stars Dr #11 Matt Smith, companion ginger Amy (Karen Gillan), her boyfriend Rory (Arthur Darvill), the enigmatic River Song (Alex Kingston) and scary monsters: Weeping Angel, Dalek, Silurian, Star whale, Saturnyne vampire, lodger, Pandorica Alliance of Cybermen and more, on wikis and websites of all sorts.
Lots of great stuff to remember. I like silly jokes, fast chases, poignant sadness, explosions, frights, even when I know what is coming, or who comes back to life. "Confidential" has backstage stories. Commentaries were done before participants knew how the series turned out. The box set of 6 discs does not include many clips I found, that follow. Theme tune.
1 Confidential - Matt's First Day
2 11 Top Moments s5
11 Get a girlfriend 10 No people upstairs 9 Surprise on our side 8 Steering's a bit off 7 Came for dancing 6 Buy a fez 5 Wrong cake, again 4 Who da man? 3 Didn't make the noise 2 He's Mr Cool 1 Been so many .. Basically, run 0 Bowties are cool
3 Bowties are cool, cravings & more funny bits, words for silent snaps above
Toodling 'round the net for this review was fun. I found out Karen Gillan was a crazy priestess Dr Who 9 S4.2 Fires of Pompeii, and the family resemblance with Amelia 7 is real. At Caitlin Blackwood's audition, the girls discovered they were cousins. Why is cousin-ship not in Commentaries or Confidentials?
Disc 1
Previews: Sherlock S1 dvd BBC Cumberbatch, BBC America (they say channel costs no money, hah! does in Canada)
Relevant to Dr Who. Writer Mark Gatiss E3 says "You miss it.", as Mycroft, and Matt auditioned for Dr Watson. Trailer.
1 The Eleventh Hour
(extra scene "Meanwhile in the TARDIS" not here, is in Commentary menu) by Steven Moffat
TARDIS (Time and Relative Dimension In Space - time travel machine) spins. Dr Who 11 (Matt Smith) hangs off open door edge, screams, tumbles toward Big Ben clock, legs dangle, vital intermediate parts skim pointy spire, falls in overgrown English garden. Scottish orphan Amelia Pond (Caitlin Blackwood - real cousin of Gillan) 7, prays for Santa to send someone; she hears voices from crack in her wall. Clip of Dr Who 5.1 Eleventh Hour, ends with apple shown 12 years later
"Early days. Steering's a bit off." (5'43"-53") He bangs into a tree, wobbly, confused, still regenerating in brand new, unaccustomed, even more stringbeany body, then experiments with foods his new tongue likes. (6'40"-7'53") Maybe my most favorite every funny scene ends in a custard mustache. April 3rd is Fish Fingers & Custard. Are dinosaurs as funny? Primeval S3 Diictodons & Rex Debut
Amelia is terrifically courageous, not frightened of the madman, but scared of the crack. Dr closes crack, but "Prisoner Zero has escaped" warns psychic paper. Tardis engines screech, calling back Dr. Amelia falls asleep waiting. Next morning, but twelve years later in Leadworth hospital, nurse Rory Williams (Arthur Darvill) hears a ward of coma patients all call "Doctor". On his camera phone, he has snapped residents wandering village.
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Spoilers:
Grown up, dressed in kissogram cop outfit, Amy (Karen Gillan) annoys, repeats "What?", disobeys, looks behind the hidden door, right at the giant-tooth giant lizardy multiform alien, who imitates a man with a dog, but reverses the voices. A voice booms, from the air, then every speaker, then an eye in a glittering star-shape high in the sky, wants Prisoner Zero, or else "the human residence will be incinerated", meaning the whole earth will be blown up in 20 minutes, at noon, unless the Atraxi prisoner is given up. Hence the title has multiple meanings, 1100 hours, 11th Doctor, the last minute save. Great moments s5
#1 Hello I'm the Doctor 1'23" Leaving is good 4' Always a way out #2 5'44" Never put in a trap #3 6' Get a Grip #4 8'12" I'm Talking #5 10'13" Geronimo
2 The Beast Below by Steve Moffat
The 29th Century floating Spaceship UK has a slippery slide down to a secret deep beneath, that everyone presses a button to "Forget", including Queen Liz Ten. A crying child calls to the lonely old last of a species. Series has continuity with last year. L10: "Vicky was a bit on the fence about you, weren't she? Knighted and exiled on the same day." recalls royal diamond against werewolf. Dr10 E2 Tooth & Claw
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Spoilers:
A glass of water on the deck doesn't jiggle, because no working engines to vibrate, Spaceship UK cannot fly. The last Time Lord interferes because he sees a crying child. The last Star Whale let itself be captured 300 years ago, to carry children, crying when the earth burned. The Dr is ready to anesthetize the whale and ease suffering "go faster" torture, but Amelia Jessica Pond age 1306, still in her nighty, figures out that the Dr is like the Star Whale - old, kind, alone, your whole race dead, no future- no force is required. "All that pain and misery just made it kind." Terrible, sad, sweet ... and funny, when the duo slip slide on the gooey whale tongue.) S5 E2 Dr11 The Beast Below #1
Special Features:
E1 Commentary by executive producers Steven Moffat, Piers Wenger, Beth Willis (how DVD filed)
Millenium Dome, but supposed to be 1996. They thought the house was spooky; I thought the overgrown shrubbery was homey. Fish fingers are really sponge cake, but Matt really eats them, many many times. Little girl music exquisitely mournful.
