Review: DOCTOR WHO: Day of the Daleks Special Edition Screening

countless remastered versions of properties that are undoubtedly a big part of our childhood, such as the rapidly forthcoming Star Wars Blu-ray release, which we have heard George Lucas has still been tinkering with his original footage this year. Of course Star Wars has the problem of incorporating modern day technology and full on effects into a film that is over 30 years old and because of which something about it never fully meshes with the original footage (prime example are when Jabba meets Han in Hope and the musical quartet in Jedi). But when Doctor Who and its creators attempt a remastered version of a classic story from their own canon, the biggest difference is, they can pull it off seamlessly and without a hitch. This September 12th, just one week from today, see's the release of Day Of The Daleks a 1971 story that has been fully remastered with new special effects, new footage and re-dubbed Daleks voiced by the current series voice actor, Nick Briggs. When speaking at a recent press event for the exciting new release, Special Edition producer Steve Broster at 2entertain spoke about why he wanted to remaster Day over any other story:

"It was the story that made me a fan, I was six when it was first shown and I've always loved Day Of The Daleks. The weird thing is I watched it when I was six and thought it was fantastic, then it was my first Doctor Who VHS I got and when I watched it as a 19 year old I was really disappointed. As a child you see it as this wonderful thing then as your older you begin to notice the production values and it takes a bit away."

He also said while recently speaking to Doctor Who Magazine:

"The version my 19-year-old self saw differed dramatically from the version that had been sitting inside my head for 13 years. It just wasn't as good! So that became my ambition for the project - to try to recreate the version of Day Of The Daleks Ithought I saw as a six year old"

The way the 2entertain team approached the remastering of this story in itself should be commended. The team tracked down a vintage 1971 BBC 16mm camera and shot additional scenes in the same manner the original series did, even to the extent of down grading the finished footage to keep the grainy look of each episodes consistent. They even decided to keep each episode to the original length (to the frame!) by trimming down unnecessarily long wide shots (some lasting up to 30 seconds at a time!) and re-editing other scenes giving the show an overall quicker pace. All effects that were used in the remastered were approached by the crew with one thought in mind: To make it look like everything they have done could have been possible by the original team in 1971 if they had a more time and more money. Lasers fired from disintegrator guns actually feel like a well made 70's effect (in a good way) and don't stick out. That thankfully means not a single perfectly shiny CGI dalek appears in this story sticking out like a sore thumb, instead they commissioned the construction of a 1970's style dalek from scratch to shoot the additional scenes with. One of the biggest improvements that has been brought to the Special Edition is the inclusion of current series actor Nick Briggs contributing to the voice of the Daleks, replacing the somewhat flat and below par voices we heard in the original story. This is a great way to get fans of new Doctor Who interested and willing to take a jump back into the past and give a classic episode they may have otherwise skipped a try. Briggs has thankfully toned down his rather eccentric Dalek voice that we have grown to love for these episodes to help align the old and the new elements of this show more smoothly. When Briggs is introduces in the first episode I did find it slightly jarring to hear new Who Daleks talking in a 70's story, however by the second episode I was engulfed and would not have darted an eyestalk at the voice. They are The Daleks, as powerful, as menacing and as deadly as you can get in the classic series and exactly how you imagined them as a child. Once you let them suck you in, your in for one hell of a ride. Onto the core of the Special Edition, the effects. As said before the main goal for the restoration was to give a feel that if the production crew in 1971 had a little more time, and a little more money they could have achieved everything shown on the disc. The special edition includes over 250 effects, tweaks and changes with over 95% of those being foolproof to the naked eye. If you were to show it to someone who doesnt know this is a special edition, people would be fooled as this is what they always imagined their childhood Doctor Who episodes looked like 40 years ago. Almost all ray gun, disintegration's, teleports and explosions look as if they were part of the original show. They help suck you in and help bring a fresh but subtle lift to the story without making the entire show about the new special effects. I'm looking at you Lucas. Comparison Between Original Footage (Left) & Special Edition Footage (Right) One of the few noticeable enhancements they have included is the future cities of earth, however this is only a handful of cutaway shots and easily forgiven. Doctor Who has successfully remastered a 40 year old programme without it feeling out of place and caked in modern day CGI effects. George Lucas may have remastered the original Star Wars films four times over the past 14 years but the guys at 2entertain pulled it off after one attempt. On a side note for people who are interested in owning the original cut of Day Of The Daleks alongside the Special Edition - both versions will be released on DVD in one set on the 12th of September in the UK and packed with a hefty list of extras to boot. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MevFX6yyFko