DWAS: Back to the Eighties event date change

Monday, 18 May 2015 - Reported by Chuck Foster

The Doctor Who Appreciation Society have announced a change of date for their forthcoming event, Back to the Eighties:

Following discussions with our hotel venue in Manchester we have taken the decision to change the date of our event from 10th October 2015 to 24th October 2015. This is for a number of reasons but principally due to the low availability of accommodation in central Manchester over the weekend of 10th/11th October as a result of a Rugby World Cup match being played in the city at that time.

The one day convention takes place at the Pendulum Hotel in Manchester - further details can be found via the Society's website.

FILTER: - Conventions - UK

The Ravolox Remixes

Monday, 18 May 2015 - Reported by Chuck Foster

Today sees the release of a new digital mini-album by composer Dominic Glynn. The Ravolox Remixes presents three remixes based upon music he originally created for Doctor Who in the 1980s, plus a new remix of his own Doctor Who theme variation from 1990.

The Trial Theme (Ravolox Remix)
Dragonfire: The Mark of Kane (L.I.Who Remix)
Survival: The Cheetah People (The Master's Remix)
Doctor Who: The Terror Version (Chicago Tardis Remix)

Commenting on Facebook, the composer said:

(The Trial Theme) is the music from the opening scene of The Trial of a Timelord remixed for 2015. I originally revisited this music for a flexi-disc on the cover of DWM (Doctor Who Monthly as it was then known) in 1990. (The Terror Version) is new arrangement from the 1990 Doctor Who: Variations On A Theme EP. This remix was originally performed at last year's Chicago TARDIS.

The mini album is available to purchase from our Amazon Shop in the United Kingdom and North America.

Last year Dominic Glynn released The Gallifrey Remixes, variations of his version of the Doctor Who theme used for The Trial of a Time Lord. ( UK / US )

FILTER: - Audio - Music

BBC Audio releases for May

Saturday, 16 May 2015 - Reported by Chuck Foster

This month sees two audio books released by BBC Audio on the 21st May, the adaptation of one of the final 20th Century Doctor Who stories to come out in print, 1979's Season 17 adventure City of Death (published on the same day in the UK), and an adaptation of the BBC Book Last of the Gaderene by Mark Gatiss, originally published in 2000 and again in 2013 as part of the 50th Anniversary collection.

City of Death (audio book) (Credit: BBC Audio)

City of Death
Written by Douglas Adams, adapted by James Goss, read by Lalla Ward
Released 21st May 2015 [pre-order in the United Kingdom or North America]

The Doctor takes Romana for a holiday in Paris - a city which, like a fine wine, has a bouquet all its own. But the TARDIS arrives in 1979, a table-wine year, whose vintage is soured by cracks in the very fabric of time itself. Soon the Time Lords are embroiled in an audacious alien scheme which encompasses home-made time machines, the theft of the Mona Lisa, the resurrection of the much-feared Jagaroth race, and the beginning (and quite possibly the end) of all life on Earth.

Aided by British private detective Duggan, the Doctor and Romana must thwart the machinations of the suave, mysterious Count Scarlioni - all twelve of him - if the human race has any chance of survival.

Lalla Ward, who played Romana in the TV series, reads this novel by James Goss, based on the original 1979 serial, written by Douglas Adams under the pen name David Agnew.

Novelisation adaptions for the rest of the year are currently scheduled as: The Massacre (11th June), Doctor Who and The Ark in Space (16th July), The Two Doctors (3rd September), The Curse of Fenric (5th November), and K9 and Company (3rd December).

Competition

To be in with a chance to win a copy of the audio book City of Death courtesy of BBC Audio, answer the following question:

How do the critics at the art gallery describe the dematerialisation of the TARDIS 'exhibit'?

Please send your answers along with your name, address and where you heard about the competition (news site, news app, other website, etc.) to comp-cityofdeath@doctorwhonews.net with the subject "The Scarlioni Angle". The competition is open world-wide, closing date: 31st May 2015. Only one entry per household will be accepted.

Last of the Gaderene (audio book) (Credit: BBC Audio)

Last of the Gaderene
Written by Mark Gatiss, read by Richard Franklin
Released 21st May 2015 [preorder in the United Kingdom]

Richard Franklin reads an original novel by Mark Gatiss, featuring the Third Doctor as played on TV by Jon Pertwee.

The aerodrome in Culverton has new owners, and they promise an era of prosperity for the idyllic village. But former Spitfire pilot Alex Whistler is suspicious, and when black-shirted troops appear on the streets, he contacts his old friend Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart at UNIT.

The Doctor investigates – and soon uncovers a sinister plot to colonise the Earth. The Gaderene are on their way…

Richard Franklin, who played UNIT’S Captain Mike Yates in the Doctor Who TV series, reads this exciting original adventure by Mark Gatiss.

The next 'old' novel adaptation to be published will be Paul Cornell's Human Nature on 20th August.

Competition

To be in with a chance to win a copy of the audio book Last of the Gaderene courtesy of BBC Audio, answer the following question:

Name the company that takes over Culverton's aerodrome.

Please send your answers along with your name, address and where you heard about the competition (news site, news app, other website, etc.) to comp-cityofdeath@doctorwhonews.net with the subject "Culverton Mystery". The competition is open world-wide, closing date: 31st May 2015. Only one entry per household will be accepted.

FILTER: - Audio - BBC Audio - Books - Competitions - Fourth Doctor - Merchandise

German DVD release of The Five Doctors delayed

Friday, 15 May 2015 - Reported by Pascal Salzmann

Pandastorm Pictures (Credit: Pandastorm Pictures)

In a statement to fans on their Facebook page as well as in a newsletter, German DVD distributer Pandastorm Pictures announced that their release of The Five Doctors, originally planned for 26th June 2015, will now be released two months later, on 28th August 2015.

The reasons for the delay are, according to the Facebook message, "problems with the material". The newsletter adds that Pandastorm believed the german dub to exist but realised too late that it had been deleted. Thankfully a fan helped out with his recording of the german dub.

Here is the original newsletter announcement, translated from German:

Dear Doctor Who-fans,
we received a lot of positive feedback from you for the last few months. There were photos with you and the boxed sets, a self-made action figure of the Candyman and even Sophie Aldred (Ace) who can be seen on a picture, posing with our second 7th Doctor boxed set. WOW! We would like to send you all a big THANK YOU. Without you the making of these boxed sets would not have been possible.

Some of you might already know that we will also release "The Five Doctors" in Germany. We planned to release it on 26th June 2015 but we sadly have to delay the release to 28th August 2015. After some misunderstandings we now know for sure that the German TV-version had been destroyed. The good news is that our appeal to fans last summer payed off after all and a Doctor Who-fan made his recording available to us. All this took us a lot of time, so that the DVD's won't be ready in time, if we want to deliver a high quality product.

Pandastorm then continued listing all the versions of the 20th Anniversary Special that will be on the 2-Disc-Set:

TV version in English
TV version in German (including German subtitles for the scenes edited out in Germany)
Three-part TV version in German (heavily edited, some scenes arranged in a different order)
Special Edition in English
Special Edition in German (including German subtitles for the scenes that were not shown in Germany)

So far Pandastorm Pictures released all three seasons of the seventh Doctor in season boxed sets in Germany. After The Five Doctors they are going to release two boxed sets for the complete sixth Doctor run and a 2-disc DVD release of The TV Movie.

FILTER: - Blu-ray/DVD - Fifth Doctor - Germany - Pandastorm - Second Doctor - Third Doctor

O prisioneiro dos Daleks

Friday, 15 May 2015 - Reported by Chuck Foster

A special event is taking place at the Livraria Cultura in São Paulo, Brazil on 16th May from 4:00pm to tie in with the publication of tenth Doctor novel O prisioneiro dos Daleks - aka Prisoner of the Daleks - originally written by Trevor Baxendale and published in the UK in 2009. The book has been translated by Camila Fernandes and published by Suma das Letras.

