Let's Discuss The 96 TV Movie
- Thread starter The Wormhole
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Except no Daleks were built for the movie. Only their--rather squeaky--voices are heard.
Early ideas for the story featured the Daleks, heavily redesigned as this was to be a reboot. When the script was replaced by the one they actually filmed, the mindset of 'it's Doctor Who, you've got to have the Daleks' remained. I'm not sure, but they may have also made the arrangements with the Nation estate by that stage. If that is the case, they'd have had to pay up whether they used them or not.
^^I thought I heard somewhere that they had a really convoluted deal with the Nation estate which allowed Dalek involvement in the movie, but forbid them from actually showing a Dalek. Which is why we just hear castrated chipmunks screeching "Exterminate!" in the opening scene.
Sadly, I don't remember my source and wouldn't be surpirsed if it was false.
Sadly, I don't remember my source and wouldn't be surpirsed if it was false.
I always thought of it as an effort to 'Spock' him for the US market.
I saw it when it came out and have seen bits of it again over the years. I really liked McGann and think he could have been a great Doctor had it gone to a series. It's also the only time I enjoyed McCoy's Doc. And I'm in the minority that thought Roberts was fine as the Master - as has been said, Ainsley wasn't exactly subtle either. And the TARDIS looked great.
The plot was a bit sucky but pilot episodes frequently are.
I really want to see McGann reprise the role, ideally alongside Matt Smith in an anniversary special.
Well I do know from the Regeneration book that Daleks were to be reinvented for the series. There's a production sketch here http://www.daleklinks.co.uk/media/45182/spider-dalek.jpg
and the whole 2 second CGI test footage here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_siihX2Llkc
So they were definitely supposed to be seen. For the TVM as shot I'm guessing it would have cost too much to actually build props for such a short, unnecessary appearance, so they went with voice over only.
The castrated chipmunk effect came about because, when recording the VO, no one knew how to set up the ring modulator properly. I also think that, of those present at the time, only the director had ever actually heard a Dalek voice, and he couldn't remember it well.
Really enjoyed McGann. As for the rest, I'll pass.
As for the Dalek trial, I suspect that like the US/Soviet Cold War, there were periods when the Daleks and Timelords were able to grudgingly co-exist in relative peace.
As for the Dalek trial, I suspect that like the US/Soviet Cold War, there were periods when the Daleks and Timelords were able to grudgingly co-exist in relative peace.
I liked the 96 movie. Including the campiness. I didn't get the fan rage about the Doctor being half-human. What's the problem??
THE............HELL.......???????
On second thoughts, I'm glad they didn't make a series
THE............HELL.......???????
On second thoughts, I'm glad they didn't make a series
Having already known about the infamy surrounding the half-human line, I couldn't get upset when I heard it in the movie. I personally enjoy the jokes RTD has written in his episodes based on it.
Like in Parting of the Ways
Rose: "So they're half human?"
Dalek Emperor: "Those words are blasphemy!"
Daleks: "Do not blaspheme! Do not blaspheme! Do not blaspheme!"
Or in The Runaway Bride:
The Doctor: "Are you human?"
Donna: "Is that optional?"
The Doctor: "It is for me."
Also, an early draft of The End of Time had Cactus Woman asking the Doctor "So you're not human?" The Doctor answers "No. Well, I was, towards the end of 1999. But I got over it, like a flu."
It has always bothered me that -in one of the rare times that the Doctor visits the United States (up to that point)- he ends up with a bullet in him because of a pointless, accidental shooting, within seconds of him stepping out of the TARDIS! I am not sure whose idea this plot element was, but it seems to go along with the idea that many people hold that guns are out of control in this country.
I remember cringing when he got shot. I thought, "OH Great- the Doctor finally comes to visit us in the States, and we kill him!"
And the hospitals tries to cover up it's mistake and destroys the evidence....
Didn't like the Master. He's a cold blooded killer but he's never been a neck snapper.
Which was, conceptually, a way to make Spock "relatable" to the viewing audience. He was, as Oscar Katz noted in presenting Trek to network folks, a familiar type from western movies generally referred to (so politically incorrectly, now
) as the "half-breed" - a character of mixed American Indian and European background who often adopted cultural traits from both lineages. NBC even had another TV series on during that era with a similar character - "Mingo" on Daniel Boone, an Oxford-educated half-Cherokee.
