That’s right folks, I’m a total DW neophyte, starting with Nine, so do with that information what you will. As for me, some choice tidbits from the evening…
An Unearthly Child
Everyone loves good commentary, and Hussein didn’t let us down with a few notes on the ep:
“The iconic TARDIS. For what was a 3-wall set.”
“Notice the accents. They don’t speak like that in London anymore.”
“Antiques! That was my idea!”
“He SHOULD look evil! He shouldn’t look so goody-goody.”
“Shaking of the camera! That’s all we could do!”
Celebrating diversity
First meeting
Hussein: What are we gonna do with this?
Lambert: We’re gonna have to make it work.
The Character of Who
Shooting
Continuous, with 2-3 cameras, and no retakes. Unless there was something disastrous. Shot the first ep in a day.
Wooing William Hartnell
From the beginning, Verity wanted Hartnell, who was known as a huge supporting actor at the time, but it took a bit of convincing from Verity and Hussein.
Barnaby: Well, we’re all very grateful for those 2 very expensive lunches.
Hussein: I didn’t pay for it!
Desperately Seeking Susan
On the heels of a tragedy
Mission of the show
Educate kids, as well as entertain them. That’s why they visit the past, and the future. A long lamentation of the missing Marco Polo episodes, and Hussein seems somewhat amazed that people have taken the soundtrack and matched them up to production stills to get a sense of what it was like. Originally shot in black and white, the budget had grown, so the sets and costumes were colorful, lush and fabulous.
Difference between the pilot and the final transmitted episode?
The change was change mostly to make the characters more approachable, and to keep it visually interesting with fluid camera movements, not static during conversations.
Thoughts on the new Who
We didn’t know we’d be pioneers. These days they have the equipment and money to do extraordinary things. But Hussein does miss the unpredictability of the character, the original Who. There’s definitely a more sexual element with Billie and Karen, the will they/won’t they feeling, but that’s like tv nowadays – “Everybody’s trying not to have sex.”
Would Hussein ever direct another DW?
Oh, yes! Someone please ask Steven Moffat!
Female Doctor?
Well, they tried it with Star Trek. But doesn’t it make it into something else, then? Maybe he could turn into a woman, and then back into a man!
As a trailblazing person of color Hussein felt very self-conscious walking on to the set, and so he focused on getting things absolutely right, and by knowing what he was doing. Though the crew never made him feel uncomfortable, he was nerve-wracked, until he overcame his fear of them.What I didn’t know before tonight Doctor Who came from the mind of a Canadian. And that the Doctor could be a killer.
Gulp!
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Comments have been a little thin on the ground here recently, so I thought I'd say hurrah for this article, nice work for getting a fresh perspective on the oldest Who, and from across the pond no less. Keep it up!
Thanks GeeTee.
Comments were disabled for the past few months which is why there weren't any.