Sylvester McCoy Archives | Otaku No Culture

The Munsters in 2022 vs The World

The next stage of The Munsters journey has to answer the question of how does an unlikely pairing beget a child?

One possible reason why Rob Zombie‘s The Munsters didn’t make it to movie theatres is probably because the story isn’t too different from the first animated The Addams Family movie. We get an origin story on how Herman (Jeff Daniel Phillips) and Lily (Sheri Moon Zombie) fell in love. It strangely ignores a lot of pathos from the television series where they are seen interacting with the normal world.

It’s not to say this director’s love letter to this sit-com is doomed. To say which horror comedy has the biggest following must be with the Addameses. The reason is because they made more spinoff appearances and I can see Fred Munster pouting. He’s more of a comic character than the fun loving hispanic with potential aristocratic upbringing. Although Fred Gwynne was well respected with his humourous roles on television and Yvonne De Carlo is known for The Ten Commandments, it’s tough to beat John Astin and Jackie Coogan. Together, those two are television and film industry legends.

Continue reading “The Munsters in 2022 vs The World”

Reflections on Anglicon 2017 & A Photo Album

By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Over the second weekend of December, the British media convention Anglicon proves not every pop culture event has to be super-sized. This intimate event offered to fans used to corporate shows a taste of what a typical science fiction convention is like. These smaller events offer the same amount of fun — an art show, an exhibitor space for craftspeople (and other similar conventions) to vend from, a space for board gaming, a short film festival and a dance. For the latter, there were two nights for attendees to rock the night away. Even the traditional staples (costume contest) show not all costumes have to be about Doctor Who. A few furries were seen running around, and we’re not talking about Bentley the Corgi, one of the three guests of honour.

Continue reading “Reflections on Anglicon 2017 & A Photo Album”

The Day of the Doctors is coming to Anglicon!

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

No, the producers behind Doctor Who is not remaking The Two Doctors. In 2017, Anglicon is bringing two actors from the classic years — Peter Davison and Sylvester McCoy (the latter announced today) — to entertain! The Fifth incarnation is better known as Tristan Farnon in All Creatures Great and Small and the Seventh gained greater notoriety when he played Radagast in Peter Jackson’s adaptation of The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. During this convention, the two might talk about their career after leaving the show/ was cancelled. Unlike the performers from the new series who have left to have a career in America, getting noticed back in the 90’s was a lot more difficult. Davison did appear in an episode of Magnum P.I. “Deja Vu” and McCoy reprised the iconic role in FOX TV’s Doctor Who Movie, but mostly stuck to performing in the U.K. Perhaps these two will have something to say about the changing scene.

Continue reading “The Day of the Doctors is coming to Anglicon!”

Happy Birthday to Sylvester McCoy and Sophie Aldred!

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

Words need not be repeated in what I wrote last year in a public letter to Sylvester McCoy and Sophie Aldred wishing them a Happy Birthday!

Another 365 days have passed and I’d be remiss in not to wish the two performers another ’round of cheers. Time can only go backwards to what I fondly love of the old series that doesn’t quite appear in the new. Although I’ll watch anything Doctor Who related on the telly, it’s the classic series that I enjoyed the most. You two helped make that time in front of the television (even on reruns and rebroadcasts) always well spent.

Sometime today, I’ll be watching a best of the Seventh Doctor to fondly recall your time together on-screen. Remembrance of the Daleks and Survival are definitely on the list!

Cheers to another year!

Blast to the Past with An Adventure in Time & Space, A Review!

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

* Spoiler alert

Not every new fan of Doctor Who will know the full story behind the creation of popular culture’s greatest icon from Great Britain. Thankfully, the BBC has taken it upon themselves to create An Adventure in Space and Time to look at the years when this series became a success in a somewhat historical but yet fictional form. In the final day leading up to the 50th Anniversary special, this fascinating docu-drama will get further broadcasts throughout the world as it looks at how the series started.

But this movie also chronicles Verity Lambert’s (Jessica Raine) rise to being a prominent creative force behind the scenes. She helped William Hartnell (excellently played by David Bradley) become an enduring figure that later actors could not even come close to mimicking. Try as these actors might, the goal is to not be what the First Doctor or Bill represented. Instead, it was to make the Doctor Who character their own so that each’s actor’s contribution will be remembered.

Continue reading “Blast to the Past with An Adventure in Time & Space, A Review!”