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Home , Auton, Auton (film series), Catherine Tate, Davros, Julian Bleach, Michael Wisher

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Even froze with fear when , lord and creator of the , made his chilling comeback last week. Now RT goes behind the scenes on the season to meet the man behind the mask... D>

11 i RE-CREATING AN EVIL GENIUS

avros is a fantastic character," says , the actor beneath the silicone mask. "A cross between Hitler and . A powerful intellect. It's what he wants that makes him extraordinary - the fact that he t's a Friday lunchtime in March has such nihilistic desires. Such a need for power." 2008 and Davros is waving Though Julian Bleach has joined the Doctor Who world cheerily at us from across the car before, playing the looming, sinister Ghostmaker in an episode J I park. In one hand, he has a plate of this year's , you definitely won't recognise him I of chips. In the other, an orange. He's playing the demented megalomaniac geneticist - first seen wearing tracksuit bottoms. (He has creating in the classic 1975 Who tale Genesis \ legs!) This isn't how it's supposed to of the Daleks, starring . be. From the top deck of the lunch The 45-year-old actor remembers watching Genesis of the P bus, , defender of the Daleks as a child - the same story that prosthetics designer Earth, waves back at him. Neill Gorton returned to for inspiration. Gorton recalls, "In "He looks wrecked," says Laurence the initial meetings, we all agreed everyone's favourite was Fox, 's husband, who's the original Davros, [played by] , and the visiting her on set today. look of that version. There was something creepier and "Davros has been wrecked for more sinister about him." years," laughs Piper. "Look at him!" The base remains as life-support system and The return of Davros was, let's face transport for the decrepit scientist; the third eye still g / it, one of the worst-kept secrets in glows; his single usable hand, destroyed in Revelation I » UPGRADED TV history (his penchant forchip s of the Daleks (1985), is now robotic and shoots energy " Davros, his life-support and tracky bottoms less so) - but bolts. And it's the same desiccated head of 1975. base and back in March, at 's Upper "The first day [playing Davros] was extraordinary," control panel Boat Studios, Davros is still being says Bleach. "It felt so familiar because I knew this (above) honour talked about in whispers. character, this Dalek world and everything from my the classic 1975 design The crew refers to him as childhood - that's so deep in my memory. But (below left) "Dave" (Dave Ross - so strange as well, to be suddenly plunged geddit?). The sign on into the middle of it." Nick Griffiths Davros actor Julian Bleach's trailer door just says "The Enemy". "Hello, all," says a on!" hollers John with over the past three years - good As the director calls, "Cut! silicone-encrusted Bleach, Barrowman (Captain , great actors, all in Cardiff at Bleach, in his creepiest tik ^ as he takes a seat on the bus. Jack) as Freema the same time, more or less. It's like Davros voice, utters the "I'm not as hacked off as Agyeman (Martha) This Is Your Lifel With Daleks!" immortal words "Am I look," he teases, pointing to and the Daleks sing Ibowered?!"Theset his mask, which he can't take along. Everyone is y the following week, breaks into applause. off until it's time to go home. in a playful mood. Bleach is letting people sit "After Julian said that," "No-one's as hacked off Each day of this in his Davros chair. "It's reveals Tate later, "he came as you look," says Piper. shoot is like the like the lottery machine." j up to me, really apologetic. But can he eat with his mask last day of school. Hugs, says (Mickey), his He said, 'I'm so, so sorry.' on? "A bit." He pops a slice of Barnaby Edwards. "I don't kisses and hurried hellos are 'Honestly, it's fine,' I said. fingers suspended over the switches. %y orange into his blackened mouth. want to go smacking into Davros. exchanged as former and current "That's Davros's ultimate 'It was very funny' Poor Julian "I like to keep in the game." "I've been in this Dalek all week. series regulars pass each other in ambition," nods Bleach. "After was really worried." "This is a classic Davros design, Every so often, they allow us out the studio corridors, like ships in the wiping out all life in the universe, he Although 's faithful to the past," says Who for a couple of minutes. The rest of night, on their way to record different wants to host The National Lottery f favourite elements of a Doctor supremo Russell T Davies. "That's the time, they forget that Daleks scenes, on a myriad of sets. It's hard "What's so lovely about Davros," Who series finalear e "the size c not to be retro or nostalgic; it's have actors inside. We overhear all to keep track. says (Sarah Jane and the scale, and the fun of it genuinely an excellent design, which sorts of gossip. People stand right The next day, and Smith), who's filming on a set next all, really," he says, "this series still works today. Why reinvent the next to us and say the most arrive for a photo door, "is that my character belongs to the Doctor and wheel? We did the same with the outrageous things!" shoot. "Look at that," marvels remembers him as he was when Donna. For all the spectacle, it's Daleks. It's what the art department Before each take, director Graeme Tennant, popping onto one Michael Wisher played him [in 1975]. about character, in the end. It's an c calls Mini Coopering - keeping Harper says, "Loads of energy!" - particular set and finding his co-stars But Julian's portrayal is eerily similar, i honour to write dialogue for David something familiar while using even though this ensemble cast has hard at work, having the time of their wonderfully, so this is the same guy and Catherine - whether I'll ever modern techniques to bring more energy than the National Grid. lives. "I'm having palpitations! So as far as she's concerned. Sarah and i get that chance again depends on it more in line with today. No "Celebrate good times, come many people I've enjoyed working Davros even recognise each other!" what happens in this final episode." DESIGN CLASSIC c kidding, when I get a day's rushes "Is my neck coming off?" Bleach I "It's heartbreaking," adds Tate. The original Davros (above), and see new Dalek footage, I'm 'Russell's scripts are so clever, but played by Michael Wisher "This is a classic Davros design, faithful asks Agyeman, after an energetic take- in 1975. This camera as excited as a kid!" "It's just popping out a bit," she really affecting. The repercussions of rehearsal shot was On set in the Dalek Crucible says, tucking it back in. "That mask what Davros has done, and [what that before final make-up had spaceship, Daleks are gliding and to the past Why reinvent the wheel?" is ewwwl I can't look him in the eye. means] for the Doctor's companions, been applied to Wisher's own mouth sliding all over the place. "Am I going If Davros hadeyes\ It gives me the are huge and far-reaching. It's a brave too fast?" asks Dalek operator Russell T Davies creeps. And his skin is so saggy." *ay to end the series." Benjamin Cook

