Dr Who 50th anniversary thoughts - contains some spoilers

With an explosion of greatest hits for the new era, but with enough homage to the classic era to keep long term fans happy, the 50^th anniversary special of Dr Who launched onto our screens.  The show was a big part of my childhood and even in adulthood it is as important in my life as it was back then with its ability to inspire, entertain and teach us all about morality, whilst never getting boring due to an unlimited scope for adventures in time and space and a lead character who can change his appearance as a way to beat death.

Since the show was brought back in 2005 there have been references to the time war, a huge war encompassing the whole of time and space between the Time Lords and the Daleks.  The Doctor was dealing with the genocide he brought on his own people and the Daleks to save the whole of the Universe.   He killed to save countless more.  Through the years since 2005 we have been fed little tidbits to put together piece by piece, always wondering at the grandeur of that immense war.  Would we get to see it?  I had often thought we would see a spin off movie of the time war done as a prequel, designed more for the American audience with huge special effects and either a returning Paul McGann or even Christopher Eccleston. 

But we did get a returning McGann for the 50^th anniversary special for the small teaser mini episode that showed McGann regenerating into John Hurt and the reasons behind it.   This was a very exciting moment, but also reminded me that McGann never got a fair crack at the whip in regards Dr Who.

The Main 50^th anniversary episode was a superb culmination to the Time War story ark, but also carried it on with a poignant ending of hope and a whole new and exciting story ark.   A friend said they were disappointed because it wasn't a one off adventure but another part to a continuing story and though I see her point, I was happy with this and in fact it is probably the one part of the new Dr Who that I prefer to the classic era; long term plot-lines and story arks.  This one even explained a particular ending to an episode from 2007.

With three doctors, including David Tennant coming back for another stab at the part that he always seemed tailor made for, and Legendary actor John Hurt playing a previous unknown Doctor who fought in the Time War joining Matt Smith, this harked back to the anniversary episodes of the classic era by having more than one Doctor.  With even Billie Piper returning as Rose – well sort of.  She was immensely popular as a companion in the first two series since the comeback; however I found the romance angle a little wrong for the show and always preferred Catherine Tate as Donna, who was simply a friend to the Doctor.

Clearly from the scenes together, Matt and David had a lot of fun working together and playing a kind of one-upmanship with each other, especially with the Zygon/Queen Elizabeth scenes.  Bring in a more serious, grownup, but still dry, John Hurt to counter the almost childish antics of the other two and we had some great moments on screen.  In fact, as with Paul McGann it seems almost a shame we probably won’t get to see more of John Hurt in the part.  His was a very dark doctor, a warrior to end the biggest war in the history of the universe. 

Surprises were plentiful and it was a credit to the makers that in the days of the Internet, nothing major really leaked.  We were treated to a great pay off with all doctors helping to save the day, including a nice teasing debut for Peter Capaldi.  This in itself was enough in some ways, but then they moved the dial up to 11 with Tom Baker as ‘The Curator’.  Was he a later version of the Doctor, having reached the end of his life, choosing to travel through his past in his favorite body, guiding previous incarnations like a Mafia consigliere?  This was hinted at when Matt Smith said he would love to be a Curator.  The Final scene with William Hartnell looking on at all the doctors was also a touching moment that brings shivers to me even as I write this.

Of course this was not a perfect episode as nothing is perfect.  It would have been nice if Christopher Eccleston hadn't seemed to want so desperately not to be connected to the show and just agreed to a minute or two broadcasting time by showing the complete regeneration of John  Hurt into his doctor with a simple proclamation that he had been “fantastic!”  This though is a very minute issue and at least Eccleston is honest about his time on the show, he could have gone through the motions, making enough money to be made for life, then left, but he didn't want to do that.

Of course, the BBC didn't just celebrate the 50^th anniversary with this episode; they threw everything at us, including the kitchen sink.  There were two excellent documentaries, a rebroadcasting of the first ever story (all four episodes), and a very emotional docudrama that showed us how Dr Who was first made, and the first three seasons, following William Hartnell as he went from a minor character actor, type cast in certain rolls, to the biggest TV roll in British television.  It was brilliantly made and actually quite sad at the end when you realize how much Hartnell loved playing the character but the tough schedule simply became too much for him and he was let go.  There were a couple of Turkeys – One Direction, why!?  The top ten countdown for the greatest monsters looked great on paper but was ruined by showing only episodes from 2005 on-wards and even second or first parts only in two part stories.  It would have been better done as a top fifty show over one night.  Or with a different presenter, due to the one they chose, clearly not a fan with his stupid jokes.

With the 50^th anniversary show closing with the start of a new story ark – the doctor trying to find Gallifrey and the knowledge that Matt Smith is stepping down to regenerate into Peter Capalidi, the show will again, reinvent it self whilst keeping the same themes that have served it well over the last 50 years.

