New SHADA re-release!!!

It's official, The BBC Animated the missing Scenes to Shada and the cartoon versions will be voiced By Tom Baker, Lalla Ward, and other original cast members!

Full HD!!! Oh my God, Tom Baker/Doctor who in HD!!! There is a Teaser Trailer also! Happy hunting 😀

That's friggin awesome!!!  

here's the full story from Doctor Who News...

http://www.doctorwhonews.net/2017/10/shada-gets-animated-completion.html

Looks like the Beeb gave SuperFan Ian Levine a middle finger again! He spent a tidy sum to make his own animated version although it did not have the entire cast.

Whooz wrote:

Looks like the Beeb gave SuperFan Ian Levine a middle finger again! He spent a tidy sum to make his own animated version although it did not have the entire cast.

I'd say getting Tom Baker as well as any remaining cast would be a big deal.  The end of the DVD range didn't have the budget to get these last folks included and create all the animation.  Perhaps in a few more years the price of animation will come down and something proper could be done...  

I've watched a copy of Ian Levine's "Shada" and did enjoy it.  It had some rough edges and I can see why the BBC wouldn't want to antagonize Tom Baker by pushing forward without him on a project.  There was also a bit more studio direction required and some more polishing of the animation I wanted to see before we got a mass-release version.  Not sure how the negotiations went when Ian presented his version to the producers.  Had Tom Baker or Lalla Ward ended up in a monster truck rally accident the past couple years then Ian's version would have become the basis for any future release.

I hope Ian Levine enjoyed his version for the pat 4 years and will be able to enjoy this version as well.

From what I have see of the previews, the animation looks as bad or worse than what was done with "Power of the Daleks". It looks like cutouts being moved around a background scene. I would only purchase it so that I could get the live action footage.

Indiana_Brian wrote:

From what I have see of the previews, the animation looks as bad or worse than what was done with "Power of the Daleks".  It looks like cutouts being moved around a background scene.  I would only purchase it so that I could get the live action footage.

Yeah, Tom baker in HD is worth every penny, now that we have the 3rd and 4th doctor in HD for at least one story, I think it would be great if they did one HD for every Classic Doctor!

More importantly it shows the animations are not dead. Lets hope after this one we get another missing 1960's story

Very good news, especially that it will be out on BR!  I think the DVD format should be put to rest, as it will never make anything look decent, being a compressed video format.

This is the release that should have been released originally, with the Tom Baker narrated version on a bonus disc.  But I don't mind, since the original release might have become a 4 disc set instead of a 3 disc set (and a price hike along with a disc #4 )

Has there been any word on a date for Region 1 release? None of the stories I've looked at mention it.

Have not even seen a link for a UK release yet granted I have not looked that hard. But its going to movie theaters in Australia

Pic lifted from Doctor who site / Haven't heard a release date for region 1, I'm assuming it will be like Power of the Daleks...but who knows...Who knows;)

WhoNA says its being released in the US on January 9th.

The inside of this case sports some galactic artwork that reminds of Jack Kirby, not exceptionally hip on the outside. Would have rather they turned the regular cover in for the steelbook.

WhoNA reports that the North American release has been pushed back until September 4th, 2018.

That's outrageous.

The UK edition came out this week...!!!  

It's unreasonable to make North America wait for NINE MONTHS to get a release.

I'm furious.  

SeaDevil wrote:

WhoNA reports that the North American release has been pushed back until September 4th, 2018.

That's outrageous.

The UK edition came out this week...!!!  

It's unreasonable to make North America wait for NINE MONTHS to get a release.

I'm furious.  

You shoulda been a fan in the early 80's. We had to wait an average of 18 months for new classic Who to be shown over here.

Whooz wrote:

You shoulda been a fan in the early 80's. We had to wait an average of 18 months for new classic Who to be shown over here.

Yes.  But this is 2017.

Well, I got to see a copy of the new Shada title (because of the early UK release). I LOVE it.

