterday that the company needs to move around 30 gigabytes of data per day and that the company has installed fibre to it’s premises and is paying $1,600 per month for a 50Mbps down, 50Mbps up link.

Austen Atkinson, said:

We could do with eight times that but we simply cannot get it. So we installed a line at AU$1,600 a month. We would love to install multiple ones but we cannot because there is not enough bandwidth. I will use any technology that works to get this out. At the moment it is called ‘post’. That is what we are having to do. It slows down our productivity massively and costs us serious money. It would add about AU$1 million to transfer, which we could easily have spent on talent here. We could have trained more talent and spent it on animators, which I would much rather have done.

Atkinson said that the organisation was taking on more work for the BBC and was considering relocating to Cardiff in the United Kingdom.

We will leave. We will take our money and go somewhere else because we have hit a bottleneck and we cannot expand. We are already looking at Planet 55 Cardiff, in the UK.

We have hit a bottleneck — not of talent. I found a massive resource of talent and trained them all myself, but if we cannot get our work out daily and communicate with our partners in LA or our partners in Dublin or our partners in Spain or wherever they are, what are we supposed to do? It is not practical.

The fact is that it is very attractive to look at in the UK at the moment, because the economy is booming again now; it is growing in my sector tremendously. As a result of Doctor Who’s success and so forth, there is a huge culture in Cardiff.

Our big problem is that the realities of employing people here—it is really unattractive, to be honest. If it were not for the fact that I have invested so much in the talent here, we probably would have gone already. It has been very hard birthing process.

To stay, we definitely need at least three times the bandwidth right now and preferably eight times the bandwidth that we have, at an affordable rate. The fact is entrepreneurs create product when there is a supply as well as a demand

Planet 55 Studios may not have to make good on it’s threat to move it’s operations abroad, with self-professed Doctor Who fan, former Communications Minister Stephen Conroy, jokingly offering to undertake the construction work himself, asking Atkinson:

I have not been able to crack a gig as an extra on Doctor Who. Can you help? It is my final life ambition—can you help?

Atkinson responded:

I tell you what, we will look into it—but get me the bandwidth I am after.

Conroy replied:

I will personally dig it for you for that.

Thanks to ZD Net

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THE ANNUAL YEARS

Posted on March 11, 2014 by Planet Mondas News

[singlepic id=803 w=415 h=335 float=right]With cover art and internal illustrations by Adam Bullock, and commentary on every single story from Paul Magrs, author of Doctor Who fiction for Big Finish, the BBC and AudioGo, this is the celebration that the annuals have long been overdue!

“These extraordinary books are like weird, grotesque shadow-versions of the Show we recognise. They are mutations haunting the wilderness between the domed, protected cities of Canonicity. The world of the Annuals is odder, darker, madder, more psychedelic and surreal. These are adventures in a wilder, destabilized universe. The cosiness of what we recognise as Doctor Who has gone.” – Paul Magrs, from the Introduction

Continuing our recent tradition of doing Doctor Who titles, so long as they’re the sort of thing we at in the Obverse Bungalow would like to read, next year will see the publication in hardback of The Annual Years, a serious and detailed look at that most maligned of Doctor Who storytelling, the World Distribution annuals.

From 1965 to 1986, from William Hartnell to Colin Baker, the annuals were weird and witty and wonderful, a big brother to TV Comic and second cousin to Doctor Who Discovers… – and they all the more beloved by us because of that.

The Annual Years from Obverse Books is published Easter 2014.

PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY HERE

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REGION 1 BLU-RAY RELEASE OF AN ADVENTURE IN SPACE AND TIME ANNOUNCED

Posted on March 11, 2014 by Planet Mondas News

[singlepic id=804 w=334 h=254 float=left]A three-disc Blu-ray edition of An Adventure in Space and Time is to be released on Region 1 DVD on Tuesday 27th May.

The 90-minute origins of Doctor Who docu-drama was broadcast last year on BBC Two to celebrate 50 years of Doctor Who. It was written by Mark Gatiss and starred David Bradley as William Hartnell, Jessica Raine as Verity Lambert, Brian Cox as Sydney Newman and Sacha Dhawan as Waris Hussein.

The first disc is the Blu-ray of the docu-drama, while the second is The Pilot Episode of Doctor Who plus the first televised four-part adventure, An Unearthly Child. The third disc is the DVD of An Adventure in Space and Time.

