Ode to Howlaround
Today’s Toronto Star has an article on the 100 Things That Make Us Scream (registration required to view). Coming in at Number 14 is “The opening title sequence of the original Dr. Who” which the writers claim “we blacked out at that point.”
As I said on dwin’s mailing list, it’s about time someone in the media acknowledged what must be one of the most widely known truths about Doctor Who, at least in Canada anyway. Over the years I have met many, many people who have all said to me the same thing: Doctor Who was scary and they never watched it. Not because of the monsters. Not because of the Daleks. No—they were terrified by the opening titles.
I have to admit to some sympathy to these people. I remember watching the opening titles to The Three Doctors on TVO as a six year-old in 1976 and finding them kind of scary too (I even held my hand over my eyes at least once while watching them) though I did watch the succeeding story.
I’m frankly not all that surprised. When you think about the titles for the series back in the 1970s, they really were like nothing else seen or heard on television at that time. Weird misty shapes forming a face and then dissolving it into a spinning swirl, and all the while the strangest music ever is being played over it. Fans of Doctor Who get inurred to that from repeated viewings and knowing it was video howlaround (playing the camera back on itself) that created those images etc., that we lose sight of the incredible effect those titles achieved. It didn’t look like it was from earth. It didn’t sound like it was from earth.
I love the main titles of the new series (though I would have liked to have seen the Doctor’s face). And while I think Murray Gold’s embellishment of the theme is superb, I have to admit that when I saw those titles done with a stereophonic mix of the original Delia Derbyshire version of the theme last March, I got a little tingle down my spine, like I did when I was six.
Posted by Graeme on Saturday, October 29 at 12:23 pm
7 Comments...
I also feel the original show’s opening titles were brilliant, and really set the tone for what the viewer was about to watch. Quite a change from the fad of many modern shows (in America, at least) that don’t even have a proper opening sequence but run even the names of the actors under the main action as the story begins. Although I am told this trend in on the wane…
Posted by David on 10/29 at 02:13 PM
As more and more of an hour-length TV drama is eaten up by commercial time (compare the 51-minute Star Trek episodes in the 60’s to, say, the 43-minute Firefly episodes) it’s understandable that TV storytellers would want to sacrifice less air time to a title sequence. I would argue that some shows, such as 24 and Lost, benefit from plunging right in.
David, if anything this trend you mention has a lot in common with the old Doctor Who - no long list of actors or creator, just show the title and then get on with the episode. I’d say it’s latter-day Doctor Who, crediting its lead actors in the title sequence, that shows the influence of US TV.
I agree that the old Doctor Who titles were great, though - however shaky the show’s special effects could be otherwise, no expense was spared on the title sequences, and the Season 11 and Seasons 12-17 versions always left me wondering “How did they do that?”
Posted by Curt on 10/30 at 07:59 AM
I don’t think it’s just the original Delia Derbyshire theme/title sequence that had the effect. Something about the theme in general must do it because I can vividly recall Peter Howell’s version of the theme scaring the bejeezus out of me. So much so that I have only the vaguest recollection of Doctor Who’s episodes from when I was a child, but I can instantly recall what I did when the theme came on (quickly rush to the television to change the channel or, if there wasn’t time, hide behind the sofa).
I’m as much a fan of the theme as I am of the actual series itself. People interested in the theme and remixes of it should check out whomix.trilete.net if they haven’t already!
Among other things, it a few people have made attempts to integrate the middle eight of the theme into Murray Gold’s version!
Posted by Allan Spears on 10/31 at 09:10 PM
Is it specified which titles? I guess they mean the Hartnell version. Yeah that probably is the scariest in that sense possibly because it doesn’t have a comforting face. Then again the first titles I ever saw were the Pertwee ones (S7-10) and they were pretty scary even though the Doctor had a slight smile. My absolute favourite though is S18 not scary but amazing and exhuberant.
Posted by Ryan on 11/01 at 10:30 AM
Considering this was in the Toronto Star I seriously doubt that are referring to the Hartnell titles. I’m sure that it’s the Season 12-17 that are best remembered.
Posted by Mike on 11/01 at 01:41 PM
To be honest, When I read the Star’s article, I thought they were being smart-arsed. (Did you see the photo of a 60’s Ice Warrior on the cover of the A&E section by the way?). After all they were also frightened about the prospect of Tom Cruise’s baby.
That said, I love the Doctor Who theme too and bought the Music From the Radiophonic Workshop Cds Vols 1 and 2 so I could have the earlier versions of the theme that I grew up with. Whenever I put on a DVD of an old story from the 70’s I always get that feeling of anticipation just from the theme.
I also highly recommend the Whomix website that Allan Spears mentions, its interesting to hear what people can do with it.
S18 was the last of the really great arrangement of the theme. After that they seemed to loose that eeriness that the earlier versions had in spades.
Posted by Louisa on 11/01 at 02:29 PM
*I’M* scared of Tom Cruise’s baby. Who, I’m sure will be called: L RON.
Posted by Broton on 11/01 at 04:47 PM
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