Old Doctor Who - Part 3

[purlieu]

And now crashing down to Earth with The Two Doctors and Timelash.

Robert Holmes did a good a job as possible making the former quite readable. The latter I gave one star on Goodreads. Longest 80 minutes of my life. Currently mid-way through the unofficial Revelation of the Daleks, which is, like Resurrection, surprisingly good. The guy writes well. They should just publish these really.

I'm guessing by putting a couple of Troughtons out they'll be keeping the DVD market alive while they prepare the Blu-Rays. I was half expecting them just to wait until the full series sets come out to animate and release the remaining stories, but this way does make more sense. And yeah, I reckon Marco Polo and The Crusade will come along at the same time as the box sets. As well as, um, The Space Pirates. Can't wait for that one.

[purlieu]

Yup, that Revelation novelisation was far better than most of the official ones written in the '80s.

And now onto the abandoned series 23, which should be interesting.

Blackpool here we come.

[Replies From View]

When the tenth Doctor said "Ah yes I know; Barcelona!" was that meant to be callback to the sixth Doctor only sounding out the B of Blackpool as the unresolved cliffhanger of season 22?

I have always taken it as so.

[Attila]

Oh yeah I definitely think they should release them on DVD.  I don't even have a Blu-ray player so I'll be pretty peeved if they decide to abandon the single-story DVD market.

I just meant they might schedule the releases of Marco Polo and The Crusade for when they want to put out the complete seasons 1 and 2.

One of the reasons I would like them to do Marco Polo is a colleague of mine absolutely adores it as his favourite serial (he's published academic work on it at least twice). It had a huge impact on him as a child -- when he saw it twice (original broadcast in the UK, then in Australia when his family moved out there for a while). That's one I hope they recover during his lifetime, as I think he'd shatter from happiness of seeing it again.

[Replies From View]

One of the reasons I would like them to do Marco Polo is a colleague of mine absolutely adores it as his favourite serial (he's published academic work on it at least twice). It had a huge impact on him as a child -- when he saw it twice (original broadcast in the UK, then in Australia when his family moved out there for a while). That's one I hope they recover during his lifetime, as I think he'd shatter from happiness of seeing it again.

"I really really hope you shatter."
"Oh."
"From happiness, though."
"Hmm."

[Attila]

"I really really hope you shatter."
"Oh."
"From happiness, though."
"Hmm."

To be honest, I'd be in the front row to see him shatter under any circumstances. He's a good sport, and I think would be amenable to it.

[daf]

I was about to say that I don't know anyone who owns a Blu-Ray player but just remembered my parents do but never use it. Thanks for the memory jog! I might ask for it. I almost bought one for the Spearhead From Space release but never did.

Do this - you will NOT regret it.

To bore on like an ex-smoker - getting one was the best thing I ever did, The upgrade in quality will knock your socks off (and it will still play your old DVDs too). *

Also - I'd hold off on the Spearhead from Space - It'll be included in the Season 7 set (when they get round to it).

- - - - - - - - -
*
My blu-ray picks :
Bladerunner, any Kubrick, any Hitchcock
Kenneth Clark's Civilisation, World at War (the 'complete' 4x3 version from Network - NOT the 'Ultimate' 16x9 cropped Freemantle one)
The Avengers (1960 TV : series 4, 5 & 6), Department S
Randall & Hopkirk, The Persuaders, UFO, Space 1999
The Professionals, Hammer House of Horror
Rick & Morty, Futurama (new series), any Pixar

[Replies From View]

Thing for me is I don't have a TV, but play DVDs through an external DVD drive for my mac easy peasy.

Are Blu-Ray drives easy peasy, though?  Can you just plug them into your computer and play the discs?  No you fucking can't, for some reason.

Must be one of the most straightforward things they could get to happen, yet it doesn't appear to have occurred to them.  "MAKE THEM OWN A SEPARATE TV!!"  I don't have room for one, you absolute bellend!  Sort it out!

[purlieu]

I honestly find HD quite disorienting. It's somehow too realistic.
I'll no doubt end up getting a Blu Ray player whenever I have room for a telly myself somewhere in the future - I'm not a luddite - but DVD quality is more than good enough for me anyway. I'm always far more interested in story, characters, humour and performance than I am visual quality.

[Malcy]

Do this - you will NOT regret it.

To bore on like an ex-smoker - getting one was the best thing I ever did, The upgrade in quality will knock your socks off (and it will still play your old DVDs too). *

Also - I'd hold off on the Spearhead from Space - It'll be included in the Season 7 set (when they get round to it).

- - - - - - - - -
*
My blu-ray picks :
Bladerunner, any Kubrick, any Hitchcock
Kenneth Clark's Civilisation, World at War (the 'complete' 4x3 version from Network - NOT the 'Ultimate' 16x9 cropped Freemantle one)
The Avengers (1960 TV : series 4, 5 & 6), Department S
Randall & Hopkirk, The Persuaders, UFO, Space 1999
The Professionals, Hammer House of Horror
Rick & Morty, Futurama (new series), any Pixar

Anything HD I just download and play through my TV. I can't see myself rushingbout to buy anything on Blu-Ray. Another reason I never bought a player.

[daf]

I honestly find HD quite disorienting. It's somehow too realistic.

Sounds like you might have seen it on a set with 'motionflow' switched on possibly? That does make things look a bit 'queasy'.

It should be just a clearer / shaper image - that's all.

- - - - - - - - - - - -
(60's Star Trek is another good HD upgrade)

[daf]

Anything HD I just download and play through my TV. I can't see myself rushingbout to buy anything on Blu-Ray. Another reason I never bought a player.