The disc one contents have been listed by Blu-ray.com as follows:

  • Feature film presented in 1080p with DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround
  • The Making of An Adventure in Space and Time
  • William Hartnell: The Original
  • Regeneration: Doctors 1, 2 and 3, Re-cast
  • Reconstruction: Four Sequences
  • Farewell: David Bradley
  • Christmas Greeting: David Bradley
  • Titles Sequence
  • Deleted Scene: Delia Derbyshire

It is not known as yet if a Region 2 Blu-ray release of the drama has been scheduled.

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THE BIG FINISH SURVEY

Posted on March 11, 2014 by Planet Mondas News

This month Big Finish, the award-winning producers of the Doctor Who audio adventures range, are conducting a survey of their listeners and one lucky fan will walk away with £250 of Big Finish digital products!

Win £250 of Big Finish digital products! Those of you at Big Finish Day 4 will know we’ve been planning to do a BIG survey. Well, it’s here! We have 50 questions for you and the survey will take around 10-15 minutes. The answers are confidential and we will not be sharing the data with anyone. Please take part by following the link in the second part of this news story, and you could win £250 of digital Big Finish stuff of your choice!

The survey will run for the whole of March and one person will be selected, from all returns, at random to receive £250 of Big Finish digital products (of your choice).

Click the link below to start the survey, and many thanks for your responses.

THE BIG FINISH LISTENER SURVEY

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DOCTOR WHO MAGAZINE #471

Posted on March 5, 2014 by Planet Mondas News

The new issue of Doctor Who Magazine celebrates 50 years of the Doctor’s deadliest enemies – the Daleks! The mag comes complete with a FREE, giant double-sided poster, and is choc-full of Dalek-related content.

[singlepic id=800 w=590 h=410 float=left][singlepic id=801 w=590 h=410 float=left]

 Inside the issue, you’ll find…

  • We Are the Daleks –  An in-depth feature looks at why the Daleks remain Doctor Who’s Number One monsters after 50 years.
  • 1960s Dalek voice artist DAVID GRAHAM comes face to face with his modern equivalent NICHOLAS BRIGGS!
  • Discover surprising facts and see rare images from the first ever Dalek story in The Fact of Fiction.
  • Anatomy of a Dalek – find out what lurks within the metal casing!
  • Doctor Who’s showrunner STEVEN MOFFAT reveals the secrets of being a successful writer in Production Notes.
  • The Blood of Azrael – the second part of a new comic strip adventure for the Doctor and Clara.
  • Model-maker extraordinaire MIKE TUCKER and members of the Model Unit talk exclusively to DWM about their work on Doctor Who, Red Dwarf and more.
  • The Time Team travels back to ancient Rome to witness The Fires of Pompeii.
    Jacqueline Rayner recalls her favourite moments from Doctor Who’s 50th anniversary in Relative Dimensions.
  • A review of the recently rediscovered The Web of Fear on DVD.
  • The Watcher champions a little-known Dalek story by the writer who created them, Terry Nation, in Wotcha!.
  • Reviews and previews of the latest DVDs, CDs and books.
  • Prize-winning competitions, official news and much more!

DWM 471 is on sale from Thursday 6 March 2014, priced £4.99.

Thanks to Tom Spilsbury

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THE PUBCAST @ BRIT SCI-FI

Posted on March 5, 2014 by Planet Mondas News

As an extra to this month’s podcast, Nick and Simon present their video report on last weekend’s Brit Sci-fi at The Leicester Space Centre.

Thanks to Nick Headley

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IT’S OFFICIAL – PETER CAPALDI IS WORLD’S COOLEST GUY!

Posted on March 4, 2014 by Planet Mondas News

[singlepic id=799 w=320 h=240 float=right]While filming series 8 of Doctor Who at Mermaid Quay in Cardiff, Peter Capaldi met a five year old autistic girl called Roxaan and took time out to reassure her that it was alright for him to be The Doctor now.

The little girl’s auntie went on to explain the situation:

Hiya, the little girl in the dalek outfit is my niece, she’s autistic and was finding it difficult coming to terms with the regeneration as Matts doctor is her imaginary friend, she was worried PCap wouldn’t want to play with her. We are very ecstatic that he took time to reassure her. He’s brilliant! …

The first video (above) is the family’s recording of their meeting with Peter Capaldi and Jenna Coleman. The second video (below) is from youtube and is clearer but has poorer sound quality.

