talons of weng chiang dvd

Friday, 31 January 2003 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

BBC Worldwide's Tradelink (the release service the BBC uses to issue information to vendors) has finally posted some news about the forthcoming release of The Talons of Weng-Chiang on DVD, with a stated release date of April 28. The information from BBC Worldwide is as follows (with thanks to Chuck Foster of the DWAS):

The inimitable Doctor Who and his assistant Leela are confronted by sinister and seemingly inexplicable occurrences in this gripping thriller set in the shadowy depths of nineteenth century London.
With the help of Professor Litefoot, the Doctor investigates the gruesome murder of a cabbie and the mysterious disappearances of young girls. Whilst being chased by giant rats and forced to pit his wits against an evil doll and a merciless illusionist, he comes face to face with his most deadly enemy to date: Magnus Greel - a fifty-first century war criminal posing as Weng Chiang, an ancient Chinese god.
Can the Doctor thwart his dastardly plans before Leela becomes his next victim….

Two-disc set which includes the following special features: Commentary; Whose Doctor Who, a 1977 documentary from BBC2's 'The Lively Arts' strand, looking back at the history of the programme and its psychological impact on the viewers, particularly children, introduced by Melvyn Bragg; Blue Peter Theatre; Behind the Scenes; Philip Hinchcliffe Interview; plus trails and continuity, 1 Easter Egg, photo gallery and production subtitles.

FILTER: - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD

uk gold broadcasts

Friday, 24 January 2003 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

The Third Doctor returns on February 9 to the British channel UK Gold, which starts rescreenings with the first Jon Pertwee story "Spearhead from Space". There were hopes that UK Gold would return to the start of the series, but instead are opting this time for only the colour package. According to Sue Cowley in a post on the Restoration Team forum, UK Gold were recently supplied with information needed to retrieve new (much clearer) masters from BBC Worldwide for some of the stories that remain somewhat deteriorated in their library, although no word if they will actually do so. The show will air in both late night and early morning weekend screenings. (Thanks to BBCi, Sue Cowley, Steve Trevor)

FILTER: - Classic Series - Broadcasting

quick dvd update

Friday, 24 January 2003 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

The still-unconfirmed-by-BBC DVD release of The Talons of Weng Chiang will likely be out on April 28, says a representative of Technicolor, the UK distributor of BBC Worldwide products (according to Ben Keywood of the Galaxy 4 shop). Meanwhile, further to the report of the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) extras on the disc: "the extra listed as 'Blue Peter Theatre' should be a compilation of the segments from Blue Peter," says reader Jim Sangster, "where viewers were shown how to build their own Doctor Who puppet theatre... in the style of those old victorian ones where the 'puppets' (cardboard cutouts) were on a horizontal stick and they entered from the wings of a large box-theatre. At the time, the Radio Times published the black and white photos of the Doctor and Leela for kids to cut out, mount on thin card and stick to a straw or piece of thin dowling. They also (I think) included cut-outs of the sets the kids could make for their theatre." Again, BBC Worldwide has not yet officially announced this release. (As an aside... Ben from the Galaxy 4 shop also let us know that release of the Blake's 7 Series 1 DVD set -- again, still apparently unconfirmed by the BBC -- was delayed again, until June 2.) (Thanks to Ben Keywood, Jim Sangster)

FILTER: - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD

talons extras!

Monday, 20 January 2003 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

Though we emphasize that The Talons of Weng-Chiang is still unconfirmed for release on DVD in April (or May) by BBC Video -- even though retailers have received some notice -- the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has released details about this theoretical DVD's extras on its website, including the hour-long documentary "Whose Doctor Who" and an additional hour of other material. (This information does classify the release, like "Seeds of Death," as a two-disc set.)

DOCTOR WHO - THE TALONS OF WENG-CHIANG DVD EXTRAS 1

00:58:42:01 | WHOSE DOCTOR WHO
00:25:57:15 | BLUE PETER THEATRE
00:23:58:22 | BEHIND THE SCENES
00:11:28:08 | PHILIP HINCHCLIFFE INTERVIEW

DOCTOR WHO - THE TALONS OF WENG-CHIANG DVD EXTRAS 2

00:02:22:10 | TRAILS AND CONTINUITY
00:00:39:10 | EASTER EGG NO. 1

Meanwhile, there are rumors circulating that there will be only four Doctor Who DVDs released in 2004 in the UK. This is incorrect; it is based on information taken out of context in a post on the Outpost Gallifrey Forum from a member of the Restoration Team, but was merely speculative on the consequences of further drop-off of DVD sales. At no time has information been issued from the BBC or otherwise that a decision has been made to reduce Doctor Who DVD output.