12 RadioTimes 5-11 July 200$ touiolW* S 5-11 July 2008 Neill Gorton reveals his monstrous collection • 13 Kfrft

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He's created the stuff of nightmares for the past four series *w of Doctor Who. Now Neill Gorton, the boss of Millennium FX, reveals BnM HB^ * •. 1' nr% the inspiration for his ghoulish collection. How many creatures and artefacts *,.;H''•- J '*"'* *.* can you identify? Turn to page 16 to Mi see how you fared • " ' ^

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5. Scarecrow 10. Empress of Sometimes it's the WHO'S WHO OF MONSTERS! the Racnoss simplest stuff that's On the shelf is a model- fthe most effective. Twenty creepy creations from the past four series f the final version [in The They had to look like r Runaway Bride, 2006] was hese are just some of the things that happened to be in the workshop," hessian sacks, because a touch bigger! A fantastic says Neill Gorton, as he shows off his handiwork for RT. "A fraction [in last year's Human Nature/The piece. You don't quite get it when you of the stuff we've built. It feels like a lifetime's work crammed into Family of Blood] they were meant to bseee it on TV, but to stand in front of real scarecrows from 1917. If overdone, this thing rearing up 15 feet on set was four years." Although head of Millennium FX, he never watches the the design would lose authenticity, but Tepisodes before transmission. "I enjoy the whole process of sitting down on a jaw-dropper. Everyone was blown we shaped them a bit to look scary. a Saturday night waiting for that music to start. It's a thrill. You have your tea, away. And Sarah Parish was so game, [Millennium FX colleague] Rob Mayor strapped into it. We tortured her! sit down and watch Doctor Who - it takes me back to being a kid. It's a buzz." designed it. 12. Cybermen 6. We used a powdered This is an Ood with its [aluminium, mixed with a brain hanging down '/resin and brushed on as '[from this year's Planet r a surface coat. Because of the Ood]. We tweaked it's metal particles all glued the animatronic one used in together - a process called cold-cast The Impossible Planet [2006] becausmetae l - when polished, it looks and acts we knew it was going to get a lot of like metal. Up close, they don't feel like screen time and "talk-time" as it were. some sprayed plastic thing. They look We added extra animatronics to give it like steel and feel cold to the touch. more movement in the face and brows And it shows on screen. [First seen in to give it a bigger range of expression. Rise of the Cybermen, 2006.]

