Black Guardian Trilogy DVD

[Jonno]

Actually I've had an email today from Sendit saying that for a limited offer it can be pre-ordered now for £24.89. They've now got my order! At £8.30 per story, that'll do quite nicely.

It also means that Battlefield and the Trial will remain sealed for some time to come as this will jump ahead of them on the "to view" list!

[Si Hunt]

I've ordered it from there, but £2 more expensive. I want to know why they haven't adjusted the price on my pre-order! Especially as I can't apparently now delete it, because it's "packing" even though it isn't out yet and the "estimated dispatch date" is not for another week!

Si.

[Larry]

well mine is now being processed so I'm expecting it to drop through my letter box in the next couple of days..

[Perry Vale]

After deliberating for a day, I finally was suckered in by Sendit's price. They'd better not mess this one up!

[SiHart]

I believe this is on its way to us as I type this. Good old HMV I say! Good old HMV!

Si xx

[Larry]

mine has just arrived..

[Rob McCow]

Good grief! 5 Days early!

The DVD companies love you, Larry!

[Larry]

Good grief! 5 Days early!

The DVD companies love you, Larry!

that's why I like Galaxy 4 so much granted they may be a little more expensive then other online retailers but they always get their pre-ordered releases delivered a good 3 or 4 days before the official release date.

[Pip Madeley]

granted they may be a little more expensive then other online retailers

£12.10 to be precise, roughly the cost of a brand new single DVD release. But hey, as long as you're happy!

Some previews of the CGI here:

Mawdryn TARDIS (exterior)

Terminus TARDIS (interior) - very nice!

The Shadow

The Shadow 2

Whether it'll work in motion, we'll see!

[SiHart]

I was quite sceptical about the CGI, as the models are rather fine in Enlightenment, but that looks rather good.

Si xx

[Si Hunt]

The Shadow ship looks a bit computer-ey but the TARDIS shots are fantastic.

I've now cancelled my Sendit order and re-ordered, this may mean a bit of a delay getting it but I disagree on principle to paying £2 more than someone else who ordered from the same website, but later! We have plenty else to watch. And I certainly wouldn't pay £12 to get it 4 days earlier!

Si.

[Pip Madeley]

Early review from Roobarbs:

Oh dear. The CGI in the Enlightenment special edition is as poor as we expected. As an editing exercise it works quite well with brutal cuts to parts 3 and 4. I think it hangs together quite well but when the effects and the new linking music are so poor it really is a wast of time and space.

[SiHart]

Having just had a look, the linking music feels really pout of place. Having stuck with the Radiophonic Malcom Clarke score for the most part for the rest of the thing, to suddenly get blasts of Murray Gold-esque stuff for the new CGI shots feels absolutely wrong and out of place. They have tried to find something that fits in better... with the amount of stuff Malcom Clarke recorded while at the Radiophonic Workshop there must have been something more in keeping they could have used.

Si xx

[SiHart]

The Terminus commentary has been surprisingly brilliant! Sarah Sutton finally gets a word in edgeways, Steve Gallagher is really interesting and has loads to say about everything and Davo and Mark Strickson have some good banters going on... and there's a great discussion about how it'd be a great 60 minuste story with all the performances made more dynamic (!) and the whole thing given a sense of urgency that's missing.

The Mawdryn one was quite chummy and nice though. They all seem to benefit form Janet's absence...

Si xx

[Andrew Curnow]

Maybe they should have done a 'new series' cut down version of Terminus rather than Enlightenment?

[Mr BHT]

Just picked this up from Tesco's for £27.87 - club card voucher = £25.87!!! After a two hour walk there and back I'm absolutely stuffed!!

But it will all be worth it as I go downstairs to get a cup of Earl Grey and plonk myself onto the couch to watch the greatest Doctor Who story ever made, Mawdryn Undead.

[Pip Madeley]

the greatest Doctor Who story ever made, Mawdryn Undead

Really? Why? It's probably the highlight of season 20 but that's not saying much for the other stories... it's my least favourite season though, so I would say that.

[Mr BHT]

Really? Why?

Pure self indulgence on my part. It was the 'last' story of it's kind for me. The Doctor, Nyssa and Tegan (and Adric) were 'my' team, and this was their last outing before Turlough gatecrashed it. Whenever I watch I'm always transported back to the 80's and my childhood - I think the Paddy Kingsland score plays a big part in that too. I love the early electronic scores and his in particular.

As stories go it's pretty solid stuff with enough twists and turns to hold together over four episodes, and even a little emotional twist here and there - Tegan sitting down to thank the Doctor for giving his lives up her and Nyssa is a charming moment. Only Snakedance really betters it from the season, and yes, I agree that Season 20 isn't the strongest season of Doctor Who ever made (although nothing reaches the boredom inducing Season 15).

[Rob McCow]

I love Mawdryn Undead, though I can't defend it on any level. I really like the atmosphere of the story.

[Mr BHT]

Mawdryn also has lots of TARDIS scenes. Another reason to love it.

[Si Hunt]

It's one of the most intelligent Doctor Who stories, and is the only one to attempt to set two scenes in the same place but seven years apart. On top of that, there's one of the best scores ever and the wonderful return of the Brig. The whole thing just feels very lovely and nostalgic. Season 20 is nostalgic, but this is the only story actually about nostalgia, as someone once said. "Mawdryn" is superb.

Si.

[Rob McCow]

On that theme, on the film trims there's a wonderful shot where they crossfade the Brig's hut from it's 1977 incarnation with all the bunting and neat flowers, to 1983 where it's looking overgrown and shabby. That would have been great to have included!

[Si Hunt]

Argh! Fancy cutting a gorgeous shot like that out! I'm sure there was something else that could have gone!

Si.

[SiHart]

That's what we thought. It such a good way of showing a) that the 6 years had passed and b) how the Brig had stopped caring about his surroundings and everything had slightly gone to seed and weeds around his hut. Considering Peter Moffat was never one of the great visual directors of the show, this would have been a rather lovely touch.

Si xx

[Stephen Morgan]

Just picked this up from Tesco's for £27.87 - club card voucher = £25.87!!!

Nah!! Picked up a copy at ASDA this morning. £25.71 Without vouchers.