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March 3rd, 2019 16 comments

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Doctor Who The Macra Terror Blu-ray

Available to order from www.amazon.co.uk

Also available to order from www.zoom.co.uk

Please note ALL formats contain both the B&W and Colour versions.

BBC Studios to release brand new animation of 1967 Doctor Who missing serial The Macra Terror

The 4 x 25 min missing episodes, which were originally part of Doctor Who’s (now mostly lost) fourth season, have been animated for the first time, to be released on DVD, Blu-ray, special edition Steelbook and digital download.

Originally broadcast in four weekly parts from 11th March to 1st April 1967, and starring Patrick Troughton, Anneke Wills, Michael Craze and Frazer Hines, no full episodes of this serial are known to have survived on film.

Fortunately for fans, a complete audio recording of all four parts still exists. Now, 52 years later, the four episodes will be brought back to life through the power of animation, available on disc and digital download, in both colour and black and white, from 18th March 2019.

Anneke Wills says, ‘Back in 1967 “There’s no such thing as Macra!” was the cry; and for many years after there was no such thing as “The Macra Terror”. Now, thanks to the magic of animation, we can see the story come to life again. I can’t wait to see this adventure and how gratifying to have a little more of Ben and Polly’s time with the Doctor available to be seen by new generations.’

The Doctor (Patrick Troughton) and his companions arrive on a human colony in the far flung future. The colony appears to be a giant recreational complex – a holiday camp for rest and relaxation. Everyone looks happy and carefree but all is not as it seems. The colony has been infiltrated and brainwashed by a race of giant parasitic crab creatures called the Macra.

The Macra have only returned once since, 40 years later, coming face to face with the Tenth Doctor (David Tennant) and Martha Jones (Freema Agyeman) in the 2007 episode Gridlock.

Paul Hembury, Executive Producer, BBC Studios says, ‘After the success of Shada, we were very excited by the possibility of further animations. We are therefore delighted to be able to bring fans these missing episodes in a completely new form.’

Special features for the DVD and Blu-ray release include: Animation Gallery, Behind the Scenes Film and Audio Commentary.

Doctor Who: The Macra Terror will be released on digital download, DVD (RRP £20.42), Blu-ray (RRP £25.52) and special edition Steelbook (RRP £40.84) on 18th March 2019.

A special screening of Doctor Who: The Macra Terror will be held at the BFI Southbank, London on the 16th March 2019. Tickets will go on sale to BFI members on Tuesday 5th February with public sale opening on Tuesday 12th February. Further information will be available soon via the BFI website.

Doctor Who: The Macra Terror will be released on digital download, DVD (RRP £20.42), Blu-ray (RRP £25.52) and special edition Steelbook (RRP £40.84) on 18th March 2019.

A special screening of Doctor Who: The Macra Terror will be held at the BFI Southbank, London on the 16th March 2019. Tickets will go on sale to BFI members on Tuesday 5th February with public sale opening on Tuesday 12th February. Further information will be available soon via the BFI website.

Special features for the DVD and Blu-ray release include:

  • Audio Commentary: Toby Hadoke presents an audio commentary track on all four episodes of ‘The Macra Terror’, featuring cast and crew from the original 1967 production – Frazer Hines (Jamie), Terence Lodge (Medok), Anthony Gardner (Alvis), Maureen Lane (Majorette) and director, John Davies. Commentary produced by John Kelly and recorded in London on 4th January 2019.
  • Episode Reconstructions: Surviving film frames, fragments of existing footage and set photographs are brought together with the original unedited audio to reconstruct a presentation of the original now lost live-action production of ‘The Macra Terror’, as seen by viewers of BBC 1 in 1967. Produced by Derek Handley. Available to watch with or without an optional narration track read by Anneke Wills.
  • Bonus Mini-Episode: A ten-minute animated short, built around an otherwise lost Doctor Who episode from 1968 starring Patrick Troughton and Frazer Hines. Directed by AnneMarie Walsh.
  • Animation Test: Prior to the project being formally commissioned, this short animation test (of a scene from episode 3 of ‘The Macra Terror’) was produced in March 2018, to investigate the feasibility of mounting the production in full.
  • Animatics: A selection of scenes showing how the new animated production of ‘The Macra Terror’ went from initial storyboards to final animation. Storyboard art by Adrian Salmon.
  • Animation Gallery: A gallery of artwork from the development, pre-production and animation of the new animated version of ‘The Macra Terror’, including character art from Martin Geraghty and background paintings from Graham Bleathman, Colin Howard and Lydia Butz.
  • Teaser Trailer: A short teaser trailer animated by Rob Ritchie, produced to promote the announcement of a new production of ‘The Macra Terror’ in December 2018.
  • Alternative Black and White presentation: The full four-part animation is also available to view in an alternative black and white format on disc 2.
  • 1992 Audio Presentation: In 1992, the BBC Audio Collection released ‘The Macra Terror’ on audio cassette, in a special release narrated by Colin Baker. It was the first time that the story had been made commercially available by the BBC and that audio-only release is included here in full.
  • Surviving Footage: Less than two minutes of original footage still exist from the 1967 production of ‘The Macra Terror’. These film fragments have been painstakingly restored and digitally remastered for this release, with considerable improvements made to the overall picture quality and resolution of this unique footage. Film restoration by Peter Crocker.
  • Behind the scenes film: In 1967, during pre-production of ‘The Macra Terror’, film cameras visited the visual effects workshop in Uxbridge where work was underway on construction of the Macra props. Special effects props and models from other Doctor Who stories can also be seen in the workshop, including parts of a Cyberman from ‘The Tenth Planet’ (1966) and an aeroplane from ‘The Faceless Ones’ (1967). This footage is accompanied by a new audio commentary track from Doctor Who visual effects designer and BBC visual effects historian, Mike Tucker, explaining some of the effects techniques and props featured in the film.
  • Censored Scene: A reconstruction of a scene from episode 2 of ‘The Macra Terror’ that was heavily re-edited by censors for the episode’s Australian television transmission in November 1967.
  • Title sequences: ‘The Macra Terror’ saw the debut of a new title sequence for Doctor Who – the first time the programme had made such a change. The title sequence is presented here in full, remastered in HD and in a number of alternative versions.
  • Photo gallery: A collection of 36 photographs taken during the production of ‘The Macra Terror’ in 1967, featuring original design department set photographs and Radio Times publicity images. All presented in HD.
  • Production Paperwork: A full set of original camera scripts, studio schedules, floor plans and other materials are available to view by accessing disc 2 via your computer’s DVD or Blu Ray ROM drive.

