The Doctors: The First Doctor (William Hartnell)

William Hartnell. Doctor Number One - The original, you might say! The First Doctor didn't crash, waltz, or explode onto our screens like his successors did. This Doctor wandered in mysteriously from the fog, on a dark November night. A strange old man wearing a scarf and an enigma.

 

 

 

 

Initially, and famously, rather unpleasant, Hartnell's incarnation of the Doctor (who wouldn't be revealed as a Time Lord for another seven years) was only a reluctant hero. Perhaps the Doctor and his granddaughter Susan's exile from their home planet was what made the old man so untrusting of humans, or maybe he felt that he was superior to them. Driven by his own selfish desires and whims, it took the two school teachers he kidnapped to break through the tough, cold exterior to the warmth and charm within him.  It is Ian and Barbara who are responsible for giving us the Doctor we know and love today.

 

 

 

The First Doctor is often described as a 'grumpy old man'. While this is the case to an extent, even at the very beginning of the series, there was far more to him than that. William Hartnell gave the Doctor depth, magic, and mystery. He is both irascible and hypocritical, even dangerous, and as he began to warm towards his human friends, his mischievous, whimsical side began to shine through. In fact, every single aspect of the Doctor's future lives can be traced back to the First Doctor - from his romantic nature (see his love for Cameca in 'The Aztecs'), to his desire for justice ('The Dalek Invasion of Earth'), and his delight as he explores the wonders of the Universe.

 

Clutching his lapels and harrumphing at his foes, the First Doctor, portrayed for three years by William Hartnell, was a citizen of the Universe, and a gentleman of the stars.

 

 

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The Stubborn Old Man

 

The mountains towered upwards into the sky, like natural skyscrapers. The sun hung in the air above them, casting a comforting glow across the horizon.

"Tired Doctor?" laughed Barbara, as Ian helped her climb onto the next set of rocks.

 "Nonsense Barbara!" the elderly man snapped, wiping his forehead as he attempted to clamber further up the mountain, "I never get tired! No time for it!" He slapped Ian's hand away, violently refusing help.

 "Nothing to be ashamed of Doctor!" Ian's voice was slightly patronising, as he smiled sideways at Barbara, "Men of your age tire easily. It's natural!"

 "Rubbish Chatterton! Fit as a fiddle, that's me!"

 The Doctor was still trying to hoist himself up, breathing heavily and unsteadily.

 "Ok then. Me and Barbara will get walking, and you can catch us up!" Ian replied, as the lady tried her best to stifle her laughter. Then the two school-teachers set off, strolling further up the winding path of the mountain, leaving their stubborn friend to struggle.

Glaring furiously up at the sky, face drenched with perspiration, the Doctor released a deep sigh.

"Chesterfield, wait! I, I'm...stuck..."

 

Cory John Eadson, 2013

4 - A Tribute to the Fourth Doctor

 

As you may already be aware, I had the pleasure of discovering I had won a poetry competition earlier this month. The idea was basically to write a poem about Doctor Who. My initial idea was to try and summarize the essence of the Doctor as a whole, but then I started to think about making it more personal. Instead of the Doctor as a man, how about focussing on a specific incarnation? And how about making it the Fourth Doctor - he was my first, after all.

 

And so,  rather than basing the poem in the deep depths of the Universe, I set it in a quiet little café, in wet old England. An intimate encounter with the bohemian wanderer - Tom Baker. Because seeing the Doctor in space is one thing, but seeing him in your town is quite another altogether.

 

I hope you enjoy it. I've titled it, rather simply, '4'...

He's sat there in the tea shop:

An unravelled yarn

Of brooding eccentricity.

A long scarf seems to wrap,

Like a woollen, multi-coloured snake,

Around his body a dozen times;

Almost as un-tameable

As the forest of curls

Atop his time-weary head.

He contemplates a mug of tea,

Elbow on table, chin in hand,

His wide eyes two pools of deep blue.