FILTER: - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD

cyril shaps

Sunday, 19 January 2003 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

Cyril Shaps, a frequent guest star on many BBC programs with a lengthy film career, died January 1 in the UK. Among his roles were Rasputin The Mad Monk (1966), To Sir, With Love (1966), The Odessa File (1974), The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), The Spaceman And King Arthur (1979), Erik The Viking (1989), The Madness Of King George (1994), The End Of The Affair (1999), The Importance Of Being Earnest (2002) and the new film The Pianist (2003). He was in over 50 TV series including Quatermass II, The Persuaders!, QB VII, Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em, The Young Ones and Lovejoy, and portrayed the voice Professor Popkiss and Masterspy in Gerry Anderson's Supercar. He also made four appearances in Doctor Who: as John Viner inTomb of the Cybermen, Lennox in The Ambassadors of Death, Professor Clegg inPlanet of the Spiders, and the Archimandrite in The Androids of Tara (pictured, above right). Shaps was best-known in the UK for his long-running regular role as Rabbi Levi in the ITV sitcom Never Mind The Quality, Feel The Width (from 1967 to 1971). Shaps was an actor for more than 50 years. He was 79. (Thanks to Daniel Hirsch, Lee Horton, plus Kenneth Parker for the detailed bio info)

FILTER: - Obituary - Classic Series

planet of giants & underworld

Sunday, 19 January 2003 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

BBC Worldwide Americas has issued press releases for the forthcoming Planet of Giantsand Underworld VHS releases on May 6 in North America, including cover illustrations (click on the thumbnail for a larger version). Outpost Gallifrey previously confirmed these May releases last month. The details are as follows:

PLANET OF GIANTS
Warner Home Video #E1740

In an attempt to return Ian and Barbara to the twentieth century, the Doctor tries an unorthodox new technique. It causes the TARDIS doors to open in mid-flight, which sets alarms ringing inside the craft. The time travelers arrive on Earth only to discover that they have been drastically reduced in size. They are now tiny people in a world of giant objects. The TARDIS has materialized between the cracks in a garden patio. The garden is teeming with giant worms, ants and cats - all deadly hazards for the miniature time travelers. Worse still, the TARDIS crew learns that this garden is the testing site for a deadly insecticide, DN6. Developed to eliminate all insect life, the chemical may be equally effective against miniscule time travelers. Starring Jacqueline Hill, William Hartnell, William Russell, Carole Ann Ford. Street date: May 6.

UNDERWORLD
Warner Home Video #E1741

Hundreds of thousands of years ago, the Time Lords of Gallifrey began exploring space and time with their new TARDIS technology. The first alien race they encountered were the Minyans, who treated the Time Lords as gods. In return, the Time Lords gave medical and scientific aid. As the Minyans became more advanced, they renounced their former gods. The war that followed destroyed the planet Minyos and set the Time Lords on the path of non-interference with the affairs of the universe. Before Minyos was totally destroyed, a single ship - the P7E - escaped. It carried the future of the Minyan species, locked into its onboard race banks. But the P7E disappeared into deep space centuries ago. Now the last of the Minyans have embarked on a quest to recover their lost race banks. Their quest is destined to bring the Minyans once again into contact with the Time Lords - one Time Lord in particular. Starring Tom Baker, Louise Jameson. Street date: May 6.

FILTER: - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD

two seeds are better than one

Friday, 10 January 2003 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

Steve Roberts of the BBC's Doctor Who Restoration Team confirmed today that the forthcoming release of The Seeds of Death - the first six-part story released on DVD in the UK - will be a two-disc set. We'd heard this before but were waiting for official confirmation. (Thanks to Steve Roberts

FILTER: - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD

the space pirates

Thursday, 9 January 2003 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

Update 9 Jan 2200 GMT: The Tenth Planet store has sent us the final cover illustration for The Space Pirates, the February 2003 release from the BBC Radio Collection. "The Space Pirates" was the penultimate Patrick Troughton serial and is the last almost-entirely-missing story in the BBC's archives (only episode 2 exists out of 6.) The story is narrated by Frazer Hines (Jamie). Click on the thumbnail for a larger version of the cover by Max Ellis. Meanwhile, the Galaxy 4 store site sent us what appeared to be a 2003 release schedule for the rest of the year including "The Underwater Menace," "The Wheel in Space" and "Marco Polo"; however, we've since been informed that this an older release schedule and has been superseded, and is likely not the final version anymore. (Thanks to Tenth Planet and Galaxy 4)

FILTER: - Audio - Classic Series

dvd & video updates

Sunday, 8 December 2002 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

In the UK, the DVD release of The Three Doctors, originally moved from January 2003 to November 2003, is now currently scheduled for a July 2003 release according to the Restoration Team. Meanwhile, Resurrection Of The Daleks starring Peter Davison will be available on DVD in Australia on February 3, 2003. Finally, in the US, two new VHS releases have been confirmed from BBC Worldwide for release on May 13, 2003: Planet of Giants with William Hartnell, and Underworld with Tom Baker. There will also be a further video release in the US in September, with the two-month gaps filled in by DVD releases. (Thanks to Steve Roberts, Sean Brady, Rodney Hrvatin)

FILTER: - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD

earthshock: 2003

Sunday, 29 September 2002 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

At the Tenth Planet signing in the UK on September 29, Janet Fielding (Tegan), in a rare Doctor Who-related appearance, confirmed that she would soon be in-studio recording the commentary for Earthshock, which she said would be released on DVD some time during 2003. Fielding also mentioned that, according to her information, the hopes were to have Peter Davison, Sarah Sutton and Matthew Waterhouse all present for the commentary. (Thanks to Jon Frame, Zygon Curry)

FILTER: - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD

Previous 9 Stories

talons of weng chiang dvd

uk gold broadcasts

quick dvd update

talons extras!

cyril shaps

planet of giants & underworld

two seeds are better than one

the space pirates

dvd & video updates

earthshock: 2003

Amazon Associate paid Link. Doctor Who News is supported by qualifying purchases.

This Week in Doctor Who

ARCHIVE

FILTER