If you've managed to catch the video trailer for the Season 25 - The Collection release, you'll have seen some of the new VFX which accompany the Special Editions of the stories. All four have been given new effects, but it is those for The Happiness Patrol which appear to be the most extensive.
New VFX are always controversial, and I know that some purists will always ignore them. Personally, I have mostly embraced the changes - and they are optional after all. (Re-editing, as with some recent "re-imaginings" is more of a problem for me).
There are a couple of instances where I choose to give them a miss. The Invisible Enemy has some fantastic model work, courtesy of Ian Scoones. For its DVD release, it was decided that the Titan base sequences ought to reflect what that moon actually looks like, making them more scientifically realistic. This means cloudy orange skies. For me these are inferior to the standard star-scape of the original (and they never got round to doing anything about the studio set windows).
The model sailing ships in Enlightenment are also superior to the CGI ones.
Other stories are greatly enhanced by new effects - such as the Dalek saucers in The Dalek Invasion of Earth and space station Nerva in both The Ark in Space and Revenge of the Cybermen.
For the forthcoming Blu-ray set, some stories will have only a few changes. The Greatest Show in the Galaxy doesn't rely on this type of effect too much, and Remembrance of the Daleks will mainly see only Dalek rays, spacecraft and Hand of Omega enhanced.
Silver Nemesis will see the Cyberships and shuttle replaced.
You might think that the studio-bound The Happiness Patrol would not offer much opportunity for new VFX, but it's that very factor which has led to the changes. The cityscape is being opened up with lots of shots showing the upper levels and backdrops to the city, adding a sense of scale to Terra Alpha.
From the shots we can see in the trailer, it makes it look a little more Blade Runner-ish or Gotham-like, with Helen A residing in a huge fascistic palace.
Many will argue that the studio setting, looking as fake as it does, is as it ought to be. It is a deliberate part of the overall design. This is a false society where the smiles are painted on, after all. It is supposed to look fake and unrealistic, and the sets reflect this.
The director, Chris Clough, was concerned about the sets at the time, and wanted to record the story in B&W, with skewed camera angles. (I've tried watching the story with the colour turned down, and it does make for an interesting viewing experience).
The Happiness Patrol is not a popular story. It's better regarded than the previous season's "off-beat" story - Paradise Towers - but the cheap-looking sets and the controversial monster have tended to drag it down. I suspect that, with its new look and ever relevant political dimension, this story is one that will be re-evaluated in a more positive light.
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