Here’s to another 50 years.

Enders Game

In the past few months I have spoken about my excitement for some big movies this year with Enders Game clearly number one.  I spoke of my love of the book in my last blog and last weekend, with a little babysitting help from my sister in law, the wife and I went to see it.

The movie, based on the 1985 novel by Orson Scott Card has been in development for years.  It has been described as unfilmable due to a lot of the novel taking place in the principle character Enders’ head as he analysis’s events and also due in some part to the zero g combat classes of the Battle school.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine director Gavin Hood was given the task of bringing it to the big screen with Asa Butterfiled was given the all important role of Ender Wiggin.  Heavyweights Harrison Ford and Ben Kingsley were both cast in all important supporting roles. 

During the build up to the release of the movie, a lot had been made of Orson Scott Cards’ much reported political opinions, in particular his views on gay marriage.  Personally I don’t agree with them, but as anybody who has the read the book will say, these views don’t manifest in it as he has created a future world of many cultures working together to save Earth from an alien threat.  The calls to boycott the movie seemed a waste of time when you realize the author won’t profit from the movie, so it would be best to boycott his books!

Anyway, enough of the politics, and onto the movie.

The plot of the novel comes 70 years after Earth was nearly destroyed in an invasion by an insect like alien race called the Formics, but saved by the skills of a commander.  Fearing a final invasion, it is decided to train your children due to become future commanders   Ender is a 3^rd child (in a society where by families only have 2 children) and is the biggest hope for mankind.  He joins Battle School (an orbiting space station where the commanders are trained in combat) and makes his way up through the system to the final act in the novel (and the twists).

SPOLERS ahead

My biggest fear with the movie was how much was going to be changed.  The trailer had hinted at a Hollywood style ending with a large scale battle – which in the book isn’t played out.  Had they decided to ignore the twist that Ender and his team were not taking part in the final test at command school and go for the big spectacular battle?  Luckily this was not the case and in fact the battle was an elaborate VR sequence to the children s’ (and the audience) point of view.

Of course there were changes.  There had to be to make it work on the big screen.  In the novel the passage of time of a few years but in the movie it is a matter of months.  I agree with the producers that this was needed to keep the same actors in the parts and not confuse the audience by having two or three children playing the same role at different ages of the character.

One slight change I didn’t like was that in the novel we are told they are training the children for a third invasion, with one of the twists being that in fact we are invading them.  In the movie it is clear very early on that we have sent an invasion fleet.

The dropping of the Valentine/Peter stort ark was a sad loss as it predicted online political blogs influencing the world of politics, however it would have made the movie too long and maybe bored the average movie goer who wanted big action scenes.

The only issue I have is the moving of the command center from Eros (an asteroid in the solar system) to an old colony of the Formics a few light years away.  This led to a change at the end whereby Ender leaves on his own to become the speaker for the dead, and not with Valentine.  If there is a sequel and they base it on the speaker for the dead this may course issues as she is a vital character in those books.  If they go with the Enders Shadow sequence of the books for a sequel then missing out the Peter/Valentine ark may course problems as well.  But with it not being quite as successful financially as they had hoped I suspect a sequel will be a long time coming.

The other minor difference is the downplaying of Bean and the more prominent story for Petra (she becomes his all important Lieutenant).  The character of Bean is a great one (especially in the shadow sequence).  But it is a movie and you need a strong female character to be a foil to Ender on the big screen.  At least they didn’t make her a love interest!

But apart from these changes which are mainly subtle, I was very pleased with the adaptation.  Asa was perfect as Ender, taking his almost phobia like fear for his brother Peter and the love of his sister to new levels.  He brings out the initial loneliness of the character, whilst developing the respect he has for his colleagues and friends over time.  Some have said the two big scenes where he “stops future fights” bullys is to PG when compared to the novel but I thought they were done brilliantly and were very intense scenes. On a side note the kid playing Bonzo made him someone you really hated!

The notion that parents can’t have more than two children and the social implications if they do, are not explored in the movie enough. But for the casual movie goer this is probably not an issue.

Visually the movie is excellent with battle school exactly as I imagined it in my mind when reading the book.  The zero G mock battles are kept to a minimum in the movie when compared to the book, but it would have go very samey and boring fast it this hadn't had been done.  I was also pleased with the way they handled the parts where Ender plays the mind games as this was always going to be tricky to put onto film but it conveys his fears very well.

In the end, my fears were null and void, as I came out of the cinema very pleased.  My wife who hadn't read the book loved it too.  I had thought before the movie it would appeal more to those who haven’t read the book, but am glad they managed to keep me as a fan of the book happy, whilst simply making a good science fiction movie.  Would I say it is the greatest SF movie?  It is up there and is probably the best of the year – Oblivion is a close second.  But it may need repeated viewing before I can compare it to the likes of Alien and Blade Runner.