Karen appears after Arthur, legs first, in disguised English accent I missed. I'd wondered why she never called the real police; she'd been convinced he was imaginary. The door nobody noticed comes from Steve's recurring childhood dream of a lovely room, not really there in his nana's house.
Easy to make aliens scary; Dr Who fearifies ordinary things - wall crack, under bed, extra door, man with dog. Comedy structure - day progressively worsens. Dogman actor chosen for dog voice. Shed lick scripted; Matt does do many off-script goofy tricks "moments of bonkers invention". Steve saw Matt try days earlier for Sherlock's Dr Watson, only third audition so saw more. but wrote script thereafter with Matt's face in mind. I was too caught up to notice Amy is Amelia, or elderly Annette Crosbie Scottish too,
Really 45 minutes to save the world in 20. Rained out set stopped big plans. Arthur - 17 June 1982, same age as Matt - 29 Oct 1982, older than Amy - 28 Nov 1987. Little details show Rory-Amy relationship - he holds phone while she puts up hair, he grabs ties she misses (spoiler: continues even after centurion, at wedding he holds her shoes)
As child, Moffat drew Dr Who monsters. He chose eye-in-star now because easy to draw. Destined to this job. Tardis new bright blue exterior shell and white windows from old movies. Matt said tweed jackets different in long shot, close-ups on taps on different guy.
Deliberately returning to companion as seven year old.
Extra scene: is in the commentary section, without any commentary. deleted for good reason, not fantabulous.
1963 wooden police telephone box is stuck default. She asks, Are you a squid? He pushes her out the door.
"Confidential" video diary
Looking over the cameraman's shoulder when Matt checks out new features, hair still not ginger.
Chasing Amy Day 1 next to old TARDIS. Tour outside of trucks "unit base".
Morning Arthur - same outside of trucks raining, bundled up. Amy's bump belly dance (in other Confidentials). Dream Lord episode his wig, weaving hair sideburn. Catering truck. See Tardises - old dingy junk, new shiny glowy huge.
Disc 2
Preview: Torchwood dvd BBC
E3 Victory of the Daleks by Mark Gatiss
Churchill shows them Scottish Prof Bracewell's Ironsides invented in the month before they answered his call, but the Dr recognizes enemies from Time War, Daleks who destroy everything. His banging, questioning, was crazy wierd. Flashy effects but disappointing overall. Amy forgot last year's Canary Wharf disaster - question hangs unanswered for season. If Dalek DNA pure at first, they should not improv. "I don't give a damn if you're a machine. Are you a man?" - Churchill to Bracewell, who too instantly makes gravity bubble. Miss Breen lost her sweetheart over the Channel, but nobody cares. Illogical mish-mash and stalemates. I'd rather see real footage beside Spitfires, homage to Nov 11, anniversary show. Trailer.
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Spoilers:
Bracewell is a robot and planet bomb, but Amy reminds him of human memories, his sweetheart. Wall crack made Amy forget, changed past. Not de-activating Bracewell is okay, but letdowns alround. Jubilee and Flintlock both lost, Danny Boy called off. We lose.
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E4 The Time of Angels
A Weeping Angel statue in the vault of crashed spaceship Byzantium endangers 6M inhabitants. Father Octavian (Iain Glen) takes River Song (Alex Kingston), who calls the Dr to help. Batttalion of 51st century soldiers might as well wear original Star Trek red shirts, The way lies through "Maze of the Dead" catacombs, 6 levels of tombs for two-headed people, but every statue has one head. Christian has the right answer "Just tell me", or Bob, "No" to "Come and see this". They should have insisted; entirely too frequent line on screen, like "Come on, let's go."; nobody says "Go on, let's come."
An immortal weeping angel is stone while you look; in a blink, at a touch, usually she steals your time energy, sends you back in time to live your life out in the past. Here they snap necks and kill, never explained why. Blink E3.1
Awesome cliff-hanger "you Never, Never put in a trap ... me"
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Spoilers:
River calls 12K years forward on a flight box in ancient powerful Gallifreyan language. Words topple gods
D: "these words could burn stars, and raise up empires, and topple gods"
A: "What does it say?"
