The Dark Dimension (unproduced TV story): Difference between revisions
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'''The Dark Dimension''' was a planned direct to video film commissioned by BBC Enterprises | '''The Dark Dimension''' was a planned direct-to-video film commissioned by BBC Enterprises that was to have been released in [[1993]] to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of [[Doctor Who]]. | ||
It was to be a direct to video release, written by [[Adrian Rigelsford]] (a 'fan scholar'). | It was to be a direct-to-video release, written by [[Adrian Rigelsford]] (a 'fan scholar'). | ||
''According to Rigelsford, 'Tom Baker went to the BBC and said "I would like to be Doctor Who again", and that's the reason why it happened.' Apparently Baker even suggested Douglas Adams as the script writer.'' <ref name="TSV"> [http://nzdwfc.tetrap.com/archive/tsv44/darkdimension.html NZDWFC - TSV 44: '''Inside the Dark Dimension By Jon Preddle] </ref> | :''According to Rigelsford, 'Tom Baker went to the BBC and said "I would like to be Doctor Who again", and that's the reason why it happened.' Apparently Baker even suggested Douglas Adams as the script writer.'' <ref name="TSV">[http://nzdwfc.tetrap.com/archive/tsv44/darkdimension.html NZDWFC - TSV 44: '''Inside the Dark Dimension By Jon Preddle]</ref> | ||
==Initial Production== | ==Initial Production== | ||
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:''...November 1992, BBC1 Controller Jonathan Powell heard of the project and objected to Enterprises making the production on the grounds that it was a marketing wing of the BBC and not a drama production unit.'' <ref name="TSV"/> | :''...November 1992, BBC1 Controller Jonathan Powell heard of the project and objected to Enterprises making the production on the grounds that it was a marketing wing of the BBC and not a drama production unit.'' <ref name="TSV"/> | ||
Actor availability was another of the problems which faced the production which began at some | Actor availability was another of the problems which faced the production which began at some indeterminate time in 1992 (with an aimed release date of November 1993) scheduling all the surviving actors who played the Doctor ([[Jon Pertwee]], [[Tom Baker]], [[Peter Davison]], [[Colin Baker]] and [[Sylvester McCoy]]) up to that point would have been incredibly challenging and almost impossible considering the set date of release. | ||
Finally when [[Philip Segal]] (then part of [[Amblin Television]]) joined with [[Universal Television]] to co-produce a new TV series of Doctor Who (for the American Market), BBC Enterprises had to pull out of the project due to a conflict of interest. <ref name="Nth Doctor"> Lofficer, Jean-Marc, 1997, ''The Nth Doctor'', Virgin Publishing Ltd, Great Britain </ref> | Finally when [[Philip Segal]] (then part of [[Amblin Television]]) joined with [[Universal Television]] to co-produce a new TV series of Doctor Who (for the American Market), BBC Enterprises had to pull out of the project due to a conflict of interest. <ref name="Nth Doctor">Lofficer, Jean-Marc, 1997, ''The Nth Doctor'', Virgin Publishing Ltd, Great Britain</ref> | ||
Also:''Some of the actors were not pleased that their roles were so small (the script featured the fourth Doctor prominently while the others had cameos).'' <ref> [http://www.msoe.edu/library/dr_who/on_with_the_show.htm On With The Show: Doctor Who's Legacy After Cancellation] </ref> | Also:''Some of the actors were not pleased that their roles were so small (the script featured the fourth Doctor prominently while the others had cameos).'' <ref>[http://www.msoe.edu/library/dr_who/on_with_the_show.htm On With The Show: Doctor Who's Legacy After Cancellation]</ref> | ||
==Central Characters and Ideas== | ==Central Characters and Ideas== | ||
'''The Dark Dimension''' would have featured all surviving actors who played the Doctor | '''The Dark Dimension''' would have featured all surviving actors who played the Doctor plus [[Ace]] and a slew of monsters (in particular [[Mondasian Cybermen|Cybermen]], [[Dalek]]s, [[Ice Warrior]]s, [[Yeti]]). | ||
[[Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart]] would also have appeared along with a character named ''Summerfield'' (who could be then Virgin Publishing's [[Bernice Summerfield]]). | [[Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart]] would also have appeared along with a character named ''Summerfield'' (who could be then Virgin Publishing's [[Bernice Summerfield]]). | ||
The central idea to the story was that a creature prevented the [[Fourth Doctor]] from dying when he fell off the [[Pharos Project]] (at the end of [[Logopolis (TV story)|Logopolis]]), however his future incarnations do survive (some how), but in doing so the creature creates a 'Dark Dimension'. <ref name="Nth Doctor"/> | The central idea to the story was that a creature prevented the [[Fourth Doctor]] from dying when he fell off the [[Pharos Project]] (at the end of [[Logopolis (TV story)|Logopolis]]), however his future incarnations do survive (some how), but, in doing so, the creature creates a 'Dark Dimension'. <ref name="Nth Doctor"/> | ||
==Monsters== | ==Monsters== | ||
Along with the inclusion of almost all the 'classic' monsters many of them were to be redesigned or feature totally new developments of the original design. | Along with the inclusion of almost all the 'classic' monsters, many of them were to be redesigned or feature totally new developments of the original design. | ||
[[Image:The_Dark_Dimension-Cyberman_Redesign.jpg|100px|right]] | [[Image:The_Dark_Dimension-Cyberman_Redesign.jpg|100px|right]] | ||
