Doctor Who: The Movie (Special Edition)

PAUL McGANN'S TV MOVIE FOR NORTH AMERICA!!!
Well, as Amazon does not give us the info on what we need to know about this wonderful Doctor Who DVD. I have posted the info here from the know all, and see all on Doctor Who DVD's. Here is Steve Manfred's info on Doctor Who - The Movie - Special Edition.
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Over 14 years after its production and broadcast, the Doctor Who TV Movie starring Paul McGann as the Eighth Doctor will finally see release in North America!!!

This 2-disc release will be on Tuesday, February 8th, 2011 for the suggested retail price of $34.98, under the title: Doctor Who - The Movie - Special Edition. 2entertain's Commissioning Editor Dan Hall revealed this surprise news on the "Hoo on Who" podcast (available on iTunes) on August 25. He was successful in negotiating release rights for this production outside of the UK that had previously been held by the co-producers of the TV Movie, Universal Television. This clears the way for a release in North America by BBC Worldwide...

Weak, but certainly not McGann's or Segal's fault
As "Dark Angel" and "Firefly" fans well know, the talking heads at the FOX network have an uncanny knack for truly sticking it to the science fiction community and this mismash of eleventh-hour script rewrites is no exception. It's a glorious "What-Could-Have-Been" storyline that is brilliant in its first half, falls into incomprehensible mush for the second half, then rushes to an admittedly-satisfying ending. Visually it borrows heavily from elements of "X-Files" and "E.R.," up to and including the hospital-oriented dramatics, with a recurring theme of advancing clock hands/digital clock displays. The storyline might best be described as a fusion of Pertwee's "Spearhead From Space" and Tom Baker's "The Deadly Assassin" set in present-day San Fransisco.

First off: Paul McGann is brilliant. He adheres to the cardinal rule of "reinvent the Doctor the way YOU think he should be played" that has worked so well for every actor before him, and we get a charming,...

One word of caution...
Like everyone else, I'm ecstatic that this title is finally getting an official North American DVD release. One word of caution, however - the Doctor Who Restoration Team has confirmed that the main feature on the DVD was taken from the PAL master, not the NTSC master.

What does that mean for US/Canada audiences? As the TV movie was originally shot and broadcast in North American using the NTSC standard, that means that this conversion is NTSC -> PAL -> and back to NTSC. The feature presentation will suffer from PAL-speed up, running about 4% faster than originally broadcast on Fox back in 1996. Perceptive viewers (who may have recorded this on VHS when it originally aired) will notice that everyone's voice is pitched slightly higher and that the movie runs faster (looking similar to how "time-compressed" airings of shows look on basic cable syndication).

Most American viewers probably won't even notice the changes but they are there nonetheless and the more...

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The Paradise: Season One

Retail Therapy: Eight Episodes Of Lightweight Escapism Set In A Posh Department Store
Looking for a stately British period piece about a burgeoning retail empire? No, I'm not talking about "Mr Selfridge." Prior to the ITV Studios depiction of London's elite shopping emporium Selfridges in 2013, the BBC had already unleashed the handsome production "The Paradise" in 2012. Somebody has a love of shopping! Or maybe they just think that the birth and heyday of department stores makes a sexy setting for romantic entanglements and personal intrigue! Of course, "Mr Selfridge" was the first to receive distribution in the North American market being picked up by Masterpiece Theater, undoubtedly due to the presence of Jeremy Piven in the lead role. But don't let that dissuade you from sampling "The Paradise." Ostensibly based on the novel "The Ladies' Paradise" (Au Bonheur des Dames) by Emile Zola, the adaptation may not fully satisfy purists looking for Zola's vision. There are glimpses of his style, but this is a decidedly soapier affair. But that's not all bad for a...

Enchanting Period Drama
Set in an undisclosed location in the north of England during the 1870s, 'The Paradise' is a historically accurate period drama regarding Britain's first department store, and the lives of those people affected by it. From Mr Moray, who struggles to make his visionary enterprise thrive, to the small shopkeepers he has inadvertently put out of business, to the the wealthy Glendennings and humble employees alike. Everyone, including the side characters, are richly drawn and come to life. Especially Denise, who quickly proves adept at her position in lady's wear (much to the chagrin of Miss Audrey, the strict departmental head who Sarah Lancashire plays to such perfection, she steals every scene), and becomes something of a love interest to Moray. The tension there, I might add, is lovely, and plays a role in the last episode's cliffhanger. Thankfully, 'The Paradise' has been recommissioned for a second series.

In addition to the character driven story lines, this made for a...

Excellent start for a new Masterpiece Theater series
The Paradise is the new Masterpiece Theater series that started Sunday, Oct. 6. Amazon viewers are almost unanimous in their praise of this fine program.

We are immediately introduced to our heroine Denise, well played by Joanna Vanderham, who has just come to the city from the country. She tries to get a job from her uncle, but his store is being slowly put out of business by an exciting new department store called The Paradise. Denise applies for and is given a job on probation as a trainee in dress sales.

The owner of The Paradise, Mr. Moray, played well by Emun Elliott, is determined to make his establishment the finest store of its kind in England. He has plenty of good ideas, but lacks the money to put his ideas into practice. He seeks financial assistance from Lord Glendenning, well played by the veteran actor Patrick Malahide. Lord Glendenning takes an interest in Moray only because his daughter loves the young man and begs her father to help him...

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