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T H E    D I S U S E D    Y E T I       I S S U E   1 5

THE NEWSLETTER ON EARLY DOCTOR WHO - 11 October 1998

Edited by : Bruce Robinson (robinsba@ozemail.com.au) &
            Robert Franks (TelesnapGuy@csi.com)

"The Dalek Supreme is standing apart, watching operations. (He is virtually
hopping up and down with rage)" (camera script extract from Devil's Planet
- The Daleks' Master Plan:3)

MORE ON THE TELESNAP DISCOVERY
RICHARD LANDEN - AUDIOS AND RECONSTRUCTIONS
DISUSED YETI MAGAZINE UPDATE
THE FACELESS ONES REVIEWED
PLANET OF GIANTS STORY GUIDE

*** WELCOME! ***
As we look towards the thirty-fifth anniversary of a certain TV show (and
let's not forget that this particular series was initially given a thirteen
week trial run only), we find that there are still new facts to discover.
Of course, while there may be no truly new stories for us to enjoy (well,
not in a television sense anyway ...), we can still reflect on some of the
events of the past.

And this raises the intriguing question ... in another thirty-five years,
will people turn their attention back to the events of 1998? Will
researchers one day attempt to dig up details on how the reconstructions
were produced? Will they attempt to painstakingly read through old Internet
postings and various e-mails sent between the reconstructors? Or maybe even
unearth a rough draft of 'Disused Yeti' #10 with the old 'Change of
Identity' header?

Well OK, you may argue that this sounds silly and far-fetched (in which
case, you're probably right!). However, you have to wonder how Sydney
Newman, Donald Wilson and Verity Lambert would have reacted if you had told
them in November 1963 that in thirty years' time, many of their internal
memos would be read by thousands of fans eager to digest new pieces of
trivia about their favourite TV show. Would these types of thoughts have
crossed their minds? It seems very unlikely - despite all the
behind-the-scenes problems, the original production team were just
interested in creating a high quality science-fiction series.

Certainly, one wonders how Ms Lambert and co would have reacted on hearing
that in the nineties, fandom would be fiercely debating the accurate titles
of the first few serials!

Oh yes, enjoy issue #15 of 'Reconstruction Cutaway' ... errr ... 'The
Disused Yeti'.

Bruce and Robert

*** RECONSTRUCTION UPDATES ***
In the previous issue, we started off the Reconstruction Updates with a few
quick brain-teasers. Well, it looks as if all have been well and truly
stumped!

Firstly, we asked if anyone could determine why 'The Crusade' can be
considered the first real 'Change of Identity' reconstruction. However,
since it is necessary to view the COI reconstruction (which is not yet
available) to work out the answer, we'll provide a bit more time to chew
this one over! 

Secondly, we mentioned a couple of interesting "mistakes" in 'The Faceless
Ones'. The first error concerns a character mistakenly left in a telesnap
when he/she shouldn't have been there. This, in fact, refers to a scene at
the start of Episode 4 where the stewardess Ann leaves the cockpit, but in
the next telesnap, can be seen standing behind the Inspector.

The second "blooper" concerns a continuity error in the actual storyline as
televised. In Episode 4, the Doctor discovers the body of the real nurse
hidden behind a wall panel. However, in Episode 5, the Doctor has
apparently forgotten about this discovery, and requires the air traffic
controller Meadows to indicate where the nurse can be found!

MARCO POLO [COI3 enhanced] (update by Bruce Robinson)
I originally completed this reconstruction over eighteen months ago
(February 1997 to be exact). At the time, I was confident that I had
managed to obtain just about every photograph that existed from the story
(which amounted to a collection of approximately 120 shots). However,
thanks to some fantastic assistance from Derek Handley and David Howe, this
amount has sky-rocketed to something close to three hundred images!
Therefore, a 'Marco Polo' enhanced version is something that I hope to
complete by the end of the year.

THE CRUSADE [COI6] (update by Bruce Robinson)
There has been a slight delay in the completion of 'The Crusade' as further
work is performed to enhance the audio quality. However, the bulk of the
reconstruction itself has been completed, and the final recording can occur
as soon as the audio is available. As the existing David Holman audio is a
little patchy in places, I believe that the delay will ultimately be
worthwhile.

