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Ghost Light (TV story): Difference between revisions
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a little fine-tuning
Tag: 2017 source edit |
(a little fine-tuning) Tag: 2017 source edit |
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* Mrs Grose gives Ace scrambled [[egg]], hot [[butter]]ed [[toast]], [[kedgeree]], [[kidney]], [[sausage]] and [[bacon]] for breakfast. Ironically, [[Sophie Aldred]] is a [[vegan]]. | * Mrs Grose gives Ace scrambled [[egg]], hot [[butter]]ed [[toast]], [[kedgeree]], [[kidney]], [[sausage]] and [[bacon]] for breakfast. Ironically, [[Sophie Aldred]] is a [[vegan]]. | ||
== | == Story notes == | ||
* The story evolved out of an earlier, rejected script entitled ''Lungbarrow''. It was to be set on [[Gallifrey]] in the Doctor's ancestral home and deal with the Doctor's past, but producer [[John Nathan-Turner]] felt it revealed too much of the Doctor's origins. It was reworked to make evolution and the idea of an ancient house central to the story. [[Marc Platt]] used elements of his original idea for his [[Virgin New Adventures]] novel ''[[Lungbarrow (novel)|Lungbarrow]]''. Some story elements were amended - Inspector Mackenzie had originally been a character trapped in a transporter for three centuries, while Redvers Fenn-Cooper's invitation to Buckingham Palace had been a will for which some of the characters were vying. | * The story evolved out of an earlier, rejected script entitled ''Lungbarrow''. It was to be set on [[Gallifrey]] in the Doctor's ancestral home and deal with the Doctor's past, but producer [[John Nathan-Turner]] felt it revealed too much of the Doctor's origins. It was reworked to make evolution and the idea of an ancient house central to the story. [[Marc Platt]] used elements of his original idea for his [[Virgin New Adventures]] novel ''[[Lungbarrow (novel)|Lungbarrow]]''. Some story elements were amended - Inspector Mackenzie had originally been a character trapped in a transporter for three centuries, while Redvers Fenn-Cooper's invitation to Buckingham Palace had been a will for which some of the characters were vying. | ||
* Platt was one of only two writers in the entire history of the series (the other being [[Andrew Smith (writer)|Andrew Smith]]) to have a script accepted with no professional writing experience whatsoever, and no writing background beyond fanfiction. | * Platt was one of only two writers in the entire history of the series (the other being [[Andrew Smith (writer)|Andrew Smith]]) to have a script accepted with no professional writing experience whatsoever, and no writing background beyond fanfiction. | ||
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* Platt described the story as "''[[The Addams Family]]'' on acid". | * Platt described the story as "''[[The Addams Family]]'' on acid". | ||
* At the read-through, [[Sylvia Syms]] shared everyone's thought on the script when she asked [[Marc Platt]] what he'd sprinkled on his [[cornflakes]]. | * At the read-through, [[Sylvia Syms]] shared everyone's thought on the script when she asked [[Marc Platt]] what he'd sprinkled on his [[cornflakes]]. | ||
* It was originally intended that when Light emerged from the lift, he would walk straight through the Doctor standing in his path. Unfortunately, this effect proved impossible to achieve on-screen, but was reinstated by Marc Platt for [[Ghost Light (novelisation)| | * It was originally intended that when Light emerged from the lift, he would walk straight through the Doctor standing in his path. Unfortunately, this effect proved impossible to achieve on-screen, but was reinstated by Marc Platt for his [[Ghost Light (novelisation)|novelisation]] of the story. In the finished programme, the Doctor is forced aside — presumably by Light's telekinesis — as the tall, thin angel-like figure passes. | ||
* One key scene was not completed due to time constraints, and featured Mackenzie encountering the night maids and Mrs Pritchard as they prepare to leave, whereupon one of the maids chases him with a machete. This explains why he is hurrying, is out of breath, and exclaims about Gabriel Chase being "a mad house!" just before to his death at Light's hands. Several more scenes were cut or trimmed in post-production due to the story running over-length. These included Light preventing Mackenzie from leaving Gabriel Chase by causing the door to become immovably bolted, and material expanding on the spy devices Josiah has secreted in the upper observatory where the TARDIS materialises. Another scene set in the upper observatory saw Nimrod tendering his resignation to Josiah, but although this was rehearsed it was never