Wiped Episode Discoveries

[Candlelight]

The other thing is Africa / The full Hartnell rumour largely comes from the Sierra Leone incident (who reportedly had most of season three up until 1999-2002, which was subsequently destroyed in the civil war).

Throw in a prominent missing Dalek story and you'll have a pretty tasty rumour to throw around...

 

[Candlelight]

Re: Rumors of a Special Surprise for the Anniversary

http://missingepisodes.blogspot.co.nz/p/howmanyprints.html

Pick your African nation.

I'm saying Zambia, although that still doesn't cover The Tenth Planet or The Evil of the Daleks.

They've probably found the trailer to An Unearthly Child or something...

 

[Allyn Gibson]

Re: Rumors of a Special Surprise for the Anniversary

Ian Levine has been on a Twitter tear this evening on the rumored discoveries. I'll let his final word speak for itself:

Absolute Last Word. I spent 35 years looking for episodes since I saved The Daleks from being destroyed. I am convinced none have been found

He could very easily be correct. At the same time, I can't dismiss the possibility that his vehemence is down to the fact that he wasn't at the center of this purported discovery.

 

[Christopher]

Re: Rumors of a Special Surprise for the Anniversary

I'm reminded of Clarke's First Law: "When a distinguished, elderly scientist says that something is possible, he is very probably right. When a distinguished, elderly scientist says that something is impossible, he is very probably wrong." Levine may very well be right, but appeal to authority is not proof.

 

[Candlelight]

Re: Rumors of a Special Surprise for the Anniversary

Ian Levine has been on a Twitter tear this evening on the rumored discoveries. I'll let his final word speak for itself:

Absolute Last Word. I spent 35 years looking for episodes since I saved The Daleks from being destroyed. I am convinced none have been found

He could very easily be correct. At the same time, I can't dismiss the possibility that his vehemence is down to the fact that he wasn't at the center of this purported discovery.

It really depends on how you take Ian. When Galaxy 4 3 and The Underwater Menace 2 were found mid-2011, only six people knew/were told. I don't believe Ian was one of them. They kept the secret for six months until it was broadcast at the BFI in December.

If there really is a monumental discovery about to be revealed - and I still don't believe it - then he may not be in the loop. In which case from his perspective he's telling the truth.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Re: Rumors of a Special Surprise for the Anniversary

Ian Levine has been on a Twitter tear this evening on the rumored discoveries. I'll let his final word speak for itself:

Absolute Last Word. I spent 35 years looking for episodes since I saved The Daleks from being destroyed. I am convinced none have been found

He could very easily be correct. At the same time, I can't dismiss the possibility that his vehemence is down to the fact that he wasn't at the center of this purported discovery.

It really depends on how you take Ian. When Galaxy 4 3 and The Underwater Menace 2 were found mid-2011, only six people knew/were told. I don't believe Ian was one of them. They kept the secret for six months until it was broadcast at the BFI in December.

If there really is a monumental discovery about to be revealed - and I still don't believe it - then he may not be in the loop. In which case from his perspective he's telling the truth.

Wait, you mean Ian Levine isn't the center of all things Doctor Who?!

 

[diankra]

Re: Rumors of a Special Surprise for the Anniversary

In 1998, Ian Levine said on camera for a BBC video documentary: "I think there will always be 110 missing episodes" (paraphrase, but largely accurate).
Six months later, The Crusade 1 turned up. At the time, people wondered if we could get him to keep making a similarly authorative statement about the number of missing episodes on the release of that episode so fate could be tempted to prove him wrong again...

 

[Newspaper Taxi]

Re: Rumors of a Special Surprise for the Anniversary

I didn't grow up in the time of Classic Doctor Who -- or in England -- so whenever I hear the name "Ian Levine" I think of "Doctor in Distress" and laugh a little. I guess I'm a rebellious youth that can't respect her elders. : P

 

[Brendan Moody]

Re: Rumors of a Special Surprise for the Anniversary

In 1998, Ian Levine said on camera for a BBC video documentary: "I think there will always be 110 missing episodes" (paraphrase, but largely accurate).
Six months later, The Crusade 1 turned up. At the time, people wondered if we could get him to keep making a similarly authorative statement about the number of missing episodes on the release of that episode so fate could be tempted to prove him wrong again...