THE DALEKS' MASTER PLAN VOLUME 1 [COI8] (update by Bruce Robinson)
Steady progress has been made on this story. Although no actual insertion
of photographic or video material has occurred, text captions have been
prepared for the first six episodes (of course, this doesn't include the
existing fifth episode, 'Counter Plot'). I have also commenced the process
of examining photographic material, and determining which parts of the
reconstruction may be visually deficient.

THE ABOMINABLE SNOWMEN [COI7] (update by Bruce Robinson)
The situation here is similar to that of 'The Crusade'. Although the
reconstruction has more or less been completed, I am strongly considering
re-recording the story with an enhanced version of the Graham Strong audio.
Once again, I believe a few weeks' delay now is preferrable to re-creating
the whole story in a year's time because some elements were lacking the
first time around. 

THE "JV" RECONSTRUCTIONS (update by Michael Palmer)
After the completion of the fourth JV story, 'The Wheel of Space', the next
story that was originally going to be tackled was 'The Celestial Toymaker'.
However, due to the perennial problem of ensuring that we have the best
possible material available, the release will most likely be delayed. This
means that the next JV stories are likely to be either 'The Underwater
Menace' or 'Fury from the Deep'.

For further information about the COI and JV reconstructions, please
consult the following web-page :

http://home.earthlink.net/~telesnapguy/

LOOSE CANNON RECONSTRUCTIONS
Rick Brindell has recently completed two further stories in his 'Loose
Cannon' series of reconstructions. They are 'The Tenth Planet':4 and 'The
Myth Makers'. Rick's next project will be 'The Space Pirates'. As always,
consult the following web-page for further details on Rick's efforts :

http://www.recons.com

*** DISUSED YETI MAGAZINE UPDATE ***
We first announced the proposed release of the 'Disused Yeti' magazine in
issue #13. Since that time, we've now reached the stage where a
considerable portion of the first issue's content has been finalised. And
just as significantly, we can finally announce the official name for the
magazine. It is ... 'Nothing at the End of the Lane'.

Before everyone starts crying "huh?!", we should point out that this name
stems from one of the very first items of documentation which exist from
DOCTOR WHO (so if anything, the name is both pre-Troughton AND
pre-Hartnell). In April 63, a writer in the BBC's Script Department (Cecil
"Bunny" Webber) put together some thoughts on the proposed series. One of
the suggestions made was that the first episode would be called 'Nothing at
the End of the Lane'. At the time, nothing further was made of the
suggestion ... until now. We decided that 'The Lane' would make an ideal
name for the magazine, as it highlights the type of information that can be
discovered if one looks hard enough!

As for the content, below is a list of some of the items that will most
likely be included in the first issue :

* Have you ever wondered just how useful those sixties camera scripts are?
Well, Andrew Pixley takes a detailed look at this important series of
documentation, and highlights some of the interesting tidbits that can be
discovered.

* With a number of audio recordings floating around, it can sometimes be
difficult to determine who actually recorded a story, and whether a
particular copy is the "best" known version available. Bruce Robinson
examines the audio recordings in more detail, including a discussion of the
major recordists.

* Locations guru Richard Bignell provides us with a closer look at
researching the locations used for early DOCTOR WHO stories. Richard will
be examining such stories as 'The Dalek Invasion of Earth', 'Spearheard
from Space' and 'Terror of the Autons'. 

* A small group of fans are interrogated on their true feelings about the
reconstructions. Just what do they think about the efforts so far? The
responses obtained will be discussed as part of a closer look at these
fan-produced videos. 

And just to show that we're not totally obsessed with factual material,
there'll be a few retrospectives and story reviews thrown in (and perhaps
even the occasional "lighter" piece as well ...).

The magazine is now expected to be released in February 1999. This will
co-incide with the 'Gallifrey' convention in Los Angeles, and on a more
personal note, the first overseas trip of your Australian editor ...

*** RICHARD LANDEN - THE AUDIOS ***
Apart from a stint in the editor's chair of 'Doctor Who Magazine', Richard
Landen has also made a number of other important contributions to the world
of DOCTOR WHO. One of these was the production of an early reconstruction
of 'The Power of the Daleks' (further details about this are provided in
the following section). However, Richard was also significantly involved in
recording DOCTOR WHO episodes in the sixties. While we now have high
quality recordings of Graham Strong and David Holman to experience today,
it has to be remembered that for many years, Richard's audios were often
the only recordings that existed from a number of stories (for example,
'The Celestial Toymaker').

