Doctor Who - Documentary s03e06 Episode Script
Now and Then
NARRATOR: This wide angle panoramic shot over London looking east towards Holborn and then swinging past the British Museum, before focusing down on the corner of Bedford Square was taken from the upper floors of the Centre Point building on the junction of Oxford Street, Tottenham Court Road and Charing Cross Road.
Bedford Square was not the original location chosen for the Tardis scenes.
Originally, the plan was to film the opening panoramic shot from the top of the GPO Tower.
But as the building was due to officially open to the public only a few days before the planned filming dates, permission was refused.
When the high vantage point was moved to the Centre Point tower not far away, the choice of the Tardis landing area was likewise changed to one in direct line of sight of the building.
The Doctor's arrival at the Royal Scientific Club was likewise filmed in Bedford Square, on the other side of the road from where the Tardis lands.
The taxi and the driver were real ones, hired especially for the shot, with the vehicle pulling up outside number 41.
The original options for this location looked very similar to Bedford Square.
The original choice was here at Portman Square in Marylebone, whilst Fitzroy Square,just a short distance from the GPO Tower, was also considered.
And indeed Conway Street, leading away from Fitzroy Square, was used for the scene at the beginning of episode 1, showing the Doctor and Dodo making their way towards the tower's entrance on Maple Street, situated at the end of the road.
In the story, the construction of the first War Machine, took place in a warehouse in Covent Garden and scenes showing Ben making his way there in episode 2 were filmed here next to Bedford Chambers in the heart of the old market.
Shots for this sequence were also filmed just around the corner in Bow Street, outside the front entrance of the Royal Opera House, with Ben walking past both the theatre and the floral hall adjacent to it.
The sequences showing War Machine 9 on the rampage were all filmed very close to the GPO Tower.
From the upper window of the Duke of York pub in Charlotte Place, the scene of the attack on the man in the telephone box was filmed.
The War Machine finally making its way down Charlotte Place towards Chitty Street.
Gresse Street, much developed over the years since 1966, was used for the scene of the advancing War Machine crashing through the dustbins.
Whilst the fleeing bystanders were actually filmed several streets away in Berners Mews.
Originally however, it was planned that this particular shot would be filmed at a different location, a short distance away here in Newman Passage.
The exterior of the new Connaught Rooms in Great Queen Street formed the view of deserted London, as the police warned the public of the imminent danger.
The final capture of War Machine 9 was staged here at Cornwall Gardens Walk in Kensington, with the Doctor and Sir Charles Summer arriving at the top of the Walk in Cornwall Gardens itself, whilst the army prepares the Doctor's trap below.
These high-angle shots of the trapped War Machine were taken from the upper window of 50F Cornwall Gardens, with the then owner, Mrs Lessing, being paid £2, 2 shillings for the privilege.
The shot of the reprogrammed War Machine making its way across London towards the GPO Tower in order to attack WOTAN were once again filmed in Berners Mews using the same passageway through which the two bystanders had previously fled from the War Machine.
Finally the War Machine arrives at the base of the GPO Tower, which was filmed just outside the entrance of the building in Maple Street.
Bedford Square was not the original location chosen for the Tardis scenes.
Originally, the plan was to film the opening panoramic shot from the top of the GPO Tower.
But as the building was due to officially open to the public only a few days before the planned filming dates, permission was refused.
When the high vantage point was moved to the Centre Point tower not far away, the choice of the Tardis landing area was likewise changed to one in direct line of sight of the building.
The Doctor's arrival at the Royal Scientific Club was likewise filmed in Bedford Square, on the other side of the road from where the Tardis lands.
The taxi and the driver were real ones, hired especially for the shot, with the vehicle pulling up outside number 41.
The original options for this location looked very similar to Bedford Square.
The original choice was here at Portman Square in Marylebone, whilst Fitzroy Square,just a short distance from the GPO Tower, was also considered.
And indeed Conway Street, leading away from Fitzroy Square, was used for the scene at the beginning of episode 1, showing the Doctor and Dodo making their way towards the tower's entrance on Maple Street, situated at the end of the road.
In the story, the construction of the first War Machine, took place in a warehouse in Covent Garden and scenes showing Ben making his way there in episode 2 were filmed here next to Bedford Chambers in the heart of the old market.
Shots for this sequence were also filmed just around the corner in Bow Street, outside the front entrance of the Royal Opera House, with Ben walking past both the theatre and the floral hall adjacent to it.
The sequences showing War Machine 9 on the rampage were all filmed very close to the GPO Tower.
From the upper window of the Duke of York pub in Charlotte Place, the scene of the attack on the man in the telephone box was filmed.
The War Machine finally making its way down Charlotte Place towards Chitty Street.
Gresse Street, much developed over the years since 1966, was used for the scene of the advancing War Machine crashing through the dustbins.
Whilst the fleeing bystanders were actually filmed several streets away in Berners Mews.
Originally however, it was planned that this particular shot would be filmed at a different location, a short distance away here in Newman Passage.
The exterior of the new Connaught Rooms in Great Queen Street formed the view of deserted London, as the police warned the public of the imminent danger.
The final capture of War Machine 9 was staged here at Cornwall Gardens Walk in Kensington, with the Doctor and Sir Charles Summer arriving at the top of the Walk in Cornwall Gardens itself, whilst the army prepares the Doctor's trap below.
These high-angle shots of the trapped War Machine were taken from the upper window of 50F Cornwall Gardens, with the then owner, Mrs Lessing, being paid £2, 2 shillings for the privilege.
The shot of the reprogrammed War Machine making its way across London towards the GPO Tower in order to attack WOTAN were once again filmed in Berners Mews using the same passageway through which the two bystanders had previously fled from the War Machine.
Finally the War Machine arrives at the base of the GPO Tower, which was filmed just outside the entrance of the building in Maple Street.