Doctor Who (1996) (TV)

User Rating:

5.2/10   

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 | Telephone Box | Time Travel | Death Of Hero | Doctor Who

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 Sasko)
Jeremy Radick	...	Gareth
Eliza Roberts	...	Miranda
Bill Croft	...	Motorcycle Policeman
David Hurtubise	...	Professor Wagg
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	....	key 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
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)
Michael 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)
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

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)
• Universal TV

Special Effects

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

Also Known As:

Doctor Who: Enemy Within (UK) (informal title)
Doctor Who: The Movie (UK) (DVD title)

Runtime:

89 min

Country:

USA | UK | Canada

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Ireland:12 | Australia:M | UK:12

Filming Locations:

San Francisco, California, USA

Company:

Universal TV

Trivia:

The TARDIS set cost $1 million to build and was constructed in the hope that a series would have emerged from the film. Although it does not resemble the control room seen in the original series, it has long been established that The Doctor is capable of changing the interior configuration of the TARDIS anytime he chooses.

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: At the start of the movie, when the Seventh Doctor seals the Masters remains shut with the sonic screwdriver, the head of the screwdriver is slightly out of focus. This is explained in a recent (2005) interview by Sylvester McCoy; he was holding it the wrong way around!

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)

never plays the same way twice!

This is one of the most over-analyzed pieces of television ever produced. "Doctor Who" fans are such a dedicated bunch that they'll buy camcorders and film their own episodes when the show is not in production; it stands to reason that they'd pick apart the only "official" new episode produced for TV in the 1990s, but the chorus of their dissenting voices sometimes really grates on me. Thanks to all the controversy, I still can't honestly say what I think of this movie, even all these years later; every time I see it, I have a different opinion.

I'm not on board with some of the usual criticisms. I don't care about the romance (it barely features), and I don't really mind that the Doctor is half-human (it's a side issue that doesn't alter the plot, hardly worth complaining about). What I do dislike is the fast-paced, action-oriented nature of the story, which prevents character development (Chang Lee is the chief offender here) and doesn't allow any room for the Doctor to act like a detective (which is his usual schtick).

Still, good effects, a rockin' music score and some nice arty camera work elevate this far above the average TV production. Perhaps the only thing that really matters is that it's entertaining; why analyze it beyond that? The only real problem here is that the original series is, generally speaking, even more entertaining, but that's one tough act to follow!

An ex-roommate and good buddy of mine perhaps summed it up best: "That was fun, but could you put on a cheesy one now? They're more interesting." I bet her opinion of it wouldn't change on a second viewing; I, alas, am afflicted with the curse of fandom!