Doctor Who (1996) (TV)

Director:

Geoffrey Sax

Writer:

Matthew Jacobs (written by)
(more)

Release Date:

14 May 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

He's Back... And It's About Time

Plot:

The newly-regenerated Doctor takes on the Master on the turn of the millennium, 31 December 1999.

Plot Keywords:

Regeneration | Metamorphosis | Reference To Madame Curie | Time Travel | Dark Hero

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Paul McGann	...	The Doctor
Eric Roberts	...	The Master / Bruce
Daphne Ashbrook	...	Dr. Grace Holloway
Sylvester McCoy	...	The Doctor
Yee Jee Tso	...	Chang Lee
John Novak	...	Salinger
Michael David Simms	...	Swift
Catherine Lough Haggquist	...	Wheeler (as Catherine Lough)
Dolores Drake	...	Curtis
Will Sasso	...	Pete (as William Sasso)
Jeremy Radick	...	Gareth
Eliza Roberts	...	Miranda
Bill Croft	...	Motorcycle Policeman
David Hurtubise	...	Professor Wagg (as Dave Hurtubise)
Joel Wirkkunen	...	Ted
Dee Jay Jackson	...	Security Guard
Gordon Tipple	...	The Old Master
Mi-Jung Lee	...	News Anchor
Joanna Piros	...	News Anchor

Directed by
Geoffrey Sax

Writing credits
Matthew Jacobs		(written by)
Sydney Newman		characters (uncredited)

Produced by
Alex Beaton	....	executive producer
Matthew Jacobs	....	co-producer
Philip David Segal	....	executive producer
Peter V. Ware	....	producer
Jo Wright	....	executive producer: BBC

Original Music by
John Debney

Cinematography by
Glen MacPherson		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Patrick Lussier

Casting by
Beth Hymson		(as Beth Hymson-Ayer)

Production Design by
Richard Hudolin

Art Direction by
Bridget McGuire

Set Decoration by
Cynthia T. Lewis		(as Cynthia Lewis)

Costume Design by
Jori Woodman

Makeup Department
Joann Fowler	....	makeup artist
Julie McHaffie	....	hair stylist
Mike Fields	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)
Toby Lindala	....	key special makeup effects artist (uncredited)
James Ryder	....	makeup artist: Eric Roberts (uncredited)
Krista Young	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Fran Rosati	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
David Klohn	....	second assistant director
Patrice Leung	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Barry Kootchin	....	head painter
Derick McLeod	....	construction coordinator (as Derick MacLeod)
Dan Sissons	....	property master
Gordon Bellamy	....	model maker: sculptor (uncredited)
Lubor Cencak	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
Vance Conway	....	set foreman (uncredited)
Terry Weaver	....	props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Gordon Anderson	....	sound mixer (as Gordon W. Anderson)
Jacqueline Cristianini	....	sound supervisor
Kris Fenske	....	assistant sound editor (uncredited)
Mike Hibberson	....	cable person (uncredited)
Brian Hodgson	....	sound designer: TARDIS sound (uncredited)
Michael Stern	....	additional recording mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Gary Paller	....	special effects coordinator
Terence J. Cox	....	special effects (uncredited)
Robert Paller	....	special effects (uncredited)
Harry Tomsic	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Eric Alba	....	visual effects supervisor
Tony Dow	....	visual effects producer
Marusha Xeros	....	visual effects coordinator (as Marush Kushniruk)
Steward Burris	....	computer graphic artist: North West Imaging & FX (uncredited)
Paul Patrick Quinn	....	visual effects producer (uncredited)
Thomas Schelesny	....	senior computer graphics artist (uncredited)
Paul Taglianetti	....	visual effects coordinator: VIFX (uncredited)

Stunts
J.J. Makaro	....	stunt coordinator
Fred Perron	....	stunt coordinator
Mike Ching	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jim Dunn	....	stunts (uncredited)
Darryl Quon	....	stunts (uncredited)
Paul Wu	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Drew Davidson	....	gaffer
Greg Fox	....	first assistant camera
Dave Gordon	....	key grip
Joseph Lederer	....	still photographer (as Joe Lederer)
Randal Platt	....	camera operator
Nick Watson	....	second assistant camera
Brian Bouma	....	best boy grip (uncredited)
Ken Decker	....	lighting technician (uncredited)
Saubrie Mohamed	....	electrician (uncredited)
Robert Stecko	....	camera operator: second unit (uncredited)

