Difference between revisions of "Directing the unfinished Shada"
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| − | | date = 1992- | + | | date = 1992-07-30 |
| − | | display date = August 1992 | + | | display date = issue 33 (August 1992) |
| author = Joe Nazzaro | | author = Joe Nazzaro | ||
| pages = 12 | | pages = 12 | ||
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We then had this sequence where Tom was escaping this invisible sphere, pedalling his bicycle past the Gentleman Songsters who were singing 'Chattanooga ChooChoo in twenty-two part harmony. Now when I say an 'invisible' sphere, it would have been visible, but because we were going to edit it in afterwards, it wasn't visible in that shot. | We then had this sequence where Tom was escaping this invisible sphere, pedalling his bicycle past the Gentleman Songsters who were singing 'Chattanooga ChooChoo in twenty-two part harmony. Now when I say an 'invisible' sphere, it would have been visible, but because we were going to edit it in afterwards, it wasn't visible in that shot. | ||
| − | TV Zone: So you wound up with this wonderful scene of | + | TV Zone: So you wound up with this wonderful scene of Tom Baker riding by and ringing his bell to punctuate the music. |
Pennant: Yes, and it all arose out of this conversation in a pub at half past seven the night before! That was the sort of thing you could do on Who in those days. | Pennant: Yes, and it all arose out of this conversation in a pub at half past seven the night before! That was the sort of thing you could do on Who in those days. | ||
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[[broadwcast:Shada|Shada]] is no exception to this. On first inspection the story looks fascinating: an eccentric Time Lord called Professor Chronotis, who retired from Gallifrey three hundred years ago, summons the Doctor and Romana to his rooms in Cambridge, but forgets why. As the mystery unravels we discover it concerns a book of 'The Ancient Law of Gallifrey', which Chronotis foolishly removed from the Panopticon Archives, and which is now sought after by the mind-robber Skagra in his search for the unknown '[[broadwcast:Shada|Shada]]' and a super-criminal, Salyavin. All well and good, but the clever narrative is swamped with the most appallingly juvenile gags, such as the repetitive tea joke, mention of a book called 'Alternative Betelgeuse' (another reference to Hitch Hikers), Romana describing Gallifreyan children as "Time Tots" and a scene where Chronotis beats his hearts in Gallifreyan Morse. In fact the only time humour is used to good effect is in a scene not written by Adams, as the Doctor cycles past the King's College Songsters as they sing 'Chatinooga Choo Choo'. | [[broadwcast:Shada|Shada]] is no exception to this. On first inspection the story looks fascinating: an eccentric Time Lord called Professor Chronotis, who retired from Gallifrey three hundred years ago, summons the Doctor and Romana to his rooms in Cambridge, but forgets why. As the mystery unravels we discover it concerns a book of 'The Ancient Law of Gallifrey', which Chronotis foolishly removed from the Panopticon Archives, and which is now sought after by the mind-robber Skagra in his search for the unknown '[[broadwcast:Shada|Shada]]' and a super-criminal, Salyavin. All well and good, but the clever narrative is swamped with the most appallingly juvenile gags, such as the repetitive tea joke, mention of a book called 'Alternative Betelgeuse' (another reference to Hitch Hikers), Romana describing Gallifreyan children as "Time Tots" and a scene where Chronotis beats his hearts in Gallifreyan Morse. In fact the only time humour is used to good effect is in a scene not written by Adams, as the Doctor cycles past the King's College Songsters as they sing 'Chatinooga Choo Choo'. | ||
| − | Production values are variable: the Cambridge location filming is a treat ( | + | Production values are variable: the Cambridge location filming is a treat (Tom Baker's Doctor fits in perfectly, and really should have been exiled there...) but the studio work is largely uninspiring. Rupert Roxburgh-Jarvis's costumes are dreadful, and include such travesties as the unconvincing Krargs, and the embarrassingly camp suit worn by Skagra. |
In retrospect, releasing [[broadwcast:Shada|Shada]] was not a particularly wise move. Whereas episode one can be resurrected almost in its entirety, by the time we reach episode three only a few scenes per episode exist, and by episode six you are left feeling cheated as the story's climax was never recorded. Considering the amount of post production work required, BBC Video's investment in this project must have been substantial. The original material needed dubbing, editing, sound effects, some video effects work, plus specially composed incidental music and the re-hiring of David Brierley to voice K9 on the film footage. Admittedly it is rather well compiled, with ail beginning and end title sequences intact, and the fades between scenes show some imagination on John Nathan-Turner's part. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Keff McCulloch's music; his 'Cambridge' theme is appealing, but the remainder is too brash and intrusive. | In retrospect, releasing [[broadwcast:Shada|Shada]] was not a particularly wise move. Whereas episode one can be resurrected almost in its entirety, by the time we reach episode three only a few scenes per episode exist, and by episode six you are left feeling cheated as the story's climax was never recorded. Considering the amount of post production work required, BBC Video's investment in this project must have been substantial. The original material needed dubbing, editing, sound effects, some video effects work, plus specially composed incidental music and the re-hiring of David Brierley to voice K9 on the film footage. Admittedly it is rather well compiled, with ail beginning and end title sequences intact, and the fades between scenes show some imagination on John Nathan-Turner's part. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Keff McCulloch's music; his 'Cambridge' theme is appealing, but the remainder is too brash and intrusive. | ||
