September 10th, 2020
32 comments
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Doctor Who Marco Polo Desert Sandstorm Vinyl LP
Available to order in the UK from www.amazon.co.uk and www.zoom.co.uk
Available to order in the USA from www.amazon.com #ad
Demon Records presents the narrated TV soundtrack of a ‘lost’ seven-part adventure set in the 13th Century, starring William Hartnell as the original Doctor pressed on 4 x 140g Desert Sandstorm Vinyl.
When the TARDIS breaks down in Central Asia, its occupants are met by the explorer Marco Polo. The year is 1289, and Marco is crossing the Gobi desert to Peking, for an audience with the emperor Kublai Khan. Marco sets his mind on offering the TARDIS as a gift to the Khan, despite the Doctor’s protests. The time travellers must endure a long journey, fraught with danger, as they join Marco’s caravan in the company of the treacherous warlord, Tegana. Can the Doctor ever win back his magical blue box?
Presented across 4 x 140g vinyl, with an etched TARDIS Side B, this 1964 TV soundtrack – no episodes of which survive as film recordings – is narrated by William Russell, who co-stars with Jacqueline Hill and Carole Ann Ford as the Doctor’s companions Ian, Barbara and Susan. Mark Eden co-stars as Marco Polo himself, with Derren Nesbitt and Zienia Merton among the supporting cast. Incidental music is composed by Tristram Cary, and the familiar strains of the Doctor Who theme are courtesy of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop.
The coloured vinyl LPs are presented in fully illustrated sleeves which, when assembled together, form the cover image. Original episode billings, and full cast and credits, are also supplied.
Categorised under: CD, Vinyl records
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Snowman
October 7th, 2024 - 5:37pmI managed to pick up a New Factory Sealed Copy of this Set. Beautiful Cover and inside packaging, Lovely Coloured Vinyl aswell.
Was a pain to get hold of though. Picked it up from Ebay. Been looking for the last few Months now and one Set usually pops up every Month or so and they usually get snapped up rather Quickly, so there quite rare now and hard to get hold of.
Gareth Pugh
September 11th, 2020 - 1:36pmMy Marco Polo’s just rocked up – genuinely stunning item. Couple of interesting things:
* inside the far-too-big Amazon box it shipped in is a (probably manufacturer-supplied) cardboard outer carton tightly hugging the box itself. It has a barcode sticker on the outside and the small print refers to it as ‘Marco Polo – Amazon ex.’ – which would imply an Amazon-Exclusive variant, but (unlike with some previous releases) I don’t think there IS one… unless the whole box set is now exclusive to Amazon? Anyhoo, the spec is exactly as PR’d (4 pieces, ‘sandstorm’ vinyl pattern, Tardis etching on Disc 1 side 2)
* as with Evil of the Daleks (but not every release in the series, alas) the cast/credits card is a single sheet (not gatefold) with the usual-designed credits on one side – but a lovely ‘clean’ copy of the box cover art on the other – so you can get one of those 12″ x 12″ frames (IKEA do ’em for about £7, for example) and effectively treat it as an art print.
booboo
September 11th, 2020 - 1:40pmzoom have it, i expect maybe it was planned as an exclusive with another standard release but they might be playing save with quantities at the moment or maybe the manufacturing capacity is an issue
Bryan
September 12th, 2020 - 8:56pmCouldn’t Agree more Gareth Pugh. Simply beautiful art. The 4 record sleeves make a Two tiled scenes. the COVER image and the Back Cover image.
I know set ups, will differ, but the sound on Episode one, was so much better than I remembered. Not sure if more work is done on the soundtrack, to make them Vinyl proof.
This is an expensive range,But Demon and Oink Creatives, have done a superb job on them, so far. With The Massacre…. And Marco, and The Big Finish Commonmen Lps out end of The month. We have been very spoiled.
Coleman
September 11th, 2020 - 12:20pmBeautiful cover,
Don’t think I’ll be buying it though. £70 is abit too expensive for me. Although I’ve bought quite a few of these Vinyls, the artwork is great.
Peter Adamson
July 18th, 2020 - 8:06pmLooks so good!!
The Evil Dalek
July 18th, 2020 - 4:42amMy Favourite Hartnell Story. I will jump through the roof if it is ever found
Anonymous
July 18th, 2020 - 7:50pmSame!
Andrew
July 19th, 2020 - 5:39pmThe roof of the world? lol
Anonymous
July 17th, 2020 - 2:34pmAlthough I could think of a thousand things I would rather spend £70 on (esp these days), I have to say that it is a thing of beauty.