D: "Hello sweety."
catchphrase #4. Catchphrases.
River is trouble - lusciously lovely, striking, smart, competent, commanding, quick-thinking, fast shooting, sensible removing high heels, and mellow-voiced mysterious. But twenty years older (11 Mar 1963) than Matt (28 Oct 1982), almost double his age, I never see their flirting as serious. The only thing I don't like about her is "spoilers". catchphrase #7 above
Special Features:
Commentaries
E3 Victory of the Daleks by writer Mark Gatiss, Nicholas Briggs voice of Daleks, Barnaby Edwards inside some Daleks
Churchill (Ian McNeice) snapped forbidden photos; cigar was electronic. Set, damp freezing nuclear bunker in Swansea solid rock hillside, previously used for Cybermen. Unique hero bluffs himself out without offensive weapons, Tom Baker would kill with deadly Jelly Babies; this jammy dodger is plastic so not to crumble in heat and humidity.
Reason why Daleks in WW2 was cut because too much talk. Gatiss took name from "partner". Daleks in purple or green didn't work; orange is his favorite color. Blue Strategist voice is "high and antsy"; gruffer Supreme taxing. Last few working days of cigar factory invaded by Daleks. Commentators like Burton & Eastwood film "Where Eagles Dare"; war film is their "boy's paradise" with Daleks and Churchill. First they say Tom Baker had Brigadier, support, old regime still around, Matt on his own with Karen, hit ground running; then they note Churchill is long-time relationship. Like a shark, the Dr can't stop moving. Now immortal, Bracewell could return in 5M years same outfit and save Dr Who. The only reason they didn't see Bracewell in his pretty village was the expense of going to a pretty village.
E4 The Time of Angels by Karen Gillan, Steve Moffat
Lipsticked-out soldier is Mike Skinner, lead singer of cool "The Streets", says Karen. On Confidentials Disc 6 E13 NY visit, Matt exits cab singing first 3 lines that real band repeats faded into background. Has it come to this # oh o o o # original pirate material Trailer.
Episode director Adam Smith also directed Streets videos. Moffat says Matt's hair changes "spectacularly", Tardis 10 catches River; I can't tell.
Exchanging driving skill barbs, Tardis screeches because "You leave the brakes on" plus 3 minutes of "duff", because tide came in and cut scenes, including Karen's audition (I can't find).
Alex had her double do as much possible, except where Confidential watching wires. Moffatt destroyed fez; guess cowboy hat E6.1 was concession. Caves are real, and cold. Soldiers same as Puzzlewood, "great bunch of guys" K. Quiet eerie sounds add reality, though torch (flashlight) light-sabre zoom for stealth team odd. Amy's stone hand is sculpture of her own. Matt really bit skin, so Amy really screamed.
Confidential - Fez End
Stetsons are cool
Monster File - The Daleks talking heads
Writer Mark Gatiss shows new Daleks
Video Diary
At 5pm catering table. Matt likes egg sandwiches
Going Underground - Same sucked underground as Disc6 E8 Confidential, stand on boxes in tiny room, rubber flaps on top. If so scary, why not use double or CGI? Dirt in her nose, ears taped over helped with Amy's terror, but she has to repeat, still a bundle of nerves.
Hanging Around - yawn - double Stephanie demonstrates on wires for Amy "Kazza" E2 floating in space with wind machine
Disc 3
Preview dvd Primeval V2 S3
E5 Flesh and Stone (extra scene)
Recap to trapped with Weeping Angel army. Dr shoots artificial gravity bulb; they jump; now stand on ceiling. But to reroute power and open door needs lights out, so Angels advance. Creaking sound effects make the actresses realistic stone. Wow. Octavian warns River he will reveal her secret if more clerics lost. Way to safety is through oxygen factory forest. Amy is counting down for Angel in her eye. Crack is opening. Time to run. "That's extremely not good." (see funny YouTube atop review)
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Spoilers:
The seemingly irrelevant moment where Dr asks Amy to trust her and remember what he said at age seven, tears eyes knowing later episodes. When she disobeys again, opens her eyes, she's only saved by grunt Marco; I do not like her at all when she nags with unimportant questions that can wait, or waits when she should be going. Dr ignores Octavian, killing him, at least Matt tears up, recognizes their contribution, their importance. Great ending. "Get a grip." "The angels have forgotten where they're standing ... the gravity of the situation." Whoosh. "Time can be rewritten." (Again, see YouTube reference)
Extra scene, why he is too old for human girls, flashes of past companions, A: "You're a bloke" D:"After 907 years, everything is just stuff." is more down to earth than last Firefly E14 Objects in Space commentary, where Joss Whedon fails to convey similar philosophy. (YouTube ref repeated from above)
You're a bloke - Deleted Scene
E6 The Vampires of Venice
(Watch for the real Croatian villager with her goat.) Dr takes Rory and Amy on pre-honeymoon to Venice 1580, where Signora Rosanna Calvierri schools girls, changes them into long teethed sun-shunners, quarantined city pretending plague outside. Amy runs toward screams; Rory retreats, sensibly; his lecture is mistimed. Dr may not believe in weapons, but others do. I didn't have to pause to see someone else climbing the tower with shorter hair parted on the close side instead of the far, wider face and body, should not be there at all. Trailer.
