=-=-=-=-= Society of the Rusting TARDIS Newsletter (#28, 12/11/95)
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>>>  Items of interest to British media fans and Seattle-area residents, 
<<<
>>>  and whatever else I feel like spewing about.  You have been warned. 
<<<

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You know, when I started this newsletter a little over a year ago
(10/06/94, to be exact), I figured it would just be a handy little news
disseminating device, with maybe a dozen or so subscribers.  Well, here we
are with 28 issues in the can and over 80 subscribers.  Admittedly, some of
those newsletters were pretty sparse, and for all I know nobody reads these
things, but just like the Imperial Stormtroopers, I'll keep shooting in the
hope that someday I'll hit something.

And yes, I know the header on these messages has become too large - I'll be
moving to a "majordomo" setup next year.

And one more thing...I've fallen pretty far behind in the personal
correspondence department.  So far, in fact, that it's probably safe to
assume that those of you who had questions either found answers somewhere
else, no longer need to know, or perhaps dies in the interim.  If you've
sent me something I haven't replied to, please resend it.  I'll try to be
more responsive.  (Once I get back from the other side of the planet, that
is.)

In this issue (a little heavy on the Doctor Who this time):

	Quick news items
	A call to action [for "Doctor Who", hopefully not too late]
	Doctor Who news from Visions
	Doctor Who: The Dark Dimension Info
	Space Ghost Coast-to-Coast  [I know, no Brit content here]
	Comics at the Seattle Public Library
	Butt-head astronomer appeased
	Upcoming SotRT events

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Subject: Quick news items

Sound bites:

	December 24, 1995.  6:15pm.  BBC2.  "Wallace and Gromit in 'A Close
	Shave'".  Need I say more?  (Well, if I do in fact need to say more,
	I'll say that this is the follow-up to "The Wrong Trousers", winner
	of an Academy Award for best animated film.  I have probably seen it
	ten times and will gladly do so again.)  For those of you with PAL
	VCRs, it will be released in the UK on 12/27.  Have no fear, I will
	run this just as soon as it makes its way across the pond.

	The UK tradition of special Christmas episodes continues.  This year
	the list includes "Goodnight Sweetheart", "One Foot in the Grave",
	"The Thin Blue Line", "The Lenny Henry Show" (with Wallace and Gromit
	listed as guest stars), "Reeves and Mortimer", "Outside Edge", and an
	Alan Partridge special (you may remember him as the sportscaster on
	"The Day Today").

	On 12/21, BBC2 is airing something called "Gary Larson's Tales from
	the Far Side".  I have no idea...

	A second season of "Cadfael" starts its UK run this month.

	A new season of "Have I Got News For You" is airing in the UK.  It's
	a safe but that it'll show up on our video schedule before very long.

	The critics are unanimous - Rowan Atkinson's new series, "The Thin
	Blue Line", is bad.  Ah well, there's always "Four Weddings and a
	Funeral II".  (That's a joke, son.)

	This week's most useless news:  Jonathan Ross is currently sporting
	long hair.

Local news:

	Remember, this is pledge month at KBTC, our friends who bring us
	"Doctor Who" and "EastEnders".  And what will happen when they reach
	the (current) end of "Doctor Who"?  When last I talked to them about
	it, a decision had not yet been made.  Start over?  Skip the
	black-and-whites episodes?  Show something else for a while (e.g.
	"Blake's 7")"?  Let them know, but remember, money is not infinite.
	:-(

	For the first time in years, Channel 9 will be airing "Red Dwarf" in
	a format that is not just an obvious money-making venture.  On
	December 13, it will start running weeknights at 11pm.  Apparently it
	will be "a bit sporadic at first, but should fall into place after
	the first of the year".  Now if they would just stop paying extra for
	exclusive rights so KBTC can show it.  (There are lots of people in
	Western Washington who have never seen "Red Dwarf" because they do
	not get KCTS, and KBTC is prevented from showing it.)

