THE CLASSIC DOCTOR WHO DVD COMPENDIUM
This book is your complete guide to the original series of Doctor Who on DVD - every disc, every episode, every extra.
The DVD range of Classic Doctor Who releases forms probably the most comprehensive presentation of a television programme ever produced. Not only are the episodes themselves digitally restored to pristine quality using the best surviving materials and innovative new techniques, but each disc is packed with supplementary features that examine the making, broadcast and legacy of this ground-breaking show.
Now every disc, every episode and every extra has been collated and chronicled to guide viewers old and new on their journey through the intriguing history of Doctor Who, all fully indexed for easy reference. If you're only just learning about the show's past then this book will guide you through the adventure ahead. If you're still building your collection it will help you discover further stories you're sure to enjoy. And if you already have every release, then The Classic Doctor Who DVD Compendium is your ultimate companion to the complete range.
The Classic Doctor Who DVD Compendium; 436 pages, mono; Compiled and written by Paul Smith; Published by Wonderful Books; Printed on demand through Amazon's CreateSpace; Softcover; 15x23cm; ISBN 978-0-9576062-1-0; £16.99/$30.99
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Also available as an ebook for Kindle, Apple devices and others. Visit your preferred ebook retailer.
Note the ebook omits a few tables that couldn't be conveniently presented and indexes that aren't needed as the text is searchable.
Print edition now includes final release of The Underwater Menace
The printed edition of the DVD Compendium has been updated with full details of the most recent release, the delayed-cancelled-then-reinstated disc of The Underwater Menace. I've also taken the opportunity to add to a couple of the appendices, with the final releases in the DVD Files range and information on the Classic Who DVD releases in Germany.
For those who already have the book and don't wish to repurchase, click here to download a PDF of the Underwater Menace entry, which you can print and slot into your book.
DVD Compendium voted third best factual book of 2014 by DWM readers
Thank you to all readers of Doctor Who Magazine who voted for the DVD Compendium in the magazine's 2014 survey, resulting in its placing third for Favourite Non-Fiction Book, just behind two official BBC Books titles.
Click here to read reviews of The Classic Doctor Who DVD Compendium
Reviews
Starburstmagazine.com - 1 August 2014
"Paul Smith has managed to create a directory of the entire classic series DVD range that is not only as comprehensive as anyone could ever wish, but that also serves as a brilliant sampler to the collection for any newcomers starting the journey. The Classic Doctor Who DVD Compendium is perhaps the closest thing to a bible that the classic series Doctor Who fan will ever need.
"The individual entries for each of the serials [are] thoughtfully put together and appealingly written (so much so that although I doubt many will sit down and actually work through the entire volume from front to back, any who do will be unlikely to find the experience a disappointment), [but] Smith's true vocation comes to the fore in the appendices. Those who are familiar with Wonderful Books' Time & Space Visualiser will be aware of Smith's deftness with a graph and while he hasn't undertaken the treatment of his Compendium in the same way, this book profits immeasurably from Smith's clarity of vision and his ability to employ that to the best advantage.
"There are indexes for almost anything the relatively sane person could ever want. It's a virtual paradise for a particular kind of fan, and it's what makes the book an absolute necessity for every kind of fan."
Click to read the full review by JR Southall
Sci-Fi Bulletin - 4 August 2014
"Starting with a close look at the technicalities behind the filming of Doctor Who -- all information which you need to understand the problems faced by the members of the Restoration Team on the various stories -- the main body of the text is an alphabetical trawl through each and every DVD released by the BBC/2Entertain featuring a classic Doctor Who story.
"The appendices at the end are possibly the most useful part of the book, detailing such things as the Easter eggs on the discs, and the DVDs which were released outside the United Kingdom.
"If, like me, you've got the classic DVDs in order on the shelves, this will be an invaluable guide."
Click to read the full review by Paul Simpson
Doctor Who Magazine - October 2014
"The Compendium opens with a history of Doctor Who on home media. This is fascinating stuff, going right back to 1963 and a detailed examination of the BBC's archiving policies over the decades/ This is great, it sets in context why Doctor Who has been released in the form it has at any given point since the dawn of home video in the early 1980s. Smith's writing is concise and readable, packing in a lot of information that inevitably goes into technological detail, but at no point do you feel out of your depth or bamboozled with technobabble.
"The Classic Doctor Who DVD Compendium is quite something, and Paul Smith is to be congratulated on a job well done. It has that essential dip-in-and-out-of quality that characterises the best books of this nature. Whether you're starting out collecting Doctor Who on DVD or have the full set, this is about as definitive as a Doctor Who book gets."
Read the full review by Mark Wright in issue 478 (November 2014) of DWM
Home Cinema Choice - 28 October 2014
"The idea of simply listing every extra from every Doctor Who DVD is the sort of thing that could be done online, which is why Smith's fascinating tome does so much more to completely justify its price tag.
"Not a stone is left unturned in this comprehensive attempt to catalogue the contents of every single release, including catalogue numbers, RRPs, restoration details, links to other stories and, of course, a full breakdown of the extra features. This last aspect expands beyond a mere listing to detailed explanations of each and every special feature, including the names of contributors they feature. It's a remarkable achievement that serves to really celebrate the incredible range of supplementary features created for the DVD line-up and those responsible for their creation.
"Make no mistake; The Classic Doctor Who DVD Compendium is an astonishing (and hugely successful) attempt at cataloguing and collating every detail about every disc in the BBC's classic Doctor Who range. All of which makes it utterly indispensable for fans and collectors alike."