2007 UK DVD schedule updated

Tuesday, 27 February 2007 - Reported by Chuck Foster

The official BBC Doctor Who website has released information on the UK DVD schedule for the first half of this year.

For the classic series: 16th April will be the delayed classic series story Survival; 28th May will see the release of Tom Baker's premiere, Robot; and 25th June will be the Colin Baker story Timelash.

For the new series, 2nd April will see the release of last year's Christmas Special, The Runaway Bride - in a change to last year's release form, the DVD will just consist of the special (ie. without Smith and Jones). The first 3rd season release is to be expected in June.

With the exception of Survival, extras for the forthcoming releases are yet to be revealed, though Tom Baker mentioned in the recent New Beginnings boxed set that he had recorded a commentary for Robot.

FILTER: - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD

Survival Cover

Monday, 26 February 2007 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

2Entertain have released the cover illustration for the forthcoming UK DVD release of Survival starring Sylvester McCoy and Sophie Aldred. The DVD release will be out later in the year. Click on the thumbnail for a larger version.
(Thanks to 2Entertain)

FILTER: - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD

New Beginnings DVD Boxset for North America in June

Thursday, 22 February 2007 - Reported by Mike Doran

TV Shows on DVD is reporting that the New Beginnings DVD box set will be released in North America (Region 1) on June 5th, 2007. The set, which was released in the UK in January, contains the stories The Keeper of Traken, Logopolis and Castrovalva. These stories cover the final two adventures with Tom Baker as well as the first with Peter Davison.

In addition to the featured episodes, the three-disc set contains commentaries, interviews, specially produced featurettes, photo galleries, production notes, trailers and isolated music tracks.

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

Derek Waring

Wednesday, 21 February 2007 - Reported by DWNP Archive

Actor Derek Waring who played Shardovan in Castrovalva died of cancer yesterday at 79.

He was also well-known for his roles in Z Cars and Moody and Pegg.

Other TV shows Waring appeared in were The Professionals, Dixon of Dock Green and The Adventures of Sir Lancelot, which starred William Russell - later to become Doctor Whocompanion Ian Chesterton - in the title role.

More details of Waring's life and career are online at Yahoo News.

UPDATE (22 Feb): His death has subsequently been reported at BBC News, where there is also a detailed biography plus tribute. The Guardian carries an obituary.

Pictured below is Waring in character in Castrovalva, which was recently released on DVD in the UK as part of the New Beginnings box set. Click on the image for a larger version.

FILTER: - Obituary - Classic Series

Survival delayed

Friday, 2 February 2007 - Reported by R Alan Siler

2 Entertain announced today that the planned 2-disc DVD release of "Survival", the final broadcast story of the Original Series, starring Sylvester McCoy as the Doctor,Sophie Aldred as Ace, and Anthony Ainley as the Master, has been pushed back two weeks. The disk is now scheduled to be available on retail shelves in the UK on April 16.

FILTER: - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD

Gunfighters CD release

Wednesday, 17 January 2007 - Reported by DWNP Archive

The BBC has given a few details about the release of the Hartnell story "The Gunfighters" on CD scheduled for 5 February. The release, which features linking narration by Peter Purves, will also include a special interview with Purves on the making of the episode. As a special there is a 10-minute bonus track of the original recordings of Lynda Baron singing "The Ballad of the Last Chance Saloon" from the story. This is the first ever release of the soundtrack that is sure to set the toes tapping.

FILTER: - Audio - Classic Series

"Survival" coming to DVD

Wednesday, 17 January 2007 - Reported by R Alan Siler

BBC DVD/2Entertain has announced full details of the DVD of "Survival", which will be hitting the British retail shelves in a 2-disk, heavily specials-laden release on 3 April 2007. The final story of the original Doctor Who series, "Survival" (starring Sylvester McCoyas the Doctor, Sophie Aldred as Ace, and Anthony Ainley as the Master) is also the 40th Classic Doctor Who DVD release.

Special features include:

Disc 1

Main commentary withith Sylvester McCoy, Sophie Aldred and script-editor Andrew Cartmel.
Second commentary (episode three only). Fan commentary from the winners of a recent Doctor Who Magazine competition.
Cat Flap - a two-part documentary covering the making of Survival. Part One covers set-up and pre-production, Part Two covers shooting and post-production. With Sylvester McCoy, Sophie Aldred, Lisa Bowerman, Will Barton, Sakuntala Ramanee and Adele Silva, script editor Andrew Cartmel, director Alan Wareing, visual effects assistant Mike Tucker, composer Dominic Glynn and costume designer Ken Trew. Narrated by Paul Ewing.
Deleted and Extended Scenes - material from the first edit of the story that didn't make the final cut, plus comparisons of some of the scenes before and after the video effects were added.
Out-takes and comedy moments from the production of the story.
Continuities and trailers from the original BBC1 transmission.
Photo Gallery - production and behind-the-scenes stills from the making of the story.
Isolated Score - option to view the story with synchronous isolated music.
Radio Times listings in Adobe pdf format for viewing on PC or Mac.
Programme subtitles and subtitle production notes.

