#sensorites

[vampyre-daisies]

The Cinematography and Direction in An Unearthly Child is Masterful!

What I don't see talked about a lot in general is just how great the direction in An Unearthly Child was, Waris Hussein did such a spectacular job with such limited resources to create a dense atmosphere and communicate the drama, tension, and intrigue in this first serial to an audience being introduced to the show for the first time. And evidently, since we're still here 62 years later he did an excellent job.

I think the lack of recognition is because in terms of spectacle there is very little, and truly great directing is invisible. The episode is largely dialogue, but it's all so neatly and carefully staged and framed to emphasise the dynamics. There is nothing flashy and crazy here, no great alien landscapes or intimate beauty, there is thick atmosphere and incredibly tightly worked group scenes. This is genuinely a masterclass in directing dialogue imo.

If this isn't too indulgent I've done an analysis purely of the shot compositions themselves (because the autism took me over like a demon and I need to put my time at film school to good use)

Full Spoilers for Part One and the opening of Part Two of An Unearthly Child ahead:

That opening sequence, eerie and dark as we creep into the junkyard to find the TARDIS humming ominously, we linger on it just long enough to make us nervous. We're cramped in with the scrap and the darkness and the pervading fog.

The way he (Waris) uses levels and staging to clearly denote power structure throughout the story, The Doctor framed with his back to Ian and Barbara in a majority of his scenes in the opening episode. The camera often placed and tilted to keep him the tallest figure in the room.

Here for example we see Barbara entrapped between the Doctor, the Tardis behind her, and a creepy as heck mannequin head. She's boxed in and she doesn't know it yet. The Doctor is dismissive of her and her concerns which is clear not only from his attention firmly being on the scrap he's pretending to take interest in, but from Barbara's distance from him. He's big and commanding while she's small and distant.

The Doctor is listening to their concerns and questions but is actively choosing to let them believe he's ignoring. When his back is turned and their focus is elsewhere we can see him considering what to do, focused intently on their discussion while hiding this from them to maintain the guise of a doddering old man playing about with his bric-a-brac.

And here, where once again Ian and Barbara are positioned with the foregrounded Doctor and a carefully placed cage-like clock. Literally perfectly blocking the door. Ian and Barbara are beyond the point of no return, they're the Doctor's captives now and they're beginning to realise it.

As the drama unfolds between them we have many dynamic shifts seeing Susan foregrounded and Ian challenging the Doctor but each time the Doctor moves into another authoritative position. Here again he has his back to them, Ian completely to his behind, in the emptier, starker, side of the frame. He's a very clear outsider from the Doctor and Susan. Barbara is behind the Doctor entirely because his focus is on picking at Ian. She has to lean to even get his attention. 

Susan moves from the Doctor's side over to Ian and Barbara's, she's taken up the role of defending them and in so doing The Doctor has turned away from her too.

She pleads with him, but note the way the camera is at a lower angle looking up, keeping The Doctor as the tallest, and us feeling powerless. His hat gives him stature even over Ian here despite their actual heights being the other way round, it feels a very intentional piece of costuming. The empty space behind the Doctor makes him feel free while the other three are cramped into the tight left side of the frame. Blocked off.

You'll notice that the scene is never static, people are moving, forming into groups and shapes. Clearly carefully staged. The camera is rarely still for too long, but the movements are also never without clear intention. The cameras movements are neatly plotted throughout interactions to reframe around what's going on.

When the TARDIS takes off at the end, not only do we see the spectacular miniature of London and the swirling of the vortex- but Ian and Barbara fall over while the Doctor and Susan stand at the controls.

They're firmly in their own territory, while their new unwilling passengers are very much not.

The episode closes with one of the most iconic shots I'd argue in the show ever. STUNNING. Jaw on the floor. What a mysterious cliffhanger to end this episode filled with tension and mystery. We as the audience still know next to nothing about the TARDIS, The Doctor, or Susan and now we've moved and there's some one watching...

