THIRD
DOCTOR | CARNIVAL OF MONSTERS |
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"...the
squeal of delight is as genuine as if she was viewing |
the episode for the first time: 'That's so cool!'
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she
gleefully remarks, and you believe her..." |
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STORY
PLOTLINE
It
is 1926, and the Doctor and Jo arrive on board the SS Bernice, a small cargo
ship peacefully crossing the Indian Ocean.
Millions
of miles away from earth, on the Planet Inter Minor, a travelling showman named
Vorg and his assistant, Shirna, arrive to entertain the populous. With them is
an amazing machine - an intergalactic peepshow called the Scope.
As Vorg’s show begins, alien worlds and strange creatures are conjured
up from the Scope for the watching officials of Inter Minor…
DVD EXTRAS
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Studio commentary by Katy Manning
and Produce, Barry Letts.
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MODEL SEQUENCES.
Original 16MM footage showing the Drashig puppets and model spacecraft.
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EXTENDED AND DELETED
SCENES.
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BEHIND THE SCENES -
'LOOKING IN'. Broadcast in 1972, as part of the BBC's 50th. anniversary,
this programme contains a section looking at this story.
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USING CSO.
Barry Letts demonstrates Colour Separation Overlay.
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ALTERNATIVE THEME MUSIC.
A new version of the theme was produced but not used.
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TRAILER FOR THE FIVE
FACES OF DOCTOR WHO. The full BBC Trailer for the 1981 repeats season.
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ALTERNATIVE ENDING FOR
EPISODE FOUR. An error in make-up created an alternative ending.
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PHOTO GALLERY + PRODUCTION
SUBTITLES + TARDIS CAM + EASTER EGG.
COMMENT Spoliers
ahead
Note: the DVD was viewed with the
commentary and Information Text features running.
What could beat a stiflingly sultry summer’s
afternoon, refreshed by chilled Chardonnay?
A stiflingly sultry summer’s afternoon, refreshed by chilled Chardonnay
with the curtains drawn & doors closed and the DVD of CARNIVAL OF
MONSTERS.
Worth it? Pertwee, Manning, a Holmes script and Letts’ direction; of course
it is.
Though first broadcast in 1973, it is a timeless classic, displaying a seemingly
modern sociological message with subtle wit and style.
Unlike the first DOCTOR WHO DVD releases, CARNIVAL OF
MONSTERS (originally titled THE LABYRINTH or PEEPSHOW)
is packed with a lavish array of bonus features. Key to these is the stunningly
informative and entertaining commentary combination of Katy Manning and Barry
Letts.
Manning’s bronchially challenged chesty-laugh is an exhilarating funny
punctuation to Letts by-the-book explanations. Reviewing an episodes 1 scene,
following their materialisation in the ship’s hold, she reveals that she
loved to ‘cluck’ like a chicken and readily obliges. Fast
reverse and relish the moment.
Another Manning classic occurs as she watches transfixed as the Doctor and Jo
retreat back into the Scope after escaping the Drashig’s world. The squeal
of delight is as genuine as if she was viewing the episode for the first time: "That’s
so cool!" she gleefully remarks, and you believe her.
The Information Text Service reveals small gems that even the D J Howe’s Television
Companion tome fails to provide: The name of the Drashig’s planet
could have been revealed if only the episode had not ‘overrun’ (Grundle).
Some of the Scope’s stage setting was borrowed from the neighbouring TOP
OF THE POPS studio. After filming onboard the RFA Robert Dundas a number of provided
life jackets went ‘missing’.
Both the ‘behind the scenes’ mini-documentary and the ‘using
CSO’ featurette exceed their expectations unlike the why-oh-why TARDIS-Cam.
The Model Sequences reveal the level of expertise and creativity of the Visual
Effects Department, even though occasionally the ‘its-a-puppet’ Drashig
resembles Basil Brush.
This release could the first DOCTOR WHO DVD to 'crossover' to
a mainstream buying public and could, just could, instil within the upper echelons
of the BBC that the series could, just could, be a more valuable brand than they
first believed.
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EOH
CONTRIBUTOR |
MATTHEW WALTER |
EOH
RATING |
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INFORMATION |
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DVD Released 15.07.2002
CARNIVAL
OF MONSTERS DVD EXTRAS: Navigation graphics
CARNIVAL
OF MONSTERS DVD EXTRA: Testing the Drashig 'hand-puppet'
CARNIVAL
OF MONSTERS DVD EXTRA: Filming the full-length Drashig against CSO
CARNIVAL
OF MONSTERS DVD EXTRA: Peter Halliday's skull-cap caused the Director
to record an alternative ending for Episode 4.
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