Being someone who's fond of McGann but not of the movie, I'm glad to see that most of complaints here are about the quality of the story itself and not on silly things like science or canon (I know that sounds sarcastic, but I'm for realsies here).
When I first watched this movie, the only Doctor Who exposure I had was from the occasional Tom Baker and Jon Pertwee episodes on PBS. Even then, it had been years before the movie. So I was a little nostalgic for Doctor Who and I made watching the movie premiere my top priority. But while I was sitting there on the couch, something was off. Sure, the movie was campy, but it wasn't the right kind of campy. The Doctor seemed maniacal and fallible, but it seemed like an afterthought to the plot. The Master was very unthreatening, and for an End of the World scheme, it seemed rather low scale for the Doctor. Even at a young age and with my limited knowledge of the Doctor, it all seemed off somehow.
Additionally, I didn't know who Sylvester McCoy was, so when he appeared as the Doctor, yes I was confused. If McCoy had to be in the movie, then I like his suggestion that he revealed on DW Confidential: have the movie start with McGann, and show McCoy's fate and regeneration in flashback. In hindsight, that's something DW fans have been clamoring for in the current show, but with McGann instead of McCoy somewhat coincidentally.
But yes, so the first act helps set up the tone for the rest of the movie, but there was a bit of confusion and not enough eccentricity to really sell the rest of the movie. Most of all, the film was just ... dull.
When I first watched this movie, the only Doctor Who exposure I had was from the occasional Tom Baker and Jon Pertwee episodes on PBS. Even then, it had been years before the movie. So I was a little nostalgic for Doctor Who and I made watching the movie premiere my top priority. But while I was sitting there on the couch, something was off. Sure, the movie was campy, but it wasn't the right kind of campy. The Doctor seemed maniacal and fallible, but it seemed like an afterthought to the plot. The Master was very unthreatening, and for an End of the World scheme, it seemed rather low scale for the Doctor. Even at a young age and with my limited knowledge of the Doctor, it all seemed off somehow.
Additionally, I didn't know who Sylvester McCoy was, so when he appeared as the Doctor, yes I was confused. If McCoy had to be in the movie, then I like his suggestion that he revealed on DW Confidential: have the movie start with McGann, and show McCoy's fate and regeneration in flashback. In hindsight, that's something DW fans have been clamoring for in the current show, but with McGann instead of McCoy somewhat coincidentally.
But yes, so the first act helps set up the tone for the rest of the movie, but there was a bit of confusion and not enough eccentricity to really sell the rest of the movie. Most of all, the film was just ... dull.
Oh my god, is that true? I wish they'd included that in the final episode.
^ Yeah I think The Wormhole is quoting from The Writer's Tale. Unless he's not.
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You're correct, I got it from The Writer's Tale.
Which was, conceptually, a way to make Spock "relatable" to the viewing audience. He was, as Oscar Katz noted in presenting Trek to network folks, a familiar type from western movies generally referred to (so politically incorrectly, now
As a kid, I also watched Daniel Boone and I did think of him as Dan'l's own Spock....
While I did not hate the bit about the Doctor's mom being human, I found the idea disappointing. I felt it made the Doctor (and humanity!) less special in the scheme of things. While I can understand this concept of the "half-breed" in story-telling, at the time I thought, "Oh no- not this again"..... I thought it was a tired concept: Spock is half human, Work was raised by humans, B'Elanna Torres' dad is human, Deanna Troi's dad is human, *yawn*....
I always liked the concept that a 100% alien being simply liked humanity and Earth for their own qualities. The fact that he might be taking an interest in humans because his Mum was a human kind of took something away from the idea that the Doctor had a fondness for humans because Earthlings were just unique and interesting (and perhaps even "cool"!) and deserved his interest without such a direct connection.
Several months ago someone around here, I think, put together a really cool retrospective video on the TV Movie using the awesome Oasis song "I'm Outta Time", and this seemed to be an opportune time to share it for those who didn't have a chance to see it before:
Doctor Who Movie Retrospective
Doctor Who Movie Retrospective
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