Sunday 19 January 2014

DVD Update 19.1.14


Apart from some location night filming on Episode 1 of the next series, things are a bit quiet at the moment. I'm being a bit lazy with updates this month, but I thought it might be time to remind of what there is still to come on the Classic DVD front - prompted by tomorrow's release of The Moonbase, with the missing episodes 1 & 3 covered by animation.
Back in 2012, we all assumed that the anniversary year would see the completion of the DVD releases. Then, this time last year, it was announced that the releases would continue into 2014. It looked as if a load of Special Editions would pad out the schedules, and to some extent they did. We had The Aztecs, The Green Death, The Visitation, The Ark in Space. There was also a Blu-ray version of Spearhead From Space and a release for The Scream of the Shalka. The Aztecs S.E.at least gave us the Galaxy 4 found episode. That The Moonbase was going to be given its own release was known quite a while ago. Contributors had mentioned recording a commentary. It is known that two episodes of animation per story is economically viable. The finding of episode 2 of The Underwater Menace meant that that story only required two episodes of animation for its own release - and this is what is going to happen. No date for release has been set yet. The only confirmed release left for 2014 is The Web of Fear (UK date 24.2.14).
Which brings us to the newly discovered Troughton stories announced in October. Who would have thought that after The Ice Warriors, there would still be four full Troughton releases to come?
Once those Second Doctor stories are out there, what is there left to release? It was claimed there were no plans to bring out any more Special Editions for a while. This is contradicted by news of contributions to an Earthshock SE. (Also, as I've said before, where are they going to put Part 2 of the "Television Centre of the Universe" documentary - the one which began on The Visitation SE?).
And what of The Crusade? That story also only requires two episodes of animation for completion. There are very few historical stories available on DVD, and The Crusade is widely accepted as one of the best of them. I sincerely hope we get good news of it soon.

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