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Post by Cyggy on Jul 8, 2022 12:14:26 GMT
'The Web Of Fear' is my first blurry Doctor Who memory -therefore it should mean a lot to me, for nostalgia's sake, if nothing else. Yet apart from Episode 1, I've decided that I don't really like it. In fact, I found it a bit boring, samey and over-long - the backwards and forwards action along the same Underground tunnels is repetitive, Victoria is rather irritating and whines through all six episodes and the redesigned Yeti look cute rather than menacing. I know they were supposed to look scarier, but I preferred the original 'The Abominable Snowmen' version (but TBH, I would have preferred an altogether different, less fluffy alien threat in the Underground than the Yeti). Up until a recent rewatch, I was always very fond of this particular adventure (I liked the Quatermass influence in 'Web, the gritty, military vibe, the claustrophobic setting, the more grown-up dialogue and of course, the introduction of Lethbridge Stewart) and so I feel rather mean-spirited and ungrateful criticizing a serial from my beloved '60's era - a genuine childhood memory - but I struggle with watching it all the way through nowadays. Sorry folks. Have to agree with you, Future-Diver. Those sets (and scenes) do get very samey.
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Post by Future-Diver on Jul 8, 2022 14:15:11 GMT
'The Web Of Fear' is my first blurry Doctor Who memory -therefore it should mean a lot to me, for nostalgia's sake, if nothing else. Yet apart from Episode 1, I've decided that I don't really like it. In fact, I found it a bit boring, samey and over-long - the backwards and forwards action along the same Underground tunnels is repetitive, Victoria is rather irritating and whines through all six episodes and the redesigned Yeti look cute rather than menacing. I know they were supposed to look scarier, but I preferred the original 'The Abominable Snowmen' version (but TBH, I would have preferred an altogether different, less fluffy alien threat in the Underground than the Yeti). Up until a recent rewatch, I was always very fond of this particular adventure (I liked the Quatermass influence in 'Web, the gritty, military vibe, the claustrophobic setting, the more grown-up dialogue and of course, the introduction of Lethbridge Stewart) and so I feel rather mean-spirited and ungrateful criticizing a serial from my beloved '60's era - a genuine childhood memory - but I struggle with watching it all the way through nowadays. Sorry folks. Have to agree with you, Future-Diver. Those sets (and scenes) do get very samey. They are wonderfully designed sets (that managed to fool London Underground!!) - tunnels, caves and underground bases often feature in Who, which is good, but maybe because I travel a lot on the Northern Line, I find the setting too familiar, not so exotic or scary. Well, unless I've just watched Deathline (vintage horror film featuring a cannibal living in the tunnels of the London Underground).
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Post by Cyggy on Jul 11, 2022 18:04:54 GMT
Colonel Confronts Yeti Yobs In London Underground
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Post by Cyggy on Jul 18, 2022 16:34:07 GMT
An alternative universe - where film titles change? Surely this suggests that the story is set in 1967-ish too?
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Post by Cyggy on Aug 4, 2022 10:28:50 GMT
18. Doctor Who Locations Guide - The Web of Fear
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Post by GC on Jan 10, 2023 1:26:12 GMT
Windswept Yetis...
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Post by GC on Feb 3, 2023 22:56:07 GMT
Terrific first episode. A tantalising taster for the rest of the story - so frustratingly out of reach till 2013. Glad we got (most of) it back.
^Love that bit. What with the music... Yeti Attack! | The Web of Fear | Doctor Who
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Post by GC on Feb 4, 2023 3:29:24 GMT
Debbie Watling and her furry friend...
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Post by Cyggy on Mar 28, 2023 8:04:53 GMT
From a 2021 rewatch of the Missing Episode only..... Episode 3:(Using Loose Cannon Recon on Dailymotion)Decided to approach this episode as if nothing else of WEB had been found and that Morris had only returned with Episode 3 for us to remember this story by. In that regard would it be a fantastic find to be treasured or a lesser episode of a greater story? First off I think we would be blessing our luck if the one episode found just happened to be the one containing the first appearance (proper) of Lethbridge Stewart. But first things first; it starts off nicely - as all orphan missing episodes should, but often don't - with some shooting at a Yeti action. I did wonder how they achieved the exploding pyramid. A blinding flash or a proper explosion. And then we have Nicholas Courtney. That would have brought a rousing cheer in any cinema screening of this episode. The future Brig being a suspicious character of course no longer works, which is a pity in a way for the suspense of the episode. Lovely nod and in-joke to the late "Pemberton" who was "a very fine soldier" from all accounts. We get the reunion scene between the Doctor and Travers, of course - along with the Doctor challenging the earlier voiced suspicions which Victoria overheard, which would have been nice in any solo find. The episode is heavy, of course, with the Jamie and Evans double act. Jamie's bravery contrasts nicely with Evan's admitted cowardice. And then we have the Brig's briefing, which results - as Yartek has pointed out - via the Loose Cannon recon - in being a sequence of us watching a slideshow of people watching a slideshow. :? Nice non-explanation for why the Yeti have changed appearance, but at least they didn't completely ignore it. With Chorley pushing his way into the episode and his interactions with the other characters it comes across, imo, what good writers there were in those days; sharply defined archetypes that you could like or dislike, suspect or trust. I think there is something to be said for such archetypes. Good ending to the episode too, with a nice Travers/Yeti cliffhanger. If the only episodes we had in the archives were 1 and this one I think we would be both grateful and frustrated. I do think that - with the return instead of 2, 4, 5 and 6 we got the best of the two options, but this episode is definitely a good one, with much to commend it. If this is all that we had had it would have been hailed as a great find, while leaving us hungry for more of the story. I can't see it ever coming back, sadly, believing it to have been destroyed by the station manager in a blind panic. But at least we are able to see it in some form - although I have never been able to make my mind up if I prefer the Loose Cannons to official animations. (NB: This episode since officially animated of course. Definitely prefer the recon in this case!)Related Thread: "THE WEB OF FEAR" Episode 3: Gone for Good?
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Post by Black Orchid on Apr 8, 2023 12:17:53 GMT
"Ralph Watson, Jack Woolgar, Frazer Hines and Rod Beacham are captured by the Yeti on the (frankly amazing) London Underground tunnel set in Lime Grove D on Saturday 20th January 1968 during camera rehearsals for Episode 2 of ‘The Web of Fear’." Colourised by Clayton Hickman
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Post by Black Orchid on Apr 26, 2023 14:26:12 GMT
designed by Christopher Loftus
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Post by rapscallion on Apr 26, 2023 15:27:41 GMT
designed by Christopher Loftus Is this the cover that's on standby for when the return of episode 3 gets announced?
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Post by GC on Mar 23, 2024 16:13:08 GMT
Doctor Who: The Web of Fear - All these tunnels look the same
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Post by Silent Walter on Mar 23, 2024 20:40:11 GMT
My favourite story of all time. Moody, enthralling and well paced from start to finish.
I loved it ever since reading the novel as a lad and listening to the audio CD later on with Episode 1 as a glimpse into it. Seeing it returned in 2013 along with Enemy (another top 5 Troughton) was the highlight of the 50th for me.
10/10
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Post by GC on Apr 13, 2024 15:36:32 GMT
Yeti alert...
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