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August 18th, 2021 139 comments

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Doctor Who – Web of Fear DVD New Edition

Available to order from www.amazon.co.uk, www.hive.co.uk, www.zavvi.com and other selected retailers.

A steelbook is also available to order from www.amazon.co.uk

Available to order in the USA from www.amazon.com

Available to order in the Australia from www.sanity.com

In order to escape an attack in space, the TARDIS makes an unscheduled landing and ends up deep inside the London Underground. Here the travellers soon find themselves engulfed in a thrilling battle with the Great Intelligence and the Yeti, a deadly enemy set to invade the Earth.

But as events take a turn for the worse, it becomes clear that the golden prize is not just the Earth, but the Doctor’s mind too…

As usual this has a reversible cover to match past DVDs…

This release includes all 5 surviving episodes, plus a brand new fully animated reconstruction of the missing third episode created from the surviving audio-only recordings.

The Web of Fear is the partly missing fifth serial of the fifth season of Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in six weekly parts from February to March 1968. Starring Patrick Troughton as the Doctor, the story concerns an abandoned London and the return of the fearsome Yeti, patrolling the London Underground. It also marks the first appearance of the popular character Colonel Lethbridge-Stewart (before his promotion to Brigadier).

The six episodes (available in black and white and the newly constructed animation in colour and black and white) will include the following exclusive special features:

  • Audio commentaries on all episodes (with two on episode 1)
  • An episode 3 Telesnap Reconstruction
  • Photo Gallery
  • A ‘Making Of’ documentary
  • A ‘Making the Animation’ documenatary
  • The Web of Fear Trailer
  • The Missing Years documentary
  • The Many Voices of Jack Woolgar documetary

You can watch a clip of the newly constructed animation below:


Categorised under: Doctor Who DVDs, DVD, Featured

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139 comments

  • Alzie Who

    August 16th, 2021 - 8:45pm

    I thought I’d ordered the DVD, but a blu-ray arrived instead. No real complaint there. Love the commentaries and looking forward to some of the other extras. But the “animated episode”. I’m grateful for it, but I’m sorry it’s the worse animation of any of them to date. If the same people make future animations I will be hard pressed to get it. Such a sad disappointment.

    Reply
    • Anonymous

      August 17th, 2021 - 7:26am

      Funny that the blu-ray would arrive instead! 😀

  • sileic

    August 16th, 2021 - 6:50pm

    The animation has a very unsettling quality. The people never stop moving, even when stood still they are swaying around, almost like they are floating in zero g. As for the facial features; the stuff of nightmares. At some point the Yei look like live action clay models. The sets and props look great however. I’m not sure what to make of it overall.

    Reply
    • Prof Horner

      August 16th, 2021 - 9:50pm

      Well I got my copy from HMV store here in Leeds today. I must the animation is very disappointing , it’s the ridiculous long arms always flapping about. Well the rest of the story is great. But there is one question I have, why did Evans join the army?

    • Anonymous

      August 20th, 2021 - 5:36pm

      Back in the sixties, he might have been conscripted into the Army and had no choice in the matter.
      Evans doesn’t look like a natural hero to me.

    • the ergon

      August 20th, 2021 - 8:10pm

      He naively thought he,d just be driving when he signed up.

  • Anonymous

    August 16th, 2021 - 5:37pm

    Amazon prime still hasn’t even sent mine. Waste of time trying to talk to them. No answers just generic responses to questions I didn’t ask.

    Reply
    • TheMaster

      August 16th, 2021 - 6:53pm

      Normally if you get them to phone you they will sent it out the next day if you remind them your prime customer. Or if you paid for first day deliver, etc.

  • Big Steve

    August 16th, 2021 - 3:16pm

    Hmm… interesting animation. A bit disappointed with the faces of the animated characters, they lacked the definition of the previous few animations, but there was more life to their movements.

    Was the clip of Sara Kingdom & the Doctor in the TARDIS in “Shapeshifter..” extra, a hint of something in production?? I really do hope so!

    Reply
    • Erato

      August 16th, 2021 - 4:15pm

      What is “Shapeshifter”?