At the beginning of the next episode the levels continue with the Doctor still firmly in power as he describes that they've moved.

But Ian is skeptical and here it becomes more interesting, because despite how hard the cinematography has worked to keep One taller than Ian, he's not. When Ian stands up to challenge this assertion, to act on his skepticism and call the Doctor out on his behaviour, he stands and takes the dominant position.

Ian and the Doctor butt heads and we get this absolutely masterful shot.

The Doctor is humbled before Ian. Susan and Barbara who aren't directly in this conflict are framed between them as they're caught between perspectives, seeing both sides. Susan on the Doctor's side. She knows it's all true, but she doesn't agree with her grandfathers actions. Barbara is skeptical like Ian, but much more willing to accept the evidence before her eyes, she concedes there's more to this box than she can understand and she's willing to hear them out and be proven either way.

She follows the Doctor out into the landscape to see with her own eyes while Ian remains behind for a moment, perhaps out of incredulity, or perhaps because he's scared. Barbara looks back.

And I could sincerely go on doing a shot by shot analysis of this story, it's genuinely this good and well thought-out all the way through as the group continue to clash. 

This is to say nothing of score, set design, theme, and of course the writing and performances from our actors. Doctor Who's first story is a MASTERPIECE! In fact, much of 60s Who is full of excellent film-making that goes deeply under-appreciated and under-discussed.

For example (and forgive me for fulfilling my role as Sensorite #1 Fangirl) The Sensorites Episode One. LOOK AT THIS!!!

The first time the show ever moved seamlessly from the TARDIS set to another, I know this ain't much now but it genuinely BLEW MY MIND when I first watched One's era. It's not that complex tbh but I just love The Sensorites so much y'all, I had to mention it.

The TARDIS has a habit of feeling like a very different space, at odds with its exterior. This element is played up a lot in nuwho with companions stepping in and out to comment on the difference. The interior is always distinctly a different place to the outside. But this shatters that illusion. It seamlessly takes us from the console to the main setting of the episode as we walk out WITH the cast.

It's like that shot from Bells of Saint John (forgive me for speaking the devil's name) where we move from a street to the TARDIS to a plane, it feels incredible to have what is normally an insurmountable barrier between TARDIS and the rest of the universe broken. No cuts from inside to out. The TARDIS feels tangible and real, the scale of its interior contextualised within the space it's landed. I adore this shot. Watch The Sensorites <3

[casasupernovas]

no wonder people found doctor who so scary back in the day this is a whole jumpscare!

[doctorwhogirlie]

The First Doctor: Creatures

Click keep reading to see all the stuff I've created about the first doctor creatures. (Warning, this is a long post)

Creatures: (In no particular order)

1. Thals:

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2. Daleks:

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3. Magnedons:

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4. Voords:

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5. Morpho:

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6. Sensorites:

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7. Robomen:

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8. Slyther:

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9. Koquillion:

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10. Sand Beasts:

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11. Menoptera:

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12. Optera:

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13. Zarbi:

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14. Larvae Gun:

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15. Animus:

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16. Moroks:

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17. Xerons:

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18. Aridians:

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19. Mire Beasts:

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20. Mechanoids:

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21. Monoids:

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22. Refusian:

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23. The Time Meddler:

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24. Chumblies:

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25. Rills:

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26. Drahvins:

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27. Gearon: (Missing Story)

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28. Malpha: (Missing Story)

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29. Sentreal: (Missing Story)

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30. Nebula: (Missing Story)

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31. Beaus: (Missing Story)

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32. Trantis: (Missing Story)

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33. Varga Plants: (Missing Story)

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34. Screamer: (Missing Story)

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35. Visian: (Missing Story)

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36. Zephon: (Missing Story)

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37. The Celestial Toymaker:

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38. War Machine:

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39. WOTAN:

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40. Cybermen:

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Disclaimer: These posts are mostly so I can keep up with the things I've created, regardless, enjoy.

