K9 Tales is a twin-pack containing 'The Invisible Enemy', the first story to feature the Doctor's robotic dog, coupled with his very own spin-off show 'K9 and Company: A Girl's Best Friend', starring Elisabeth Sladen.
Both stories were made using the traditional Doctor Who practice of studio recording on 2" quad videotape, with 'K9 and Company' also employing 16mm location film work. Remastering and clean-up were similarly as per our standard methods.
The 35mm title sequence negs still exist for 'K9 and Company' and were retransferred on the Spirit telecine for optimum quality. Likewise, the theme music was remastered from the original audio tapes.
'The Invisible Enemy' also features:
A commentary with actors Louise Jameson and John Leeson, visual effects designer Mat Irvine and co-writer Bob Baker.
New DVD producer Richard Higson brings us Dreams and Fantasy (dur. 20' 35" ) in which artistes and production crew recall the making of this story and even take the original K9 for walkies. With actors Louise Jameson and John Leeson, director Derrick Goodwin, co-writer Bob Baker, visual effects designers Tony Harding and Mat Irvine, K9 operator Nigel Brackley and journalist Gary Gillatt.
Studio Sweepings (dur. 20' 31") is a rare opportunity to go behind the scenes on the recording of this story, courtesy of a timecoded Shibaden videotape recorded for production use.
Paul Vanezis brings us Visual Effect (dur. 16' 24") in which visual effects designer Mat Irvine meets up with his old colleague Ian Scoones at Bray Studios to talk about the visual effects for 'The Invisible Enemy' and other stories.
Blue Peter (dur. 4' 30") - K9 meets John Noakes and Shep in this extract from the long-running children's magazine show.
John Kelly has once again contributed alternative CGI Effects giving the viewer the option to watch the story with many of the original video effects sequences replaced by newly-shot models and CGI.
Trailers and Continuity (dur. 3' 45") - BBC1 trailers and continuity announcements from the story's transmission.
And as usual there's the Photo Gallery, Coming Soon trailer, Radio Times Billings PDF, Programme subtitles and Subtitle Production Notes.
'K9 and Company' also features:
A commentary with actors Elisabeth Sladen, John Leeson, Linda Polan and script editor Eric Saward.
Phoenix Media contribute two short features to this release. The first is The K9 Files (dur. 11' 41") in which key production personnel look at the making of this story and K9's subsequent life in books and comic strips. With actors Elisabeth Sladen, John Leeson, writer and co-creator of K9, Dave Martin, script editor Terrance Dicks, director John Black, visual effects designer Mat Irvine and journalist Moray Laing.
In K9 - A Dog's Tale (dur. 3' 25") K9 himself answers a selection of questions about his life.
Pebble Mill at One (dur. 2' 40") - K9's appearance on the Christmas 1981 edition of the BBC1 lunchtime magazine show.
Trails and Continuities (dur. 2' 10") - BBC trails and continuity.
In K9 Stories, four books for younger children - 'K9 and the Beasts of Vega', 'K9 and the Missing Planet', 'K9 and the Time Trap' and 'K9 and the Zeta Rescue' - and the K9 Annual are presented in Adobe PDF format for viewing on PC or Mac.
Rounding off this disc is the Photo Gallery, Coming Soon trailer, Radio Times Billings PDF, Programme subtitles and Subtitle Production Notes.
Copyright Steve Roberts, 28 April 2008. No reproduction allowed without written permission.