One of the exceptionally thrilling things about a trip to our nation's capital is a location pilgrimage.
Whether they be small scale and private (as can be witnessed here), or a grander enterprise involving effort and stuff (like here), much fun is to be had from visiting and gawping at hallowed ground.
While most people from these parts go down to that London to "see a show" or somesuch, I choose to go to see... a railway bridge over a canal, for example.
So, let us not dilly-dally, and erm... cross it.
Yes, this time we are in the presence of the unfortunately coded Serial KKK, which saw the return of the Daleks to yer Proper Who after a few years. Fresh from Terry Nation's dismal failure to get America interested in his metal cashcows, the Daleks appear in the series for the first time in colour.
It's a shame then that Barry Letts forgot to ask Nation if he minded the source of his pension being wheeled out to jazz up a Louis Marks faux ghost-story script, featuring topical guerillas, space gorillas and a rather clever time paradox. (Which makes it a much more interesting tale than the Daleks usually get involved in, especially if penned by a certain Terry Nation...)
Anyway, egos were massaged, tempers were soothed, Roger Hancock dusted off the paying-in book, and Nation got his gig back writing for the series again in a way that didn't make it look like he'd been too proud to ask.
All of which must have thrilled Jon Pertwee, who was never particularly backward in expressing his dislike of Nation's most famous creations...
While the phrase "benefitting from an early Target release" has cropped up a few times in the course of these meanderings, "Day of the Daleks" was also fortunate to receive a very early VHS release. (See previous comments on "The Brain of Morbius" for an idea of how intensive cycles of rental can influence one's appreciation of a story).
It just so happens that the original Target novel has one of my all-time favourite Chris Achilleos covers, which includes an illustration of the above portrait. The yellow and brown hues are most pleasing and autumnal, and involuntarily make me think of a tasty mature cheddar.
The story even goes as far as mentioning cheese, so it doesn't feel too out of place namechecking it here.
Meanwhile, here's Sergeant Benton, phoning in his order to the UNIT Cheese Hotline.
"Cheese, old chap? I'll have the best of everything, please..."
Bearing in mind that all the Dalek stuff was a late addition bolted onto an existing storyline, "Day of the Daleks" works much, much better than it probably has a right to. While I've never read the original plotline, I consider the Ogron's demotion to mere "hired muscle" to be more agreeable than if they were the main protagonists of the serial.
As well as utilising the Ogrons as physical enforcers, having the Daleks govern the conquered Earth through a tier of collaborators is great idea, especially when compared to their previous body-horror style subjugation of humanity through lobotomy and mind control.
Aubrey Woods' performance comes in for some stick on the DVD commentary track, from some idiots who should know better. I can't fault it myself, and the alleged theatrical 'largeness' perfectly suits somebody permanently paranoid that his actions are being unsympathetically monitored, and offering nervous reassurance.
So, let us not dilly-dally, and erm... cross it.
It's a shame then that Barry Letts forgot to ask Nation if he minded the source of his pension being wheeled out to jazz up a Louis Marks faux ghost-story script, featuring topical guerillas, space gorillas and a rather clever time paradox. (Which makes it a much more interesting tale than the Daleks usually get involved in, especially if penned by a certain Terry Nation...)
All of which must have thrilled Jon Pertwee, who was never particularly backward in expressing his dislike of Nation's most famous creations...
While the phrase "benefitting from an early Target release" has cropped up a few times in the course of these meanderings, "Day of the Daleks" was also fortunate to receive a very early VHS release. (See previous comments on "The Brain of Morbius" for an idea of how intensive cycles of rental can influence one's appreciation of a story).
It just so happens that the original Target novel has one of my all-time favourite Chris Achilleos covers, which includes an illustration of the above portrait. The yellow and brown hues are most pleasing and autumnal, and involuntarily make me think of a tasty mature cheddar.
The story even goes as far as mentioning cheese, so it doesn't feel too out of place namechecking it here.
Meanwhile, here's Sergeant Benton, phoning in his order to the UNIT Cheese Hotline.
"Cheese, old chap? I'll have the best of everything, please..."
Bearing in mind that all the Dalek stuff was a late addition bolted onto an existing storyline, "Day of the Daleks" works much, much better than it probably has a right to. While I've never read the original plotline, I consider the Ogron's demotion to mere "hired muscle" to be more agreeable than if they were the main protagonists of the serial.
As well as utilising the Ogrons as physical enforcers, having the Daleks govern the conquered Earth through a tier of collaborators is great idea, especially when compared to their previous body-horror style subjugation of humanity through lobotomy and mind control.
Aubrey Woods' performance comes in for some stick on the DVD commentary track, from some idiots who should know better. I can't fault it myself, and the alleged theatrical 'largeness' perfectly suits somebody permanently paranoid that his actions are being unsympathetically monitored, and offering nervous reassurance.
Eschewing the usual quarries, location filming for the 22nd Century makes excellent and evocative use of wasteground surrounding some demolished factories, and the bits of towerblocks where you keep the bins.
Sadly, on our location recce we were unable to recreate the exciting Doctor/Ogron quadbike chase sequence, so we'll just have to settle for a popular shot of, erm... Pertwee getting his leg over. A bike, that is.
And speaking of bins, I've always loved the above shot of Pertwee doing a spot of hiding acting, in what looks to be round the back of Auderly House somewhere. Probably near the bins.
And here he is again, in another favourite action shot. (The Ogron at the back there is doing some excellent Scooby-Doo monster moves, which is always a nice touch).
Katy Manning's in fine form in this story, and she gets quite a few nice moments when Jo gets stranded in the futrure. (And we get a few good knicker shots as well, so that's alright then).
Some of the images from this story that personally resonate quite strongly are the ones of Daleks and Ogrons emerging from the tunnel in the 20th Century. There are a couple to choose from, and I'm still a tiny bit unsure as to which one is the uber-shot. I'm thinking it's the one above, which isn't the best of the bunch, but I can't alter my childhood to suit my current aesthetic sensibilities.
Usually it's the other way around...
Compared to that, Terrance Dicks' oft-repeated sarcasm about fans dating stories by Pertwee's bouffant seems a bit lame...
And here's a different take of Benton. Note bridge in background...
While the Dalek assault on Auderly House is often viewed unfavourably due to the presence of a Gold Dalek casing making it impossible to make three Daleks look like an army, my point is... why bother? Why should it be necessary to attempt to portray a dozen or more Daleks (and Ogrons) travelling through time just to knock off a squad of human soldiers, a few flabby politicians and TV's Alex MacIntosh?
Whatever happened to the days of the Master Plan and "one Dalek is capable of exterminating all", huh?
If Terry Nation had anything at all to moan about, he perhaps should have moaned about that...
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