To me, Shada was the Holy Grail in the 1990's when it was released on VHS. I was a HUGE Tom Baker fan and being able to watch the story (so much of it was filmed prior to the strike) was incredible. Following is my review of the new DVD version:

Having watched the VHS and original DVD versions almost countless times, I was looking forward to this title and had the opportunity to view it thanks to the UK's earlier release date. This review will focus on the changes, which are major, between the earlier VHS/DVD version and this newly released version.

First, one of the biggest changes you will notice is the change in music score. Mark Ayres has done a fabulous job re-scoring this title, making it feel like a good companion piece to one of Douglas Adams other penned Doctor Who titles, "City of Death." John Nathan-Turner had utilized Keff McCulloch in the prior VHS version. McCulloch's score always felt too bombastic and intrusive and he had numerous music cues that improperly emphasized more subtle reactions.

Next, this is one long movie version and NOT episodic. This may be a controversial aspect as some viewers may have preferred to watch it as a 6-part serial as it was originally intended.

As to the original footage, there are some scenes which appear longer by a few seconds prior to transition to animated inserts. The animation is good, not jarring at all, and a welcome addition.

In the VHS version, there were static shots of the space station. These are now CGI.

Now on to some things that have NOT changed. First, the continuity error of Professor Chronotis' on again/off again glasses as Skagra's sphere attaches itself to his head still exists. They also did NOT use this as an opportunity to revoice K-9 with John Leeson. Of course, David Brierley voiced K9 for season 17, but this may have provided an opportunity to re-record K-9 for this special release. That opportunity was not taken.

The ending is a newly filmed piece that will remain spoiler-free in this review, but it was a nice surprise addition.

In the end, this is a welcome version of Shada. The re-score of the music alone brings an entirely new feel to this story and I HIGHLY recommend it!

I absolutely agree with your review. Having been sent a friend's copy from England, while I'm waiting for the US release, I got the chance to see it. Brilliantly done. For the first time I actually feel like I've SEEN the story, it really does feel complete at last.

I'm not bothered about the "movie version", as this was the way I watched the Tom Baker stories for years back in the 1980s. It wasn't until the 90s when the videotape releases came out that I saw the original episodes so this omnibus version plays to my nostalgia.

Mark Ayres score is perfect. Makes the whole thing feel like it belongs in Season 17. I hope that the rumors are true and they release this on CD.

I myself have seen all three versions; VHS recon, Ian Levine version, and this BBC Release.

I prefer the Levine version the most. It is the most faithful reproduction of the two animated with the exception of John Levene's voicing of K-9, Tom Baker not voicing the Doctor, and using the Ayre's score. It is episodic in format and recreates the planned sets more faithfully, (the BBC version actually slightly alters a few scenes that bridge to animation) The detail in animation is a lot more detailed as well, which was a bit of a surprise to me. It includes the originally planned monster line up in the later episodes, unlike the BBC version that ret-cons it.

The biggest takeaway from watching these for me is a disappointment that the first scenes shot were Chronotis's study and not the Krarg carrier, TARDIS, and Shada, as well as remainder of Skagra ship scenes.

Of course no one had expected the story to not be completed, but when you watch what was left to record, they were definitely the most exciting parts.

Since the Levine version was a fan creation and not a sanctioned commercial release it should be considered alongside the other fan reconstructions of lost 60's stories.

These are just my thoughts.

I know everyone has their favorite versions. I'll admit I've always had a soft spot for the 1992 version, including Keff's score. I've seen the Ian Levine too, and I found it to be very impressive for a fan-made project. His animation is definitely more detailed in his character models and backgrounds, however the actual animation I found to be somewhat jerky and unrealistic (as with most projects animated with Flash and with limited time, money, and personnel.) While the BBC's version is not without those same faults, it does look more smoother and realistic than the Levine version especially in movements such as walking and turning.

Had Levine been able to get Tom Baker in, as well as give it an original score (his reuse of old tracks is incredibly jarring IMO), this would have been an incredible piece of work that would stand out above all the others. However, it's completely understandable that even with those the project could never have been officially released.

I'm watching the new BBC version myself right now...

Not bad. The story itself is still a bit slow and dry, but the finished work itself is still quite good and I applaud the Beeb for finally completing this story.

I was surprised at how smoothly the blending of live action and animation was. I was afraid I'd find it distracting, but actually I never really thought about it.