You can read more on the family’s blog.

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FANNUAL PUBLISHED FOR PETER CUSHING’S DOCTOR

Posted on March 2, 2014 by Planet Mondas News

[singlepic id=794 w=335 h=255 float=right]An annual devoted to the film version of the Doctor as played by Peter Cushing has been created by fans.

Designed to fit between the second and third annuals brought out by World Distributors in the 1960’s and produced in a similar style, the unofficial FANNUAL: The Peter Cushing Dr. Who Annual has more than 160 pages filled with stories, features and artwork, all complying with the continuity of the two 1960s films Dr. Who and the Daleks and Daleks – Invasion Earth 2150 A.D.

Publisher Scott Burditt said:

It’s rare to find new adventures of Peter Cushing’s Dr. Who in print. There was a comic book adaption of Dr. Who and the Daleks by Dell Publishing in 1966 and that’s about it. FANNUAL is all set to change this. For the first time ever, the unofficial Dr. Who is treated to his very own unofficial annual. Most appropriate!

This really has been a labour of love for all concerned, done out of genuine affection and fondness for the films’ interpretation of the Doctor Who mythology, and I’ve had a great response from the people who already have a copy of it.

The publication is available in the following options:[singlepic id=798 w=335 h=255 float=right]

    HARDBACK
  • Yellow or violet cover with colour pages
  • Blue or lime cover with black-and-white pages
    PAPERBACK
  • Red cover with colour pages

Plus, in a nod to one of the scenes in the first film, there is also an alternative paperback cover available with the title Time Travel For The Inquiring Mind. This version has black-and-white pages.

A teaser message from Dr. Who himself is given below:

Time travel. It’s supposed to be impossible, isn’t it? Well, actually, going forwards in time isn’t really a problem at all is it? Just imagine if you could bend the rules . . . Well, I have managed to do just that! Moving freely forwards and backwards through time and space with my own invention is most exciting I can tell you!

1963 was the year it all began. I finally worked out how to make the machine work, and despite the fact that I am a grandfather and quite an old man now, I am still very sprightly because my adventures have given me a new lease of life! Which is just as well, as you will soon discover! Sadly, I can’t turn back my own body clock and travel around the cosmos as a young man but I have shared all of the fun with my close friends and family and now I will share it with you. . .

So, let me take a rest from adventuring for a moment to regale some of the tales and the mysteries and challenges we’ve all faced across the galaxy from visiting our own and other strange worlds, with all of the many unusual and terrifying creatures we have encountered and the new lessons the universe has taught us in the process.

In this book you will find out about myself, my family and friends and the inner workings of my wonderful time machine with a friendly technical diagram highlighting all of the main features.

In my travels I have become caught in events surrounding the civil war of the 1600s, been to a distant alien world in a prelude to a mystery involving a couple I encountered on Barnes Common, and visited the planet Silicus, where I discovered men made of metal! Scary stuff indeed!

I’ve become a hostage of alien stowaways in my time machine, and on the planet Samsara my granddaughter and I were caught up in a conflict between two sides of the Brethren of Infinity as they waited for their Great Deity to save them from its imminent apocalypse. . .

My friends have even been accidentally miniaturised with one of my other inventions! Oh, the fun they had sorting that out! I’ve upset a couple of alien traders, encountered familiar-looking robots and landed in one of the most terrible places in human history – No Man’s Land during the First World War.

I’ve explored the far side of the galaxy and managed to salvage the cultural heritage of an alien race, and I visited the strange Museum of Space Science in the year 3000. . .

Also, on a very beautiful planet, my granddaughter encountered an alien prince and the two became romantically involved, which was very sweet. I’ve defeated evil terrifying robots who enslaved the people of the Earth in the year 2150AD and met intergalactic traders on the War Moon of planet Skirm, and my granddaughter befriended a strange creature on yet another alien planet, unaware that it was actually plotting to kill her at the first opportunity!

I’ve upset The Knights of Chronos, who are the self-styled guardians of time, and they put me on trial for creating a temporal paradox by returning a policeman I had met to 1966 before he actually left with me on my travels! Most confusing!

Anyway, you can find out about it all for yourself in detail in this marvellous book. I had hoped to write more about my adventures but I am so very busy exploring as I just don’t want to miss out on all of the wonders and secrets the universe has to offer before, one day, I have to retire.