7. 13. Toclafane M% One of the very first It's a little funny head things we made [for the In a ball! It was a bit of .2005 debut episode, a challenge because 1Rose]. With that first Wfy 't's a unv neacJ. but our series, we had no idea if "animatronics guy Gustav anybody would watch the show or put so much movement in the eye area if it would sink without trace after that it really brought it to life. It was just one season. Also it was a real learning for that one shock moment [in Lasf of curve. No-one knew anyone; we were allthe Time Lords, 2007] where Martha 1. Davros 11. Davros's hand getting to know one another. Looking opens up the Toclafane sphere and I put a lot of pressure on myself because I always loved Davros when I was back now, everyone's like family. It's an you see the face inside. a kid and now I'm getting to do something I've wanted to do for over 20 years. amazing journey we've been on. Everyone had the same basic idea - to honour the original look, go back to the 14. Clockwork first Davros, actor Michael Wisher's, back in the 70s, rather than the 80s version. 8. Stone arm Droids As soon as you see him, you go, "It's Davros!" You don't need any more pointers. This is the arm Phil Davis The finish on them It's got to be that iconic image, just updated really. Davros had his hand shot off wore in The Fires of ' is gorgeous-up close in the 80s, so now he's using a robotic-looking one. It was a bit of continuity - I Pompeii and it snaps off '/ it looks like porcelain. to make sure we were following on from old Who and keeping to the story. | [at the wrist]. He had his They're a very simple own arm strapped behind mask but they really creep people and she had a denture and bits and his back and this strapped on. It's madeout . You take something mundane, 2. a carnival mask, and turn it into That mask [on the shelf bobs - but it was so effective on screen.o f f ibreglass and had to break and be It really looked very spooky. It needed each time, so it's held together something that sends kids scurrying I on page 14] is our initial behind the sofa terrified. [Seen in ' paint test when we to evoke the feel of those plastercasts where it breaks. There's a very visible join there, with magnets. If you pull on The Girl in the Fireplace, 2006.] • were figuring out how of the "bodies" found at Pompeii. they should look [in this the arm, it comes away easily. year's The Sontaran Stratagem/The 4. Time beetle 15. Malmooth Poison Sky]. Russell very much wante^-•SH^d ^ This is the f ibreglass JL * 9. Sycorax ', Although insectoid, the look of the original 70s ,ift^ A ^ giant beetle that sits *0pWM Tneyfeaturedinthefirst •A Chantho [from , HI on Donna's back in Turn Ijf 2007] had to be very so when they took the helmet off, t ^JBX'.MI special [The Christmas you went, "It's a Sontaran!" w V Left [two weeks ago]. • Invasion, 2005]. After sympathetic, likeable. ^ffj^r It's all radio-controlled all the chaos and trauma I think we ended up looking 3. Pyrovile so it can writhe and snap of the first series, in terms at grasshoppers and trying to get a feel I think she was the high its mandibles, but it also had to be of everyone finding their feet, we all of that look. It had animatronic priestess [in this year's reasonably lightweight so that it felt a bit more confident and I think mandibles so when Chantho was more The Fires of Pompeii].coul It d be attached to a harness. that started to show in our work - agitated they'd twitch more, and when was fun because it was People are afraid of insects - put everything really upped a step. The she was relaxed they'd move more one of those really simple a giant one on someone's back and Sycorax were a nice start because slowly. Actress Chipo Chung really things to make - a big foam latex mask it's going to cause a shiver. they were a proper, brand-new alien. brought the character to life. D> 16 RadioTimes 5-11 July 2008