: A Review: A ReviewThis review has since been published in the Doctor Who Information Network's newszine, Enlightenment
In previous issues, I have reviewed a number of fan audio and visual productions devoted to Doctor Who, from the Audio Visuals to "Hellgate". I have cautioned those that (with the exception of the sterling Audio Visuals), one has to enter into these amateur productions willing to suspend one's disbelief, and accept the lower standard of acting and special effects, realizing that these stories are being composed for fun, not money. One has to rely on the unbridled enthusiasm of the fans involved to make up for standards which make the early Doctor Who television programme look big-budget in comparison (which it is, compared to the small sums of money these fans have to work with).
Entering into "Time Rift", however, with these standards on your mind, will result in you being blown away by the unexpected brilliance of this production. "Time Rift" stands, to my mind, as the most ambitious fan video project since the female Doctor videos produced by the former Seattle chapter of DWIN, and it is something that every fan must purchase. Even if you are intolerant of extremely low-budget video effects and fan fiction, you can not help but be impressed at the quality that a group of fans in Washington DC achieved through more than two years of very hard work.
And, for the most part, the crew didn't take the easy route, either. The story is set post-"Survival" and features the Seventh Doctor and Ace working with the American branch of UNIT in Washington DC in the near-future. A returning villain features, and a well-known monster-race has an influence. One can easily see the risk that these people are taking here; nothing invites comparisons to the television series than this, and it's such a comparison that many fan videos strive to avoid. It's indicative of the effort put in by the "Time Rift" crew that they're able to pull it off.
Jon Blum, a fan in his twenties, plays the Seventh Doctor. Although he doesn't look much like Sylvester McCoy, except in build, the costume is authentic, and Jon is able to capture many of the mannerisms of the Seventh Doctor. Also, almost frighteningly, Jon has an incredible ability to imitate Sylvester's accent with 100% effectiveness. One could close one's eyes and be forgiven for mistaking "Time Rift" for the soundtrack off of a previously unbroadcast Sylvester McCoy episode. Jon does overact in his first scene of the movie, but he quickly settles down after this point and becomes the brightest star of the movie.
AC Chapin plays Ace in this story, and unfortunately she doesn't do as well as Jon in recreating her respective role. The accent isn't there, and neither is the physical resemblance (also, more could have been done to recreate the costume), but AC Chapin is easily forgiven for this, partly because Jon's performance is so close to the Seventh Doctor that it makes her performance seem all the more authentic as a result, also because of the effort that AC Chapin does put into her part, and finally because the script she has been given (she co-authored it herself) has Ace's characterization dead on.
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The Doctor attempts to reason with the |
"Time Rift" succeeds so strongly through a combination of effort, savvy judgement, and pure luck. The production is lucky enough to have the services of a number of people with experience in more professional productions. Itzy Friedman, one of the stars of the show, has acted professionally in local dinner theatre productions, and he helps raise the overall calibre of the performances. He's also in his 50s, which immediately shatters one element that burdens most fan video productions -- the fact that most of the actors are 25 or younger. Beyond Itzy, Jon and AC Chapin, Amy Steele also adds to this production's already extensive talent pool. Her range goes from psychotic to whimsy; always believable, she uses a brilliant script to her advantage, such that she almost steals the show from Jon. There's only one really bad apple in terms of acting, but remembering that this is a fan video, the effect is one of lighthearted amusement more than anything else; the production doesn't suffer too much from it.
"Time Rift" also benefits from the fact that Jon Blum is friends with one Mark Sachs; you probably haven't heard of him yet, but something tells me that you will. This aspiring computer graphics programmer lends his talent to the production and the result is something unprecidented for any fan video: jaw-dropping special effects.
Over and above these strokes of luck, the people behind "Time Rift" make their own luck. The script and story are flawless - Jon could novelize the tale and reasonably expect it to see publication by either Virgin or BBC Books; the plot twists surprised even me, and it contains a number of subtleties that I'm only now discovering after the third time of viewing. The characterizations never wavers and the motivations are solid. Jon is able to show the Seventh Doctor at his introspective, angst-ridden best, and Ace comes the closest to denouncing him than at any time, outside the New Adventures.
Then there's Neil Marsh. The producers of "Time Rift" wisely realized that one of the biggest reasons behind the low-budget feel of the fan videos is the lack of incidental music; to combat this, aspiring musician Neil Marsh imbued the production with as much incidental music as is seen in the true television series, which is no small feat considering that this is a 114 minute-long film. The music he composes captures the essense of the Seventh Doctor era -- particularly the episodes scored by Mark Ayres -- enhancing the feeling that "Time Rift" is really a lost episode from the program.
Finally, there's the decision to shoot the whole movie on location throughout Washington, DC. The decision not to build their own sets pays off in a more authentic look for "Time Rift" (a la the all-location filming for "Spearhead from Space"), although the producers pay for this benefit in the form of lighting inconsistencies and, that bane of all fan videos, sound difficulties. The acoustics of some of the corridors is such that some of the dialogue is dangerously hard to hear.
It's not perfect, true. The TARDIS prop is laughable (they should borrow the far superior prop produced by the makers of "Hellgate"), and there are a couple of minor slip ups (the "Time Rift" regulars attempt a major fight scene with mixed results), but clearly a monumental effort has gone into the production of "Time Rift" and, by and large, it's all paid off. Top this off with a hilarious blooper reel and the result is the first fan production since the Audio Visuals, which should be a must see for all fans, no matter how intolerant of amateur productions they may be.
"Time Rift" can be purchased for as little as $9 (US). This price covers the cost of a video tape and postage. Jon has hinted broadly, however, that he has sunk hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars into this production, and so donations of any amount are appreciated. I highly encourage people purchasing this video to top up their purchase price with a little something extra -- even at $20 (US) (equivalent to $26 Cdn, but orders should be in US funds), you are purchasing a new, four part, Doctor Who story that's an hour and 54 minutes in length (the episodes overrun considerably), not including a hilarious blooper reel, and provides as much of a Doctor Who kick as any episode in the series. Jon Blum and his friends and associates deserve a big pat on the back and a big round of applause for their efforts, and I honestly believe that they also deserve your support. I can not recomment "Time Rift" highly enough -- order your copy today!