He doesn't seem to notice me staring -

His mind no doubt on other things.

I can almost hear ancient cogs

Grinding and whirring inside that mercurial mind:

Thoughts of distant worlds and falling stars,

And the spiralling chaos

Of the infinite vortex of Time.

I take a sip of my tea -

It's cold now,

Perhaps as chilled as me,

To be in the presence of this man.

A man who acts as a mighty pillar

Holding up the foundations of the Universe,

Now sitting in a small café on a wet day,

In the corner of the Galaxy known as England.

As I contemplate my own cold tea,

I barely notice him hurrying to his feet.

It isn't until he glides past

That I catch his eye -

And a rushing thrill seizes me in an instant.

As he leaves the tea shop,

His scarf flows behind him

Like the remains of a tattered, garish cloak,

And a second later the outside world has swallowed him up,

Leaving me alone with my cold tea,

The background noise of chatter, and bland muzak.

But he has left one trace of his existence,

For next to my mug sits a yellow jelly baby,

Stealthily deposited for my delectation.

“Thank you,” I say, mostly to myself,

Snatching up and devouring the tasty sweet,

Unable to suppress a wide smile.

“Thank you, Doctor...”

 

Cory John Eadson, 2013

50 Reasons Why 'Time Crash' Is The Most Perfect 8 Minutes of 'Doctor Who' Ever

#9 "Hands Free..."

 

Among all of the kisses to the past blown throughout it's seven minutes, Time Crash pays a little attention to the Fifth Doctor's lack of Sonic Screwdriver.

 

"I'm fine," Davison mutters, without even glancing up from the console, when Tennant offers him the use of his own Sonic.  It doesn't even occur to the Fifth Doctor to use it, having been without his trusty device for a good while now, ever since that nasty business with the Terilepils.

 

But what does the moment add to the context of the story? The honest answer? Bugger all! But, as with so many elements of the episode, it shows yet another subtle contrast between the two Doctors. Here's the Tenth Doctor, using his Sonic, relying on his Sonic to get up to all sorts of mischief, never mind applying it to get out some sticky situations! The Fifth Doctor, on the other hand, just soldiers on with whatever he can find at hand. And what's more, he manages to save the day! (OK, sort of. Ish).

 

Above all though, this moment is just a nod to the past that is beautiful in it's pointlessness. It's just there: A tiny moment that brings with it a host of subtle character contrasts and summaries, with only a throwaway line. And isn't that brilliant?

 

 

 

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For the previous Time Crash entries (SO FAR):

#8 'That Rubbish Beard'

#7 Belgium

#6 High Five!

#5 Murray Gold

#4 David Tennant

#3 Peter Davison

#2 Graeme Harper

#1 Steven Moffat

 

 

 

 

 

 

50 Years...

Earlier last month, a poetry competition was announced for fans of Doctor Who - All they had to do was write a poem based on the greatest television series in the world. I am overjoyed and still a bit surprised to say that I actually won the competition. But there were some excellent entries, not least from some very close friends of mine!

Neil Baird was one of the entrants, and here is the poem he submitted, along with an introduction by Neil himself. Neil has also supplied with some other excellent pieces that I will share over the coming weeks. Here's Neil...

November 23rd, 1963 saw a new program appear on the BBC Saturday teatime schedule. Its name? Doctor Who. 2013 is its 50th year.

 



While on, and sadly for a while, off TV, its fans have loved and remained loyal to the show. Eleven great and talented actors have played the Doctor, with number 12 arriving Christmas 2013. God bless them all.

 

This poem is my tribute to 50 years of my favourite series.

50 Years

 

November 1963 and Kennedy was killed. At 5.15 the very next day, British children were really thrilled.

 For they had something different. Something that was new. A children's TV show called Doctor Who.

 The story of an alien who travels through Time and Space.
Entertaining but educational. That should be its case.

 Showing science in the future and history in the past.
But the arrival of the Daleks changed its genre fast.

