Doctor Who: The Underwater Menace

[TwinCitiesBluFan]

<- temp covers

Doctor Who: The Underwater Menace Blu-ray

Doctor Who: The Underwater Menace Blu-ray Steelbook


Release date TBD

Cover art TBD

Available to order also from Rarewaves and HMV.

Full press release here, with details pasted below.

The original 1967 master recordings of all except episodes two and three of THE UNDERWATER MENACE were lost soon after the programme's original transmission. However, audio-only recordings of the missing two episodes have survived and have been used to create a brand new fully animated presentation of this lost classic.

This story sees these characters navigate through their adventures in the underwater city of Atlantis where they meet with Professor Zaroff, who plots to destroy the Earth by draining the oceans. Fans can expect a super jam-packed series bursting with unseen exclusive content. All episodes have been animated in colour and black and white, whilst including original film elements.

Disc One (Main Feature)

• Episodes 1-4 - Animation - Colour
• Episodes 1-4 - Animation - Black and White

Disc Two (Special Features)

• Episode 1 - Reconstruction
• Episodes 2 & 3 - Original 1967 Episode
• Episode 4 - Reconstruction
• A Fishy Tale - Making of Documentary
• Australian Censor Clips
• The Man from Miditz
• Frazer Hines Introduction for Episode 2 as per the original VHS release
• BBC News Report (South Today)
• BBC Radio Solent Piece (audio only)
• Photo Gallery
• Animation Gallery
• PDF material including camera script

Exciting to get official confirmation that the animation range is continuing! Hopefully we'll continue to hear about more animations in the near future.

[El_Fez]

NO-ZING in ZE VORLD can SCHTOP ME NAO!

[SeaSponge]

Any news of a steelbook? Would be a shame for them to stop now.

[ParanormonWisdom]

TV Centre of the Universe Part 2 and various audio commentaries from the original DVD missing from the blu-ray specs. Hope it's just an oversight.

[SoundableObject]

Originally Posted by ParanormonWisdom

TV Centre of the Universe Part 2 and various audio commentaries from the original DVD missing from the blu-ray specs. Hope it's just an oversight.

The commentary is on there.

The TV Centre doc was only originally on there because it was the last DVD release in the range (at the time) so there was nowhere else for it to go. Underwater Menace was recorded at Riverside Studios. The TV Centre docs will presumably be on relevant seasons of the Collection sets.

[TwinCitiesBluFan]

Originally Posted by SeaSponge

Any news of a steelbook? Would be a shame for them to stop now.

Yes, available here. That's the version I ordered as I've gotten all the animation steelbooks (and plenty of other Who steelbooks, too!).

[RossyG]

What’s the point of animating two existing episodes?

[chip75]

Originally Posted by RossyG

What’s the point of animating two existing episodes?

I think they've done all four, but you can watch the originals with the reconstructed episodes on the second disc.

When I watched the series on Britbox, you'd watch the existing episodes with audio episodes filling in.

[CouncilSpectre]

Guess they're figuring that the average consumer would find it too jarring cutting back and forth between animation and live-action footage.

Wouldn't particularly bother me, particularly if it mean't they could animate other (missing) episodes/serials instead.

[adamclark83]

I wonder what happened considering these re-animated editions ceased due to BBC America cutting its funding.

Did the BBC decide to simply fund it themselves or did they find another partner?

[oddbox83]

Originally Posted by CouncilSpectre

Guess they're figuring that the average consumer would find it too jarring cutting back and forth between animation and live-action footage.

Wouldn't particularly bother me, particularly if it mean't they could animate other (missing) episodes/serials instead.

Generally, yes, and that these have the limitations of having to follow the same disc contents exactly as the DVD edition.

I imagine an eventually Collection set reissue will give different options, as with episodic Shada on season 17.

[ParanormonWisdom]

Originally Posted by RossyG

What’s the point of animating two existing episodes?

I guess it's to be able to sell a complete package to streaming services and broadcasters who's customer base wouldn't be as interested in a live action/animated hybrid. Plus I presume it's easier to dub animated episodes into other languages.

[Deciazulado]

The Amazon/Zavvi links added on top ^^

[The Hornets]

Originally Posted by ParanormonWisdom

I guess it's to be able to sell a complete package to streaming services and broadcasters who's customer base wouldn't be as interested in a live action/animated hybrid. Plus I presume it's easier to dub animated episodes into other languages.

Plus the animations are colour or black & white plus aren’t they 16:9 so BBC can sell the colour animation as a “new” show to those who wouldn’t know it’s really almost 60 years old. Having a mix with the surviving episodes would obviously give that away.

[SeaSponge]

Originally Posted by TwinCitiesBluFan

Yes, available here. That's the version I ordered as I've gotten all the animation steelbooks (and plenty of other Who steelbooks, too!).

Thank you, ordered!

[jstxanothrxstory]

Interesting that they changed how the episodes are set up now. They used to have the surviving episodes on the same disc as the B&W animations, with the colour animations on a separate disc. This time, both animations are on one disc with the surviving episodes on the second disc.

I preferred the former, as I would watch the surviving episodes alongside the animations of the missing episodes. Such a minor inconvenience in the grand scheme of things, but it would've been nice to still have it that way.

Originally Posted by RossyG

What’s the point of animating two existing episodes?

Makes it easier to sell it as a "complete serial" if all the episodes are in the same style.

Originally Posted by adamclark83

I wonder what happened considering these re-animated editions ceased due to BBC America cutting its funding.

Did the BBC decide to simply fund it themselves or did they find another partner

Bad Robot's helping them now, no?

[GreatUncleBaal]

Originally Posted by jstxanothrxstory

Bad Robot's helping them now, no?

Potentially Disney, as they gain worldwide* streaming rights from November, for the classic series.


*except UK

[jstxanothrxstory]

Originally Posted by GreatUncleBaal

Potentially Disney, as they gain worldwide* streaming rights from November, for the classic series.

*except UK

I thought it was just the 2023 Specials onward that would be on D+.

[biglou114]

Originally Posted by jstxanothrxstory

I thought it was just the 2023 Specials onward that would be on D+.

This is true. I heard at panel at Gallifrey One (a Doctor Who convention) from people who have knowledge of what exactly the Disney deal contains, and they said only new, starting with this anniversary's specials will be on D+

At this time, the mouse isn't interested in anything from before that.

[The Valeyard]

So keep your HBO Max to stream anything from 2005 - 2022.