I know this sounds like the witterings of a mad old man but I can promise you that these events did actually happen! Enjoy this volume compiled by my friends and travel with me into this fantasy world that I have made a reality!

Examples of the pages can be seen below:

[singlepic id=795 w=335 h=255 float=left][singlepic id=797 w=335 h=255 float=left][singlepic id=796 w=335 h=255 float=left]

 

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THE DOCTOR WHO PUBCAST #12

Posted on March 1, 2014 by Planet Mondas News

Simon, Gem and Nick return with more Podcasting goodness.

This peerless instalment features “Simon’s Omnirumour Rundown”, the gang discuss the Matt Smith era, review The Web of Fear and finally if you thought last month’s random topic was random – you ain’t heard nothin’ yet!

Click “play” below to watch Nick and Simon recording a special intro for a video coming later this month.

Thanks to Nick Headley

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BOSCOMBE POLICE BOX TO MATERIALISE SOON!

Posted on March 1, 2014 by Planet Mondas News

As previously reported a police box will be materialising in the town of Boscombe near Bournemouth in the near future. It is hoped the police box will deter crime as well as becoming a tourist attraction.

The idea was suggested five years ago by local councillor and former mayor, Phil Stanley-Watts, who told the Bournemouth Echo last year that he had contacted the BBC to invite new Doctor Peter Capaldi to perform the opening ceremony.

At the time Mr Stanley-Watts told the Echo:

I’m trying to get Peter Capaldi to open it. I bumped into him when I was working as an extra on a play. I will contact the BBC so it will depend on what they say. This will put Boscombe on the map in a positive way. There used to be a lot of police boxes about. There’s going to be a police presence there. I think it does a number of things and it’s an attraction in itself.

The box has been designed by James Roberts at Christchurch-based architect and design practice Anders Roberts Cheer and is being built by AMK Industries, also of Christchurch, and has been paid for by local businesses and organisations.

Inspector Chris Weeks, whose policing responsibilities include the Bournemouth East neighbourhood, said:

The community voiced concerns regarding levels of crime and disorder in Boscombe precinct. Due to these concerns I considered an enhanced policing presence essential to reassure the public. The introduction of the police box will place an obvious policing footprint exactly where it is required.

The Boscombe police box is just one of a number of projects aimed at reducing crime and anti-social behaviour.

It will provide a much-needed and alternative engagement point with the community and send a very clear message that the area is policed.

Boscombe Regeneration Partnership officer Sgt Chris Amey added:

Building a police box in Boscombe has been a lengthy project which began in May 2011 and has seen years of hard word, dedication and support to make it a reality. I would like to thank all those companies and organisations that have donated sponsorship – they are as keen as we are to help make a difference in Boscombe.

The police box will be staffed by police officers and police community support officers who will be able to help members of the public with any issues or concerns they may have, as well as reporting crime.

Jane Kelly, the cabinet member for partnerships and regeneration at Bournemouth Borough Council, said:

We welcome this exciting new initiative in Boscombe. Working together with the police, we are determined to drive down anti-social behaviour in Boscombe and boost regeneration. I fully support this initiative to maintain a regular police presence in the precinct area, acting as both a convenient information point for the public and also to provide reassurance to residents, businesses and visitors to the area.

Once a common sight in Britain, police boxes started to be phased out during the 1960’s with the introdution of walkie-talkies within the police service. Currently, the only other operational “Mackenzie Trench” police box in the UK is situated at Earl’s Court in London, having been installed there in 1996.

The progress of the Boscombe police box can be checked by following Dorset Police on Twitter – hashtag #boscombepolicebox – and by visiting Dorset Police’s facebook page.

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WHO AT THE HILBRE 2014

Posted on February 28, 2014 by Planet Mondas News

The organisers of Who At The Hilbre 2014 have released a trailer showcasing the guests who will be appearing at the event. Colin Baker, Mark Strickson, Terry Molloy, Paul Darrow, Bernard Holley, Colin Spaull and Terrance Dicks are featured, along with actor Chris Jury, this year’s Master of Ceremonies, and guest interviewer Toby Hadoke.

The latest guest to be announced is BAFTA winning director, Graeme Harper. Harper is the only director to have worked on the classic and new series of Doctor Who.

Who At The Hilbre takes place at the Hilbre Public House (Banks Road, West Kirby, Wirral, Merseyside CH48 3HU about 10 minutes walk from West Kirby station) on Saturday 28th June 2014 – 10am to 6pm, with doors opening for breakfast at 9am.

