OUT THIS MONTH: 'THE FACELESS ONES'

The then newly opened Gatwick Airport in London is the excellent setting for an unusual 1967 take over of the Human form on Earth, as the alien chameleons begin their abduction plans on young globe-trotting tourists, though soon encountering the second incarnation of the Doctor and his companions, who fight back against those unusual but deadly The Faceless Ones. This popular but mostly episode-lost early story from the Patrick Troughton era, written by David Ellis and Malcolm Hulke, gets a fully-animated new lease of life, available from BBC Studios this month (20th March, 2020).

When Doctor Who aliens invaded Gatwick Airport - BBC News

Behind the scenes of the original B/W story:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loQ8IBdV-lU

DVD release info:

The Doctor and his friends Ben, Polly and Jamie arrive at Gatwick airport. They quickly stumble upon an alien plot, centring upon the mysterious ‘Chameleon Tours’ - a low-price holiday company, whose young passengers have been vanishing in unexplained circumstances. With the help of Scotland Yard and the airport staff, the Doctor investigates further, but it isn’t long before his own friends start disappearing too.

What is happening to the passengers of Chameleon Tours? Where are the company’s planes really going? Can the Doctor unravel the mystery of Chameleon Tours before it’s too late?

Most of the BBC’s original 1967 master recordings for ‘The Faceless Ones’ were lost soon after the programme’s original transmission. However, audio-only recordings have survived and have been used here to create a brand new fully animated reconstruction of this lost classic.

INCLUDES:
• Colour Animated Episodes 1-6*
• Black & White Animated Episodes 1-6*
• The Original Episodes 1 & 3*
• Telesnap Reconstructions of Original Episodes 2, 4, 5 & 6*
• Audio commentaries (Animated Episodes 4, 5 & 6, plus Original Episodes 1 & 3)
• Face to Face with the Faceless Ones (Making of)
• Stock Footage from Original Production
• Surviving Film Fragments
• Trailer – Fury from the Deep
• PDFs

*With Remastered Audio by Mark Ayres

Starring: Patrick Troughton, Anneke Wills, Frazer Hines, Pauline Collins, Michael Craze, Colin Gordon, Wanda Ventham, Bernard Kay, Donald Pickering, Christopher Tranchell and Victor Winding

Teaser: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAMAxBFJBvE

Clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NG2a2tmKTnU

More info: http://www.doctorwhotv.co.uk/the-faceless-ones-animation-release-date-92571.htm

Get the DVD edition here:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Doctor-Who-Faceless-Ones-DVD/dp/B07SGQQFP2/ref=tmm_dvd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1582816933&sr=8-1

Get the Blu-ray steel book here:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Doctor-Who-Faceless-Ones-Blu-ray/dp/B07SKVPN1L/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3LYWI9YWOI9RI&keywords=the+faceless+ones+blu+ray&qid=1582816933&sprefix=the+faceless+ones%2Caps%2C425&sr=8-1

INTRODUCING... THE DALEKS!

The crotchety Doctor's insatiable curiosity of the mysterious city located on a radiation-shrouded 'dead planet' soon lands him, granddaughter Susan, and their new unwilling Earth companions Barbara and Ian, into the dangerous realms of the mysterious metal-encased Daleks, as the series kicks off its now legendary status as a popular and iconic TV series with Terry Nation's epic and exciting seven-parter, The Daleks.

More terrific art from Tom Connell, showcasing a classic scene.

HAPPINESS WILL PREVAIL!

The combined forces of that purveyor of deadly confectionery in the unique sweet monster, the Kandyman, alongside the tyranny of the all-powerful Helen A make for a darkly comedic drama, as The Doctor and Ace set out to right the terrible wrongs brought to a far-off Earth colony, and all in just one long night too, within the richly imaginative swipe at Margaret Thatcher era British leadership that was The Happiness Patrol, represented in this excellent VHS sleeve art by Colin Howard for BBC VIDEO that was sadly never used. 

A FIX FOR A SONTARAN!

Sontaran warrior Styke gets more than he bargained for when the Kartz-Reimer time module capsule goes bezerk on him, a result of the Doctor's unique sabotage, in this memorable and very messy moment (a staple fate for a fair few monsters during Who's eighties era) from The Two Doctors.

A REGENERATION FAILING?

We've normally had post regeneration stories where, after the first episode or two, the new Doctor had settled into his new regeneration. Not so with Season Nineteen's new era opener Castrovala, however, whose whole four episodes saw the Time Lord suffering from trauma and a personality still in shape. Filmed fourth in production order to give Davison prior time to establish himself in the role, Christopher H. Bidmead's imaginative tale is an excellent sequel continuation from the doom laden affairs of Logopolis, with another splendid civilization effectively established in the series, even if it is all one big trap!

MAGNIFICENT HEADS!

The clay mould of a familiar face catches the Doctor's attentions, and his suspicions, within the house of scientist Mehendri Solon, in this classic image from Terrence Dicks/Robert Holmes black comedy horror The Brain of Morbius, full of terrific character actor performances and controversial violence.

A LITTLE 'MAY DAY' THUMPING!

The town of Devil's End has been a little off of late, but things are about to get a whole lot worse for our unawares hero during the local May Day celebrations, in a classic moment from the beloved Season Eight finale, The Daemons.