Comments | strange_complex: Classic Who: The Gunfighters

strange_complex

Classic Who: The Gunfighters

Apr 04, 2010 21:25

So this one is from the same hand as The Myth Makers (Donald Cotton) - and to me, that means: Do. Not. Underestimate. On one level, Cotton does here what I thought he was going to do in The Myth Makers (and which was really pioneered by Dennis Spooner in The Romans, anyway) - that is, he gives us a story which draws broadly on the Wild West films ( Read more... )

the us of a, cult tv, doctor who, reviews, one

Comments 14

jholloway April 4 2010, 21:29:46 UTC

"like Tom Mix" rather than "like Tom-Micks". Tom Mix was an early western star.

strange_complex April 4 2010, 22:03:23 UTC

Ah, well I copy and paste many of my quotations from here, so do sometimes get their errors in the process. I had no point of reference for spotting or correcting that one, since I've never heard of Tom Mix. Interesting, though, as it's another knowing reference to the sources Cotton is drawing on in that case.

nwhyte April 4 2010, 21:58:51 UTC

Not "Tom-Micks" but Tom Mix!

Have been very much enjoying your pieces, Penny. You have discharged your fannish obligations before the conference!

strange_complex April 4 2010, 22:06:50 UTC

Yes, so I understand about Tom Mix - had never heard of him before today, but as I've said in the comment above I think that constitutes yet another clever little meta-reference now that I know what it means.

And many thanks - glad you've been enjoying the ride. :-)

damien_mocata April 5 2010, 01:51:37 UTC

Bah. I want a weekend watching Dr Who with you. :)

strange_complex April 5 2010, 08:16:19 UTC

Hee, yes - would be fun. Actually, do you know if there is a Mecon this year? Could be a good excuse to come over to Belfast...

damien_mocata April 6 2010, 00:51:37 UTC

Actually, has anyone told you about the utter balls that's gone on with the old Sci-Fi Soc? I'll have to ring you sometime and explain it, it'd be somewhat easier than typing it.

strange_complex April 6 2010, 06:52:33 UTC

No, I don't know anything about it. My mobile number is stil the same, and land line is in the 'Contact details' post linked in the side-bar. So do give me a call and bring me up to date!

swisstone April 5 2010, 11:15:10 UTC

I think I can hold my own now.

You can more than do that. Your commentary of late has been absolutely first-class.

strange_complex April 5 2010, 11:29:57 UTC

Aw, thank-you! *bows*

I'm glad they're coming across well - I'm certainly enjoying engaging with it all so intensively. It's actually also very helpful to have people who know this era so thoroughly, like yourself, nwhyte and parrot_knight, picking up small errors (like 'Tom-Micks'), while also generally being so complimentary about what I'm writing. It's gratifying to know that I'm on firm ground.

steer April 5 2010, 11:25:37 UTC

The Tom Mix thing gives me an interesting (to me at least) thought about contemporary references in Dr Who -- as in the Dr mentioning an actor or situation contemporary to the production of the program rather than the action occurring ( ... )

strange_complex April 5 2010, 11:36:53 UTC

I don't know - New Who has referenced Britney Spears, J.K. Rowling, Patrick Moore and a host of others. I think it's all about giving the audience a thrill, and reminding them of the fantastic premise that this is all going on somewhere within their own world. It does date, but I think most writers are happy to accept that in return for pressing the buttons of the viewers at the time they're writing.

As for this particular reference, the Doctor also gives himself the name 'Doctor Caligari' when he is pressed to identify himself, suggesting that he's quite a fan of 1920s cinema. He also seemed to know about Charlie Chaplin and Bing Crosby in the Hollywood film sequence in The Daleks' Master Plan, so I suspect there is a cinema aboard the TARDIS somewhere...

steer April 5 2010, 11:48:09 UTC

I don't know - New Who has referenced Britney Spears, J.K. Rowling, Patrick Moore and a host of others.

You have such an amazing memory for these things. I don't know how you do it.

It does date, but I think most writers are happy to accept that in return for pressing the buttons of the viewers at the time they're writing.

Also though it's within the context of the series an odd thing to do I guess because as a time traveller you'd have to think of the particular time period of your listeners as you have no natural "now" which you're in.

strange_complex April 5 2010, 12:00:05 UTC

Just call it an unhealthy obsession!

The Doctor does seem to have a particular liking for 20th-century Earth culture, so I guess maybe that can plausibly serve as his 'now' as much as any other time and place. Then again, although he might just about be able to expect Dodo to have heard of Tom Mix (though she's a bit young), it's unlikely Steven would have done, given that he comes from the far future.