In The Beginning

Friday, 15 April 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

BBC Video will release In The Beginning, a boxed set of the first three classic Doctor Who series stories -- "An Unearthly Child," "The Daleks" and "The Edge of Destruction" -- on DVD in the UK in January 2006, according to an interview with Marketing Manager Matthew Parkes of 2Entertain/BBCDVD in the newly released edition of Ultimate DVDmagazine. A boxed set (at the time noted as "The Beginning") was touted for release several years ago, both as a VHS and DVD set, but was pushed aside for various reasons; it was also at one point a likely release for this autumn, but we heard some months ago it was moved to 2006. There is no word, as yet, on what this year's other UK DVD release will be; "City of Death" is confirmed for November according to the BBC, Outpost Gallifrey previously learned that "Revelation of the Daleks" is the likely release for July, and there will be one other classic series release in September... our money's on either a First Doctor ("The Web Planet") or Fifth Doctor ("Frontios") story. (Thanks to Justin Thomas, James Wendt)




FILTER: - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD

Mind Robber in Australia

Tuesday, 12 April 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

According to the ezyDVD retailer, the Australian DVD release of The Mind Robber has been scheduled for May 5, 2005. Note that "Horror of Fang Rock" was just released last week as well, and "The Claws of Axos" is due out on July 7. (Thanks to Carl Davidson)




FILTER: - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD - Australia

Updated Series DVD Box Set Graphics

Friday, 8 April 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

Courtesy 2Entertain and the Tenth Planet store, we now have high-quality versions of the new Doctor Who series DVD boxed set coming out this fall from BBC Video; click on each thumbnail for a larger version. These are high-quality and larger than others you may find online. Warning - these are large files! (Thanks to Matthew at 2Entertain and Tenth Planet)




FILTER: - Blu-ray/DVD

TARDIS CD/DVD Box

Tuesday, 22 March 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Coming soon: the release of a BBC licensed TARDIS CD/DVD Box collectible; the provisional artwork for the box packaging is at right (click on the thumbnail for a larger version.) Says the press information: "This is the most accurate model Tardis ever produced commercially, and is based upon the prop used throughout the 1980s. The scale is 1:5 (same as the remote-control Daleks), so it is 55cm / 22 inches tall. The box includes an A2 wall-chart, with images of the various Tardi used through the years, and a history of the TV props. It can store either 28 DVDs, 60 CDs, 20 novels, 36 audio cassettes, or 14 videos, or be used as a bread-bin, medicine cabinet, bedsit larder, etc. Each box has a unique numbered plaque. Doors can open inwards and outwards. There are two adjustable shelves. The lamp can be lit - details of flashing unit to be confirmed (available seperately). Made in Britain, by Cod Steaks Ltd - a large model-making company in Bristol, currently producing the miniature sets and props for the forthcoming Wallace and Gromit animated feature film 'The Great Vegetable Plot.'" This TARDIS box was featured in the newest issue of Radio Times and will be available in May. (Thanks to Anthony Sibley and Matt Sanders)




FILTER: - Series 1/27 - Blu-ray/DVD - Radio Times

City of Death DVD

Wednesday, 16 March 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
The official Doctor Who website has announced that City of Death "is likely be released in November 2005" and that for one of the DVD's special features, "Tom Baker has provisionally agreed to shoot an exclusive interview on location in Paris as part of the disc's main documentary feature." Outpost Gallifrey has learned, however, that Tom's agreement is provisional, according to our sources, and that it's subject to availability and the usual production logistics, which are much more complicated when shooting abroad; if it does happen, it will be the first authored documentary in the DVD series, to be produced by Ed Stradling. Also, our sources say that the November date isn't fixed and it could move earlier or later in the year.




FILTER: - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD

The Claws of Axos DVD

Tuesday, 15 March 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
BBC Video has finally announced The Claws of Axos, which will be released about two weeks early, on April 25, 2005, in the UK, according to the listing at the BBC Shop which now features a press relaese and cover illustration, reprinted below. Click on the thumbnail for a larger version.
THE CLAWS OF AXOS

An approaching Alien spaceship is detected on monitoring equipment at UNIT HQ, where the Brigadier is entertaining two visitors - Chinn, a civil servant making a security inspection, and Bill Filer, an American agent sent to discuss the threat of the Master. The Ship lands in England and the UNIT team, joined by Hardiman and Winser from the nearby Nuton power station, meet its occupants: beautiful golden-skinned humanoids called Axons.