In addition to the main Who At The Hilbre event there will also be an exclusive Meet & Greet at the Holiday Inn Express in Hoylake from 7pm until 10pm on Friday 27th June. All the guests have been invited and will be happy to mingle socially with fans.

Each ticket for the Meet & Greet also entitles you to a glass of champagne and a selection of sandwiches – an opportunity not to be missed!

BUY YOUR TICKET HERE

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THE BROOD OF ERYS – REVIEW

Posted on February 27, 2014 by Planet Mondas News

[singlepic id=793 w=208 h=208 float=left]Parenthood. In a word, that’s what The Brood of Erys is about. Are children products of their parents attitudes and what if children want to leave, what is the bond between parent and child and is it a two way street?

The Brood of Erys begins with the TARDIS materialising in a quarantined system, the Sixth Doctor accompanied by Flip try to heed the warnings and leave, but are boarded by the cherubic Drachi, small, child-like and immensely cruel creatures who delight in mentally tormenting their prey, they kidnap Flip and it’s up to the Doctor to rescue her.

These Drachi are the “brood” of the story, children of Erys, a living moon (think House in The Doctor’s Wife), who is as cruel as his children. In fact, this is one of the bleakest and most cruel stories Doctor Who has produced; the glee with which the Drachi and later on Erys torment their victims is very unpleasant, repellant almost, they are like children who have had no boundaries, no-one has ever said no to them, tormenting purely because they can and no one will tell them no. Unpleasant, cruel, but a product of their parenting? Maybe, or are they more Lord of the Flies?

That’s not to say this is a bad story, it is actually compelling, and I like that the imagery made me squirm and feel uncomfortable, I like to be challenged when listening to audios and this is a very challenging story.

I love the Sixth Doctor, he embodies “never cruel or cowardly” in this story, in fact his compassion shines through in the resolution, where the Seventh Doctor would have unleashed a terrible vengeance, old Sixie proves he has hearts as big as the universe. Lisa Greenwood continues to impress as Flip, and the guest cast, especially Nicola Siana as Sarra Vanser and Glynn Sweet as her father, Elgin, deliberately mirror the twisted “family” of Erys and it’s brood, more than that and I would spoil several revelations that keep the story ticking along.

A very unpleasant, uncomfortable, and at times challenging story, but very well acted and written and utterly compelling, and it ends on a conversation setting up future stories.

Overall, a none too cruel or cowardly 8/10.

Written by Ed Watkinson

SYNOPSIS:

Space travellers are warned to keep away from the area of the planet Asphya and its unremarkable moon Erys. Not the best place to materialise the TARDIS, then – as the Doctor discovers when his ship is raided by the imp-like Drachee, and his companion Flip is carried away…

But the TARDIS isn’t the only stricken vessel in the region. Aboard a nearby space yacht, the Doctor encounters a woman who holds in her head the secret of Erys – a secret suppressed by amnesia, or worse.

Flip, too, is about to learn Erys’ secret. But once you know Erys’ secret, you can never escape.

CAST:

Colin Baker (The Doctor), Lisa Greenwood (Flip Jackson), Nicola Sian (Sarra Vanser/Female Drachee), Tori Hart (Lona), Chris Overton (Terrill/Levek), Brian Shelley (Renval/Erys), Glynn Sweet (Elgin Vanser)

Written By: Andrew Smith
Directed By: Nicholas Briggs

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THE MOONBASE DVD – ANIMATION CREDITS

Posted on February 27, 2014 by Planet Mondas News

[singlepic id=792 w=360 h=280 float=right]Pup Ltd, the company responsible for the classic range of Doctor Who DVD’s for the past few years, have reported that several people belonging to the creative team involved with the recently released The Moonbase were missing from the credits due to a technical error.

Executive producer Dan Hall has confirmed the following:

As the Executive Producer of the commissioning company I should like to confirm that the following should have recieved credits as Animators on the project:

Chris W Chapman
Crystal Chappell
Sarah Harper
Hayley Parker
Derek Moore
Thomas Barkel
Charlotte Barkel
David Donnelly
Tim Proust
Joshua Wolski
James Marsh

Their involvement was of an important creative level, and was crucial in producing what was both a creative and commercial success for the Classic Doctor Who DVD range.

The Moonbase DVD is out now.

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