That sounds like a good option too - particularly if you're running out of shelf space!

[Replies From View]

Sounds like you might have seen it on a set with 'motionflow' switched on possibly? That does make things look a bit 'queasy'.

It should be just a clearer / shaper image - that's all.

- - - - - - - - - - - -
(60's Star Trek is another good HD upgrade)

Is it motionflow that makes you see the pores in a person's skin opening and closing while they're onscreen, and blood crackling through their eyeballs?  I thought that was just the unbearable sharpness.

[daf]

That sounds like more like the contrast setting would be on too high - ideally you'd want to avoid 'edge enhancement' and keep everything as 'natural looking' as possible.

[Replies From View]

That sounds like more like the contrast setting would be on too high - ideally you'd want to avoid 'edge enhancement' and keep everything as 'natural looking' as possible.

I think it's 'natural looking' (I'm talking about HD without such elaborate settings anyway - I lack a Blu-Ray player so this is either a file saved to the computer or a film watched at the cinema); it's just that seeing a person's skin under a microscope can be a bit distracting when there is a story to follow.

Maybe they could move the cameras back a bit, but the fashion seems to be for seeing up a person's pores at present.  Or really zooming in on a gazelle's anus in those Attenborough ones.

[daf]

Ah, I see.

Yes, the modern trend for pin sharp pores and gazelle anuses is certainly a worrying one.

To be honest, picture quality wise, it sounds like you're probably fine with a DVD on a computer screen at the moment,

If you get a larger telly, the anuses might end up being a bit too fuzzy for your liking - while the 'blunt' DVD image would cover up a multitude of clag-nuts and dingle-berries, the increased size would most likely expose some distracting image compression dirt and 'ringing' around the edges of the anus.

Quality issues aside - and dragging this kicking and screaming back on topic - the Season 12 box contains a lot of tasty new extras not available on the DVDs - so . . . you know . . some stuff about anuses there.

[purlieu]

Sounds like you might have seen it on a set with 'motionflow' switched on possibly? That does make things look a bit 'queasy'.

It should be just a clearer / shaper image - that's all.

This is from several experiences with HD, including examples in shops. It never looks right to me.

[Alberon]

TVs in shops all have their various picture management settings on. For the best picture you really want to turn all that shit off.

When I get a new TV (which sounds like I get one every other week, but it's really more like once every eight years) I google it on an AV forum to find the best settings.

The TVs in the shops are borderline unwatchable.

[Jerzy Bondov]

Urgh my brother-in-law has that movement smoothing setting on his TV and it's no exaggeration to say that it makes me want to die.

[Replies From View]

Urgh my brother-in-law has that movement smoothing setting on his TV and it's no exaggeration to say that it makes me want to die.

A smooth movement from alive to dead?

[Huxleys Babkins]

When the tenth Doctor said "Ah yes I know; Barcelona!" was that meant to be callback to the sixth Doctor only sounding out the B of Blackpool as the unresolved cliffhanger of season 22?

I have always taken it as so.

The ninth Doctor complains he never had a chance to take Rose to the planet Barcelona (where the dogs have no noses) just before he regenerates. It's a callback to that.

[Malcy]

Was unpacking some boxes yesterday and got to my Who DVD's. While putting them in order I realised I was missing Inferno, one of my favourites. Then realised Carnival Of Monsters & The Claws Of Axos were missing too. Hang on. Where's the New Beginnings boxset?

11 of them missing. 11! I knew I had lost a lot of things during a move last year, long story, but m a bit miffed at there being so many Who discs missing.

It's made me decide to have a bit of a classic Who night tonight. No idea what I'll watch yet though!

[purlieu]

When I get a new TV (which sounds like I get one every other week, but it's really more like once every eight years) I google it on an AV forum to find the best settings.

Fucking hell, I remember when you used to buy a telly, switch it on, and it worked.

[Norton Canes]

Was unpacking some boxes yesterday and got to my Who DVD's. While putting them in order I realised I was missing Inferno, one of my favourites. Then realised Carnival Of Monsters & The Claws Of Axos were missing too

Whoever nicked those Pertwees has impeccable taste. They're about the best three.

[Malcy]

Whoever nicked those Pertwees has impeccable taste. They're about the best three.

And I haven't watched any of them for a long time either :(

[Replies From View]

Was unpacking some boxes yesterday and got to my Who DVD's. While putting them in order I realised I was missing Inferno, one of my favourites. Then realised Carnival Of Monsters & The Claws Of Axos were missing too. Hang on. Where's the New Beginnings boxset?

11 of them missing. 11! I knew I had lost a lot of things during a move last year, long story, but m a bit miffed at there being so many Who discs missing.

It's made me decide to have a bit of a classic Who night tonight. No idea what I'll watch yet though!

For anybody who is interested, there is a plan for Doctor Who to become part of the (spam) Tuesday Night schedule once Monty Python's Flying Circus is finished.  Starting with Spearhead From Space.

[Phoenix Lazarus]

I realised I was missing Inferno, one of my favourites. though!

That close-up of Sergeant Benson as a werewolf turning to the camera and snarling is really funny!

[Alberon]

Someone used video from that episode along with audio of that guy desperately trying to call his dog back from chasing a herd of deer.

One of the despairing cries of "Jesus Christ!" Is timed perfectly with that shot.

EDIT: And here it is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5aDDoEwiLY

[Malcy]

Someone used video from that episode along with audio of that guy desperately trying to call his dog back from chasing a herd of deer.

One of the despairing cries of "Jesus Christ!" Is timed perfectly with that shot.

EDIT: And here it is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5aDDoEwiLY

Brilliant!

[Replies From View]

5aDDoEwiLY

SUDDENLY