Richard first developed the idea to record DOCTOR WHO episodes while he was
operating sound equipment on one of the plays performed at his school.
After saving up the money to purchase a reel-to-reel recorder, the first
episode that Richard managed to record was 'Death of a Spy' ('The Myth
Makers':3). After listening to the episode numerous times over the course
of the following week, Richard was forced to record over the episode with
the next installment of 'The Myth Makers' - 'Horse of Destruction'.
However, Richard enjoyed this latter episode so much, that he decided to
retain all his recordings from that point onwards.

In fact, Richard would continue recording DOCTOR WHO episodes up to the Tom
Baker story 'Underworld'. And amazingly, Richard managed to record all
episodes from 'Horse of Destruction' to 'Underworld' - no gaps exist in his
collection.

Richard's audios first came to the fandom's attention when organised groups
such as the 'Doctor Who Appreciation Society' commenced. In fact, Richard
found himself providing so many copies of his audios, that some of the
original tapes were left with little oxide (this was especially the case
with 'The Power of the Daleks'). In 1992, copies of Richard's versions of
'The Evil of the Daleks', 'The Macra Terror', and 'The Tomb of the
Cybermen' were utilised for the BBC 'Missing Stories' audio releases.

*** RICHARD LANDEN - THE RECONSTRUCTION ***
In DY 12 and 13, we published a detailed look of the fan-produced
reconstructions. In the first part of the article, a mention was made of an
early reconstruction of 'The Power of the Daleks' completed by Richard
Landen. At the time the article was written, no further information was
available on Richard's efforts. However, we have now managed to make
contact with Richard, who was more than happy to provide us with an
overview of one of the world's first DOCTOR WHO reconstructions.

~~~~~~~~~~
Back in the late seventies, a fellow colleague and I embarked on the
impossible task of collecting all the DOCTOR WHO photographic material from
the then BBC Photographic Library. This was a costly exercise, although my
offer to catalogue their department free of charge in return for copies of
photographic transparencies, helped enormously. So when I eventually
managed to view the John Cura telesnaps of 'The Power of the Daleks' (which
were known about at the time), the combination of these images with my
audio recording seemed an obvious course. 

Of course, if must be remembered that in those days, video was still in its
infancy. Because of this, the reconstruction was fairly basic. Firstly, I
obtained a camera script for 'Power', and arranged the telesnaps in the
correct order. It was here that I discovered that in Episode Two, Janley's
cover up of Resno's death was not totally featured in the script.
Thankfully, I have a good memory! With suitable lighting, a vision mixer
and two cameras (both of which were of a different type, which didn't help)
plus the audio tape, I proceeded. 

The sound was recorded to videotape first to ensure that the timings were
correct. I was determined to recreate the episode exactly, much against the
advice of several people who insisted I should cut out the silent, quieter
parts and all the "um's" and "ah's" (ie that swamp!!). From then on, it was
simply a matter of recording the relevant telesnap over the corresponding
portion of the soundtrack. Along the way, if I felt I could use any "wipe"
effect to good advantage, then this was performed. Finally, the closing
captions were produced by stealing various bits from other episodes.

The final completed version of Episode Two was sent to Christopher Barry,
who was impressed enough to send me some notes and helpful criticisms. I
completed Episode Two first, as I considered it the easiest episode from a
visual point-of-view (I also wanted to think more about how I would tackle
the aforementioned swamp!). However, once I developed a firm technique for
completing the reconstruction, I then moved on to Episodes One and Three.
When completing Episode One, I decided to remove some of the silent parts
in the swamp - however, I am now convinced that this was not such a good
idea (being a purist myself ...).

(RICHARD LANDEN)

*** MORE ON THE TELESNAP DISCOVERY ***
Last issue, Marcus Hearn provided us with details of his discovery of the
John Cura telesnaps. Around the same time that Marcus was digging around
the BBC's Written Archives Centre, Stephen James Walker was also performing
research for Howe/Stammers/Walker projects ...