I shall definitely put it on my “Things to buy after a lotto win” list. Right after the Aston Martin DBS but before all the Rubbertoe stuff 🙂
MJS
July 17th, 2020 - 12:58pmOoooh pics. It’s beautiful
bryan
July 17th, 2020 - 2:28pmooh. Knew they wouldnt let us down. Superb.
Anonymous
July 16th, 2020 - 3:38pmGreat for those who want this but I did listen to it last year and boy is it dull! Nothing happens and Marco is so gullible that tegana seems to able to be an obvious villain and still get away with it. The one thing fans and cast always say is how good the costumes and sets were. That’s not a great recommendation for a story if that’s the best thing about it. However, I’m sure people will treasure this item and frankly if it was returned tomorrow and released on DVD I’d happily buy it!
Anonymous
July 16th, 2020 - 4:23pmIt’s really not dull in the slightest!
bryan
July 16th, 2020 - 4:31pmIts not that Dull that Disney wanted the script rights
https://thedoctorwhocompanion.com/2019/02/02/reviewed-the-black-archive-18-marco-polo/
2nd paragraph.
Its such a lyrical, story, non of the wam bam Hits of Monsters/aliens. The journey (NPI) is the story.
not the getting there.
one of my all time favorite Stories From the whole of DW.
Anonymous
July 16th, 2020 - 6:48pmSorry but I just find it dull too
booboo
July 16th, 2020 - 7:02pmi tend to think vinyl collectors are more bothered about the nature of the item rather than the story
Anonymous
July 16th, 2020 - 10:10pmI quite agree boo boo. This will be cherished I’m sure
Chatterton
July 17th, 2020 - 3:46amIt’s not dull, it’s incredible! Reign of Terror and The Massacre are dull. Marco Polo, Crusade, Aztecs, Romans, Myth Makers are all brilliant historicals.
MJS
July 18th, 2020 - 4:07pmAt 7 episodes I can see why some find it boring if “binged”. But listened to as regular episodes it’s really quite enjoyable. My commute to work was just over 25 mins so I listened to episodes on each leg. Really enjoyed it
Anonymous
July 19th, 2020 - 6:58pmI find this story a bit like say, the sensorites. Watched or listened to with breaks and in sensorites case, alcohol(!) Its an ok story. Sorry if people disagree but there it is. I too find Marco polo a bit dull
bryan
July 16th, 2020 - 3:24pmYay . Indeed. Oh What a joy. Might have been nice to have had the ]ap of the Travels(CD release) or German DVD style release for the War Games map.
But Who cares. This is Brilliant news , Cant wait to see the Cover . I wonder with this saying Deluxe edition, if
Amazon/Demon are doing a LTD Edition. What would be Etched Differently? Or what other Colour could it be
booboo
July 16th, 2020 - 3:46pmI wonder if they have dropped the exclusive one they didn’t do one for the last release.
Bryan
July 16th, 2020 - 4:37pmThe last Box set, Was Paradise /Ghosts . which had two version. Underwater Menace, was gate fold 2 disc, and non of them Got LTD edtion versions. (usually all RSD releases)
But I do wonder , if its lucky we have one version.
Ordered this one, can shift order if they do come up with Alt.
Anonymous
July 16th, 2020 - 4:42pmThey might have done boo boo, guess it’s down to economics really. Costs versus sales.
booboo
July 16th, 2020 - 4:48pmcan’t see anything to say there will be an Amazon exclusive this time, it usually comes up under “see all formats and editions” thought we might have had the press release by now with the cover
MJS
July 16th, 2020 - 5:23pmThey usually announce them together if there’s two versions; but Underwater Menace only had the 1 release
MJS
July 16th, 2020 - 6:11pmIt’s also noticeable that they’re on 140g again rather than 189g so I do think cost is coming into play quite a bit. I’m still happy they’re releasing them
Anonymous
July 16th, 2020 - 2:42pmYay!
The Fishmonger
July 16th, 2020 - 2:20pmCan I afford £70 at the moment? Not really.
Am i going to get it anyway? Absolutely.
The artwork on these releases has been amazing and I’m expecting the same here
The Fishmonger
July 17th, 2020 - 6:30pmWow, they haven’t disappointed. The artwork is lovely
Mrs Croot
July 16th, 2020 - 2:19pm“Here’s Marco Polo on record, Doctor Who fans’ wallets!
Come and get it!”