Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3910 in DVD
• Released on: 2008-12-26
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Format: PAL
• Number of discs: 2

Amazon.co.uk Review
The Sylvester McCoy era of Doctor Who tends to get a rough ride from some, but Battlefield is proof that even in some of the darker days for the show, and with the budget seemingly vanishing into thin air, it could deliver a very good story.

Penned by Ben Aaronovitch, who also scribed the underrated adventure Remembrance of the Daleks from the same era, Battlefield instantly wins favour by bringing back Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, played with his usual dignity and class by Nicholas Courtney. Along with companion Ace, they then find themselves caught up in an Arthurian adventure, with nods to Merlin, Excalibur, and the Lady in the Lake. It’s a good yarn, with an impressive monster waiting near the end. And while it does stretch the story a little thin, it’s one of the better adventures of the McCoy era.

As usual, the DVD release is really very impressive. Battlefield benefits from a packed commentary track, and a host of behind the scenes extras (that recall, among other things, the moment when a water tank shattered with Sophie Aldred still inside it). Spread across two discs, it’s a genuinely packed DVD set with many hours of extras to sort through.

But it’s the underrated main feature that remains the star attraction, and while Battlefield isn’t vintage Doctor Who, it is a whole lot better than the assorted naysayers would have you believe. Well worth picking up. --Simon Brew

Customer Reviews

"...I'm getting a little tired of hearing about your mother."
Watching BATTLEFIELD is a frustrating experience, even if like me, you're a die-hard fan of the Sylvester McCoy stories. Despite the excellent idea of having a sci-fi spin on the Arthurian legend; despite great performances from Angela Bruce, Nicholas Courtney and especially Jean Marsh; despite some good lines, the occasional good joke and some impressive visuals (considering the show's budgetary restrictions), the story has to be considered an interesting failure.

From the disc's extras one can see that there was a far better, (possibly extraordinarily good) story buried under what was actually transmitted. The original ending which involved the Brigadier's death would have ensured that viewers would not have forgotten BATTLEFIELD for a long time. Writer Ben Aaronovitch claims he was forced to introduce an extra episode to his original 3-part story and perhaps this is why the final episode seems not to have a satisfying climax - it's always seemed to me to be a very poorly thought out denouement to have UNIT "lock up" Morgaine and Mordred. Is a conventional prison really going to pose any problem at all to an extra-dimensional sorceress who can blast down helicopters and drain people's memories? Examine the plot in detail and it falls apart.

For this viewer though, BATTLEFIELD's biggest flaw is one of tone. The script can't quite decide whether it wants to be comic, heroic or tragic. What are we to make of the relationship between Ancelyn and Bambera for instance? It's difficult to be either touched or amused by a relationship that seems to be based on them beating the living daylights out of one another(and other people). The script also seems to have difficulty deciding whether to pitch itself at an adult or a child audience. In light of the fact that there are some good lines here, I wince at some of the things some of the characters are given. For instance, would Bambera, a tough, professional soldier, really say something as absurdly camp as "I'm putting you under arrest - you and your freaky friends!"?

The problem of tone also rears its head in the performances. Sylvester McCoy occasionally veers towards overacting. We learn from the extras that the idea worked out between McCoy and director Michael Kerrigan in this story was that during this story the Doctor is internally battling with human violence which is "infecting" him somehow. While it's an interesting notion it simply doesn't work on screen because there's not enough in the script to support it. What we see is McCoy gurning rather absurdly for what seems like no particularly good reason. On the occasions when McCoy is quiet and subdued, the Doctor is far more the powerful, enigmatic figure he should be. Christopher Bowen could also have benefitted from underplaying his role...

Keff McCulloch's not terribly attractive incidental score also reinforces the idea that we're watching a children's programme and that adults shouldn't bother. And this is a real shame because there are a few scattered moments where BATTLEFIELD is genuinely magical. These are mainly the quieter, more understated scenes such as the Doctor's examining the scabbard for the first time in episode 1, but Jean Marsh is nothing short of magnificent (she's helped by having strikingly piercing eyes) and holds the viewers' attention by allowing the character to be multi-layered and not just a generic villain. She's the star of the story by light years.

The SPECIAL EDITION of BATTLEFIELD on the 2nd disc with extra scenes and added CGI effects is slicker and edited a little better than the transmitted version, but the differences are cosmetic and does little to dispel my misgivings.

The extras are of the usual high standard with the Aaronovitch/Cartmel interview especially interesting and illuminating a lot of the aspects of the tale that might have remained obscure to the casual viewer. The Jean Marsh interview is also worth a look and gives an extra insight into why her performance in BATTLEFIELD is so good.

Remember Badon and my mighty arts
In the commentary for the televised version of Battlefield, Sophie Aldred points out that young people are often the ones who enjoy Battlefield most. Based on Andrew Cartmel and Ben Aaronovitch's contributions, writers of Doctor Who like it least - though their ire is aimed mostly at poor direction of action and the design falling short of the writer's imagination. Several elements are fixed in the second disc's special edition of the story but it does not cut down Christopher Bowen's insane laughter as Mordred.

But there is a lot to like about Battlefield. The performances, on the whole, are great, played with gusto and a great sense of fun by all involved. The script has many great moments in it, from Bambera and Ancelyn's fights/romance to the Brig's self-sacrifice to the Doctor using time to his advantage. The design of the Destroyer is pretty fabulous and the basic concept of warriors from another dimension inspiring the Arthurian mythos and the Doctor's involvement in that dimension adds what could have been an interesting new layer to the Who mythos. Yes, as usual for Who, it could have done with twice the budget, but squint a little, you'll be fine.

There is much to enjoy in the extras too as the documentaries reveal how production warps a script.

For an adventure filled with magic, humour and action, it's hard to think of another Who story that quite matches Battlefield. I hope Mr Moffatt seriously thinks about getting Mr Aaronovitch to pen a tale for the Eleventh Doctor.

"Brigalot!"
The mix of Arthurian legends and SF is a irresistable idea and writer Ben Aaronovitch serves up some good material.
The knights from some strange future where the Doctor has become Merlin work well as the clash between contemporary military uniforms and armour makes for some iconic images. In some ways a slightly more hi-tech look for the knights that still had a sense of armour would have been interesting but-minor quibble.
Jean Marsh pulls off a tricky role as villainess Morgaine who is cast in witchlike mould but still is capable of an act of great kindness- "picking up the tab" for her son's behaviour at a hostelry (I can't explain further without spoiling a beautiful scene). In Jean's talented hands (despite the witchlike fingers!) she can make the transition
between these different sides in the character credible.
There's something about Sylvester McCoy's Doctor that makes him when at his best, a figure you can believe in as a future Merlin. Sylv makes the most of not having all the answers for once.
Ace has a good story even if it's not really focussed on her. A character has been created just to give her someone to bounce off but it does offer a good scene as dark forces encourage them to turn on each other.
If the story belongs to anyone it's Brigadier Alastair Gordon Lethbridge Stewart. He gets 1st rate character material as we see a contented man in retirement with the love of his life, who can joke about his active past. The moment where the 2 words that force him out of retirement (The Doctor) are uttered, Nicholas Courtney's reaction is great.
He is shown as old fashioned and maybe chauvanistic but still a force to be reckoned with as this patriot of Earth faces a massively powerful Alien demanding it leaves the planet. The only problem is the main one with this story, structure. It takes too long to get him to the action and the Doctor (into part 3)leaving little time to establish the relationship between the Brig and the latest model.
The story limps slightly at 4 parts and would have been cracking at 3!
There is a fantastic design for alien creature the Destroyer that hasn't dated.
This would have been a good swansong for the Brig as originally planned with Courtney's stellar performance.
Update: the extras include a feature length cut designed to be more in line with what tehd irrector and writer intended. Storm Over Avalion (an original story title) is an enjoyable look at the making of the story, with the author, script editor, Sophie, Sylvester, Nicholas Courtney, Angela Bruce Jean Marsh etc.all enjoying looking back on the adventure. Angela bruce seesm aprticualrly enthused discussing her role.

Author Ben Aaronovitch is very self-effacing in a feature on the writing, bluntly listing his onw scripts deficiencies. Although he's enjoyable to listen too, Andrew Cartmel does seem to believe everything he script edited was classic TV.
An interview with Jean Marsh about her Dr Who roles is good if a bit short. She does seem to love the show.

There's in studio footage which is of mild interest only and the inside story on the water tank accident that nearly cost Sophie Aldred so dear, makes it clear how dnagerous such stunts are.

The commentary with Sophie, Andrew Cartmel, Nicholas Courtney, Angela Bruce is a good one but not one of the best, chummy rather than funny.

A good package for fans of this era of the show more than for others.