Additional extras exclusive to Steelbook:

  • Gridlock: The Macra returned to Doctor Who in 2007, in this episode starring David Tennant and written by Russell T. Davies
  • Audio commentary: Julie Gardner, Travis Oliver and Marie Jones discuss the making of ‘Gridlock’ in this audio commentary track from 2007.
  • Doctor Who Confidential – Are we there yet?: A documentary looking at the making of the 2007 story, ‘Gridlock’.


Categorised under: Blu-ray, DVD

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16 comments

  • Phillip

    March 28th, 2019 - 5:19pm

    Is there his region locked?

    Reply
    • Phillip

      March 28th, 2019 - 5:20pm

      This, not there his…

    • Rob W

      March 28th, 2019 - 8:29pm

      There’s no region coding on the packaging or discs. If It’s 1080/50hz your TV and player would need to be compatible. I haven’t watched the extras which may be PAL. I’m sure someone can confirm this for sure, anyone..?

  • professorprune

    March 27th, 2019 - 5:48pm

    Was so pleased that they’ve included a Derek Handley et al reconstruction across the two discs (hope this becomes the norm). It’s had further enhancements since its last LC outing and is excellent. Unfortunately, however, Episode 4 is out of sync by about 2 seconds on both the narration and narration-free versions.

    Reply
  • Rob W

    March 25th, 2019 - 11:52am

    The Standard Edition is £17.99 from your local HMV.

    Reply
    • Rob W

      March 25th, 2019 - 3:00pm

      Now Amazon have price matched this.

  • Robert Sienicki

    March 7th, 2019 - 3:32pm

    You can’t but notice that they have changed the design of the cover. New logo. Will not match the previous Blu-Rays like “The Movie”, “Spearhead” or “Shada”. I wonder if there will be a second cover on the other side to match the classic layout with the round things like in the old ones.

    Reply
    • Gordon

      March 7th, 2019 - 3:54pm

      The alternative cover already been confirmed

  • Anonymous

    March 4th, 2019 - 9:28pm

    Can I just say they have donn great with the extras

    So much content I love it

    Reply
  • Matt P

    March 4th, 2019 - 3:55pm

    Hmmm…I wonder what the ten minute animated short is based on a 1968 episode? Could it be a prelude to the next animated episode release? Wheel in Space maybe??

    Reply
    • Robert Sienicki

      March 4th, 2019 - 6:05pm

      I feel like it will be that Wheel in Space scene they did. But that would mean Wheel in Space isn’t planned for the next animated episode.

    • Gordon

      March 4th, 2019 - 6:08pm

      Don’t think it’s a prelude to anything. It’s just the 10 minute mini cut down episode of wheel ep 1 that they did quickly for the bfi. They didn’t even give Jamie the correct costume. If they was doing wheel next surely it would have been quicker in the long run to give him the correct costume. It’s just gives them extra work to do

  • Robert Sienicki

    February 14th, 2019 - 6:20pm

    I’ve preordered that the day it was announced. They haven’t change the release date yet, but should I be worry, that its month to the premiere and the cover is still TBC?

    Reply
  • Anonymous

    December 6th, 2018 - 8:21am

    amazon link still not working?????

    Reply
    • booboo

      December 6th, 2018 - 8:26am

      no they were supposed to go live at midnight

  • Doctor Mysterio

    December 5th, 2018 - 10:05pm

    Oh yes. Day One purchase. Sold.
    More please!

    Reply

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