actually recorded. | * One key scene was not completed due to time constraints, and featured Mackenzie encountering the night maids and Mrs Pritchard as they prepare to leave, whereupon one of the maids chases him with a machete. This explains why he is hurrying, is out of breath, and exclaims about Gabriel Chase being "like a mad house!" just before to his death at Light's hands. Several more scenes were cut or trimmed in post-production due to the story running over-length. These included Light preventing Mackenzie from leaving Gabriel Chase by causing the door to become immovably bolted, and material expanding on the spy devices Josiah has secreted in the upper observatory where the TARDIS materialises. Another scene set in the upper observatory saw Nimrod tendering his resignation to Josiah, but although this was rehearsed it was never actually recorded. | ||
* During the early stages of his development, Light was silent and had wings (which he used to smother and carry off the maid by vanishing with her in part three); the latter element was abandoned due to concerns that they could not be effectively realised. | * During the early stages of his development, Light was silent and had wings (which he used to smother and carry off the maid by vanishing with her in part three); the latter element was abandoned due to concerns that they could not be effectively realised. | ||
* {{w|Nicholas Ball (actor)|Nicholas Ball}}, {{w|Christopher Cazennove}}, [[Tom Chadbon]], {{w|Peter Firth}}, [[Dominic Guard]], [[Simon Ward]], and [[James Warwick]] were considered for Redvers Fenn-Cooper. | * {{w|Nicholas Ball (actor)|Nicholas Ball}}, {{w|Christopher Cazennove}}, [[Tom Chadbon]], {{w|Peter Firth}}, [[Dominic Guard]], [[Simon Ward]], and [[James Warwick]] were considered for Redvers Fenn-Cooper. | ||
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* Redvers Fenn-Cooper's name was an homage to author [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Fenimore_Cooper James Fenimore Cooper]. | * Redvers Fenn-Cooper's name was an homage to author [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Fenimore_Cooper James Fenimore Cooper]. | ||
* Nimrod was named after the renowned hunter and great-grandson of Noah, as mentioned in the ''[[Bible]]''. | * Nimrod was named after the renowned hunter and great-grandson of Noah, as mentioned in the ''[[Bible]]''. | ||
* Some of the studio work was attended by [[Colin Brake]] (then assistant script editor on [[EastEnders (series)| | * Some of the studio work was attended by [[Colin Brake]] (then assistant script editor on ''[[EastEnders (series)|EastEnders]]'') who was being considered as a possible successor to [[Andrew Cartmel]] should the series continue to [[1990]]; other candidates included [[Ben Aaronovitch]] and [[Marc Platt]]. | ||
* When the Doctor and Ace met Reverend Matthews, the Doctor was meant to pound out an anachronistic boogie-woogie piece on the piano before switching to [[Ludwig van Beethoven]]'s [[1801]] composition ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piano_Sonata_No._14_(Beethoven) Piano Sonata No 14]'', better known as the ''Moonlight Sonata''. However, [[Sylvester McCoy]] was unhappy with the quality of his mimed playing, and the joke was dropped. | * When the Doctor and Ace met Reverend Matthews, the Doctor was meant to pound out an anachronistic boogie-woogie piece on the piano before switching to [[Ludwig van Beethoven]]'s [[1801]] composition ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piano_Sonata_No._14_(Beethoven) Piano Sonata No 14]'', better known as the ''Moonlight Sonata''. However, [[Sylvester McCoy]] was unhappy with the quality of his mimed playing, and the joke was dropped. | ||
* This was initially intended to be the third serial of [[Season 26]], with ''[[The Curse of Fenric (TV story)|The Curse of Fenric]]'' and ''[[Battlefield (TV story)|Battlefield]]'' preceding it. However, as [[John Nathan-Turner]] felt that the horror themed ''Curse of Fenric'' would be better suited to being shown during October, the season was reshuffled so that it became the third serial, with ''Battlefield'' now being the first serial shown and ''Ghost Light'' being the second. | * This was initially intended to be the third serial of [[Season 26]], with ''[[The Curse of Fenric (TV story)|The Curse of Fenric]]'' and ''[[Battlefield (TV story)|Battlefield]]'' preceding it. However, as [[John Nathan-Turner]] felt that the horror themed ''Curse of Fenric'' would be better suited to being shown during October, the season was reshuffled so that it became the third serial, with ''Battlefield'' now being the first serial shown and ''Ghost Light'' being the second. | ||