 It became a sci-fi show with monsters at every turn and being really scared is all kids would ever learn.

 Through the 1960's it was shown in black and white, but that didn't stop the Daleks who scared every child on site.

 William Hartnell was the first Doctor, the original you might say. He started off the character that's still on TV today.

 Then the Doctor, he went and changed. Pat Troughton took the role. A very different Doctor with a much more kinder soul.

 Through the 1970's the show was strongly run. Now it was made in colour, it couldn't be outdone.

 Jon Pertwee was the Doctor and he really was tip-top,
With the Brigadier and UNIT by his side there was no invasion they couldn't stop.

 Then three became four and Tom Baker took the part. With his long scarf and floppy hat, he was a hit right from the start.

 Tom was the most remembered Doctor, one of the best we ever had, and when he left in eighty-one fans were really sad.

 At the end of the 1980's the show sadly came to a stop, after three more and seven great Doctors, the TARDIS got the chop.

 The 1990's and things for the Doctor looked bleak. No series for him to be in, no cliff-hanger every week.

 The series became ridiculed, many saw it as childish pap, with really wobbly sets and monsters made from bubble-wrap.

 The companions were seen as wimpy, full of screams and squeals, who'd run away from monsters while in two inch pink high heels.

 Eventually a movie was made and though in the UK it went down well, though sadly not in America where it just refused to sell.

 Finally in the millennium the Doctor finally came back onto the air. Now a new generation love it, once again kids really care.

 There was a fine actor at that TARDIS door. Chris Ecceleston was the Doctor. Then he wasn't anymore.

 The Daleks have returned as well and so have the Cybermen. For five years they battled David Tennant, playing Doctor number Ten.

 Then Ten became Eleven and Eleven was old school. He wore a tweedy jacket and said bow ties were cool.

 

River Song was a huge part of this Doctors life. Some say they are lovers, others say she's his wife.

 Matt Smith was only 26 but his performance mirrored Pats. The eleventh Doctor wore a bow tie and an array of different hats.

 Now the 50th anniversary approaches, with a new Doctor about to start. Peter Capaldi has been cast and fans can't wait to see him in the part.

 We have had 50 years of episodes, with many more to do, so come November all the fans will shout... Happy Birthday Doctor Who.

 

 

By Neil Baird, 2013

 



The Twelfth Doctor....Who?

 

So, in Doctor Who's fiftieth year, we will be getting a new Doctor! Of course, despite many false starts and rumours, the announcement of Doctor #12 has yet to be made.

There have, as usual, been numerous rumours in the press about who the new Doctor may be, but the newspapers and journalist usually take ounces of truth and spread it thick, adding their own opinions into the mix until it spirals into, essentially, blatant lies. What we do know, 100%, is that we are getting a new Doctor on Christmas Day. And that is it.

The last time Steven Moffat had to choose a Doctor, he had very clear expectations as to who he wanted. Not in terms of a specific actor, more a type of actor. He wanted somebody older, mid-40's, or roundabouts. He ended up casting the youngest Doctor ever in Matt Smith! Will Moffat have similar thoughts this time around? Will he, this time, try and find that older Doctor he wanted back in 2009, before Matt Smith ruined everything by being so brilliant? Or does he like the idea of somebody young and wild controlling the TARDIS?

Will the Doctor even be male? The idea of Time Lords changing their sex is now officially canon, and a great many actors and actresses have discussed the idea of the new Doctor being female, even more than before. But should 'he' be female? I find it hard to believe that the production team would decide automatically to make the next Doctor a woman, but less hard to believe that if a lady auditioned for the role, and bettered her male counterparts, then she would be cast. A lady Doctor would certainly make things interesting, but the idea, the novelty of him now being a her would have to be dealt with swiftly, otherwise, ten episodes in and the Doctor still going, “I'm a woman now, women are cool!” would be awfully tiresome.