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Spoilers:
10K fish alien husbands wait in canal for wives converted by blood transfusion, cannot be seen in mirror because of perception filter that hides appearance. Couldn't they cover Isabella to protect her; why can she stand on the pier in day? Why can the Calvierris? Why does the son jump in without turning off filter? How do the converted fly to the second floor? The big deal about Isabella's name makes no sense; Rosanna did know she was the deserter. Rory unlike 2K year faithful centurion later; Amy's "hit him" with broom is useless, mirror smarter. Rosanna could have mated and borne daughters in the canal, gone to sea with them, nonsensical ending for the purpose of adding guilt to Dr he has to forget.
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E7 Amy's Choice
Birdsong knocks them asleep, either drifting into cold "sun" in 14 minutes, freezing in Tardis or five years later in village, Rory doctor, Amy pregnant, where old people kill. Dream Lord says choose reality, or die there. Not a reality question about marriage happiness or Dr's evil center, because aliens in village too. D:"What's the logic?". There is none, just forcing her to decide between her boys. Trailer.
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Spoilers:
When alien Eknodines from mouths of seniors breathes people into dust and kills Rory, Amy chooses other world, they drive truck into building, supposedly committing suicide. Not. Why did old guy hoist Rory instead of dusting? Why didn't Rory pile furniture against nursery door or leave out window? I do like Amy's calmness losing Rory, but she does go over the edge. Why don't they pile up together to keep warm? All the van passengers vanish - hint? If the Dream Lord was Dr's darkness, how did he control others? How does killing selves in dreams end poisonous psychic pollen?)
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Special Features
Commentary E6 The Vampires of Venice by director Jonny Campbell, writer Toby Whithouse, actor: Alex Price (son Francesco Calvierri)
Interior shot in working international school, Atlantic College, next to Cardiff. Toby often puts victim into trap, here Isabella at start, Amy later, join school. Rosanna (Helen McCrory) went to coach to learn crustacean movement. She weaves like fish. Her costume custom-made to copy outline of monster, and historical Hungarian vampiress. When perception filter fails, budget limits 3D creature shot to six seconds at a time, count them, so policy for invisible monsters.
Rory's stag guest seem old because genuine pub goers. City 3K years old? Original Roman gateway protected by UNESCO. Fishy family insignia everywhere I never noticed anywhere. Fish gargoyle on Rosetta's balcony I never noticed. CGI filled square with water instead of extras. Nicknamed Romeo square because Rory and Amy do balcony scene. Modern Venice has narrow alleyways and bells, kept that. First meeting place with girls (Gabriella Wilde, The Three Musketeer's Constance), Dr, and mirror, later torture chamber, is ladies loo. Library card photo is William Hartnell, first Doctor Who.
Girl dorm is room in Castle Coch, near Upper Boat studios, built for Marquesse du Bute, who stayed one night and refused. Big hair and nighties from 70s Hammer Horror. Lots of running girls.
Dessicated corpse pricey, reused old Dr Who prop. Staircase down to moat was behind restricted door in Caerphilly Castle. Green lighting to suggest alien technology hid that blood was supposed to be green. Meat hook, simple, scary, even just to hold blood bag. Helen suggested hurting Amy to point censor cut scenes. Companions have died; Rory does in next episode.
Run from College to Coch to moat tunnel to Caerphilly to Croatia, many locations. Comic thread of daisy chain covering mouths helps with lots of talk, focus on brainstorming Dr. Outside in College, Dr looks up in Croatia. Stands in front of door with live charge. Script too long, cut steward Carlo lines, fight with Dr, so let him steal loot - I noted the bag of goodies taken out the gate, but not him absconding
In the script Francesco steps calmly into water, Price wanted to dive onto crash mat - looks way better. Mummy fight needed revoicing over teeth, but he was used to them after some days. His sword hit chicken, but it didn't move. "Is that all you got, mate?" He had 20 different hisses.
Croatia church roof, French guy in Croatia really scaled, Matt inside studio. They say perception filter stuck in human form, but she takes it off, so that makes no sense. Was truly freezing cold water, tugged under by divers, foam added CGI.