	On 12/18 the Varsity will be showing "The Madness of King George",
	starring Nigel Hawthorne.  And on 12/21, "Festival Hong Kong"
	features "The Tai-Chi Master", starring Jet Li and Michelle Khan.
	And one I haven't seen, "Temptation of a Monk", with Joan Chen.  Call
	632-3131 for show times.

Miscellany:

	You know, I've steered clear of "Carry On" films, but I just saw the
	cast list for "Carry on Columbus".  It included Peter Richardson,
	Alexei Sayle, Julian Clary, Richard Wilson, Nigel Planer, Rik Mayall,
	Tony Slattery, Maureen Lipman, Jon Pertwee, Martin Clunes, etc., etc.
	I'm _almost_ tempted.

	Did everyone spot Tom Baker's Doctor in a recent "Simpsons" episode?

	Prices on multi-standard VCRs are continuing to fall.  Word on the
	street is that Camera World in (sales-tax-free) Portland has them for
	as little as $465.  Depending on what you want, you can probably pay
	less, and you can certainly pay more (like I did).  Cast off your
	chains - stop being a slave to my tastes and get yourself a trading
	partner of your own!

	David Lettermon's mother has reportly received a $1,000,000 advance
	from Simon and Schuster for a cookbook.

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Subject: A call to action [for "Doctor Who", hopefully not too late]
From: esin@genie.com (by way of sharke@unicomp.net (Sue Harke))
Date: Wed, 08 Nov 1995 08:57:21 -0500

The following was forwarded to me by way of Shaun Lyon of the Time Meddlers
of
Los Angeles and Tom Beck, ESIN Councillor and founder of the Prydonians of
Prynceton. It is an appeal from Philip Segal for DOCTOR WHO fans to show
their support of his efforts to bring the program back. Please, please,
please take a few minutes out to write a card or letter or to make a brief,
polite phone call. If this doesn't happen now, it's likely that it never
will.

Tom,
If you would like to help me and the project, now is your chance.  It is
time to test the strength and support of Prydonian and every other loyal
Whovian in this country.  If I don't get Universal's cooperation to move
forward within the next three weeks this project could be dead.  Please
have everyone call or write Tom Thayer, the president of Universal
Television and tell his office you want to see Doctor Who on Fox next May. 
If everyone drops him a card or leaves a polite message with his office the
impact will be overwhelming I promise you.  He must know you guys are real
and out there.
 Call him at 818-777-1000 - or write to him at 100 Universal City Plaza,
bldg
500, Universal City, CA 91608.

If this campaign is successful and I believe your contribution was
successful in reaching Universal and Fox, I will make sure you get an
exclusive with the new Doctor.

Philip

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Subject: Doctor Who news from Visions
From: Corey Klemow <76602.3476@CompuServe.COM>

Sylvester McCoy recently received a second draft of the script; at the
start of the convention, he hadn't yet read it.  His role in the first
draft was only two pages long, and he was hesitant to accept such a small
role.

A day or two later, in a press conference with Sophie Aldred, she revealed
that McCoy's part had been expanded to 24 pages.

McCoy had not yet signed a contract to appear in the movie at the time of
the convention, but it's probably likely now that he will.

McCoy also said that he believes that filming will begin in January, though
he's not sure about that.  Also, he says that the main holdup right now is
a dispute between Universal/BBC and FOX over the casting of the Doctor.
Steve Traylen says he has heard from "fairly resonable sources" that this
has since been sorted out.  Fan rumors say that FOX is holding out for
Sting or David Bowie, depending on which silly rumor-monger you want to
believe...  It's more likely that FOX is holding out for a *cheaper* actor
than Segal/Universal/BBC wants to cast.  McCoy knows who is in the running
right now, but, of course, can't say.  He did whisper the actor's name to
Brian Blessed, who exclaimed, "He's too young!"  It's been speculated that
either a) the actor only seems young to Blessed, or b) he and McCoy are
having the fans on.  Although a youngish, Hugh Grant type Doctor was
considered back in the early days of the Leekley/DeLaurentiis script (Paul
McGann was a contender), when Matthew Jacobs was commissioned to write the
new script, thoughts turned to an older, more mature Doctor.