[being-of-rain]

Hey let's head over to my house. Oh just so you know I invited the Sensorites over too. Yeah they're not such bad guys when you get to know them. Here's my place over- Oh Goddamnit

My door lock! Damn it, Sensorites. Where are you

I can see you over there dude. Come out here. Give me back my lock

[intuitive-revelations]

Doctor Who: The Legend of Ruby Sunday / The Sensorites | Orange Skies

"Grandfather and I don't come from Earth. Oh it's ages since we've seen our planet. It's quite like Earth. But at night the sky is a burnt orange, and the leaves on the trees are bright silver."

(She wasn't Susan, obviously, but doesn't make this any less sick. )

[cedarboughs]

I love how the Doctor is always delighted to realize there are plots afoot. Look at that face. He’s discovered deadly shenanigans; just what he lives for.

[actual-changeling]

fuck modern special effects, I want people in costumes and make-up and artistic body modifications ONLY.

no one wants to wear coloured spandex with latex masks anymore, and it's a shame.

[lukedom]

[unwillingadventurer]

[timeagainreviews]

RIP William Russell

Back in 2015 I had the opportunity to meet William Russell at a convention. When it was my turn I presented him with my copy of the novelisation of “The Sensorites.” As he held it he said “Now, what’s this? Ah! The Sensorites! Very good!” He then proceeded to ask me how to spell my name but he accidentally added a Y to the end. “Oh I’ve ruined it!” he exclaimed. I assured him that he had very much not ruined it. I have this cherished memory of a lovely man. We will miss you.

[vampyre-daisies]

Y'all don't fw the Sensorites like I do.

[doctorwhogirlie]

Doctor Who - Sensorites

[wastingmytimehere]

I love the Sensorites because when the doctor got his coat ripped up in the aqueduct they immediately went and presented him with an even sexier coat that they were somehow in possession off despite being a smaller species with seemingly little interest in conventional human fashion.

[kcdahippie]

ITS AWFUL WHY DID THEY CHOOSE THIS NOISE

The fucking Sensorite ships would have an annoying ass mosquito noise that kills the ears. T_T

[intuitive-revelations]

Rewatched Heaven Sent a couple weeks ago (I was flying back from a research conference in San Francisco, and British Airways had it available to watch, which was a pleasant surprise) and man, I've got to ramble a bit...

Something-something about how the Confession Dial is clearly pulling elements from the Doctor's childhood. This has been said before of course, but when you really pull everything together, it sure does paint a picture.

It's unclear whether this was the original intent for the soul-catching ritual (which is presumably what the dials are used for, making them a sort of Matrix data slice like Nethersphere), or something added by the Time Lords in corrupting it into a torture chamber, but it's there.

From the teleportation chamber loom...

...to the night sky being a 'burnt orange'...

...to the lilies flowers of remembrance for the lost dead...

...to sentient buildings...

...to that internal soup parallel, both alone in the dial and surrounded by their cousins at the barn...

...to the jars of dust.

And speaking of that "tall woman" in a "grey shawl", who is also oddly oversized, as if putting the Doctor in the perspective of a child,

and is explicitly a nightmare from the Doctor's childhood:

a woman who died, but seemingly passed away far quicker than anyone around her expected (and all the implications relating to that and connecting to the identity of the Hybrid)...

Finally, and this is definitely a stretch, but think back to the room numbers. The Doctor has to find room 12.

Fittingly. But if 12 corresponds to the Twelfth Doctor, then what about those other rooms...?

They must also correspond to incarnations, right? It's not like the God Complex - there was only ever one prisoner in the confession dial, after all.

Incarnations, numbering "a bit confused", in a fascimile of the Doctor's childhood home? Huh...

"Illogical house, a construction that makes no sense..."

[radiofreeskaro]

Radio Free Skaro #1005 - Release the Alpha Probe - New BBC #Doctor Who Season 2 trailer! - 20 years since the "Rose" leak! - Mervyn Pinfield in the Miniscope!