Monster File - Weeping Angels 11'
Childhood game, Granma's Footsteps, I never heard of. Original "Blink" episode hints normal ubiquitous church gargoyles can be trouble. Many steps to dressing process. Even the disfigured crumbling, and partially, are all real girls. Even scarier. Cardboard wings didn't work moving. Rigid latex skirts, feels like nappy. Custom masks but eyes covered, stiff, put on last minute because awkward. Wear 10 hours, glued on, unlike Clockwork costume. So cold they couldn't breathe or we'd see breath, costumes hot. Confidential - 2' Making Weeping Angels
Extra Scene - Meanwhile in the Tardis - see regular scenes above
D:"I'm not a typical bloke." "I'm a space Gandalf". A: "I'm getting mixed signals."
D: "I can't see it. You can see it. And when you can see it, I can see it." "Everything is just stuff." "Make all of space and time your backyard, and what do you have? A back yard." You're a bloke - Deleted Scene
Disc 4
Preview dvd BBC Torchwood Children of Earth trailer
E8 The Hungry Earth part 1 by Chris Chibnall
Deepest-ever drill 2020s threatens life support for cold-blooded lizards (Homo Reptilia), species gone dormant centuries before, and wakes warriors. Hole takes Mo (Alun Raglan), night worker, father of Eliot (Samuel Davies) gotta have cute kid, then Amy. How many times does she hear "Keep away", "Run", before she listens? Not heroic. Rory and Dr stop to argue, with minutes left, and mom Ambrose (Nia Roberts) yammers, brings weapons, blames others, runs off, complains. Eliot ran off without permission; Dr apologizes to him?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqjrqVzNiVk E5.8 Hungry Earth trailer
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Spoilers:
Ten minutes is not enough to set up surveillance round church. Why doesn't grandad Tony (Robert Pugh) ask Dr for antidote? Couldn't Silurian Aleya (Neve McIntosh same as sister Restac) escape van? Dr and drill head scientist Nasreen (Meera Syal) go down to negotiate hostage exchange, find vast civilization instead of small tribe.)
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E9 Cold Blood part 2
Ambrose kills Aleya, starts war, restarts drill set to kill Silurians. Military leader Restac (Neve McIntosh, same as sister Aleya) orders execution of all apes.
Trailer.
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Spoilers:
Dr did not have to tell Silurians that humans killed other tribe. Dr calls Ambrose "less than the best of humanity"; she deserves death; her son already better, pointless advice "make him best" - Dr Aleya's body could've waited for later diplomacy. Cryo-chambers set for another thousand years; Nasreen and infected Tony hibernate too. Eliot may accept Dr's request for legends to prepare for peace with second race; I'd bet impossible. I recognize the warning siren from Sontarans. Underground time crack yields scrap of Tardis sign, and disssolves Rory, shot by time crack, so Amy forgets him. Amy kept saying to go, Dr stays, Rory dies.
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E10 Vincent and The Doctor by Richard Curtis
Van Gogh (Tony Curran), pronounced Goff, painting of church has alien in window, so Dr takes Amy back to investigate. Vincent can see murdering monster nobody else can, and Amy\s inner tears.. Funny after E6 Venice, knowing official Dr Who policy is invisible aliens, liimited by budeget to appear whole for six seconds max at a time. Vincent's fingers are closest to the door they slam on the beast, ouch. Trailer.
Absolutely amazing paintings, some I have seen for real, even better. A favorite standalone plot, no soap-opera complexities, discontinuations, unfinished ends,mystery "silents" threads. Some helpless giggles, startling jumps, regretful tears. Deals naturally with mental troubles. Heart warming ending, The Dr cannot save, but brings happiness, hope, care to depressed empty sobbing soul.
"Van Gogh is the finest painter of them all. Certainly, the most popular great painter of all time. The most beloved. His command of color the most magnificent. He transformed the pain of his tormented life into ecstatic beauty. Pain is easy to portray, but to use your passion and pain to portray the ecstasy and joy and magnificence of our world - no-one had ever done it before. Perhaps no-one ever will again. To me, that strange wild man who roamed the fields of Provence was not only the world's greatest artist, but also one of the greatest men who ever lived."
Song "Chances" by Westlife - background music only first 54" seconds
Westlife - "You Raise Me Up"
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Spoilers:
Baby Krafayis left behind when wounded, blinded. Couldn't they throw paint, flour, something overtop to show it? Net, trap, deliver home? Vincent would have painted the Tardis, so impressed by innards. When the unappreciated genius hears future eulogy of his greatness, that is tears-to-eyes time.
