Serial: J Episode Nos. 43, 44, and 45. Title: Planet of Giants
The TARDIS’ doors malfunction… opening in mid-flight and causing the Ship and its occupants
to reduce to the size of an inch. The Doctor and his companions now find themselves in an
ordinary English garden that is as alien as any other planet they’ve visited, as every insect,
earthworm, ant, and cat has become a giant monster to them. And as if that wasn’t enough,
the owner of the garden is about to be shot…
starring William Hartnell as Dr. Who, William Russell as Ian Chesterton, Jacqueline Hill as
Barbara Wright, and Carole Ann Ford as Susan Foreman.
Written by Louis Marks, Associate Produced by Mervyn Pinfield,
Produced by Verity Lambert, and Directed by Mervyn Pinfield and Douglas Camfield.
Originally
transmitted from
DVD Features:
- All 3 episodes of the story, digitally remastered and restored and given the VidFIRE
video-look restoration treatment.
- Optional commentary track by BBC Radiophonic Workshop sound designer Brian
Hodgson, vision mixer Clive Doig, make-up artist Sonia Markham, and floor assistant
David Tilby. Moderated by Mark Ayres.
- Episodes 3 & 4 Reconstruction. This story was originally made and recorded as
4 25-minute episodes. Prior to its original broadcast in 1964, however, it was judged
to be running too slowly, and so the second half of the story was condensed down to
just 1 episode, making this only a 3-part story. This featurette is an attempt to present
the story as originally recorded using impressionists playing most of the characters to
read the dialog in from the missing scenes and present that alongside footage taken
from elsewhere in the story. Also, actors Carole Ann Ford and William Russell
reprise their roles as Susan and Ian, respectively, in this new recording. Produced
by Ian Levine. 52 minutes.
- Rediscovering The Urge to Live. An 8-minute featurette about the making of the
reconstruction, featuring all the cast and the producers.
- Suddenly Susan. A 15-minute inteview with Carole Ann Ford from 2003 where she
discusses her time as Susan.
- The Lambert Tapes - The Doctor. A 14-minute interview with producer Verity Lambert
from 2003 where she discusses the character of the Doctor and the actors who'd played
him up until that point.
- Photo Gallery. A 3-minute package of production stills taken during the making of the story.
- Information Text. Option to display pop-up production trivia as subtitles as the story plays.
- Optional Arabic Soundtrack. Plays all 3 episodes with the Arabic soundtrack that was used
in some 1960s overseas sales.
- Coming Soon Trailer. A 1-minute trailer for the Vengeance on Varos
Special Edition.
