2019 is the year – seemingly, when we finally get some more blu-ray remasters of classic Doctor Who adventures.
Not since, 2013’s Spearhead From Space has any more classic episodes been remastered – and put out on Blu-ray format.
Spearhead From Space itself, was thought to be a bit of a fluke. Simply because, it was one of few Classic Who’s – to be shot entirely on 16mm film; which enabled the footage – to be remastered and upscaled to HD.
Most Classic Doctor Who’s were shot in standard-definition, using electronic cameras. With 16mm film used, for the outdoor scenes; when on-location footage was recorded/used (which wasn’t in every episode!).
Taking the best of those episodes – from across the full classic era (where the 16mm still exists); the BBC have begun releasing limited edition Blu-ray boxsets. From each of the Doctor’s eras, with a limited number of the best remastered episodes – available.
In most cases, this amounts to upscaling of standard footage; but – is as close to an 1080p remaster – as is currently possible to see.
Even with the upscaling limitation, this is exciting news for Classic Who fans who never thought, that these episodes would get the HD treatment.
The Blu-ray also encompasses 5.1 surround-sound – and tonnes of special features; some new and some previously released – on the DVD versions.
Boxsets already released, this year – include:
Jon Pertwee – Season 10 – 1972-73
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Season Ten – Episodes included:
The Three Doctors⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Carnival of Monsters????? Frontier In Space🔵🔵🔵⚪⚪ Planet of the Daleks⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Green Death⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Features
A brand new feature-length documentary examining the Third Doctor’s Era, with archival contributions from Jon Pertwee, Barry Letts and Terrance Dicks plus all-new interviews with Katy Manning, Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, presented by Matthew Sweet.
• Updated special effects and surround sound mix for Planet of the Daleks.
• Five new instalments of Behind the Sofa, featuring Katy Manning, Richard Franklin (Captain Yates) and John Levene (Sergeant Benton), along with 21st century Doctor Who panel Phil Collinson (Producer/Executive Producer), Pete McTighe (Writer) and Joy Wilkinson (Writer).
• Looking for Lennie, a documentary investigating the life of director Lennie Mayne. • Keeping up with the Jones’, which sees Katy Manning with Stewart Bevan (Cliff Jones) pay a return visit to the Welsh locations from The Green Death.
• Plus: a repeat omnibus of The Green Death unseen since Christmas 1973, rare Panopticon convention footage, Blu-ray trailer, HD photo galleries plus scripts, production files and rare documentation provided as PDFs.
• The six-disc box set also includes hours of extensive special features previously released on DVD including two episodes of The Sarah Jane Adventures that saw Katy Manning’s Jo Jones meet the Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith).
Tom Baker – Season 12 – 1974-75
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Season Twelve – Episodes included:
Robot🔵🔵⚪⚪⚪ The Ark in Space⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Sontaran Experiment🔵🔵🔵🔵⚪ Genesis of the Daleks⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Revenge of the Cybermen🔵🔵🔵🔵⚪ Features
New Making-Of documentary and updated special effects for Logopolis
Revealing new 2019 commentaries moderated by Matthew Sweet (Tom Baker on The Leisure Hive, Lalla Ward & Rachel Davies on State Of Decay)
Surround sound mix for Warriors’ Gate
Rare behind-the-scenes footage from The Leisure Hive, Full Circle and Logopolis
Eight more editions of Behind The Sofa
Brand new documentaries The Writers Room and Weekend With Waterhouse
New interview with K9 & Company’s Ian Sears
Another dip into the Panopticon convention archives with Tom Baker
HD photo galleries plus scripts, production files and rare documentation provided as PDFs
The eight-disc box set also includes hours of extensive special features previously released on DVD.
All material has been remastered for Blu-ray by Peter Crocker and Mark Ayres. Lee Binding has provided stunning packaging and new series writer/content consultant Pete McTighe has written another extensive booklet. Russell Minton is Executive Producer.
Peter Davison – Season 19 – 1982
Affiliate link to Amazon UK for potential buyers:
Season Nineteen – Episodes included:
Castrovalva🔵🔵🔵⚪⚪ Four To Doomsday🔵🔵⚪⚪⚪ Kinda🔵🔵🔵🔵⚪ The Visitation🔵🔵🔵⚪⚪ Black Orchid⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Earthshock⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Time-Flight🔵⚪⚪⚪⚪ Features
The Limited Edition Blu-ray includes brand new ‘Special Features’ exclusive to this set include: Five new ‘Making-Of’ documentaries for Castrovalva, Four To Doomsday, Black Orchid, Earthshock and Time-Flight, surround sound mixes for Kinda and Earthshock, an Extended Version of Black Orchid Part One, rare studio footage from Castrovalva, Four To Doomsday, Earthshock and Time-Flight, updated special effects for Castrovalva, seven more editions of Behind The Sofa and a newly-shot one-hour interview Peter Davison In Conversation with Matthew Sweet, and much more.
