"Battlefield" commentary rec

[dbskyler]

Just finished listening to the commentary on the "Battlefield" DVD and it was hilarious. Basically script editor Andrew Cartmel and author Ben Aaronovitch spent the entire time making digs at the production values, pointing out dodgy special effects, plot-crucial sound effects that were in the script but didn't make it into the episode, a spaceship that's supposed to be underwater but doesn't look like it's underwater, etc., etc. Aaronovitch also made multiple disparaging remarks about his own writing -- he said quite openly that he feels the script is not his best work. Meanwhile Angela Bruce (Bambera), Sophie Aldred (Ace) and Nicholas Courtney (the Brig : D) didn't seem to know quite what to say in response. It's pretty funny. At least everyone agreed that the acting was good, which it was.

I'm a little picky about commentaries because I sometimes find them incredibly boring, but I absolutely recommend this one. Definitely not at all boring, and full of interesting insights into what went into making the show (and what didn't go into making the show, but should have).

And I don't think the script was that bad, truthfully. Believe me, RTD has done far worse.

Comments

[thisbluespirit]

Glad you also liked the commentary. As you can say, some of them are very dull (!) and some of them are very entertaining.

Most of my favourites involve Janet Fielding and Peter Davison, because they're very funny (and never afraid to be critical), but Logopolis (with Janet asking Tom questions no one else would dare) is great, Image of the Fendahl and Remembrance (Sylvester and Sophie!) Curse of Fenric is also funny, but Sylvester is being very wicked and setting up Nicholas Parsons all the way through. Any Three story that has a combination somewhere in the mix of Katy Manning, Nicholas Courtney, Terrance Dicks and Caroline John. (Katy cries all the way through the last episode of The Green Death).

*coughs* I mean, I'm sure I do have a life somewhere. I just put it down over there and I'm not sure...

And for an undeserving episode getting battered, Black Orchid is hard to beat:

"At least we had fun making it," says Peter.
Janet: "What do you mean, we were freezing!"
Peter: "Oh, all right, we didn't even enjoy making it..."

And Peter, Sarah, Colin and Janet on Arc of Infinity. It's better than the story!!

Sadly a lot of the 60s ones are rather dull, but that's hard to help with so many people either being now dead or getting on in years.