Doctor Who: The Curse of Fenric Effects Comparison

In 2003, The Curse of Fenric received (optional) new effects for its DVD release. As well as new CGI effects, the entire story was turned into a movie-length production with 12 minutes of additional footage, alternative angles and shots plus a significant colour regrade applied to the footage by Dave Hawley. Here is a comparison of the updated footage with the original footage.
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[@markayres4764]

Gosh. A number of issues here.
1) That is not the 2003 version on the right. It's the "Collection" version, which is revised.
2) The external shot of the cabin after "we play the contest again, Time Lord" was not in the 2003 version. It was added in the "Collection" version. And it was done by yours truly.
3) There's at least one shot, off the top of my head, you've missed from the "Collection" version. But it's very subtle.
4) The "flashback" was in the script, and in the original director's cut. Which is why it's in the SE.
5) There is no dialogue "missing" from the end. It was not in the script but was added in post as JN-T didn't think people would "get it". Ian Briggs, Nick Mallett and I *did* think people would "get it", hence it's not in the "director's cut".
Mark.

[@sunlmao]

Is there a list somewhere of the differences between the 2003 and Collection versions? I had assumed the Collection just reused the 2003 version. (And, of course, I recall it added the VHS version as well as an additional bonus)
I remember reading in the original Restoration Team website article on the 2003 release that you had trouble getting the extra lines from the finished episode and adding it on top for the new sound mix for the 2003 edit, and that *that* was why it was excluded... Interesting either way, though!
Also, thanks for all your work over the years. Congrats on doing the new score for The Daleks; I *adored* your work on Shada, can't wait to hear your work here too. :)

[@JayMeDee]

Relax.

[@RopeDrink]

Personally, I like the added effects and removal (or addition) of filters to make the image clearer. The original had very murky scenes that were obviously far too dark, such as the Ep3 cliffhanger where Jedson's face was somewhat blurry due to the lighting.

[@LicencetoWho]

Easily Sylvester's best story and season in general, just imagine what S27 and 28 could have been like!

[@DanTheMan2150AD]

With Season 27 we don’t have to imagine thanks to the Past Doctor Adventure novels and Big Finish

[@davidaston5773]

This and the McCoy era proved Doctor Who was returning to form. Thanks to JNT and others embracing new gifted talent - the show had a transfusion of fresh passionate writers who wanted to restore the show to it's roots while evolving with the new. It's very clear with a better budget and more years everyone would've benefited.
But sadly the small minded snobbery of the BBC didn't want to be proven wrong... which 2005 DID!

[@DanTheMan2150AD]

Most people seem to like the Colin Baker era but it’s severely let down by an unpassionate script editor, the McCoy era especially from Dragonfire onwards show that the show was beginning to find its feet again after the previous era’s balls up.

[@davidaston5773]

@@DanTheMan2150AD"Attack of the Cybermen" has a very nasty sharp edge to it doesn't it. From one extreme of dark violence to family comedy. Vervoids hit it on the head and Big Finish perfected it. But McCoy of 87 to 89 is fascinating pacing. All this and the modern show prove lack of money, a need for more episodes and BBC messing it about ate always the problems. DW deserves better. When will they learn?

[@benjaminjamesmiller5208]

@@davidaston5773 doctor who was having a rough time during Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy's tenure. The television industries at the time were used to making soap dramas and reality TV shows. This is how it led into the series being axed for 16 years.

[@davidaston5773]

@@benjaminjamesmiller5208 I know all that I was a fan for the last era; the McCoy era. I remember the headlines like "Doctor Who exterminated by the Street" (Coronation Street the big soap that got up to 20 million on occasion).
Irony? There was, looming back, more Who than you'd expect. Plus, the show benefited from people missing it. "Dead Ringers" is one of many that proved that...
A universe without the Doctor is not...

[@Morris1581]

Mccoy and Ace are my first childhood Dr Who experience. Love them till today and fenric is my favourite episode. love the atmospere, the hemophores, the evil side of the doctor (playing at the end, when he talks bad about ace). the chess game, the fenric legend. i love it.

[@garym6315]

I was 11 when this aired and remembered hating it because I just didn't understand it. Luckily the VHS was released shortly after and I ended up loving it. Characters no longer randomly appeared in different locations and the concept of the ancient one made sense finally. The Beeb has a lot to answer for when it comes to the editing of the McCoy era for transmission.

[@benjaminjamesmiller5208]

I believe this story originally a lot of criticism when it first aired because of how dark it was.

[@blobfish5730]

I've not actually seen the original version of this story, but it seems like it'd be really hard to go back after the changes that the special edition brought in.

[@RedMakesMusic_]

Excellent video dan! Keep it up!!

[@matthewbolitho-jones]

I like the new effects

[@grossandgrosser8608]

I do hope it was included as part of the Tales of the Tardis miniseries.

[@user-jx1ew4ns1s]

Впервые увидел сцены с русской речью в классическом Докторе Кто. Это просто ужасно... Приходится пересматривать по 2 раза, чтобы понять... Зато забавно слышать в оригинале любимого сериала родную речь.

[@user-jx1ew4ns1s]

@Aurora4Llife why do you want me, as a Ukrainian, to leave my country alone?

[@garym6315]

The only thing I don't like about the special edition is that they made it movie length. I really wish they'd done an episodic version if it as I still watch 25 mins at a time whenever I'm watching it anyway, but miss the cliffhangers.

[@DanTheMan2150AD]

Honestly, I’m glad they ditched the cliffhangers in the special edition, it’s a story where they are seemingly shoehorned in wherever possible to make the episodes 25 minutes.

[@dommoore6180]

not sure what was going on with the dialogue at the end, also the flashback is a fairly awful addition imo, also the font and smoke at the start are less bland in the original, everything else they added or changed is for the best though. Still that flashback is not good nor needed.

[@DanTheMan2150AD]

The missing dialogue at end was due to the lines being overdubs and them clashing quite badly with Mark Ayres' new 5.1 mix, hence why he left them out. It's not a major loss since the same information can be conveyed without them. But yes the one downside of the Special Edition is the inclusion of that flashback sequence for me, other than that it's pure perfection.