The Axons claim that their ship, Axos, is damaged and that they need time in which to repair it. In return, they offer Axonite, a substance that can cause animals to grow to enormous sizes and thus end food shortages. The Doctor is suspicious, and rightly so: Axos, Axonite and the Axons - whose true appearance is hideous - are all part of a single parasitic entity brought to Earth by the Master to feed on the planet's energy. The Doctor manages to materialise his TARDIS, with the Master on board, at the centre of Axos. He offers to link the two ships together to make one giant time machine, on condition that Axos in return helps him to take revenge on the Time Lords for exiling him to earth. This is merely a trick, however, and Axos is locked in a time loop from which it can never escape. The Doctor returns to Earth in theTARDIS, where he reluctantly admits to the Brigadier that the Master may also have escaped.

DVD Extras:

* Commentary track
* Photo gallery
* Production subtitles
* Out takes/deleted scenes
* Now and Then' featurette about the Dungeoness location
* Interview with Michael Ferguson (director)
* Reverse Standards Conversion featurette




FILTER: - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD

New Series DVDs?

Thursday, 10 March 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
According to RRP, a UK DVD trade magazine, the group currently responsible for the production of the DVD's, 2Entertain, is finalising the plans for a staggered DVD release of the new 13-episode series, due to air from the end of this month. According to the report, there are four single vanilla DVD releases planned, in May, June, August and September. A lavish box set, complete with scores of extras, is due in November. "The new series promises to be one of the biggest TV events of the year and we are confident of being able to sell half a million units in 2005," said 2 entertain's Matthew Parkes. (Thanks to Anthony Townsend)




FILTER: - Series 1/27 - Blu-ray/DVD

Claws of Axos Extras

Sunday, 6 March 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
The British Board of Film Classification has released details on the extras for the forthcoming UK DVD release of The Claws of Axos, due in May, as follows:

00:14:42:08 | DIRECTING WHO
00:10:08:08 | REVERSE STANDARDS CONVERSION
00:26:57:16 | STUDIO RECORDING
00:06:33:02 | NOW AND THEN
00:10:54:17 | PHOTO GALLERY




FILTER: - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD

New Series DVD in October?

Friday, 4 March 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
While there's nothing confirmed, a report on the usually very reliable DVD Times website notes that the new series may be getting a DVD release in October. "It seems the BBC want to get the first series on to the shelves in time for Christmas," says the report. Again, there's no word on anything official, but this does match the rumors that Outpost Gallifrey has been hearing the past few weeks. (Thanks to Greg Deeter)




FILTER: - Series 1/27 - Blu-ray/DVD

New North America DVD Covers

Wednesday, 16 February 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Warner Home Video and BBC Video have released the cover illustrations for the North American DVD releases of The Leisure Hive starring Tom Baker (WHV catalog #E2217) and Ghost Light starring Sylvester McCoy (WHV catalog #E2218), both due out on June 7. The extras on each DVD set match the ones on the original UK releases: For "The Leisure Hive," audio commentary by Lalla Ward, director Lovett Bickford and script editor Christopher H. Bidmead, "A New Beginning" featurette on John Nathan-Turner, music only track, interviews with writer David Fisher, script editor Christopher H. Bidmead, graphic designer Sid Sutton, composer Peter Howell and costume designer June Hudson, optional Dolby Digital 5.1 surround mix, photo gallery and production notes; and for "Ghost Light," audio commentary by Sophie Aldred, script editor Andrew Cartmel, writer Marc Platt and composer Mark Ayres, deleted scenes, extended takes, "Light in Dark Places" - Making-of featurette, "Shooting Ghosts" - Behind-the-scenes, 1990 convention Q&A with writer Marc Platt, music only track, optional Dolby Digital 5.1 surround mix, production notes. The standard North American 'Who's Who" feature is also expected on these discs. Click on each thumbnail below for a larger version.




FILTER: - USA - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD