Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #8640 in DVD
• Released on: 2001-02-26
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 98 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
"Remembrance of the Daleks" was the final Doctor Who story to feature the titular mutant cyborgs, and is a particularly notable adventure for the way it ties the plot into the very first story, "An Unearthly Child" made 25 years before.

It is 1963, and the Seventh Doctor, Sylvester McCoy arrives in London with new companion Ace (Sophie Aldred), where two Dalek factions are engaged in a deadly search for the Hand of Omega. Ace quickly proves herself a dab-hand with high explosives, and while there are references to the history of the show, including some nice in-jokes, the drama is played much straighter than in McCoy's first season as the time traveller. This is Doctor Who with a decent budget; the period setting is surprisingly lavish and there are some fairly intense action sequences. The Daleks remain as menacing as ever, the plotting has an intriguing air of mystery, and McCoy injects some steel into his characterisation. Aldred serves an ace as a heroine with attitude, (very much post-Sarah Connor from The Terminator), and if this really does prove to be the Dalek's swansong, at least they go out with a bang.

On the DVD: Sylvester McCoy and Sophie Aldred provide a warm and friendly commentary track, which also offers optional subtitles. The audio possibilities continue with an isolated music track, though the sound is Pro-Logic stereo, not the stated Dolby Digital. There are trailers for two episodes, a collection of out-takes, 13 deleted or extended scenes, and the raw footage from two different camera angles for two major scenes. Optional on-screen production notes complete a package which, with animated menus and very good 4:3 picture quality puts many Hollywood releases to shame.--Gary S. Dalkin

Special Features
4:3
DVD 9
English
English
Region 2
Dolby Digital Stereo English
Dolby Digital Stereo
Deleted Scenes
Out Takes
Multi Angle Scenes
Trailers
Photo Gallery
Production Notes
Commentary By Sylvester McCoy And Sophie Aldred

Synopsis
In this 1988 installment of DOCTOR WHO, the seventh Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) faces off against the ever-troublesome Daleks. However, things get even more complicated when opposing Dalek factions meet in an explosive battle.

Customer Reviews

Another dreadful McCoy story..
Having watched this recently for the first time in about 15 years, I realised how dismal it always was. It was possibly one of the most self-referential adventures of the entire series. The televised reference to the "new 1960's science fiction series Do'.." set a new low. It's difficult to sit through this without squirming from embarrassment, but then, most of the McCoy stories WERE like that, and became all the more so with desperate attempts introduce a new sense of "mystery" to the Doctor. As the Dalek gravitated up the staircase after him, I couldn't help but think "Yes, make him regenerate now!"

Remembrance of a classic!
One of the great classics of the original series and the best from the Seventh Doctor's era - Remembrance of the Daleks. The underrated Sylvester McCoy battles against two Dalek factions seeking to steal an all-powerful device known as the Hand of Omega. This story brings the Doctor back to where it all started in 1963 and was a fitting way to open up the 25th season of the programme. McCoy rises to the occasion and Sophie Aldred, settling into the part of Ace is impressive, (certainly a vast improvement on her predecessor!) There is some excellent action throughout the story including cliffhangers, which will have you on the edge of your seat. The cliffhanger at the end of Episode two must be regarded as a classic, which hearkens back to the golden era of Doctor Who in the Seventies. This is also the story, where the Doctor discovers to his horror that Daleks can actually climb stairs! There is a fine supporting cast. Watch out for Michael Sheard in the last of his many roles in Doctor Who, and also, Simon Williams from `Upstairs Downstairs' as Group Captain Gilmour. Interestingly enough, the character of Davros is kept in the background for most of the action here, and this allows the Daleks to take centre stage. When Davros does appear, the interplay between him and the Doctor is excellent (apart from the 'rice pudding' comment!)
As an early DVD release, the extras are not that extensive, but we still have a commentary, out-takes and trailers. A first class story from the original run of Doctor Who. It can take its place alongside some of the great stories from the golden era.

Razor sharp wit & the return of the Daleks - classic Who
Barcode: 5014503104023

Daleks fighting Daleks! It's great stuff and Remembrance marks a memorable last appearance in the classic series for the Doctor's famous adversaries. Things start slowly with lots of skulking round and investigating but the pace quickly picks up in an initial scrap-yard shoot-out where Ace's infamous Nitro Nine is put to explosive effect. Having picked up Ace in previous serial Dragon fire, her relationship with the Doctor blooms with every scene in this story and the two of them play brilliantly against each other. As Ace proves though, she is just as capable on her own as she jumps through a lab window and smashes up a Dalek with a baseball bat.

Sylvester's Doctor is gloriously camp with his question mark umbrella, rolled rrrr's and little random spoutings of knowledge that are just pure charm. The air of superiority he conveys over the others, including Ace, is immense part of his appeal and we get to see him on top form in this episode as he battles against his old enemy, the Daleks.

The gritty urban settings serve as a great backdrop to this story even though he whole thing still feels and looks like the 80s despite the fact it is supposed to be the 60s (we can even see some very uncontemporary buildings in the background at the graveyard). But then that, like the incidental music and title graphics this all is part of the charm of the late 80s Who serials (and yes, the Daleks do wobble quite a lot). That said, there are some pretty nifty special effects on show here including the x-ray-style skeleton special effect as a soldier is hit by a Dalek death-ray while the Dalek shuttle landing in front of the school is pretty awe-inspiring.

The two army scientific advisors add a lovely comedic touch too while soldier Mike is sinister in his double crossing and the cruel way he befriends Ace early on only to reveal his true intentions and hold her at gunpoint later. The pace and tension is done really well throughout but the final episode is where this serials really excels itself as things reach a dramatic conclusion.

The heavy weapons Dalek is an obvious highlight as its insanely massive gun obliterates the renegade Daleks with immense explosions (so big the special effects crew set off all the nearby car alarms) while later on we see the Doctor's intricate trickery and wordplay cause a Dalek to self-destruct and Davros to apparently destroy Skaro. As Ace herself would say `well devious'. As for extras, you get a commentary from Sylvester McCoy and Sophie Aldred and there's also some of the funiest outtakes and deleted scenes that I've seen in a long time on here.

A classic episode and full of fantastic moments (rice pudding!) - just as Doctor Who should be.