Masterful

This weekend's Doctor Who was, quite frankly, the best episode since the new series has returned to our screens.

I was literally blown away with the reveal that an old enemy of the Doctor's has returned to the series and, despite knowing The Master would return (for the forums are littered with spoilers like this), I thought the way he was brought back was absolutely fabulous. In previous series they have left clues throughout the entire series as to how the show would end, and this series was no different. However, in previous years the "clues" have been as unsubtle as a brick to the head (with phrases like "Bad Wolf" and "Torchwood" emblazened throughout the shows leading up to the finalé). This year was so much more subtle and the final reveal, as a result, was so much more of a payoff than we've ever previously had. It was also a bit of genius casting to get Jacobi and Simm in as the Doctor's nemesis. All in all it was brilliant television and I am REALLY looking forward to the show's season finalé now.

In other news, my kids were very generous this year for Father's Day, and have bought me tickets to see the "One Man Star Wars" show at the Lowry next week, which has gone down a storm off Broadway and at the Edinburgh fringe. Cannot wait. Bit of a Sci-Fi geek triumphant weekend all in all. Marvellous.

A narrow escape

So I'd nearly buckled..

The temptation was too strong..

I was looking at being able to buy the original, i.e. non Special Edition, versions of the Star Wars trilogy on DVD, just as I saw them in the cinema's in 1978, and at a rather nice price of £13.99 from amazon.

Okay, okay so I had to get the Special Editions again in order to get them, but it seemed worth it to have the versions where:

- Han shoots Greedo first.
- You get the original Ewok song at the end of Return of the Jedi.
- There are no gratuitous Boba Fett shots on Jabba's palace.
- Sebastian Shaw still turns up as Anakin at the end of the original trilogy.

So my finger hovered over the "Pre-order Now" button..

So tempted..

But then, and I don't know what possessed me, I scanned down and read the customer reviews.

It would appear that George Lucas is once again taking the piss. The upcoming DVDs of the original original trilogy (how stupid does that sound?) will not be anamorphic widescreen. They're going to be lousy letterbox transfers. What this means is that if you have a nice widescreen TV the picture will occupy about a third of that screen and will not have any additional resolution. In short it will look shit. All the details are here, by the way

I've given up ranting about Lucas, I only post this to warn anyone who a) might be considering buying these discs or b) knows someone who might be considering purchasing these discs.

In short.. DO NOT BUY THESE DISCS - you can buy similar DVDs (taken from a Laserdisc source and non-anamorphic) from eBay at a fraction of the price and will not be lining the pocket of the beardy bastard any more.

George Lucas, eh? What a total cunt.

George Lucas is a Cunt

I apologise for the strong language.
But for years (since 1997 in fact) I've tolerated the special editions of Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi as we were told that they were the only versions of these flicks that the beardy bastard Lucas was going to let us see.

Hell, I even bought the original Star Wars trilogy on DVD knowing that having Hayden Christensen pop up at the end of Return of the Jedi (along with all the other unneccesary changes) would depress the fuck out of me, as it was further evidence that Lucas never knew when to stop tinkering, and he was modifying the trilogy I grew up loving into as much of an elongated toy advert as the new trilogy...

But, now he has my money for the goddawful "Special" Editions - he pulls this masterstroke: The Original Versions of Star Wars on DVD.

What a complete bastard.







Well, of course I'm going to buy 'em, but still..

Happy Star Wars Day, all!

May the 4th be with you!