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Special Features
Commentary E9 In Cold Blood director Ashley Way, actor: Mo (Alun Raglan), s.a.d. second ass't director: James Dehaviland
Sets often recycled. Underground tunnel same as Byzantium corridor in E4,5. Alun dirt in mouth, scary stunt sucked in hole. They say he is very tall, but I couldn't find on internet. Cut scene with frozen dog and hedgehog in Silurian listings. Restac had the red bits on face. Wanted old enemy redesigned - beautiful, show eyes and mouth for emotion, mask for scary hi-tech. Only 4, multiply by re-shooting actors and computer trickery. Scene where viewer couldn't see Ambrose torture Aleya cut because too scary.
Ashley killed 2 of 6 Torchwood leads, different. When Neve got England-Wales rugby tickets, makeup removal took 20 minutes instead of usual hour. Ashley never saw Neve or Stephen Moore (Eldane, chief Silurian) without lizard faces. Moore invented confrontation sniffing and hand salute for Silurian culture. Ashley watched old Peter Davison and Jon Pertwee Silurian shows; this has similar feel, human relationship aspect. Drill set at Mir Steel in Newport, like other Dr Who, Torchwood episodes. Pugh also in Torchwood.
Tower Colliery was last working deep-cast mine in Wales. For corpse in blanket, kept wrapping smaller crew members, Pugh really sweating by last take. Reshot death scene because eyes open too creepy. Reshot Rory memories. Inside Tardis is Torchwood Hub, still red dragon on side.
Monster File - The Silurians
Confidential - Monster File - Silurians - Background Muse Uprising
Dr Who and the Cave-Monsters book by Malcom Hulke gives names and identitie to formerly rubber wobblies.
Not monsters, species with need and purpose. New eyes and mouths can smile, covered ears muffle voice to self, hinder speech. Now beautiful.
Video Diary Confidential
Where We Work - Matt carries camera, hosts tour, hie trailer to E12 Pandorica, maybe biggest Dr Who set ever in Studio 5. Crew, Cleopatra, all bundled up for cold. Faces to credit names. Kaz "on the plural" means see double chin. Teasing silly banter boring nest to zinger scripts.
Disc 5
Preview dvd Jekyll - modern Jekyll and Hyde
E11 The Lodger by Gareth Roberts
Dr Who takes room with pudgy Craig Owens (James Corden), while upstairs lures innocent bystanders to death with image of previous victim, prevents Amy landing Tardis, stains ceiling. Lots of funny bits. Dr jumps out of shower with Craig's electric toothbrush to save landlord, susses out edgy love between landlord and best friend blonde Sophie (Daisy Haggard). Time loop at soccer match Dr wins (see extras, 8-0) sprays beer from snap-top beer can. Trailer.
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Spoilers:
No easy-peasy Spock mind-meld, Dr head butts Craig to explain fast. Craig has to concentrate on staying for Sophie to break alien ship emergency program already killed 17 while seeking potential pilot. Crack behind fridge. Amy finds engagement ring box.
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E12 The Pandorica Opens by Steven Moffat
Van Gogh paints exploding Tardis, door sign has map coordinates and time. Stonehenge 102 AD marks vault for "the most feared thing in the universe", greatest warrior of all time. Alliance of all Dr Who enemies await opening. River enlists Romans. Hilarity overtaken by huge danger. Even knowing reruns, this feels like the end. Trailer.
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Spoilers:
Fake horse riding silly after seeing extra features first. Alliance mistakenly believe Dr causes cracks in time, imprison him. Romans turn traitor, androids (plasitic Nestene Consciousness from E9.1). Rory, centurion, cannot help shooting Amy, but they both remember then. River inside Tardis caught in time loop, exploding. Double the agony, because no friend can break their hero from the trap they discover. I missed first time, that Rory comes back as a centurion because Amy's memories used to create the Romans included costume party photo of him as Roman, her as kissogram cop.
D: "If something can be remembered, it can come back.)
In Confidential, Karen said she flicked on the sonic screwdriver by accident here. Goodbye Amy
E13 The Big Bang by Steven Moffat
Two centuries after Pandorica, 1996 Amelia Pond 7 prays to Santa about wall crack, paints vanished night stars, gets Museum flyer to attend Pandorica exhibit, another note to stay, hides till night, her hand opens box, sees Amy inside. Rusted Dalek revives. One of Best Ever episodes. Totally Unpredictable, even as repeats. Biggest explosion. Ever.
Flashback to Rory talking to Amy's limp body, when Dr appears with fez and broom, but universe still collapsing. Hilarity, hijinks, chases, and action, danger, simultaneously.
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Spoilers:
By jumping back and forth leaving instructions, universe saved. Absolutely the best. Astonishing unforgettable surprise when Rory stays. Absolutely awful when Dalek shoots him down; River confronts it; it trembles.
D: "Records indicate you will show mercy. You are an associate of the Doctor's."
R: " I'm River Song. Check your records again."
Hope bounces up and down. A tear, bowtie, suspenders, something old, new, borrowed, blue ....