~~~~~~~~
I had been researching and writing about DOCTOR WHO since the late
seventies, and (along with Jeremy Bentham and David Auger) was one of the
first people ever to be granted access to internal BBC files for these
purposes. This was at the BBC's TV Drama Script Unit in Acton. I visited
the Script Unit on many occasions over a period of approximately ten years
prior to its eventual (and highly regrettable) closure in the early
nineties. The Script Unit held, amongst other things, scripts (obviously),
copyright files and writers' files.

What I was unable to access at the time were the programme files (ie files
compiled by the production office at the time of making a particular
serial). These were held by the BBC's Written Archives Centre (WAC) at
Caversham. Just prior to the closure of the Script Unit, I came very close
to gaining access to these files, when the staff at the Unit agreed to
borrow the files from the WAC on my behalf. It was not until 1992 that I
eventually succeeded.

Nowadays, the WAC take a rather more relaxed attitude towards external
DOCTOR WHO researchers than they did at that time. This is possibly
because, having had some experience of dealing with them, they now realise
that they are generally quite respectable people and not the anorak- and
scarf-wearing lunatics of popular myth. However, back in 1992, they would
only allow access to people if they could prove that they were genuine and
bona fide researchers with a publishing deal. As far as I am aware, I was
the first DOCTOR WHO researcher ever to be granted access to their files.
This was due to the fact that I had the backing of Virgin, although sadly I
was unable to commence any research work until after the publication of
'The Sixties'.

It wasn't until about my fifth or sixth visit to the Centre that I actually
discovered the files containing the telesnaps. There were a great many
programme files that the staff had already cleared (ie vetted to remove any
confidential or sensitive documents) in order for me to examine. It wasn't
until I had worked through virtually all of these that I managed to consult
their file list to determine what other material was held. 

At that time, incidentally, the Centre held no programme files for
productions later than 1969. The files for 1970 onwards were held at the
BBC's Records Management Unit, otherwise known as RAPIC, which David Howe
and I subsequently gained access to when working on 'The Seventies' and
'The Eighties'. As far as I am aware, no other DOCTOR WHO researcher has
ever been granted access to RAPIC. Files for early seventies productions
have now been transferred to the Written Archives Centre, however.

On discovering the telesnap files in the WAC, I immediately had photocopies
taken of all the telesnaps of missing episodes, for my own reference. I
also started to explore with staff at the Centre the possibility of
obtaining proper photographic copies. However, it quickly became apparent
to me that this would be a very difficult thing to arrange (the BBC is
still a very bureaucratic organisation!) and very expensive. Basically, I
was told that this could be only be performed with the agreement of Bobbie
Mitchell, the manager of the BBC's photographic department (someone I had
previously found very difficult to deal with). Also, I would be required to
pay a full fee for every single image obtained.

It was at that point, I believe, that Marcus Hearn, who had started
visiting the WAC to research material for DWM, also independently
discovered the telesnap files. (If I remember correctly, I learned about
this from Andrew Pixley.) Given the greater clout and resources available
to them, it was obviously going to be much easier and more affordable for
DWM to arrange for proper photographic copies to be made. It was also more
worthwhile in the sense that they could ensure that the telesnaps made it
quickly into print.

I therefore left all the work to DWM from that point onwards, which is why
they have been generally credited with making the first discovery of the
telesnaps. However, whilst not wishing to nit-pick or make too much of the
matter, I think that my own discovery was actually a couple of weeks before
theirs!

(STEPHEN JAMES WALKER)

*** THE SEASON 3 CLIFFHANGERS ***
Our look at the cliff-hangers featured at the conclusion of the Hartnell
serials is drawing to a close. Here is the penultimate installment :

Galaxy 4 - 'The Exploding Planet'
Scene - After narrowly escaping the destruction of the planet, the
travellers depart for new adventures. Vicki and the Doctor soon notice
another planet on the scanner, and wonder what is happening on the surface.
In a dense jungle, a man in ragged clothing is stumbling through the
undergrowth, and muttering "I remember now ... remember ... I must kill ...
must kill ... must kill ..."
Caption - The scene tracks out to a shot of the jungle, over which the
"Next Episode MISSION TO THE UNKNOWN" caption appears. The picture fades to
black and the credit scroll commences.
Notes - There is no reprise of this scene in 'Mission to the Unknown'. The
scene of Garvey in the jungle was actually recorded with the remainder of
'Mission'.

