Click here to go BACK to the DVD FAQ. or Click here to go BACK to VHS FAQ.

Serial: GGG  Episode Nos. 289, 290, 291, and 292.  Title: The Claws of Axos Special Edition

A UFO arrives on Earth, transmitting distress calls asking for help.  The aliens appear benevolent,

and the British government leaps at the opportunity to make a deal when the aliens promise as a

gift a substance which can enlarge or reduce living matter.  The Doctor is suspicious, however,

and with good reason because the Master is also on board the Axon ship...

starring Jon Pertwee as Doctor Who, Roger Delgado as the Master, Nicholas Courtney as

Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, Katy Manning as Jo Grant, Richard Franklin as Captain Yates,

and John Levene as Sergeant Benton.

Written by Bob Baker and Dave Martin, Produced by Barry Letts, and Directed by

Michael Ferguson.

Originally transmitted from 13 March 1971 to 3 April 1971 on BBC1.

DVD Contents:

This is a Special Edition re-release of a title that originally came out in 2005.

The restoration has been redone from scratch. The middle two episodes in particular

were given extra attention with newly enhanced techniques that have resulted in

better picture quality on these than in the 2005 release, particularly on Episode 3.

The original release was 1 disc. This one has been boosted to 2 discs, with new

extra features, detailed below. Features listed in italics are new to this Special Edition.

On Disc 1:

- All 4 episodes of the story, newly restored and remastered.

     - Graphical menus, episode selection feature, and scene selection features.

     - Commentary track with actors Katy Manning (Jo Grant), Richard Franklin

(Captain Yates), and producer Barry Letts.

      - “Deleted and Extended Scenes”    A 27-minute featurette assembled from a

rare surviving “studio reel” of videotape that was recording the entire

recording session on the first production night.  It thus includes many

behind-the-scenes moments, multiple takes of scenes, and some scenes

that were cut.  It also comes with an optional information text

subtitle feature that commentates and informs you on what you’re being shown.

On Disc 2:

- Axon Stations! A new 27-minute featurette about the making of the story, with

Interviews with actors Katy Manning, Derek Ware (Pigbin Josh),

Paul Grist (Bill Filer), Bernard Holley (Axon Man), co-writer Bob Baker,

script editor Terrance Dicks, and director Michael Ferguson.

- “Now and Then”  A 6-1/2 minute featurette showing the outdoor locations from the film

shoots in the present day and contrasting them with how they appeared in the 1971

program.

- “Directing Who” A 15-minute featurette that interviews director Michael Ferguson.

- Studio Recording. The entirety of the rare 72-minute “studio reel” of videotape

described above in the Deleted and Extended Scenes package.

- Living With Levene. Toby Hadoke spends a weekend with Sergeant Benton actor John

Levene in his home to try to better understand this eccentric personality.

35-minutes.

- “Photo Gallery”   11 minutes of production stills.

- PDF Files. Place this disc into a computer and you can access PDF files of the

story’s original Radio Times billings from 1971.

- Coming Soon Trailer for the forthcoming DVD release of Shada, including the

Documentary More Than Thirty Years in the TARDIS. The title card on this

trailer reads “Legacy Box Set,” (the UK’s title) but in North America it will

be released simply as Shada with More Than Thirty Years in the TARDIS.