And he has obliged. There was also a round of "There will always be 108 missing episodes" between "Day of Armageddon" and "Air Lock"/"The Underwater Menace" 2, I believe.

 

[Candlelight]

Re: Rumors of a Special Surprise for the Anniversary

In 1998, Ian Levine said on camera for a BBC video documentary: "I think there will always be 110 missing episodes" (paraphrase, but largely accurate).
Six months later, The Crusade 1 turned up. At the time, people wondered if we could get him to keep making a similarly authorative statement about the number of missing episodes on the release of that episode so fate could be tempted to prove him wrong again...

I'm sure Ian recites that exact prayer every night before bed.

 

[DalekJim]

Re: Rumors of a Special Surprise for the Anniversary

Grateful to Levine for saving a fair amount of classic episodes, but he once treated me in such a vile, despicable way that I frankly wish the man nothing but the worst in life. I can't stress enough how little empathy that man has for his fellow men.

Still reckon he's right though. This has been the year consisting of Who fandom falling for bullshit rumours every third week or so.

 

[Christopher]

Re: Rumors of a Special Surprise for the Anniversary

^Which makes it different from every other fandom how?

 

[Brendan Moody]

Re: Rumors of a Special Surprise for the Anniversary

Ian Levine has continued to tweet, and claims (a) he first heard these rumors two years ago but was asked not to discuss them "because it could jeopardise the recovery"; (b) the alleged discoverer is the same person who returned two episodes of The Sky at Night over the past couple years; (c) the number of allegedly-discovered missing Who episodes is not 60 but 90, completing 21 stories, among 8000 BBC film cans; (d) the 16 still-missing episodes were "Mission to the Unknown," 9 from "The Daleks' Master Plan," and two each from "The Invasion," "The Ice Warriors," and "The Wheel in Space"; and (e) he longer believes anything has been found, in part because there were knowledgeable people at a recent BFI event who told him so. Oh, and Dan Hall, responsible for the recent missing episode DVD animations, was kept out of the loop on these alleged discoveries, which I guess is meant to explain why "The Reign of Terror" and "The Tenth Planet" were animated despite having been, according to these rumors, found.

...Gosh, this is a fun little drama to follow.

 

[Atticus]

Re: Rumors of a Special Surprise for the Anniversary

Personally if I wanted to keep anything secret, the last person I'd tell would be Mr Levine. I suspect, if the rumours have any truth in them, that those in the know will be feeling likewise.

 

[Starkers]

Re: Rumors of a Special Surprise for the Anniversary

It's probably going to be a never before seen version of Fear Her that's a whole five minutes longer!!

 

[Mr Awe]

Re: Rumors of a Special Surprise for the Anniversary

So, Ian has changed his mind if I'm reading that correctly? But, agree with Atticus, doubt anyone with real knowledge would spill the beans to him!

We have some knowledgeable DW/media experts here (diankra, StCoop, etc.), what's your guys take on the rumor?

 

[Lonemagpie]

Re: Rumors of a Special Surprise for the Anniversary

I'm hearing elsewhere that there is a find, but it's one complete Hartnell only. Whether this means a complete story that previously was missing altogether (e.g. Marco Polo, The Smugglers or The Savages) or just the remaining episode(s) of an incomplete story (e.g. Tenth Planet 4) is totally vague.

 

[Mr Awe]

Re: Rumors of a Special Surprise for the Anniversary

^ Ah, I wonder if "complete Hartnell" in that context (one story) could be the source of confusion for "complete Hartnell" in the other, larger sense? At any rate, that scale of a find would seem more reasonable.

 

[diankra]

Re: Rumors of a Special Surprise for the Anniversary

I'd heard, late last year from a pretty reliable source, that there is a genuine, promising, lead, but there are problems in recovering the episodes - if they do exist - which have now been dragging on for months, and of course you can never be sure that they exist till you actually put the films through the projector. As for how many, or what, I've not heard anything reliable enough to want to get other people's hopes up...

 

[Mr Awe]

Re: Rumors of a Special Surprise for the Anniversary

^ But, they're already up! Thanks for the info. Crossing fingers!