Mission to the Unknown - 'Mission to the Unknown'
Scene - In the Dalek conference room on Kembel, Malpha presents a rousing
speech about conquest to the other delegates. The other representatives
continue the chant - "victory, victory, victory ..."
Caption - "Next Episode TEMPLE OF SECRETS" is displayed over a shot of the
Daleks filing through the control room.
Notes - There is no reprise of this scene in 'Temple of Secrets'.

The Myth Makers - 'Horse of Destruction'
Scene - As a result of the attack on Troy, Steven is suffering from an
illness, and is lapsing in and out of consciousness. The Doctor briefly
turns his thoughts to the recently-departed Vicki, before considering how
he can find a way to heal Steven's sickness.
Caption - "Next Episode THE NIGHTMARE BEGINS" appears over a freeze shot of
the Doctor, Katarina and Steven.
Notes - There is no reprise of this scene in 'The Nightmare Begins'.

The Daleks' Master Plan - 'Destruction of Time'
Scene - The Doctor and Steven survey the barren wasteland that was once the
thriving planet of Kembel. Steven contemplates all the lives that have been
lost in the battle, and the Doctor replies, "What a waste ... what a
terrible waste." The Doctor and Steven then enter the TARDIS ... 
Caption - As the TARDIS dematerialises from Kembel, the "Next Episode WAR
OF GOD" caption appears. The screen fades to black and the credits roll.
Notes - There is no reprise of this scene in 'War of God'.

*** STORY GUIDES ***

SEASON 2 STORY 1

J : Planet of Giants

(a) GENERAL

3 episodes

'Planet of Giants'
     TX(31 Oct 64)  TI(17.16)  DU(23'15")  VA(8.4)  CP(37)  AA(57)
'Dangerous Journey'
     TX(07 Nov 64)  TI(17.15)  DU(23'40")  VA(8.4)  CP(45)  AA(58)
'Crisis'
     TX(14 Nov 64)  TI(17.15)  DU(26'35")  VA(8.9)  CP(33)  AA(59)

Total Duration = 73'30" (approx)
Average Viewing Audience = 8.6 million
Average Chart Position = 58.0

Repeat Screenings - nil on BBC1, however the story has been repeated on UK
Gold.

Countries Sold To - Abu Dhabi (Arabic), Australia, Chile (Spanish), Costa
Rica (Spanish), Dominican Republic (Spanish), Ethiopia, Hong Kong, Iran,
Jordan (Arabic), Kenya, Libya (Arabic), Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco
(Arabic), New Zealand, Nigeria, Rhodesia, Saudi Arabia (Arabic), Singapore,
Thailand, Trinidad & Tobago, Tunisia, Uganda, Venezuela and Zambia

(b) VIDEO FOOTAGE

Status - All three episodes were originally destroyed at an unknown time
between 1972 and 1977. The complete serial now exists on 16mm monochrome
film (negative film prints were recovered from BBC Enterprises in 1977/78).

Clips - n/a

Notes -
* The BBC also possess an Arabic dubbed version of all three episodes (on
16mm monochrome film).

* A Spanish dubbed version of 'Crisis' exists as a 16mm monochrome film
print (the Spanish version of the show is called 'El doctor misterio'!).
This print is held by a private collector.

* The story has never been released on BBC Video. However, a short clip
from the first episode, dubbed in Arabic, appeared on 'The Hartnell Years'.

(c) AUDIO RECORDINGS

n/a

(d) RECONSTRUCTIONS

n/a

(e) PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIAL

Telesnaps - currently missing. PasB (Programme-as-Broadcast) documentation
indicates that John Cura provided his services for all four episodes of the
serial. It is uncertain whether this means Cura created telesnaps of all
four episodes (in which case, he would obviously require facilities at the
BBC), or whether the first episode of the next serial (World's End) was
mistakenly included as part of 'Planet of Giants'.