Simon Callow "was possibly considered at one point," but is NOT a contender
now.

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Subject: Doctor Who: The Dark Dimension Info

There is an article on behind-the-scenes stuff related to the (almost)
making of "Doctor Who: The Dark Dimension" taken from the June 1995 online
edition of SFX magazine at:

	http://www.futurenet.co.uk/

It includes stuff like Tom Baker's proposed outfit, quotes from involved
parties, "modernized" Daleks and Cybermen, revelations that David Bowie and
Rik Mayall were offered the part of the bad guy, etc.

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Subject: Space Ghost Coast-to-Coast  [I know, no Brit content here]

I've been chasing down Space Ghost Coast-to-Coast (SGC2C) episodes since I
saw a panel/presentation at this year's San Diego ComicCon.  There was a
special hour-long compilation on KTZZ recently, with a follow-up due in
April (episodes to be determined).  In the meantime, check out the official
"Space Ghost Coast-to-Coast" website at:

	http://www.filmzone.com/SpaceGhost/

To get directly to the good stuff (including quicktime movies from the
vault at Ghost Planet Industries) try:

	http://www.filmzone.com/SpaceGhost/Studio/Vault.html

And you can reach Tad directly at "sgc2c@turner.com".

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Subject: Comics at the Seattle Public Library

The Seattle Public Library currently has a display on the history of
comics.
Events at the library connected with the exhibit include:

"What's a Graphic Novel Anyway?", Tuesday, December 12 at 7 PM
(with Roberta Gregory and Donna Barr)

"Cartooning and Technology", Saturday, December 16 at 3 PM
(Includes on-line cartooning)

There are also workshops on cartooning.

For more information, contact the library at 386-4636 or visit their web 
site at www.spl.lib.wa.us/

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Subject: Butt-head astronomer appeased

APPLE, SAGAN MAKE PEACE

Apple Computer and astronomer Carl Sagan have reached an "amicable"
settlement over Apple's use of Sagan's name as an internal project
code-name.
When Sagan objected last year, Apple renamed the project "BHA," allegedly
short for "Butt-Head Astronomer."  Sagan then sued for defamation of
character, lost the case and appealed.  The settlement ends the legal
wrangling, and both sides say they're happy.  ("Wall Street Journal",
11/16/95)

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Subject: Upcoming SotRT events

Currently planned for the next Rusting Tardis video night (December 13), at
Round Table Pizza, 5111 25th Ave. NE (in Seattle):

	Have I Got News for You: the infamous "tub of lard" episode from a
	couple of years ago

	Goodnight Sweetheart: Series 2, episode 4

	Harry Enfield and Chums: Episode 5

	Jerry Building: a documentary on Nazi architecture

  [reflects weight before cooking, some settling of contents may occur
   during shipping, offer void where prohibited, batteries not included,
   your milage may vary, not to be taken internally, do not fold spindle or
   mutilate, if a rash develops consult your physician, objects in mirror
   are closer than they appear, offer good at participating retailers,
   legal tender for all debts public and private, no warantee intended or
   implied, for novelty purposes only, shipping and handling not included,
no
   salesperson will call, do not use while operating heavy machinery]

Coming soon: The latest season of "A Bit of Fry and Laurie" and "Fist of
Fun".

The next social is Tuesday December 19, at Angel's Thai Cuisine, 235
Broadway E (on Capitol Hill in Seattle).

And a reminder: THERE IS NO VIDEO NIGHT PLANNED FOR DECEMBER 27TH.

See you on Wednesday.

			"Dover Cross, he reckoned, looked capable, but he was
			 no longer in the first flush of youth and that was
			 putting it mildly.  It was a euphemism."
				--"The Planet Seekers", Erle Barton (actually
				  Robert Lionel Fanthorpe)

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The standard disclaimers apply to everything here except this statement.
To subscribe/unsubscribe to this list, send mail to "onan@eskimo.com".
The Society of the Rusting TARDIS web page - http://www.halcyon.com/sotrt/
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