OT Right to life Dr Who?

On Mon, 17 May 2010 16:24:50 +0100, Roderick Stewart
wrote:

In article , J G Miller
wrote:
21st Century Doctor Who is all about style and not substance.

21st Century *television* is all about style and not substance.

I'd go further: 21st century /everything/ is all about style and not
substance.

However I did enjoy Dr Who with Chris Ecclestone and David Tennant.
It's definitely got worse this series though.
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In article en.co.uk,
Roderick Stewart wrote:
Some of them are not much better holding real babies, particularly if
they've never had one of their own. Also, babies can sense the unease
of an actress who doesn't know quite what to do with it and has other
things on her mind anyway, like remembering lines and delivering a
performance. This adds to the baby's own unease at being suddenly
plonked into the arms of somebody who isn't their mum a few seconds
before each take. Huge amounts of time can be wasted waiting for babies
to stop freaking out as a result of this, so it's little wonder
programme makers prefer to use dummies, even though they never look
real. Sometimes they use twins to play one infant in the hope that they
won't both be bawling their heads off at the same time. Convincing
performances with real babies in TV dramas and movies always impress me
because they're rare, and I've seen how difficult it can be to get it
right.

I remember years ago trying to record a scene for The Bill in a cafe -
with two plods and a mother and baby, sat at a table. The baby screamed
the place down, as soon as she was placed in the 'mother's' arms. But was
ok with anyone else.

I suggested we try the scene with the 'mother's' two sizes of shots on two
cameras simultaneously, with any off camera dialogue mimed for timing. One
of those then used as a master and any other shots adding sound to it. So
we did do it that way plus alternatives. 'My' way worked - but the
director decided we'd get complains about the constantly screaming child.
We saw it at rushes and all agreed. But it did work perfectly. ;-)

The baby was the stage manager's daughter. And he was sooooo embarrassed.
Dunno why.

Strange the way such inconsequential things stick in the mind while
important ones get forgotten...

--
*Hard work has a future payoff. Laziness pays off NOW.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Mark wrote:
On Mon, 17 May 2010 16:24:50 +0100, Roderick Stewart
wrote:

In article , J G Miller
wrote:
21st Century Doctor Who is all about style and not substance.

21st Century *television* is all about style and not substance.

I'd go further: 21st century /everything/ is all about style and not
substance.

However I did enjoy Dr Who with Chris Ecclestone and David Tennant.
It's definitely got worse this series though.

Chris Ecclestone and David Tennant were brilliant in the role but I can't
get involved with this new guy like I did with them. Trouble is, I don't
know if that's down to him or to losing Russell T Davies' writing - too much
change at once (

On Sun, 16 May 2010 22:50:03 +0100, Roderick Stewart
wrote:

In article , Max Demian wrote:
And you can always tell when an actress is holding a fake baby (or bundle).
I don't know whether it's the lack of weight, or the careless way they are
held.

Some of them are not much better holding real babies, particularly if they've
never had one of their own. Also, babies can sense the unease of an actress
who doesn't know quite what to do with it and has other things on her mind
anyway, like remembering lines and delivering a performance. This adds to the
baby's own unease at being suddenly plonked into the arms of somebody who
isn't their mum a few seconds before each take. Huge amounts of time can be
wasted waiting for babies to stop freaking out as a result of this, so it's
little wonder programme makers prefer to use dummies, even though they never
look real. Sometimes they use twins to play one infant in the hope that they
won't both be bawling their heads off at the same time. Convincing
performances with real babies in TV dramas and movies always impress me
because they're rare, and I've seen how difficult it can be to get it right.

I recall a story, wish I could remember where, of someone coming
through Customs with a case of fake babies, blood-spattered pieces of
anatomy etc. for future use in Casualty or some such

On Tue, 18 May 2010 11:16:08 +0100, Mark
wrote:

On Mon, 17 May 2010 16:24:50 +0100, Roderick Stewart
wrote:

In article , J G Miller
wrote:
21st Century Doctor Who is all about style and not substance.

21st Century *television* is all about style and not substance.

I'd go further: 21st century /everything/ is all about style and not
substance.

ZING!!!

However I did enjoy Dr Who with Chris Ecclestone and David Tennant.
It's definitely got worse this series though.

Nah, the only *real* Dr Who was William Hartnell

On Wed, 19 May 2010 10:36:55 +0100, John wrote:
Chris Ecclestone and David Tennant were brilliant in the role but I
can't get involved with this new guy like I did with them. Trouble is, I
don't know if that's down to him or to losing Russell T Davies' writing
- too much change at once (

I did not like David Tennant's style at all, but he did project an enthusiasm
for the role, which seems to me to be missing from Smith's performance, which
consists solely of running around and speaking too fast. The impression that
is given so far is that Karen Gillan is far more skilled at acting than him.

On Wed, 19 May 2010 15:27:15 +0100, Albert Ross wrote:

Nah, the only *real* Dr Who was William Hartnell

So true, but Patrick Troughton did come a close second.

Tom Baker of course had style although following on from
Pertwee, it was still rooted in the comedy school of
not taking the show seriously any more.

In article ,
J G Miller wrote:
On Wed, 19 May 2010 15:27:15 +0100, Albert Ross wrote:

Nah, the only *real* Dr Who was William Hartnell

So true, but Patrick Troughton did come a close second.

I'd agree with that. Although for the later Doctors I do think Tennant was
fairly good.

Tom Baker of course had style although following on from
Pertwee, it was still rooted in the comedy school of
not taking the show seriously any more.

Afraid that for me Tom Baker always gave me the feeling that he was acting
'Tom Baker' not the Doctor.

Reminds me of John Wayne who always seemed to me to be playing 'John
Wayne' in all his films. So if you liked John Wayne (or Tom Baker) you'd
enjoy their 'performances'.

Slainte,

Jim

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On Wed, 19 May 2010 16:28:44 +0100, Jim Lesurf wrote:

Afraid that for me Tom Baker always gave me the feeling that he was
acting 'Tom Baker' not the Doctor.

True -- he give a similar performance of acting as Tom Baker in
many of his other roles, even including that topical news quiz show.

Reminds me of John Wayne who always seemed to me to be playing 'John
Wayne' in all his films.

Moviegoers would not have wanted it any other way.

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember Albert Ross
saying something like:

I recall a story, wish I could remember where, of someone coming
through Customs with a case of fake babies, blood-spattered pieces of
anatomy etc. for future use in Casualty or some such

Even the stiffs are made abroad now.