8.4 | / 10 |
Users | 4.6 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.1 |
Digitally remastered Doctor Who classic Spearhead from Space! Exile! The Time Lords have banished the newly regenerated Doctor to Earth. But the Doctor isn’t the only alien to have arrived.
Starring: William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker (I), Peter DavisonSci-Fi | 100% |
Adventure | 35% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.33:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
English SDH
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Lifelong Who fanatics and curious series fans will gravitate to Doctor Who: Spearhead from Space. Most everyone else will find Spearhead to be a tougher sell, no matter how many firsts it entails. Specifically, its four episodes represent the first Doctor Who serial or season to be broadcast in color. The first to be shot entirely on film (16mm). And the first to feature Jon Pertwee's Third Doctor. It also represents one of only two productions from the classic Who era (1963-1996) eligible to receive a proper release on Blu-ray, as it isn't hindered by standard definition source materials and the need for upconversion. (The second production being the 1996 television film starring Paul McGann as the Eighth Doctor, which was shot in 35mm.) Even so, the Third Doctor's introduction hasn't aged very gracefully, and doesn't exactly stand the test of time. There's still plenty to enjoy, Pertwee for one, just not enough to send fans of New Who scurrying back through time, eager to explore our dear, brilliant Doctor's earliest regenerations and adventures.
Not quite a sonic screwdriver, but it'll do. For now...
Before tackling Spearhead from Space, be sure to watch the short but revealing "Restoration Comparison" high definition featurette included on the disc. Not only will your appreciation of the results be heightened, your faith in the serial's restoration will be bolstered. However, before I dive into the many merits of the resulting 1080p/AVC-encoded presentation, it's probably wise to warn most of you to avoid setting your expectations too high. Shot in 16mm, the episodes aren't exactly striking, at least not in the traditional sense. Purists will be more than thrilled with what they see -- the film-like nature of the grain field will be enough to win over most videophiles -- while some casual viewers are likely to pass early (and uninformed) judgment on a restoration and transfer that deserve nothing but praise. Colors may be bland overall, but primaries and skintones are accurately saturated, black levels are satisfying, and contrast is just right, without any unfortunate crush or delineation issues to report. Detail isn't revolutionary but it is noticeably improved, as is the clarity of the presentation, which doesn't have to fend off macroblocking, banding, aliasing or other alien threats. By Spearhead's end, I found it difficult to imagine a scenario where the four-episode serial could look much better than it does here.
There isn't anything all that remarkable about Spearhead's DTS-HD Master Audio mix, but there also isn't anything nefarious or out of sorts either. Dialogue is generally clean and clear, without any debilitating hiss or noise floor, and effects, although decidedly cheesy and canned, sound about as good as bleeps and whirs from a '70s sci-fi television show could. The LFE channel and rear speakers aren't employed in any capacity, of course, which I'm sure will lead to some grumbling. And the tinniness, hollow interior spaces and flat soundscape will draw just as much criticism. Still, this is Spearhead from Space at its finest, and I doubt it could sound any better than it does here without a major high-dollar overhaul or remix. Even then, the only real "improvements" to be made would be superficial and, worse, distance the serial from the tone and tenor of its original sound design.
The Blu-ray edition of Doctor Who: Spearhead from Space includes a number of new high definition extras, detailed below. Unfortunately, it's also missing a chunk of content from its Special Edition DVD counterpart, most notably two audio commentaries and two lengthy behind-the-scenes featurettes, among other material. It's a strange and unexpected disappointed that mars an otherwise impressive supplemental package.
Doctor Who: Spearhead from Space won't convert the unconverted, or convince many new series' fans to take the plunge into the classic era. However, given a fair shot, the Third Doctor's introduction is capable of doing just that. If nothing else, Pertwee is a good deal of fun, and his Doctor solidifies his appeal even some forty-plus years after his reign began. BBC Home Entertainment's Blu-ray release is even better thanks to a terrific restoration and faithful AV presentation... so long as you approach it all with appropriate expectations. Spearhead's supplemental package has a lot to offer too, the only caveat being that it's missing audio commentaries and behind-the-scenes featurettes that are included with its DVD counterpart. Still, Spearhead from Space and its Blu-ray debut earn a not-so-hesitant recommendation, flaws and all.
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