Behind-the-Scenes Shots - unknown

Publicity Shots - 
21 Aug 64 - photocall at Studio Four, Television Centre (regulars with the
"giant" props)
28 Aug 64 - photocall at Studio Four, Television Centre (further photos of
the regulars with the over-sized props)
04 Sep 64 - photocall at Studio Four, Television Centre (as above!)
11 Sep 64 - photocall at Studio Four, Television Centre (photos of the sets
used)

(f) AUSTRALIAN CENSOR CUTS

'Planet of Giants'   DR(29 Jun 65)   FT(877)   RA(A)   no cuts
'Dangerous Journey'  DR(29 Jun 65)   FT(900)   RA(G)   cut A
'Crisis'             DR(29 Jun 65)   FT(1007)  RA(G)   no cuts

cut A : "cuts ... 18ft. At 4 mins delete shots of man turning over body and
displaying its blood-stained face and chest. At 7 mins delete shots of 2
men turning over body and dragging it away." [This is a verbatim
description of the cut as recorded by the Censorship Board - the above
comment refers to the scene in which the scientist Smithers is murdered by
Forester.]

(g) OTHER NOTES

* Working titles - 'The Miniscules' (entire serial), 'Death in the
Afternoon' (second episode).

* The serial was originally produced as a four-episode story, but on
viewing the story, co-creators Sydney Newman and Donald Wilson felt that
the final two episodes ('Crisis' and 'The Urge to Live') should be combined
into a single episode. The new episode incorporated the opening titles of
'Crisis' with the closing credits of 'The Urge to Live'.

* Recording for all four episodes occurred at TC4 (Television Centre Studio
4) between 21 Aug 64 and 11 Sep 64. Film inserts were recorded at Ealing on
30 Jul 64 and 13 Aug 64.

* Since the initial planning stages of DOCTOR WHO, the production team were
always keen to put together a "miniscules" story. In fact, at one stage, a
storyline submitted by C.E. "Bunny" Webber (with a working title of 'The
Giants') was considered as the very first story of DOCTOR WHO. This story,
which bears no real resemblance to 'Planet of Giants' apart from the
concept of miniaturisation, was ultimately rejected.

* Novelised by Terrance Dicks, 'Doctor Who - Planet of Giants' (#145), was
published by W.H. Allen in January 1990 (as a paperback only). The cover
was provided by Alister Pearson. This was, in fact, the final novelisation
of a televised Hartnell story.

*** REVIEWS AND COMMENTS ***

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE FACELESS ONES [JV3]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I wasn't even born when 'The Faceless Ones' was originally transmitted. In
fact, at the time the serial was being junked, I was still at primary
school. Consequently, until this JV reconstruction, my only real knowledge
of the story came from the DWM archive, a wobbly copy of Episodes 1 and 3,
and a rather dull-looking Target novelisation. The only thing that really
captured my interest was a picture of miniaturised humans I recall seeing
in a piece of fan art years ago (and even then, this seemed to have very
little to do with the remaining episodes). Of course, I was aware that the
story had something to do with a race of aliens escaping from a dying
planet, but I had no idea how this concept was actually realised.

As to the story itself, well, against all of my expectations, I found I
enjoyed the tale. While probably not the greatest of Who stories, it
provides us with Malcolm Hulke's first attempt at creating a sympathetic
alien race. The appearance of the Chameleons is interesting though by the
end of the story, all of the main aliens appearing in their humanoid form
is clearly a cost-cutting move. Equally, the whole of the Chameleons'
history is presented in a conversation on the main Air Traffic Control set.
The dénouement, where the Doctor agrees to help the Chameleons, is
dispensed with in an equally cheap fashion. However, it is interesting to
watch a race of DOCTOR WHO monsters say, to all intents and purposes, "Oh,
all right then, we won't invade Earth."

Probably the most disappointing element of the story is the abrupt manner
in which Ben and Polly are written out. Following their role early in the
story, they disappear for a couple of episodes and are briefly reunited
with the Doctor and Jamie at the end for a quick goodbye. Something must
have been in the air on 20th July 1966. While Ben and Polly are being
hastily written out at Gatwick Airport, a few miles away Dodo is being
written out in an equally rushed manner in the final episode of 'The War
Machines'.

The role of the companion in this story is primarily split between Jamie
and Samantha Briggs. Samantha is a well-written character, and indeed her
role in the story is very much that of a prospective DOCTOR WHO companion
(similar to that of Ray many years later in 'Delta and the Bannerman'.)
Consequently, we learn much more about Samantha than normal, and it is a
shame that she doesn't leave in the TARDIS at the end of the story.