The event features reader chats, a special quiz O Elo Mais Forte (The Strongest Link) with four fans battling to prove who's most knowledgeable about Doctor Who, raffles and also the chance to pose with the TARDIS! The event will also celebrate the arrival of Doctor Who on Brazilian television channel TV Cultura, with episodes of the show to be shown during the afternoon.

O prisioneiro dos Daleks
Written by Trevor Baxendale, translated by Camila Fernandes
Published by Suma das Letras

Uma aventura inédita do Décimo Doutor, interpretado na tevê por David Tennant

O Império Dalek não para de se expandir, e batalhas eclodem em vários sistemas solares. Quando o futuro da galáxia está em jogo, o Doutor se vê a bordo de uma nave próxima à linha de frente, junto a um implacável grupo de caçadores de recompensas.

O Comando da Terra paga a eles por cada Dalek morto, por cada olho entregue como prova. Mas, com a ajuda do Doutor, os caçadores conseguem algo de valor inestimável: um Dalek inteiro, vivo, com os sistemas desarmados e pronto para ser interrogado. No entanto, com os Daleks nada é o que parece e ninguém está a salvo. Quando o jogo virar, como o Doutor sobreviverá ao se tornar prisioneiro de seu maior inimigo?

More details can be found via the Livraria Cultura website. The event is being hosted by Doctor Who Brasil.

FILTER: - Books - Brazil - Tenth Doctor

Doctor Who Adventures 2

Thursday, 14 May 2015 - Reported by Harry Ward

The second issue of the "regenerated" Doctor Who Adventures magazine is out next week, 21st May.

Inside this issue:

The Big Hush
Opening proceedings, The Doctor and Clara find themselves rocking out at the end of the universe as they face the deadly hunger of the ‘Devourer of the Cosmos’ in this issue’s strip story, drawn by Russ Leach, written by Jason Quinn and coloured by John Burns.
Know Your Enemies
Next up, readers get to access the TARDIS Data Core to find out about some of the Doctor’s strangest and deadly enemies, including the Whisper Men, the Boneless, Prisoner Zero, the Vashta Nerada and the Smilers.
Clara’s Craft Studio
Then we join Clara as she shows you how to make your own Foretold Desk Guard. With this on your desk, nobody will ever dare pinch your pens without permission!
UNIT Alien Archives
Of course, if you’re going to make the Foretold Desk Guard, then you’d do well to know more about the Foretold himself by checking out the UNIT Alien Archive on the monstrous Mummy of the Orient Express.
Strax’s Guide To The Galaxy
Strax will then show us the delights of Skaro, the Asylum, San Helios and the Library. If you’re planning a trip across the cosmos then check out your destination with Strax before you book your tickets!
The Paternoster Gang Investigates
Strax and Jenny go undercover as a variety act as the Paternoster Gang investigate ghostly goings on at The Palace of Wonder music hall in The Phantom of the Music Hall, a brand new three page text story.

With prizes, activities, posters and much more on offer, Doctor Who Adventures is the hottest spot in the galaxy for all Doctor Who fans aged 5-500!

Issue 2 comes with a Free Mega Monster Set!
On sale 21st May 2015, price £3.99

FILTER: - DWA - Magazines

Symphonic Spectacular: Daleks invade Newcastle

Thursday, 14 May 2015 - Reported by Chuck Foster

Daleks have "invaded" Newcastle in advance of the forthcoming Doctor Who Spectacular, which visits the city on Thursday 28th May.

The Tyne Lord? Daleks Loose on the Toon in advance of Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular

Two Daleks have been seen roaming around Newcastle city centre in advance of the Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular hitting the Metro Radio Arena in the city on Thursday 28th May during half-term. It is thought they had escaped from the show and were hunting the Doctor…

The Daleks were seen on the Millennium Bridge over the River Tyne threatening to exterminate passers-by and later up at the Metro Radio Arena where the show is set to appear in the half-term in a fortnight.

The Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular, which celebrates the world’s longest running science fiction TV series, showcases the evocative and thrilling music written by Murray Gold for the series since 2005 and features over 100 performers including the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and members of the BBC National Chorus of Wales, conducted by Ben Foster. The first ever UK shows will be staged from Saturday 23rd May 2015 to Friday 29th May 2015 during May half-term.

Peter Davison, who portrayed the Fifth Doctor on the BBC One series between 1981 and 1984, acted as presenter for the Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular in Australia and New Zealand at the beginning of 2014 and will reprise this role in the UK this year.

The show features a host of the Doctor’s famous adversaries including the iconic Daleks and Cybermen, the spine-chilling Silence and many more fan favourites. The live monsters provide a dramatic contrast to the award-winning and very popular music written by Murray Gold, who has been responsible for composing music for the series over the last eight years, including the record-breaking (and BAFTA award-winning) 50th anniversary episode Doctor Who: The Day of the Doctor.

The show also features Murray’s latest score and footage from series 8 of Doctor Who, starring Peter Capaldi, which was one air at the end of last year.

The live music will be accompanied by a big screen presentation of key moments from Doctor Who in specially edited video sequences.

Peter Davison said:

I’m very excited to be hosting the Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular in the UK. Doctor Who fans are an extraordinary, wonderful bunch, who are very passionate about the series. The Symphonic Spectacular has already proved to be a monster hit down under with thousands of fans packing into arenas across the southern hemisphere and the UK’s first ever tour promises to be even bigger.

Tickets are on sale via the website www.doctorwhosymphonicspectacular.com

(with thanks to House PR)

FILTER: - Music - Publicity

Inferno Fiction 19

Thursday, 14 May 2015 - Reported by Marcus

Issue Nineteen of the fanzine inferno-fiction is now available.

In this issue

THE FOUR WISE MEN
RETURN OF THE WIRRN
IN HER ABSENCE
WHISTLE STOP
A HICCUP IN SPACE AND TIME
OH MY GIDDY AUNT!
THE WHOLE TOOTH
THE SARAH JANE ADVENTURES: THE MISSING

Full details on the website

FILTER: - Fan Productions

Global iPlayer to Close

Wednesday, 13 May 2015 - Reported by Marcus

The global version of the BBC iPlayer is to close next month.

The service, which allows viewers outside the UK to watch BBC programmes, including Doctor Who, for a subscription fee, will cease on 26 June.

The service was available in Western Europe, Australia and Canada, although it never launched in the United States due to conflicts with some Pay TV channels which carry BBC America.

Some of the BBC's best known programmes, including Top Gear and Sherlock were available along with archive shows such as Gavin and Stacey, Fawlty Towers, Planet Earth and classic episodes of Doctor Who.

The closure was expected after BBC Worldwide announced in 2013 it intended to pull support for the Global iPlayer, saying it would instead focus on making material available via the BBC.com website. Users have been notified of the switch-off, and auto-renewing subscriptions are being cancelled.

BBC Worldwide issued a statement today via their website

We would like to thank all of our subscribers for using the service. We are now developing plans to launch new digital services across multiple devices.

FILTER: - Online

War Doctor Joins Titan for Summer Event

Wednesday, 13 May 2015 - Reported by Marcus

Doctor Who News can exclusively reveal the photo covers for the Titan Comics summer event, announced yesterday.

The 5 part series will feature the Tenth , Eleventh and Twelfth Doctors, alongside the War Doctor as portrayed by John Hurt, who graces the cover of issue 1 of the series. Week 2's cover stars David Tennant, week 3's Matt Smith, with Peter Capaldi on the front of issue 4.

The story is written by Paul Cornell and illustrated by Neil Edwards, will be published weekly starting Wednesday August 12