A Reeltime documentary with Jon Pertwee, Nicholas Courtney, Richard
Franklin, John Levene, and Christopher Barry.
Produced by
Reeltime Pictures
A Review by Stuart Gutteridge 10/10/98
Back in 1992, Jon Pertwee, Nicholas Courtney, Richard Franklin, John Levene, and Christopher Barry journeyed down memory lane to Aldbourne, in Wiltshire, location for the Season Eight story The Daemons. From the outset their love of the story is obvious, and it isn`t hard to see why.The rapport between the UNIT family on screen (during the series) was very much in evidence, as it is here now off-screen. Aldbourne itself is picturesque and very much the epitomy of the quintissential English village.
Great use is made of the locations, from The Devils Hump (of which there are now four) to The Cloven Hoof (now Blue Boar) pub, and director Christopher Barry has a fascinating tale about each one. Interspersed with contributions from the villagers, who even recreate one of the scenes (closing he windows of their house during the first Maypole dance) and 8mm footage, this is virtually a behind-the-scenes look at a typical Doctor Who tale; more would be appreciated. With only Katy Manning and the late Roger Delgado missing, this is essential viewing to any Doctor Who fan, particularly those of the Pertwee era.
Aldbourne revisited by Tim Roll-Pickering 26/2/03
The village of Aldbourne has long been a source of fascination for Doctor Who fans, with many having visited it to see the sites where The Daemons was filmed. At the time of writing I have yet to venture there myself but this video offers a chance to not only go there but also to see several of the original cast and the director give their memories.
This is a relatively straightforward offering from Reeltime Pictures that does not try to be clever in any way. What we have is Jon Pertwee, Nicholas Courtney, Richard Franklin, John Levene and Christopher Barry looking around Aldbourne and remembering how various scenes where shot. It is highly enjoyable to watch the five, whether together or in smaller groups, talking together and stirring each other's memories with the result that the final anecdotes are so much more original and enjoyable than if each had been interviewed separately. In addition a number of villagers are also interviewed, adding their memories of the filming and their role in it. Aldbourne has hardly changed at all since the time of the shooting - as highlighted by the brief extracts from an 8mm silent home movie of the original shooting. With clips from The Daemons itself being unavailable due to copyright, this film helps to convey a sense of how the filming went.
Although The Daemons has now slipped in the perceived esteem of 'fandom' (if such a group's opinions can ever truly be determined) it is nevertheless still a wonderful story and its location is tempting to visit. Back in 1992 when the video was shot and originally released there was a great deal of interest in the story due to both the inclusion of an episode on The Pertwee Years as well as the recolourisation being undertaken not to mention Titan's publication of the (trans)script, but this video does not feel in any way like a rush job aiming to cash in on that wave of interest. Instead it feels like a strongly produced documentary that has stood the test of time. Definitely worth watching. 7/10