The eight-disc box set also includes the Peter Davison/David Tennant mini-episode Time Crash, plus hours of extensive special features previously released on DVD.
All 26 episodes are being remastered from scratch by Peter Crocker and Mark Ayres. With this season’s original 16mm film elements still in existence, the location material can be presented in true HD, with studio material upscaled. Lee Binding is again providing stunning packaging design and Pete McTighe has written extensive booklet notes and is the content consultant for the title. Doctor Who: The Collection is executively produced for BBC Studios by Russell Minton.
DOCTOR WHO: THE COLLECTION – SEASON 19 includes the following stories from 1982:
Castrovalva (Four episodes); Four To Doomsday (Four Episodes); Kinda (Four Episodes); The Visitation (Four Episodes); Black Orchid (Two Episodes); Earthshock (Four Episodes); Time-Flight (Four episodes)
Colin Baker – Season 23 – Trial Of A Timelord – 1986
Extended edits – of all fourteen episodes
Terror of the Vervoids – four-part standalone edition with updated Fx
Immersive 5.1 surround sound & isolated scores – on all 14 broadcast episodes
Behind the Sofa – new episodes with Colin Baker, Nicola Bryant, Bonnie Langford, Mark Strickson, Frazer Hines and Matthew Waterhouse
The Writers’ Room – Eric Saward, Philip Martin, Christopher H Bidmead & Waly K Daly discuss the ‘Lost’ Season 23
The Doctor Who Cookbook Revisited – brave cast members tackle their original recipes from the 1980s official cookbook
The Doctor’s Table – join Colin Baker and friends for dinner
In Conversation – Matthew Sweet chats to companion Bonnie Langford
Unseen studio footage
Rare archive treats
Convention footage
Blu-ray trailer
HD photo galleries
Scripts, costume designs & more in the PDF Archive
The six-disc box set also includes hours of extensive special features previously released on DVD.
On its way in December 2019 is :
Sylvester McCoy – Season 26 – 1989
Affiliate link to Amazon UK for potential buyers:
Season Twenty-Six – Episodes included:
Battlefield🔵🔵🔵⚪⚪ Ghost Light🔵🔵⚪⚪⚪ The Curse of Fenric⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Survival🔵⚪⚪⚪⚪ Features
Rare Restored Extended Cuts:
The Curse Of Fenric VHS Extended Version
The Curse Of Fenric DVD Special Edition
Battlefield VHS Extended Version
Battlefield DVD Special Edition
5.1 surround sound & isolated scores
On all 14 broadcast episodes, plus 5.1 sound on all extended versions of The Curse Of Fenric and Battlefield.
Behind the Sofa
New episodes with Sylvester McCoy, Sophie Aldred, plus companions Janet Fielding, Sarah Sutton, Anneke Wills and Jodie-Whittaker-era writers Pete McTighe & Joy Wilkinson.
Showman – the Life of John Nathan-Turner
A feature-length look at the life and career of Doctor Who’s longest-serving producer, who fought to keep the programme on-air during the 1980s. Contributors include Peter Davison and Colin Baker.
Making ‘The Curse of Fenric’
A brand new documentary featuring Sylvester McCoy, Sophie Aldred, Tomek Bork, Nicholas Parsons, Cory Pulman, Marek Anton, Ian Briggs, Andrew Cartmel, Mark Ayres and Ian Collins featuring unseen behind-the-scenes footage and photographs.
In Conversation
Matthew Sweet chats to companion Sophie Aldred.
The Writers’ Room
Ben Aaronovitch, Marc Platt, Ian Briggs, Rona Munro and Andrew Cartmel discuss their work on Season 26.
Becoming The Destroyer
Actor Marek Anton and prosthetics designer Stephen Mansfield recall the creation of one of Doctor Who’s best ever monsters.
Blu-Ray trailer
Sophie Aldred back in character as Ace.
Plus
Brand new Ghost Light extended workprint
Unseen studio footage
Rare archive treats
Convention footage
HD photo galleries
Scripts, costume designs, rare BBC production files
and other gems from our PDF archive
And lots more!