Disc 2

Endgame - Why was Doctor Who cancelled at the end of Season 26? What might have been in store for the Doctor and Ace if the series had continued into Season 27? With Sylvester McCoy and Sophie Aldred, script editor Andrew Cartmel, writers Ben Aaronovitch and Colin Brake, BBC Head of Drama Series Peter Cregeen, composer Mark Ayres and visual effects designer Mike Tucker. Narrated by Paul Ewing.
Search Out Science - a schools programme featuring the Doctor and Ace, with Stephen Johnson and K9.
Little Girl Lost - A retrospective look at the development of Sophie Aldred's character, Ace, from her first story, Dragonfire through to her last, Survival. With Sophie Aldred, creator Ian Briggs and script editor Andrew Cartmel.
Destiny of the Doctors - Anthony Ainley's last appearance as The Master, in these links from the 1997 computer game.

For complete details on the release, please visit the Restoration Team's website.

FILTER: - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD - Radio Times

New Beginnings DVD set delayed

Thursday, 11 January 2007 - Reported by DWNP Archive

2Entertain has announced that its New Beginnings DVD set will not be ready for its scheduled release. Originally due out on 22 January, the boxed set will now reach the shops on 29 January.

The much anticipated set contains "The Keeper of Traken", "Logopolis" and "Castrovalva" - adventures that saw both the return of the Master plus the transition from Tom Baker's Doctor to Peter Davison's.

This story refers to the United Kingdom release of this DVD set. Release dates for Canada/USA and New Zealand/Australia have not yet been announced.

FILTER: - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD - Peter Davison

The Gunfighters

Tuesday, 19 December 2006 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

As previously reported, BBC Audio is releasing The Gunfighters on CD on February 5, 2007. The full soundtrack is narrated by Peter Purves (Steven). The official cover blurb and illustration are below; click on the thumbnail for a larger version. (Thanks to Paul Taylor/Tenth Planet)

Doctor Who: The Gunfighters

The TARDIS lands in the Wild West in this classic BBC TV soundtrack starring William Hartnell, with linking narration by Peter Purves.

'So come, you coyotes, and howl at the moon'til there's blood upon the sawdust in The Last Chance Saloon…' It's 1881 and, in the Wild West settlement of Tombstone, there are three strangers in town: 'Doctor Caligari', 'Steven Regret', and 'Miss Dodo Dupont'. They've arrived in a 20th Century blue police box, and they're about to wander into a whole heap of trouble...

The Doctor is in need of a dentist, but the sort of anaesthetic Doc Holliday uses comes out of a liquor bottle. He's in the middle of a feud with the Clanton family, whilst Wyatt Earp and Bat Masterson try to keep the peace. This isn't the place for a relaxing holiday, as the TARDIS crew soon discover...

Tombstone's not the most happily named of towns, and it seems it may live up to that name any day now. There's a gunfight at the OK Corral brewing and, if the Doctor and his friends aren't careful, they're going to be caught in the crossfire...

In a bonus interview, Peter Purves, who also narrates this remastered soundtrack, recalls the making of The Gunfighters for television. A special 10-minute bonus music segment is also included.

FILTER: - Audio - William Hartnell - Classic Series

Survival released on DVD in April

Thursday, 7 December 2006 - Reported by Josiah Rowe

The official Doctor Who site has announced that the 1989 adventure Survival, starring Sylvester McCoy, will be released on DVD in April 2007. Survival was the last Doctor Who serial of the original series to be broadcast; it was also the final Doctor Who appearance of Anthony Ainley as the Master. Ainley's first appearances in the series will be released on DVD in January, in the "New Beginnings" collection.

FILTER: - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD

Previous 10 Stories

2007 UK DVD schedule updated

Survival Cover

New Beginnings DVD Boxset for North America in June

Derek Waring

Survival delayed

Gunfighters CD release

"Survival" coming to DVD

New Beginnings DVD set delayed

The Gunfighters

Survival released on DVD in April

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