The War Machines
(DVD)

 

Starring William Hartnell
4 Episodes
1966
95 minutes (black & white)
Single Disc




 

 

Production Notes
Doctor Who
William Hartnell

Dodo Chaplet
Jackie Lane

Polly Lopez
Anneke Wills

Ben Jackson
Michael Craze

Written by
Ian Stuart Black
Directed by
Michael Ferguson

Produced by
Innes Lloyd

Original Airdate
June 25 - July 16, 1966

Region 1 DVD Release Date
January 2009

Warner Home Video
#3000018673

U.K. Cover


 



Cover Blurb

 

(Based on an idea by Kit Pedler)

The TARDIS arrives in London, 1966, where the Doctor and Dodo visit the recently opened Post Office Tower.  At its top they discover a brilliant new problem-solving super computer - the Will Operating Thought ANalogue.

But when WOTAN decides that it should rule the world, the Doctor is the only person who can stop its rampaging War Machines from destroying London.  Luckily, he has the help of a young secretary called Polly and a sailor called Ben.



 

 

 

DVD Features

  • Now and Then:

 A six minute featurette detailing the London locations used in filming this story.  As the name suggests, many locations are revisited to see what they look like today.
 

 
  • Blue Peter:
 Over sixteen minutes of a mixture of different clips from the popular children's program, all culled from around the time of transmission of "The War Machines".  One such clip even includes a War Machine visiting the set that day (available on the VHS release too).
 

 
  • One Foot in the Past:
 An extract from a BBC2 documentary on the history of the Post Office Tower (which played such a central role in this release).
 

 
  • WOTAN Assembly:
 Anneke Wills narrates this fascinating nine minute documentary on the reconstruction of this story, due in part to the junking of old Who episodes, and the cutting of certain scenes made by overseas censors.
 

 
  • Photo Gallery:
 Lots of rare and never before seen photos taken during the production of this story.  Very nice.
 

 
  • Information Text:
 An incredible amount of trivia and tidbits of Whovian detail are provided.  The text appears intermittently along the bottom of the screen and is written by members of the Doctor Who Restoration Team.
 

 
  • PDF Materials:
 Accessible from any computer with a DVD drive, a PDF of some of the original Radio Times press clippings from 1966 as well as the original design drawings of the War Machines themselves.
 

 
  • Audio Options:
 Commentary is provided by  Anneke Wills (Polly), and  Michael Ferguson (director).
 

 
  • Easter Eggs:
 There is 1 egg included in this release.  Scroll down further for more details.  For a full list of known Easter Eggs and screen grabs of them click HERE.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Easter Egg

#1. SILENT LOCATION FILM REEL

 

Go to the 'Episode Selection' menu.
Click on the hidden Doctor Who logo to the right of Episode 2.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Additional Notes

  • This is the last "complete" Hartnell story, and has all the hallmarks of a good U.N.I.T. storyline which would be used later in the program during the 70's.
     

  • "The War Machines" marks the first time that episode numbers are used rather than unique episode titles.  This practice would continue throughout the rest of the classic series history.
     

  • This story sees the abrupt departure of Dodo midway through the story as well as introducing two new companions Ben and Polly.
     

  • "The War Machines" is the final story of the third season of Doctor Who.  It would have a brief 2 month hiatus before returning again to television screens in the autumn of 1966.
     

  • An early working title of this story was "The Computers", although this was later amended to "The War Machines."
     

  • Originally, a new companion by the name of Rich was to join the Doctor and Dodo during this story.  They never got to the point of casting for this character as the production team changed their minds and decided to write Dodo out and start from scratch with two new companions.

  • One actress who auditioned for the role of Polly was Deborah Watling.  She would return a year later in the role of companion Victoria Waterfield.
     

  • The Doctor Who Restoration Team have done extensive work on this title over the years by cleaning up both picture and sound as well as returning lost footage from the Australian Censor Clips.
     

  • This is the first story from the black and white era to be restored by the Doctor Who Restoration Team back in 1997.  Over the years this team has made its mark by restoring episodes from the Hartnell and Troughton eras.
     

  • As well as the usual high quality of restorative work done by the Doctor Who Restoration Team, the typical "videoising" effect (called VidFIRE) was used for this release.  Originally shot on videotape, then transferred to 16mm film for overseas sales, all 60's Who stories have a film look to them.  The VidFIRE process restores the sharper, more "live" feel of videotape (and what would have been seen by the public when originally screened).