    • Anonymous

      August 16th, 2021 - 5:35pm

      The animation company

    • Anonymous

      August 16th, 2021 - 5:49pm

      Nah that was just an animation test from 2017

  • Anonymous

    August 15th, 2021 - 2:14am

    I have watched both the B/W and colour versions of the animated episode. The colour scheme is quite nice on the colour version, but I prefer B/W.

    The animation documentary confirms that with 3D animation, they can deal with larger casts and costume changes, so really, people ranting and raving about “I’d rather have no animated Daleks’ Master Plan than a 3D animated Daleks’ Master Plan!” because literally the first attempt at 3D animation, and without BBC America’s backing, wasn’t perfect.

    A 3D animated Daleks’ Master Plan for 2023? Now I like the sound of that.

    Reply
    • David Minter

      August 16th, 2021 - 3:26pm

      I never understood the reluctance of BBC Video to do an animated version of The Daleks’ Master Plan. They say it’s because of the budget necessary to animate 10 episodes, 11 if they include Mission To The Unknown, which is pretty much joined at the hip to its parent story. I just don’t see why the BBC, after they’re done with the other missing stories, just banks the budget for a new release for one year, and, say, wait 2 or 3 years, banking each year’s budget. Then, after the budget is built up, do a Master Plan animation. We’re willing to wait. 🙂

      I also don’t see why Mission To The Unknown isn’t released on its own. It is, on its own, a standalone story. BBC could wait to do Mission as the 2nd to the last release, after all the other missing stories are animated. Then, release Mission and, a few years on down the line, release the Master Plan.

    • Rex Farrel

      August 16th, 2021 - 5:27pm

      David: Wouldn’t two/three times the usual budget mean two/three times the price for the disc, to make their money back? Master Plan with an RRP of £50-60 might be a hard sell. If not that, you’d need twice the number of usual sales, so thousands of new buyers.

    • TARDIS traveller

      August 16th, 2021 - 5:31pm

      Or split it into two releases. Episodes 1-6 forming part one in the first half of the year followed by 7-12 as part two. Double the sales of dvds by spreading across two releases and getting BBC America more for their money by having two releases. The run time for the entire story is what we are getting this year as a season so I wouldn’t mind it being split

    • Anonymous

      August 16th, 2021 - 5:51pm

      If Mission’s animated as part of Daleks’ Master Plan, I’d like it to have its own case and put in a cardboard slipcase with a Daleks’ Master Plan DVD

    • David Minter

      August 17th, 2021 - 10:30pm

      Splitting Master Plan into two releases is not unprecedented. When Target released the novelization of the story, it was split into 2 different books. When the Book On CD was released, it was first made as 2 separate sets before being combined into one for resell later.

      As for the DVD, it could be sold as two volumes or both packaged together at a later date for those last few sales the BBC couldn’t make separately.

      I wouldn’t mind spending $50 etc. all at once to get the entire story. But, I’m not the general public, either.

    • Gordon

      August 17th, 2021 - 11:01pm

      Going by comments made by both Charles Norton and Richard Bignell they don’t expect masterplan to be a split release if it ever happened. I suspect it’s down to bbc America not wanting to broadcast half a story at a time

  • Dalek Eye Stalk

    August 14th, 2021 - 2:19pm

    Surprisingly I got the ‘Web of Fear’ DVD in the post today! I’ve watched the animated episode 3 and I have to say it’s my least favourite animation of them all. Plus I don’t understand why the alternate tele-snap photo reconstruction can’t be selected on disc one, but instead is placed isolated on disc two! I think the animation works better in colour, but that again is on disc two. I don’t think I’d like this style of animation in future. As a one off on one episode is fair enough, but I couldn’t watch an entire story in this style of animation.

    Reply
    • Ron

      August 18th, 2021 - 12:07am

      Agree: I have never complained about the animations until now! No idea why they used this style, it’s dire & look’s like it is unfinished?

  • Anonymous

    August 14th, 2021 - 1:22pm

    DVD turned up today.

    7 minutes into Episode 3, and honestly I think it’s my favourite animation. It doesn’t feel lifeless. The textures of the characters need to be changed, but the three-dimensional movement is refreshing after years of cardboard cutouts. This just needs changes of texture, natural lighting cast onto the characters, slightly less floaty movement and a bit of film grain really

    Reply
  • Anonymous

    August 10th, 2021 - 3:27pm

    No production subtitles, which is very odd, considering that most of the story exists already. Disappointing.