:''"'The Cybermen were not like any we've ever seen before,' says Rigelsford. 'There was a specific Cyberman who was being made by the people at Henson's Creature Workshop. The guy who designed it, Nigel Johns, was trained by H.R. Giger [who designed Alien], so you can imagine that this particular Cyberman looked terrifying. It had holes in its knuckles and there was a point where it held up its hand, made a fist, and six-inch blades shot out of its knuckles! It was like Wolverine out of the X-Men comics; Cyberrine!'"''<ref name="TSV"/> | :''"'The Cybermen were not like any we've ever seen before,' says Rigelsford. 'There was a specific Cyberman who was being made by the people at Henson's Creature Workshop. The guy who designed it, Nigel Johns, was trained by H.R. Giger [who designed Alien], so you can imagine that this particular Cyberman looked terrifying. It had holes in its knuckles and there was a point where it held up its hand, made a fist, and six-inch blades shot out of its knuckles! It was like Wolverine out of the X-Men comics; Cyberrine!'"''<ref name="TSV"/> | ||
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==Further Development== | ==Further Development== | ||
Adrian Rigelsford wrote a book entitled ''The Making of the Dark Dimension'' which contained scripts and concept drawings, | Adrian Rigelsford wrote a book entitled ''The Making of the Dark Dimension'' which contained scripts and concept drawings. However, it repeatedly ran into release problems and has never been released. <ref name="TSV"/> '''The Dark Dimension''' and its production were briefly mentioned in Rigelsford's '''Classic Who: The Harper Classics'''. | ||
==Bibliography== | ==Bibliography== | ||
Revision as of 07:47, 26 August 2007
The Dark Dimension was a planned direct-to-video film commissioned by BBC Enterprises that was to have been released in 1993 to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of Doctor Who.
It was to be a direct-to-video release, written by Adrian Rigelsford (a 'fan scholar').
- According to Rigelsford, 'Tom Baker went to the BBC and said "I would like to be Doctor Who again", and that's the reason why it happened.' Apparently Baker even suggested Douglas Adams as the script writer. [1]
Initial Production
The Dark Dimension (later known as Lost in the Dark Dimension [1]) ran into obstacles which prevented it from being produced. Large among which was that BBC Enterprises (which was in charge of generating revenue, not producing films) it therefore lacked facilities, staff and experience in producing something such as The Dark Dimension.
- ...November 1992, BBC1 Controller Jonathan Powell heard of the project and objected to Enterprises making the production on the grounds that it was a marketing wing of the BBC and not a drama production unit. [1]
Actor availability was another of the problems which faced the production which began at some indeterminate time in 1992 (with an aimed release date of November 1993) scheduling all the surviving actors who played the Doctor (Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy) up to that point would have been incredibly challenging and almost impossible considering the set date of release. Finally when Philip Segal (then part of Amblin Television) joined with Universal Television to co-produce a new TV series of Doctor Who (for the American Market), BBC Enterprises had to pull out of the project due to a conflict of interest. [2]
Also:Some of the actors were not pleased that their roles were so small (the script featured the fourth Doctor prominently while the others had cameos). [3]
Central Characters and Ideas
The Dark Dimension would have featured all surviving actors who played the Doctor plus Ace and a slew of monsters (in particular Cybermen, Daleks, Ice Warriors, Yeti). Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart would also have appeared along with a character named Summerfield (who could be then Virgin Publishing's Bernice Summerfield).
The central idea to the story was that a creature prevented the Fourth Doctor from dying when he fell off the Pharos Project (at the end of Logopolis), however his future incarnations do survive (some how), but, in doing so, the creature creates a 'Dark Dimension'. [2]
Monsters
Along with the inclusion of almost all the 'classic' monsters, many of them were to be redesigned or feature totally new developments of the original design.
- "'The Cybermen were not like any we've ever seen before,' says Rigelsford. 'There was a specific Cyberman who was being made by the people at Henson's Creature Workshop. The guy who designed it, Nigel Johns, was trained by H.R. Giger [who designed Alien], so you can imagine that this particular Cyberman looked terrifying. It had holes in its knuckles and there was a point where it held up its hand, made a fist, and six-inch blades shot out of its knuckles! It was like Wolverine out of the X-Men comics; Cyberrine!'"[1]
The Daleks also were to have featured a resign featuring a new special weapons Dalek.
- "'The Daleks were going to have laser-guns that were going to be done with computer animation so the laser bolts would be in 3-D rather than just going 'Zap!' with a blue line. The bolts were going to be like spears coming out in 3-D.'" [1]
Production
Graeme Harper was schedule to direct The Dark Dimension.
- "About three weeks worth of test filming was done including model and titles effects, and some location filming was also undertaken. 'We were going to go down to Shepperton film studios,' says Rigelsford, 'and have it shot on film on one of the largest sound-stages on Shepperton.'" [1]
Further Development
Adrian Rigelsford wrote a book entitled The Making of the Dark Dimension which contained scripts and concept drawings. However, it repeatedly ran into release problems and has never been released. [1] The Dark Dimension and its production were briefly mentioned in Rigelsford's Classic Who: The Harper Classics.
