"I Would Like a Hat Like That!" No.23 - Cosplay Special

A brief respite in the midst of the Disappointing Family Holiday, and contrary to possible expectation, I have eschewed a Scottish theme for this entry.

 

As a prelude to a potentially regular column that I haven't thought of a name for yet, my thoughts have been lately turning to a perusal of what is known today as "cosplay".

 

Cosplay appears on initial inspection to be largely an American phenomenon, but dressing up in outlandish costumes you just can't quite carry off has been common practice on British soil for as long as I care to remember.

 

Whilst many have derided it as an embarrassing and childish subculture among snobbish Doctor Who fandom, I have always found the prospect of idiots in fancy dress parading about at conventions to be part of the rich tapestry of being a fan of what was (in my day) merely a tatty old kid's programme.

 

Anyway, it's all viewed as normal and healthy behaviour now, and as the series has become more sophisticated and "modern", then so have our costumed buddies.

 

For example, just witness this amazing hat...

And let's face it. Any hobby that allows you to download endless pictures of large-breasted women dressed up as Red Sonja and Power Girl must surely be a positive thing...

"I Would Like a Hat Like That!" No.22

As the 50th Anniversary of Proper Who approaches, it is more through luck as opposed to judgement that I will be embarking on my viewing of Season 20.

 

In keeping with my earlier pronouncements, I am still experiencing mixed feelings at the prospect. Tying it into the anniversary celebrations (and as light relief on the annual Disappointing Family Holiday), it makes it feel almost poignant. 

 

And perhaps if I stop titting about on an evening (bringing work home, washing up, getting drunk and falling asleep on the settee) I may actually watch "The Five Doctors" on the anniversary date itself.

 

Something we never got to do on its initial transmission, of course.

 

Anyway, here's a peek at of one of the best bits of Season 20...

 

 

Yes, that's veteran actor Valentine Dyall, there.

 

With lots of video effects.

Shouting.

 

With a bird on his head.

"A Disused Yeti?"

Well, the rumours were largely true, and it still seems so much better than could have been hoped for.

 

Four of the five missing episodes of "The Web of Fear" and all five missing episodes of "The Enemy of the World", making that a grand total of seven complete Troughton stories in the archive.

 

It's quite something to see the once barren wasteland that was the Season Five archive holdings of my youth become increasingly populated. In fact, I'm still somewhat overwhelmed by the sheer size of the haul.

 

Watching the news reports rolling out after the midnight press embargo was lifted was an experience that I won't forget in a hurry, and I pre-ordered the inevitable DVD releases at an appropriately ridiculous early hour.

 

So, what with that and the almost immediate availability of the episodes on iTunes, why the hell are we still waiting to see "The Underwater Menace" Episode 2?

 

I'm sorry to keep going on about it, but I'm missing the days of rush-release onto VHS so badly...

Publicity Shots from Hell No.38 - Archive Special

As the tension mounts over tomorrow's announcement, it's time to finally address the mystery of what the hell Wendy Padbury was doing in what looks like an editing suite with unwound spools of VT in her hot sweaty hands?

With shades of Katy Manning and a broad-minded Dalek springing to mind, many might imagine young Padders sprawled naked amongst unspooled episodes of "The Space Pirates".

Not me, however.

I'm more interested in how in real life such a come-to-bed expression could ever be seen on the face of any self-respecting female when confronted with raw optical media...

Publicity Shots from Hell No.37

Whilst the world awaits Thursday's press conference to announce which (and how many) hitherto-lost episodes of yer Proper Doctor Who have been rediscovered, it's back in the old routine here in the Security Kitchen.

 

So what do you do after an enforced hiatus? Hold an hilarious, rib-tickling photo-call, of course!

 

  

Oh, Colin. Those heady days of adulation and optimism were to prove to be so short-lived...