So, who would I like to play the Doctor? I would certainly prefer an older actor this time around, and perhaps somebody I have never heard of. Somebody who can fully embrace the character of the Doctor, in the same way that Matt Smith did. There is a lot of controversy about certain actors at the moment, in particular, Daniel Rigby, of the BT ads. But I have given up saying who I want, or what I want. Because the last time I did that, we got somebody who totally confounded my expectations, and he was excellent. So if the next Doctor is another youth, I will have to put my trust in Moffat to find the right youth. He did it in 2009.

Whatever happens, 50 years after Doctor Who's conception, we are getting a brand new Doctor. And that is still the most exciting thing ever, whoever he or she may be.

'Of Ghouls and Men' - Album Review

Formed in 2010 by Liv Decay and Oly 'Sinnister' Sinn, Raizing Hell (whose line-up is completed by Mr. Zombie on guitar and Demented Vlash on bass) are finally ready to unleash their first full-length album to the world. Titled 'Of Ghouls and Men', it is a worthy addition to the new wave of horror punk, and something very different.

The album goes for the jugular right from the off. There are no lengthy guitar solos or moments of deep introspection here. This is straight-up, pounding shock'n'roll, with the spirit of old-school punk and a vocalist who could almost be described as an evil Dolly Parton!

'We Are Raizing Hell' opens the album, and is a great self-referential tune in the style of Motorhead's 'We Are Motorhead'. Kicking off with some seriously frantic drumming, the song explodes with Mr. Zombie's razor-sharp riffage and the thundering bass of Demented Vlash in a way that the 'Head would most certainly be proud of. Liv Decay rasps through the song like she's channelling Lemmy Kilmister himself, although her trademark hollar is present and correct.

'(Do It) All The Way' is next, a vicious edge to the riffs here that is reminiscent of the Murderdolls. Liv too, manages here to sound like a female Wednesday 13, although she switches to the softer melodies with ease, lending the tune a welcome depth. This is another instant of the band taking their influences, and bending them to suit their own style, instead of just copying and imitating.

'Love To Hate' is a schizophrenic combination of bluesy beats and insane speed. The juxtaposition emphasises the heavier moments as well as the softer, more haunting parts of the song, threading the elements together rather beautifully.

It is at this point that I started to consider the bands' name – 'Raizing Hell'. 'Of Ghouls and Men' is just one huge party, and the band really do live up to their name. 'Thing For Murder' is a case-in point. A modern pop-punk guitar riff and Decay's country-and-western style singing make impossible NOT to dance, especially during the chorus!

'Shining' – a special song for the band – is altogether heavier, almost metal, to begin with. Demented Vlash's shark-attack bass intro leads into some serious axe-work (look at the song title-pun intended!), before progressing into a haunting, yet catchy, tune that could easily have appeared on the Misfits' 'Famous Monsters' album! 'Shining' yet again shows the band bending their influences, shaping them around their own music, and the beautiful chorus and lyrics are an absolute must for all the horror fanatics out there! A stand-out track!

'One Way Road' is a proper highway punk anthem something to blast out when your speeding off into the sunset (or dreaming about speeding off into the sunset), while 'Terror Television's' cry of “Kill or be killed!” is a call-to arms to maniacs everywhere.

'Invasion of the Infrasluts' switches from horror to cheesy sci-fi – a foul-mouthed tyraid of lunacy with an uber-fast chorus, and terrifically old-school guitar riffs. Think the Misfits' 'Teenagers From Mars', but a hell of a lot more insane, and you're halfway there.

Call it dark-pop, anti-pop, or whatever, but 'Cemetary Bash' is a weird mix of creepy lyrics and a beautifully sung chorus that is almost Shania Twain in it's essence (not a bad thing)! Liv Decay isn't afraid to show off every facet of her amazing voice, and Oly, Mr. Zombie, and Vlash all rise to the occasion with murderous ease.

And speaking of murderous ease, just when you think the band have exhausted their potential for any more epic horror punk anthems, they give us 'Rock'n'roll For The Dead'. Essentially a country-and-western-meets-hard-rock riot, this stand-out track transcends genres in a way that horror punk has never really dared to before, and will likely have the fans in the audience jiving and grooving more than just headbanging! An absolute corker of a song!

'Of Ghouls and Men', like all parties, has to end sometime, and this album closes with flair. Not, as expected, a homage to 'Dawn of The Dead', 'Zombie Nation' is actually an attack on the mindless sheep of society, glued to reality television and following the crowd. It's about the need to be individual, to make your own way in life, and with the intense riffage, rumbling bass, rolling drums, and a big, singalong chorus, 'Zombie Nation' summarises the whole of 'Of Ghouls and Men' in three and a half minutes, and leaves you craving more!

'Of Ghouls and Men' is one hell of a debut album! Each musician approaches their instrument with confidence and skill, and Liv Decay stands apart from all the other female vocalists out there by daring to be different. Raizing Hell have a fantastic core sound, and yet they aren't afraid to experiment, and think outside the box.

'Of Ghouls and Men' wasn't made to be analysed and dissected. It was made to blow your balls off. Buy it, turn it up to 11, and have the best horror party this side of Halloween. If you like horror punk, you will LOVE this!

RAIZING HELL ARE:

Liv Decay – Vocals

Mr. Zombie – Guitar, backing vocals

Demented Vlash – Bass, backing vocals

Oly 'Sinnister' Sinn – Drums

'Of Ghouls and Men' Stand-Out Tracks:

• Thing For Murder
• Shining
• Rock'n'roll For the Dead
• Zombie Nation

Also check out:

• Thirteen Shots – Tales That Start With A Whisper
• The Misfits – The Devil's Rain

For more information, visit Raizing Hell's Official Facebook Page: Raizing Hell

Cory Eadson, 2013

'The Price of Fear' Review

This book is a must-have for any fan of horror, or, in particular, Vincent Price. It is full of fabulous stories, some well-told, some less-so, and hadme laughing out loud on several occasions.

       'The Price of Fear' is much more than an observation on Price's horror films. It takes us right back to the beginning, with some excellent anecdotes from his live stage plays and love of artwork. Of course, his relationship with horror is well-covered too! Look out for his retort during the filming of 'House of Long Shadows', when a live bat flies into the building and halts the recording!

       So, content-wise, this book is lavish. It could have been much longer. I would have liked to have read more about Price's first film with Tim Burton, on 'Vincent', and his appearance on Alice Cooper's excellent 'Welcome to My Nightmare' album. But on the whole, there is lots to love here.

       It is the editing that BADLY lets it down. Joel Eisner's love of Price is evident throughout, but the text is rife with all kinds of punctuation errors, literally on every page. Clumsy sentence structure, wrong words ('latest' instead of 'lasted', for instance), opening brackets but not closing them, erratic use (or none use) of commas and italics, and long-drawn-out full synopsis' of every film mentioned...the list goes on. Also, the picture quality on the inside photographs and images is awfully faded, making the book look cheap and scrappily produced, like a ten-year-olds fanzine instead of a credible book condoned by the man himself! Several pages even came loose in the book, enhancing the cheaply-made status of it! The book has been in the making for along time, and while I am sure Eisner and his publishers would have wanted it to be released as soon as possible, it really really REALLY could have done with a few redrafts, and an editor (there is no mention of an editor on the inside page, to my knowledge). Editing is a crucial part of the writing process, and it is the one that lets this book down.

      But if you are a Vincent Price fan, ignore all that. It will bug you, irritate you at times, but it does not prevent the enjoyment of what must have been a total labour of love for Eisner. From the excellent and beautiful foreward from Peter Cushing himself, to a final look at the Dr. Phibes films that never were, 'The Price of Fear' is well-worth a purchase. Even if it *did* need an edit!