Dr: "I've got a future. That's nice."
Confidential Rory Dies
Special Features (tiresome having repeat shot of Dr "Bingo!" for extras)
Commentary E13 The Big Bang by director Toby Haynes, actors: Karen Gillan, Arthur Devill
House is original footage. "Tobes" took 6 takes to get Amelia running down stairs as in rehearsal. In left lower corner, quarter screen size box holds three headphone decked participants, seated in front of table mikes, Toby talks, Karen giggling agrees, Arthur pays attention to Amelia's "such a good grumpy face". First two encourage Arthur to also bring his mum to watch, like they did. Yawn.
Camera is child height. Spielberg does people in awe at unseen. Karen likes when Toby plays music, easier to get mood.
Mud 4am, tents blown away, Karen held breath, her "dead acting", while Rory mourns. When she wakes, lifting Amelia's hair was unscripted. Perfect. Costumes matched purposefully. River clothed cross of Princess Leia and Hans Solo. Warnings about plastic are from classic Who Autons. Shot some in Cardiff Museum for reality, but wooly mammoth sound kept going off. Freeze frame shows the extra hand cum gun Arthur lifts when River stays to shoot Dalek, who trembles for real. Dying in Pandorica, in rehearsal, Matt made Karen cry for real. By the end of series money running out for effects. Sonic on was real mistake (see above Youtube Goodbye Amy). Toby shook cameraman shaking camera.
Flashbacks made second day, before anyone knew how series played out. Puzzlewood Forest E4,5 filmed first. Caitlin fell asleep for real. Tardis old, new, borrowed, blue speech nailed on first take. Mill special effects fold put twinkly stars back in sky, I didn't notice before.Wall of photos is Karen's real friends; they didn't notice. CGI toothbrush, Arthur just opened mouth. After wedding dancing, he held Amy's shoes. She laughed for real at drunk giraffe. Last shot one of first made. Karen added extra goodbye to script. They suggest Xmas special about Orient Express, but is a fun take-off Dickens' Christmas Carol, with a flying shark, an aging scrooge and his annual sweetie visit. Confidential - Xmas 2010
Monster File Confidential - The Alliance - Confidential
River's listing cut: Dalek, Cybermen, Nestene (Auton duplicate Romans), Judoon, Sontaran, Silurian, Terileptil, Slitheen, Chelonian, Drahvin, Sycorax, Haemo-goth, Zygon, Atraxi (attack was for Prisoner Zero, not enemies), Draconia.
I've not heard of all, depended on what iconic classic and raid passable condition costumes from storage.
Blowfish, Uvodni, Roboforms, Hoix, Autons
Amy's first encounter, with cyber-head funny this time 'round. Knowing the sword comes through the door, I still jump.
Out-Takes
Starts with Dream Karen's pregnant belly wobble, more dances, stone angels macarena, laugh out loud at Byzantium soldier's unintentional rhythm and fall, dead serious "Amy, this is very important. The angel is full of forests.". Even "Confidential" goofs - squeaky squawky birdish noise behind Matt on about Daleks, getting locked out of Tardis ... Confidential - Out-Takes. Macarena (stone angel dance above 30")
Disc 6
Preview modern Hamlet with David Tennant, Patrick Stewart. I preferred Tennant in "United" as soccer coach, ties into Dr11's soccer game.
"Confidential" Shows
Tabloid style investigations from BBC introduced by memorable clips set to techno tune. Behind the Scenes intersperses blips - on set over shoulder of crew, show, cast interviews, sets, special effects. Made before the next series unveiled the answers.
Confidential - River Song
E1 Call Me the Doctor Sep 2009
Script read around long table, narrator head writer Steven Moffat, Matt in spectacles. Tour brand new glowy "pimped up" twice as big mirrors, taps, gears, bells, stairs levels TARDIS "giant playground" - Matt. New costume suits way he moves - Amy
E2 All About the Girl
Amy Pond (Karen Gillan). Art department converts old factory to Starship UK, floor area to slippery giant whale tongue. They do own stunt sliding into goo. "This is our job". "mad kooky energy Karenness" - Matt
E3 War Games
New improved enemy Daleks too, bigger, colored bright. Writer Mark Gatiss (Danny Boy pilot's voice and TV Sherlock's Mycroft Holmes) guides tour of real underground Blitz Churchill (here Ian McNeice) museum, actual wartime footage. Effect of Spitfire dogfight in space.
E4 Eyes Wide Open
Weeping Angels are mostly 2-3 hours stone paint on masked actresses, can't scratch itch (see Monster File, Confidential, above). River Song (Alex Kingston) loved wires and wind machine, did herself, landed on top of Matt rehearsal idea, tried to politely, kneed him accidentally more than once. Dust in Amy's eye effect, pocket of dust on sealed off eye.
