An Adventure in Space and Time [DVD]

Originally broadcast in 2013, as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations of Doctor Who, this is a feature length dramatisation of the early years of the show. How it came to be. The struggles to get it made. And the end of it's first era when William Hartnell left.How can get all that into one feature? By concentrating on a couple of things...Beginning in 1966, with a scene that lays some symbolism on a unsubtly, it then flashes back to three years before. When Canadian Producer Sydney Newman [Brian Cox] wanted to fill a gap in the saturday evening schedules. A show about an eccentric time traveller was the idea they devised. He trusted Verity Lambert [Jessica Raine] to produce the programme. The very idea of a woman doing such an important role at the bbc in 1963 was not something many went along with.Her choice for leading man was William Hartnell [David Bradley] a professional actor of many years, who'd become stereotyped in hard man roles. A complex man who could be difficult to work with.Little did any of them know they were creating a tv institution...As ever, the BBC never let you down with period drama. And this recreates the time of it's setting, the fashion and the way tv was produced back then, absolutely perfectly. The script has to condense a lot down. Some people, such as head of serials Donald Wilson, who was heavily involved at the time, get written out. And it barely touches on the behind the scenes troubles in the show's third year. But it manages to get the story by focusing on two main things.Firstly, Verity Lambert's struggles and ultimate success. Jessica Raine does very well in portraying a lady who had to find the inner strength that Syndey Newman knew she had. There's a pretty compelling performance in that role from Brian Cox, also.But when Verity moves on, the focus moves over to William Hartnell. David Bradley is amazing in the role. Not trying to copy Hartnell, but acting the part. A man who had some of the attitudes of his time. But who came to love this role he'd been hesitant about taking. Only for the ravages of illness to mean he couldn't keep it forever.As the story moves on through his days struggling to keep his health and keep the role, it becomes incredibly moving. And you really are left feeling so very sorry for him.There's an ending that strives for emotional impact. Which might not work for some. But if it does for you, then it really will leav you with a lump in the throat.A perfect tribute to a tv legend, and those who brought it to us. And an excellent drama with it.Look out for cameo appearances from original companions Carole Ann Ford and William Russell. And keep watching after the end credits.The dvd has the following language and subtitle options:Languages: English.Subtitles; English.It's also English audio captioned.Extras are:William Hartnell: the original. A five minute long profile of him with various people sharing their memories. This is the material from post the closing credits. It's a bit short to have much substance, but it is occasionally touching.Behind the scenes: narrated by Carole Ann Ford, this is a nine minute long making of feature. It's also a bit too short to have much substance, but occasionally touching as well. Do watch this otherwise one of the next batch of extras will catch you out.Said next batch is reconstructions and regenerations: the cast and production team recreate scenes from the original pilot episode and first story. One from the tv story the Dalek Invasion of Earth. And the christmas greeting. From the 1965 episode 'The Feast of Steven' when the Doctor wished viewers a happy christmas. These are all superbly done and great to watch.Regenerations recreates the first regeneration. But not in the manner you might expect...Title sequences is a short look at the difference between the original title sequence for the show, and the one used for an adventure in space and time.There are also two very short but very good deleted scenes, that are both worth a watch.

Watched it for the 60 anniversary of Doctor who

This was a special documentary drama about how Doctor Who came to be the show we all know and love today filmed for the 50th Anniversary.It's a lovely tribute written by Mark Gattis in celebration and the actors portraying Verity Lambert, Warris Hussain do a fantastic job. David Bradley does a good interpretation of the 1st Doctor William Hartnell and if your a fan of 60s who there a few cameos and William Russell the original Ian Chesterton appears on screen as well.This is great to watch after An Unearthly Child to see how the show nearly got cancelled before it began!