Casting Department
James Forsyth	....	extras casting
John Hubbard	....	casting consultant: United Kingdom
Ros Hubbard	....	casting consultant: United Kingdom
Trish Robinson	....	casting: Vancouver

Editorial Department
Daria Ellerman	....	additional editor

Music Department
Louis Febre	....	composer: additional music (as Louis Serbe)
John Sponsler	....	composer: additional music
John Debney	....	conductor (uncredited)
Ron Grainer	....	composer: original theme music (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Dennis Houser	....	transportation coordinator
John G. Oliver	....	driver captain (as John Oliver)

Other crew
Jessica Clothier	....	script supervisor
Ed Nesling	....	location manager
Sandra Palmer	....	production coordinator
Jim Rankin	....	craft service
Jim Rankin	....	first aid
Beverly Wiens	....	head accountant
Patrick Stark	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
Jon Pertwee	....	dedicated to the memory of

Production Companies

• Universal TV
• BBC Worldwide
• 20th Century Fox Television
• Fox Network
• Universal Studios

Distributors

• Fox Network (1996) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (1996) (UK) (TV)
• BBC Video (1996) (UK) (VHS)
• BBC Worldwide (2001) (UK) (DVD)
• CIC Victor Video (1997) (Japan) (VHS)
• Universal TV

Special Effects

• Northwest Imaging & FX (visual effects by)
• Lindala Make-Up Effects (uncredited)

Other Companies

• Motion Picture Studio Production Technicians I.A.T.S.E. Local 891  sincere appreciation to (as the Motion Picture Studio Production Technicians I.A.T.S.E. Local 891, Vancouver, Canada)
• Clairmont Camera  cameras by (as Clairmont)
• I.A.T.S.E. Local 669  acknowledgment
• Teamsters Local 155  acknowledgment
• DGC  acknowledgment
• I.A.T.S.E. Local 891  acknowledgment
• Union of B.C. Performers  acknowledgment

Also Known As:

Runtime:

89 min

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:M | UK:12 | Ireland:12

Filming Locations:

Hadden Park, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Universal TV

Trivia:

The BBC originally wanted Tom Baker to be the Doctor at the opening of the film, as this version of the Doctor is the one most familiar to American audiences. The American producers insisted on Sylvester McCoy, as they were avid Doctor Who fans, and felt the Seventh Doctor still deserved a proper send-off.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The entire ambulance/hospital sequence is a symphony of errors: A bystander would not be permitted to ride in the back of the ambulance, nor would his (or anybody's) consent be required to provide care to an unconscious patient with life-threatening injuries. Nobody was performing the routine care and monitoring that medics would have performed. An external EKG, and not an internal probe, would be used to assess the heart's electrical activity. The Doctor was not intubated, as he would have been for surgery. The cardiologist would have doffed her gown and put scrubs on over her underwear in the locker room, then scrubbed for surgery, rather than scrubbing first then being stuffed into scrubs over a ball gown.

Quotes:

[first lines]
The Doctor:[voiceover] It was on the planet Skaro that my old enemy the Master was finally put on trial. They say he listened calmly as his list of evil crimes was read... and sentence passed. Then he made his last and I thought somewhat curious request. He demanded that I, the Doctor, a rival Timelord, should take his remains back to our home planet; Gallifrey
The Doctor:[pause]
The Doctor:It was a request they should never have granted...
The Doctor:[Cue the opening credits]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Doctor Who: Human Nature (#3.8)" (2007)

I loved it!!!

I was SOOOO excited for this telefilm and (for the most part) I was not disappointed. I pretty much enjoyed everything about it with a handful of exceptions (which I'll get to later). Paul McGann is excellent in his brief stint as the Doctor and the new TARDIS interior is amazing. Overall, all the acting was good to excellent and the story good. There were a few annoyances however: the change from "chameleon circuit" to "cloaking device", the half-human revelation (as a biologist, I find that hard to swallow, despite the frequency of hybridization in the 'natural world'-- but it does explain things like the Doctor's traditional difficult regenerations), and a few weaknesses in the plot and continuity from the series. I for one do not mind the (infamous) kiss. In any case, I was very glad for one last televised chapter to be added to the Doctor's saga.