    Reply
    • Gordon

      August 10th, 2021 - 6:47pm

      No budget for it according to Richard bignell. Always season 5 I guess. More baffled at the decision to put the recon and the colour version of ep 3 on disc 2

    • Auton

      August 10th, 2021 - 8:20pm

      I’m guessing the black and white animation of part 3 is on disc 1 with the existing episodes? I’m upset about the lack of production subtitles as well but they will be on the season 5 box set so it’s not the end of the world

    • Gordon

      August 11th, 2021 - 6:15am

      Thats correct. It’s on disc 1

    • themaster

      August 14th, 2021 - 2:23pm

      Normally you can get money to produce Subtitles from the government or similar or you used to be able to apply for money ?

    • MJS

      August 14th, 2021 - 3:13pm

      the Master – funding for subtitles would likely only cover the programme to aid the hard of hearing. Production subtitles would not come under that

  • Anonymous

    July 4th, 2021 - 11:18am

    I think the 3D animation would be much better received if it was more like Marcus Dilloni’s Wheel in Space opening on YouTube.

    Reply
  • Anonymous

    June 16th, 2021 - 8:45am

    I would’ve thought there’d be production note subtitles on this DVD, especially since Fury from the Deep had them and this has 5 existing episodes out of 6.

    Though in Fury’s case, they didn’t mention the production notes on the initial press release, and we found out through, I think, Zavvi?

    Reply
    • Auton

      June 16th, 2021 - 10:40am

      You would think that the production notes would be included given the fact that 5 of the 6 episodes still exist

    • Anonymous

      June 16th, 2021 - 1:57pm

      Yeah, exactly

  • Fledershrew

    June 15th, 2021 - 4:14pm

    Arguably one of the best Dr Who DVD covers so far. Seems like a whole lot of love went into making this one.

    Reply
  • Nick

    June 15th, 2021 - 1:36pm

    Fantastic animation – looks brilliant!! Fabulous cover too. Looking forward to Evil and Abominable being animated.

    Reply
    • Gopher

      June 25th, 2021 - 7:08am

      Evil Is Probably The most appealing one in my opinion

  • A T

    June 15th, 2021 - 11:02am

    Lovely cover, shame the animation is so terrible!

    Reply
    • Anonymous

      June 15th, 2021 - 12:38pm

      It really isn’t. For the first time, the characters aren’t flat and static.

  • Anonymous

    June 15th, 2021 - 9:52am

    I’m happy the animations actually move now

    Reply
  • Pete X

    June 14th, 2021 - 9:46pm

    HMV have the Blu-ray and DVD versions up for pre-order (but not the steel book – at least at the time of writing).

    Reply
  • Mrs Croot

    June 14th, 2021 - 9:08pm

    Some very old enemies…

    Ah yes, the monsters from three stories ago, very old indeed

    (Nothing against their return or the story, i’m just saying that for the sake of it)

    Reply
  • Chance W

    June 14th, 2021 - 7:20pm

    I would like this artwork to be used on the original region 1 covers but I doubt that they’re not going to do that because they didn’t do it for Power of the Daleks, Macra Terror, The Faceless Ones, and Fury from the Deep.

    Reply
  • Anonymous

    June 14th, 2021 - 6:53pm

    I should imagine the DVD will have the usual reversible cover? I like to display them all looking fairly uniform.

    Reply
    • Anonymous

      June 14th, 2021 - 8:37pm

      Yeah I really want to see the roundel cover, especially since it’s a Lee Binding cover

  • Auton

    June 14th, 2021 - 5:54pm

    For the people wondering, the new special features are Audio commentaries on all episodes (with two on episode 1), An episode 3 Telesnap Reconstruction, Photo Gallery, A ‘Making Of’ documentary, A ‘Making the Animation’ documenatary, The Web of Fear Trailer, The Missing Years documentary and The Many Voices of Jack Woolgar documetary

    Reply
  • Steven

    June 14th, 2021 - 5:39pm

    If only episode 3 is animated will it be in colour considering the rest is black and white or is the trailer just in colour, it would be great if they actually colourised the whole story but I highly doubt it

    Reply
    • Anonymous

      June 14th, 2021 - 6:13pm

      Episode 3 is available to watch in either colour or black and white. The rest is black and white only.