We are huge Doctor Who fans (I started watching in 1973 when I was 6) and this was a perfect addition to the anniversary celebrations. Whilst some aspects (especially the final few scenes) have divided fans, for myself I found it strangely moving and I don't mind admitting I cried during those last few minutes of the programme. David Bradley is a good fit for Hartnell - he's not quite as good a fit facially as Richard Hurndall was in 'The Five Doctors', but the effort put into the characterisation more than makes up for it. Verity Lambert is ably played by Jessica Raine (and looks very like her) and Sacha Dhawan inhabits the character of Waris Hussein in a very believable way. To see Hartnell's gradual decline played out on screen (which has been well-documented over the years) is sad - and there's no doubt he was a grouchy old devil in real life, rather snobbish about how he viewed himself as an 'character actor' rather than simply a 'variety actor', but he was passionate about Doctor Who and didn't patronise the children who watched the show - that is clearly shown in key scenes such as the one where he says to some producer who doesn't care about the detail, that as The Doctor he has to make sure he always uses the same knobs and dials on the console for the same thing each week, because if he didn't the children would notice.Mark Gatiss is one of the semi-regular writers for Doctor Who in its current incarnation and is clearly a deeply passionate fan in his own right - that shines through in this tribute drama, which is one of the best things he's ever written for the world of Doctor Who. Whether or not you agree with his decision to cross-over into something that brings the current Who into what had been, until that point, all original Who, (trying not to spell it out in case anyone hasn't seen it - I'm probably not making much sense!) it shouldn't be enough to put you off if you want to watch a very well-made, affectionate-in-its-way tibute to the people who started it all - and who had to fight to keep it going, and then found their saviour in the Daleks!And the rest, as they say, is history. The DVD comes with some extras, although not as many as there might have been, but if you've enjoyed the 50th anniversary year and Doctor Who as a whole then this DVD should be part of your collection.

J'ai réçu mon colis, à date promises !!!satisfait de mon achat qui fut un auto-cadeau de Noël, dvd de qualité, et couverture réverssible.je conseil vivement cet article.

Very interesting, a must for Doctor Who fans

What a brilliant production - so many emotions. It's really fun and interesting from an historical perspective, it's a great period piece, but it also has so much heart. The human element is very much present here - this is a story which is both heartbreaking as William Hartnell loses SO much, but also very cathartic as the show goes on not without him, but BECAUSE of him. He laid the foundation for one of the longest-running television shows in history, and I don't think we could ask for a firmer rock. Beautiful - definitely worth a watch.

Il film racconta come è nata la più longeva serie di fantascienza di sempre. Dall'idea del produttore, alla scelta del cast, alle grosse difficoltà iniziali. Un bell'omaggio ai pionieri di Doctor Who, a tratti anche commovente. Per i fans del Dottore è immancabile. Il disco degli extra è pieno di contenuti interessanti e divertenti, in particolare il concerto per il cinquantenario ai BBC Proms.

