Sunday 24 January 2010

I've been watching...

Attack of the Cybermen - I remembered the changing TARDIS, that it had the return of Lytton, went to Telos... but there was a lot I didn't remember. Terry Molloy dies at the end of the first part so they don't have to pay him for the second (with the self-cleaning TARDIS). That the Cryon outfits weren't practical, but the characters worked very well (and although they were played by 'statuesque' women, that didn't really show). Eric Saward over packed the script and there was a lot in the second half that didn't go anyway. The Cyber Controller isn't as fat as many claim.

Another good note is that, yes there are the moments where the Doctor is 'shout Shout SHOUT', but there is also a lot of good acting scenes, especially in part two. See the scene with Flast (Flask? Flost?) in the cell with convenient explosives, and at the end. Oh, and the Doctor firing a gun in fine, particularly considering he was up against Cybermen. Go fer it, Doc!

The Five Doctors - The original, not the revised edition. The story works better in the original, even if the effects weren't up to much (the chess board room... sigh...). And I think that Richard Hurndall is a fine First Doctor. No, he's not William Hartnell, but one should not cast for the actor but for the character (a point that underlines the success of the show!). But he does get a kicking in the bonus commentary...

And speaking of the bonus commentary... no, not appealing. They come across as 'superior smug' and they haven't earned it. Very much 'yeah, we did watch it at the time, but we're so much better now'. I get the impression from other documentaries that Tennant had more respect for the old series, so I'm not sure if this is 't
rue colours' or just 'everyone else was trashing it, I went along with it'. Hmmm...

[END]

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