The reconstruction itself maintains the excellent standards set by the JV
team. The quality of the remaining episodes is excellent considering that
they have never been released on BBC Video or repeated on any satellite
channel. The telesnaps themselves are of the usual high quality, as is the
soundtrack. There are no interview snippets at the beginning of the tape -
instead we are treated to a COI-style introduction of pictures and text
briefly outlining the story's history. There is, however, a treat for
Pertwee fans at the end of the tape in the form of a reconstruction of the
trailer for 'The Mind of Evil'.

'The Faceless Ones' is a story that surpassed my expectations. While not an
obvious "classic", it held my attention throughout and provided me with an
enjoyable couple of evenings' entertainment.

(SIMON SIMMONS)

*** LETTERS AND OPINIONS ***

All those who work with such motivation to bring lost episodes of DOCTOR
WHO to life, are to be commended. You are all performing such a huge piece
of work, completely out of your own money and time, and love for the show
(while little else happens in the years since DOCTOR WHO came to an end).

I could go on about how I like one style of reconstruction over another,
but in truth, all of them do just as good a job. Strangely, I'm a nineteen
year old fan of the William Hartnell and Patrick Troughton eras. In fact,
DOCTOR WHO has been a form of escapism for me ever since I was just a
little "time tot", and it continues to be so. Thanks to all the
reconstructors - I am so grateful.

(ROD HANNAH)

~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thanks for the latest issue of the newsletter. It was fascinating stuff,
especially the article by Marcus Hearn on the telesnaps, and the lovely bit
of nostalgia from Tim Woolgar. 'The Web of Fear' was one of my very
favourite stories when I was a kid, and it still works its magic spell for me.
  
Having experienced most of the reconstructions and missing episode audios
over the last few months, I recently started going through them all again
chronological order (I eventually plan to integrate it with the surviving
material and do a complete Seasons 1 to 6 one of these days!). This has
once again brought home the fantastic achievement of the reconstructions,
which it strikes me are of truly archival value and a lifeline to all the
programme's fans. 
  
Without wanting to sound a killjoy, I am one of those who believes that the
chances of rediscovering even one more missing episode are now fairly slim.
Therefore, to be able to sit down and watch these wonders come back to life
actually strikes me as more valuable every time I watch them. The overall
achievement is quite simply breathtaking and a tribute to all the teams'
fantastic efforts.

(JULIAN HAYLOCK)

~~~~~~~~~~~~
I enjoyed reading the latest issue, however I did manage to find a possible
error in the story guide for 'The Reign of Terror'. The guide stated that
the director's credit was removed from 'A Change of Identity' (episode 3).
However, the director's credit is intact in my copy of the story.

(PATRICK FURLONG)

[ed : Patrick has raised an interesting question which requires a little
more research. Stay tuned for further details!]

*** THE MEMORY CHEATS ***
Perry Armstrong, an Australian fan, provides us with his recollections of
the show's early years ...

~~~~~~~~~~~
Aged six years, or thereabouts, my earliest memories of DOCTOR WHO are from
'Planet of Giants'. I can recall the general feeling of "smallness" being
conveyed quite convincingly with scenes of our heroes scurrying around the
laboratory sink, for example. The image that most strongly remained with me
was the camera pulling back from the TARDIS until it was just a tiny speck
at the bottom of the garden. Following 'Giants', there's a large gap
between this story and the next one I can recall - 'The Celestial
Toymaker'. And even then, 'Toymaker' exists in my mind only as a series of
jumbled images of adults playing children's games. Another thing I do
remember from the story is the sinister mood prevalent throughout.

>From 'The War Machines' onwards, my memories become a lot clearer. I was
terribly impressed with the War Machines and found them scary in the way a
lot of people talk about the Daleks. Their large size made them ominous,
and the recognisable "present-day" setting added to the effectiveness of
this story. At the time, I had the innards of an old mantlepiece clock as a
play-thing, and I could wind it up and watch it whirr and click. I remember
pretending it was a War Machine!

As I entered my seventh year, I was greeted with 'The Tenth Planet'. The
only part I remember from this story is, not surprisingly, the regeneration
scene. It astonished me, and I couldn't wait to see what happened next.
Therefore, I do remember 'The Power of the Daleks' quite vividly. I
accepted Patrick Troughton as the Doctor immediately, and I thought the
steady build-up of the Dalek threat was superbly handled (in a similar way
as would be done in 'Genesis of the Daleks' years later). No one who saw
'Power' will ever forget the infamous "production line" sequence, and I'm
no exception.