1966 England, an elderly man is driving alone on a foggy night. It's a country road, a bare grassy plot on the left, a perimeter of trees barely showing through the haze. And ahead, a small blue box with a light showing through its window. He stops the car and stares. It's a police box, a blue police box. A policeman exits the box and walks towards the stopped car. But the driver doesn't notice him. He's lost in his memories. Memories starting only three years before.That would have been 1963, and we're taken back, too. Sydney Newman reigns as BBC's Head of Drama, brash, confident, waving his cigar like a baton. They need a new show to fill a 25 minute time slot. Syd settles on science fiction. It's IN. It's BIG. Valentina Tereshkova has just orbited the Earth and the space race is in full swing.Syd shocks the untested Verity Lambert by offering her the producer's slot. He selects a director, Waris Hussein, who equally has something to prove. And he recommends an actor for the protagonist, the irascible William Hartnell.Verity and Waris take Hartnell for a drink to sell him on the show. Verity assures the prickly actor that Doctor Who is "C.S. Lewis meets H.G. Wells meets Father Christmas. That's the Doctor."Hartnell replies: "Doctor who?"You saw that coming!And the rest is history.This is an excellent special. David Bradley is superb as William Hartnell. There is comedy, there is tension. One of my favorite TV shows was THAT close to never happening.If you check out the entry for this special on tardis.wikia.com, you'll see a great run-down of differences between the script and real life. For example, in the special, it's implied that Hartnell's inability to get companion Ian Chesterson's name correct is due to his failing health. Actually, it was scripted that way as a comic touch.There are many insider touches in this show. Did you notice that Harry, the security guard, is played by William Russell, who played, of course, the original companion Ian Chesterson? Watch Verity's party sequence and you'll see Anneke Wills (played companion Polly) and Jean Marsh in uncredited cameos. Toby Hadoke, who I think has done a great job moderating commentaries on classic Dr Who DVD releases, has a part as Cyril. Carol Ann Ford (played the Doctor's granddaughter, Susan = the original Unearthly Child) has a part as Joyce.The BluRay/DVD set has 3 discs, with 1 Blu Ray and 2 DVD discs. I think it's great. This is how I have been purchasing new and re-issued Disney movies, for example. The idea is that you can pop the DVD in the computer while traveling with the kids (of any age).Note: There is going to be a big "Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Collection" issued on BluRay/DVD sometime late 2014, and "An Adventure in Space and Time" will probably be included in that set.The film's original broadcast in England was immediately followed by a rebroadcast of William Hartnell in the original 4-episode "An Unearthly Child" (1963). This 1st series is already available on DVD in the 3-episode set, "Doctor Who: The Beginning" as well as the older "Lost in Time Collection of Rare Episodes - The William Hartnell Years and the Patrick Troughton Years" (2004). I think it's neat to watch the special followed by the real show.The 2013 TV special "An Adventure in Space and Time" is 85 minutes without commercials. English subtitles are available on the BluRay and DVDs. Here is what you'll get on the discs, and there's a LOT of extras:DISC 1: Blu Ray1. "An Adventure in Space and Time" (85 minutes) Presented in 1080p with DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround sound.2. "William Hartnell: The Original" (5 minutes, TV special 2013) Commentators include Jessica Carney (Hartnell's granddaughter), Mark Eden (plays Marco Polo in the original "Marco Polo" (1964) series), Waris Hussein (the 1st Dr Who director), William Russell (plays companion Ian Chesterson), Peter Purves (plays companion Steven Taylor), Terrence Dicks (script editor "The Three Doctors" with a Hartnell cameo), David Bradley (plays William Hartnell), Mark Gatiss (writer & executive producer), Carole Ann Ford (plays Susan, the 1st Doctor's granddaughter), Peter Davison (plays the 5th Doctor) and Matt Smith (plays the 11th Doctor and has a wonderful cameo in this TV special).Hussein doesn't mention the discrimination he had to fight in the day, but instead says: "I feel more like a dad than a director about this, ... because I was at the birth of this show, and it makes me very proud."3. "The Making of 'An Adventure in Space and Time'" (10 minutes) This is narrated by Carol Ann Ford with commentators Mark Gatiss, Brian Cox (plays Sydney Newman), Jessica Raine (plays Verity Lambert), David Bradley, William Russell, Sacha Dhawan (plays Waris Hussein), Waris Hussein, Claudia Grant (plays Carole Ann Ford), James Glover (plays William Russell) and Jemma Powell (plays Jacqueline Hill).Gatiss says, "I still can't quite believe it, because I first sort of pitched this story about thirteen years ago. And then I tried very strongly to get it made for the 40th anniversary." The 50th is better than never!4. "Reconstruction: Four Sequences" These show how careful the producers of "An Adventure in Space and Time" tried to be in recreating true life. The sequences shown here are basically unedited versions of scenes that do appear in the special:...A. Scenes From An Unearthly Child: Pilot and Episode 4. These B&W reconstructions include the blooper where the TARDIS door accidentally opens and you can see the hunched-over tech closing them again from the other side....B. Regeneration. Bradley turns into Reece Shearsmith (playing Patrick Troughton) who turns into Mark Gatiss (playing Jon Pertwee in a hilarious wig)....C. Farewell to Susan. A recreation of the Doctor's speech at the end of "The Dalek Invasion of Earth" (1964). Susan leaves the show, poignantly, and her Grandfather tells her goodbye.