E5 Blinded by the Light
Counting down to death, angel in her eye, walk for real, through forest, eyes closed, had to fall on crash mat against instinct. The whole crack in wall series theme came from Moffat's son's bedroom wall. Final kiss for silly fun flusters the wise 907 year old.
E6 Death in Venice
Real Venice too commercialized, so shot there after Trogir, Croatia. Locals were extras. Old lady and goat were real We visit for 16th century plague background, tour DaCosta Museum. In Venice, I saw a personal home that to me looked like a museum. from a nearby village, tricky because she had no English. Added chickens, eels. Matt noted great work ethic with vampire girls; my guess is low cut dresses. Space fish.
E7 Arthurian Legend
Rory (Arthur Darvill), also in specs, reads through script. Dream Lord alternate reality has Amy pregnant and Rory doc in rat-tail "Britney wig" asks "Kazza" Karen what bump made of? Belly buttoned latex, and lentil boobs. She demos belly dance. Oldsters on zimmer frames with open mouths, scary - writer Simon Nye. Fake hit with fake wood looks and sounds real after. When Rory dies, Amy knows he's the one.
E8 After Effects
All steps of process. Karen scared, really sucked down through earth, holds her breath while. Edit few weeks. CGI, such as matte of underground city. Few days to balance color, contrast, photoshop-type continuity. Foley sound artist - replaces, add physical, prep for other countries languages. New TARDIS sounds: out last year's creaky door, in long past year's hum. New synthetic sonic screwdriver, change for moving around, actions. Cyberman stomp.
E9 What Goes On Tour
Underground Silurian fight where sonic explodes ray guns. Promotion tour bus stars Matt and Karen plus support staff for launch of new series. Belfast screening of first episode, schoolkids, shorter than the seats, scream. Karen's hometown Inverness under umbrellas, lineups, mobs, signing photos. Sunderland Uni, small fry in uniforms plus grey hair teachers. Salford more orange umbrellas, poses in front of TARDIS. Nortthampton Matt's old school, massive crowd, multiple floors, band play theme song for entrance. Uck. Suits and ties except on musicians, balcony with oldsters. Oy. Three days, 900 miles.
E10 A Brush With Genius
Van Gogh in Croatia again, 1400 miles away. Writer Richard Curtis set Cafe Terasse from painting changed so much I don't know why they bothered using a location at all. In LA Getty Museum with Van Gogh (Tony Curran) to see real Irises Dec 1888 and others. One year in asylum fave 130 paintings. Doctor cannot save from "mental complexities" - heartbreaking, yes.
E11 Extra Time
Amy checks Greenwich Obervatory for space, telescope, planetarium, and modern world standard time, prime meridian, zero base imaginary (real laser) line dividing East and West hemispheres. Matt plays football soccer for pub team, brilliant, doesn't need choreography, faked like a real sports broadcasted 8-0. Craig (James Corden) is everyman secretly in love with his close girl friend Sophie. Our galaxy, Milky Way has 150 billion stars, so we hope for life. Telescope 28", biggest in UK, best, clear Saturn, 80 moons.
E12 Alien Abduction
Cliffhanger - Dr locked into Pandorica by mighty alien alliance. Matt, Alex, Karen ride bouncy seat on back of truck alongside from here obviously wigged doubles. Tired as if used real riding muscles. Alex at least knew the horse motion for a gallop is more rolling than bouncing. I liked galloping; I did not like trotting.
E13 Out of Time
Wedding Finale and visit to New York with hundreds camped out lineups of teens and growed-upses as well as the UK size kids. Miskin Manor N of Cardiff, shook up like real, but gate-crashing head table cuz guestss all strangers. No alcohol, fizzy water. Dr at the heart of the explosion, plants memory of borrowed blue, and River drops TARDIS like book. Tears. Brings back the soul of the little girl who believed in madman and magic. Starts slow, breath of wind. Matt truly graceful, invented "drunk giraffe" routine. Steve Moffat loves weddings, gives Amy a bangup party. Teaser to next season - Who is River Song? 6.1 Coming to America
Trailers: somewhat repetitive, minor variations and cutdowns on a terrific heart-pounding theme. If the BBC-One time varies 6:05-6:40, how do the Brits ever keep track? 9 Teasers, 7 Episodic, 4 Finale, International (U.S., Canada)
If you miss the voice of David Tennant, an animated "Dreamland" with now-wife Georgia Moffat as Cassie, foils the Viperox invasion in Area 51 with a little grey Asgard-like scientist, his little grey wife. Like the original Star Trek Klingons, any race can turn friendly.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asgard_(Stargate)
Clip #1/7, #2 overlaps #1, #3
Badwolf
E1 An Unearthly Child 47 years ago says Karen Gillan one of Pompei crazy priestesses in Dr9
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