I don't recall much from the early part of 'The Evil of the Daleks' (I
preferred seeing Daleks in futuristic settings). However, I do remember the
climactic battle on Skaro - particularly impressive was a scene where a
Dalek's top exploded, and the camera zoomed in, and we could see a
pulsating brain-like mass inside (the brain seemed to be lit up from
inside). To those who say there's never been a shot of a "topless" Dalek, I
refer you to the photo on page 7 of 'Starburst' magazine Vol. 1, No.6 which
shows the BBC effects crew setting up the very shot I describe!

Now, on to 'The Tomb of the Cybermen' ... and this DID terrify me! The
whole mood of it was wonderful, with staggering sets, scary music and
superb "film noir" photography. The story maintained a level of tension
throughout - there was always the feeling that something was about to
happen. It left an indelible impression, and when (in a state of ecstasy) I
watched the recovered video many years later, I was amazed how accurate my
memories really were.

At around this time, I was now eight years old ... and the Yeti stories
came next. Apart from having a crush on Victoria, my main memories of 'The
Abominable Snowmen' are of the moving silver balls. I thought they were
neat. 'The Web of Fear' made a much greater impression, particularly the
opening scene where a silver ball breaks the window and causes the Yeti to
come to life and kill a man. I don't remember much from 'Fury from the
Deep', except for the Doctor and Jamie in the TARDIS saying a tearful
goodbye to Victoria as she (seen standing on a beach) shrinks to the
distance on the scanner.

And finally, to conclude my early memories, I can recall 'The Wheel in
Space'. I liked the oddly shaped Servo Robot in this story, and I remember
seeing the same costume (minus the "accordion" legs - it was being worn by
a girl in black tights!) being used in some other kid's programme (possibly
VISION-ON?). The other thing about 'Wheel' that sticks in my mind is the
eerie scene of floating globules attaching themselves to a spaceship, and
then having embryonic Cybermen burst forth from them.

(PERRY ARMSTRONG)

*** REQUESTS ***
The following request has been sent to us by Julian Knott :

In 1987, while I was running the DWAS Reference Department, I produced a
cassette containing music that had been used in the Hartnell and Troughton
eras of DOCTOR WHO. This cassette, called 'Space Adventures', consisted of
twenty-one tracks, and included material from such stories as 'An Unearthly
Child', 'The Moonbase' and 'The Web of Fear'. When we compiled the original
cassette, the technology available to us was extremely limited. However,
eleven years later, the advances in digital technology have allowed us to
create a CD version which is more accessible, and certainly more
affordable. Apart from enhancing the existing tracks, we've also managed to
add some new material from 'The Space Museum', 'Terror of the Autons' and
'The Tenth Planet'. The CD can now be obtained by mail order and from
selected dealers. For ordering details, and a full track listing, visit the
'Space Adventures' web page at :

http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/juliank/index.htm

or email me at <JulianK@Dial.Pipex.Com>.

*** ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ***
Thanks to the following for help with this issue : Perry Armstrong, Dominic
Jackson, Chris Krisocki, Richard Landen, Michael Palmer, Andrew Pixley,
Simon Simmons and Stephen James Walker.

*** BORING STUFF ***
The DOCTOR WHO reconstructions are fan-produced endeavours completed
without the consent of BBC Worldwide, BBC Television, or any holders of the
DOCTOR WHO licence. No infringement on any such copyright holder is
intended nor are the tapes produced for any sort of monetary compensation.
Tapes are distributed through the worldwide DOCTOR WHO fan network. Support
the BBC releases!

All material published in this newsletter is copyright 'Change of Identity'
Productions. Please do not reprint any of the contents in another
publication (whether electronic or print) without obtaining the prior
permission from the editors.

The newsletter is available in three formats - plain text, Word 6, and
HTML. There is also an "announcement" mailing list which simply announces
the release of a new issue, and provides details on how the issue can be
downloaded from a web-site. Send an E-mail to Bruce if you wish to be added
to any of these lists. The back-issues (in HTML format) can be located at
the following web-site:

http://freespace.virgin.net/dominic.jackson/coi/
*********************************************************