[Trivia: At different times in her life, Susan is known as "Susan Foreman", "Susan English" and "Susan Campbell". All of these names are aliases, as her Gallifreyan birth name is Arkytior.]...D. Festive Greeting. It was common for characters in popular TV shows to make short holiday greetings to the audience during the Christmas season. This is a recreation of Hartnell's greeting during the series "The Dalek's Master Plan" (1965).5. "Title Sequences"6. "Deleted Scenes" There are two: an extended version of a scene at The Radiophonic Workshop, where Celia Derbyshire demonstrates the newly created Doctor Who theme music, and the appearance of a Monoid (from the series "The Ark") at Verity's farewell party.DISC 2: DVDItems # 1 & 2 can most recently be found on the 3-series DVD set "Doctor Who: The Beginning" (2006).1. "An Unearthly Child" (100 minutes, 1963) This the original broadcast version of the very first Doctor Who series, in 4 episodes. You'll see two hallmarks of Dr Who in this very first series. 1) The TARDIS sometimes goes where she wants to go instead of where the Doctor wants to go. 2) On landing in a strange landscape, the Doctor exits the TARDIS and mutters, "It's still a police box! Why hasn't it changed? Dear dear, how very disturbing."2. "An Unearthly Child Pilot" (40 minutes, 1963) This rough version was shot a month before the "real" episode, and was the pilot used to convince the powers that be to go with this new TV show. It is unedited, with outtakes.3. Theme Music Videos. These are B&W 2-minute extended remixes of the Title Sequence. Three versions: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, Dolby Digital 2.0, and Mono.4. Comedy Sketches (18 minutes total):...A. "The Pitch of Fear" Sydney Newman (David Williams) pitches a new science fiction show to Mr. Borusa (Mark Gatiss). This is funny with all kinds of inside references. Watch it twice to make sure you catch them all....B. "The Corridor Sketch" This B&W sketch dates from 1996. A reporter is in the corridor outside of Studio D, trying to get interviews from the participants of the first rehearsal of a new show, "Doc' True", episode "An Unearthly Chill". Lots of confusion, including the fellow who thinks the show will resemble "Dr. Kildare". At the end, the reporter wonders, "But what of the future for this new series? I have with me the director general of the BBC. So, Horace, how long do you think this new series will last?"Played by an elegant Nicholas Courtney, the director says, "About 26 years, 1 week and 6 days."...C. "The Web of Caves" B&W mini-episode. The Doctor (played by Mark Gatiss in another wig) lands on a planet with a mildly confused alien menace. "He's rather nice, isn't he?"...D. "The Kidnappers" The teenaged Mark (Gatiss, of course!) is woken by his best friend bringing him a present. It's Peter Davison, who plays the 5th Doctor, with his hands bound and mouth taped. The two fans, no not fans, but "enthusiasts", are dying to ask him questions.5. Photo Gallery. These are B&W production and rehearsal stills of the real show and behind the scene and publicity shots of the real actors. Also a few color photographs of the commentary recording for this BluRay/DVD issue.6. Audio Options. You can listen to a Commentary track on the 40 minute pilot (unaired) of Episode 1, as well as on Episodes 1 and 4 of the originally aired "An Unearthly Child".PILOT Episode 1: Moderated by Gary Russell, commentators are Verity Lambert and Waris Hussein. Lambert explains why they were given the luxury of shooting episode 1 twice: "Dr Who was envisioned to last at least a year, which was incredibly unusual."Of course, as Russell notes, the first episode 1 was "not really a pilot, because we didn't do pilots in England in the 1960's."Check out the differences between the pilot and the aired versions. Lambert says that the biggest changes were made to increase the pace. They also toned down the Doctor, as he was very "austere and unpleasant" in the pilot. (He remained pretty sinister in the aired version!) When the teachers get into the TARDIS, Susan is wearing a metallic-like tunic to look space-agey. They changed her into a simple top to make her seem more like a regular teenager.AIRED SERIES, Episode 1: Moderated Gary Russell, commentators are Verity Lambert, Carole Ann Ford and William Russell. Russell comments on the team of Sydney Newman and Verity Lambert: "The man [Newman] represented a new type of character coming in television.... The BBC television department, in a sense, reminded me of school. There was something about it that was like that. They were very nice people. Probably very talented people. But they were extremely cautious. I enjoyed this breath of Canadian fresh air [represented by Newman and Lambert]."AIRED SERIES, Episode 4: Gary Russell moderates, with commentators Carole Ann Ford, William Russell and Waris Hussein. This first education series for kids, was meant to take them back to before "civilization", what it would have been like. The savage fight to the death between the two primitives was meant to be realistic. Waris comments: "I wanted to put a sound effect of a crunched skull. We actually had one, by bringing down something hard onto a cabbage. Verity Lambert said to me, 'you cannot use that sound.'... We had a big argument in the control room."7. Information Text. Always great tidbits of information, such as that blue police boxes were used in England from 1929 into the 70's, when radios took over.The paleolithic (or palaeolithic, in British spelling) tribe was supposed to have one more female. The pretty woman hired for the part, however, was a model who thought she'd be modeling fur coats. She refused to remove her false eyelashes and left in a huff right before filming started when the make-up artists tried to blacken her teeth.DISC 3: DVD1. "An Adventure in Space and Time" (85 minutes)... And the same 5 bonus features shown above on the BluRay disc.[Note: Additional details added after my set was received and viewed.]Happy Reader