  • Anonymous

    June 14th, 2021 - 5:14pm

    Best cover yet

    Reply
  • Prof Horner

    June 14th, 2021 - 5:13pm

    Great news that we finally have a date for this coming out and a great cover. I am a little disappointed that episode 3 hasn’t been returned, I still something to look forward to.

    Reply
  • Anonymous

    November 24th, 2020 - 7:33pm

    Happy Doctor Who day!

    *sigh* One day late.

    Reply
  • Anonymous

    November 24th, 2020 - 3:36am

    Anyone know why the link to amazon isn’t working yet?

    Reply
    • Anonymous

      November 24th, 2020 - 8:56am

      DVD is definitely available to order now and the link seems to be working now.

    • Anonymous

      November 25th, 2020 - 2:15pm

      Something’s weird here, the link still doesn’t work for me. And when I do a search on Amazon from the home page it still doesn’t find it. I’m in the US, and I normally buy my Doctor Who DVDs from the UK Amazon with no problems. I wonder if I’m geo-blocked somehow?

  • Benny

    November 23rd, 2020 - 6:54pm

    Loooking forward to seeing what special features we get as although I’m getting this i prefer telesnap recons personally.

    Reply
  • Nick

    November 23rd, 2020 - 2:41pm

    Oh BRILLIANT – at last – animated episode 3 and the trailer too!!! The animation looks FANTASTIC!!! Well done all involved!! Certainly buying this!!! And on Blu Ray too!!! Needed some good news today!!

    Reply
    • Nick

      November 23rd, 2020 - 2:41pm

      HAPPY DR WHO DAY EVERYONE!!!

    • Anonymous

      November 25th, 2020 - 5:48am

      Yes, the animation on that trailer is certainly a lot more impressive than what we’ve had previously, it seems less jerky to me.

  • Anonymous

    November 23rd, 2020 - 12:11pm

    I’m looking forward to the release with all 6 original episodes. As an old duffer I’m hoping it come’s back within the next ten years or so…

    Reply
  • simonhanlon77

    November 23rd, 2020 - 10:27am

    so it’s going to be re-released again with just a different version of the rubbish telesnap reconstruction? because they said the first time around they called it fully animated! if that’s the case i won’t be getting it…however if is an animated episode as in like ‘fury from the deep’ etc animation then i will def be getting it! hope so because it’s been a long time coming!

    Reply
    • Gordon

      November 23rd, 2020 - 11:00am

      This was how it was reported by the bbc:

      Episode three is still missing, but has been reconstructed from stills to enable restored versions of both stories to be made available for sale via download on Friday.

      They NEVER described it as fully animated. Even on the back of the dvd it is stated near the bottom that episode 3 is reconstructed via telesnaps.

      This release will have ep 3 animated and is produced by big finish creative in collaboration with BBC Studios, with animation created by Shapeshifter Studios.

    • Anonymous

      November 24th, 2020 - 5:38pm

      It does look hopeful now that we will get underwater menace at some point. I hope so as I quite like it, yes its daft but it’s fun. Be nice to able follow the plot in episodes 1 and 4 via an animation.

  • the ergon

    November 23rd, 2020 - 9:53am

    I,ll be swapping round the web special edition with the original should it come in the clear case again to keep the DVDs matching.

    Reply
    • Anonymous

      November 23rd, 2020 - 2:19pm

      It will be a clear case that is the new plastic laws.

    • the ergon

      November 23rd, 2020 - 10:06pm

      Plastic laws. The autons have infiltrated and taken over.

    • Anonymous

      November 24th, 2020 - 2:05am

      I’ve just bought a brand new release from studio canal and they normally do standard DVD cases. This one was released last week and it’s in a slimline case. Apparently that is something we’ll see more of now

  • Matt p

    November 23rd, 2020 - 6:56am

    Nice to get some good news on Who’s birthday …. though the date on amazon says 1st June 2022 (hope not that far away)

    Reply
    • MikeM

      November 23rd, 2020 - 6:36pm

      The trailer states “coming 2021”

    • Anonymous

      November 24th, 2020 - 5:30pm

      Says 2021 on Amazon now

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