Out of a sheer sense of boredom curiousity, I thought I’d compile a list of where you can see classic era (i.e. pre-1980s cancellation) episodes of Dr Who, preferably for free (video providers are listed in alphabetical order, by the way, no preference implied!). You might need to be in the UK for most of these though – sorry… Any errors, omissions etc, please comment! (more…)

Video on demand services seem to have sneaked up while I wasn’t looking and implanted themselves all over the web. First of all, there’s the disarmingly simple-looking Seesaw, a recent launch from the broadcast services company Arqiva (by “broadcast services”, I mean they own/run transmitters, digital radio multiplexes and so on). Seesaw perhaps doesn’t have the range of programmes that other services do, but it does a clutter-free interface well, along with high-quality compression (the “low quality” 500kb/sec still looks pretty impressive) (more…)

The Semi-Automatic Ground Equipment computer (known as SAGE) was a 1950s IBM product – computers as cold war weaponry! On The Internet Archivea 12 minute 1956 documentary about it… Don’t forget to read the comments too – some are fascinating!

Interesting footnote: some of the parts later got “recycled” to use as the computer in the cult sci-fi series “The Time Tunnel”

If you haven’t seen Spooky Scary Skeletons already, go and check it out. The animator – Zekey – is now working for Weebl’s Stuff animating things, and this is just a little animation that he put together. It’s completely wonderful and feels a bit Tim Burton-esque.

Connosieurs of Disney cartoons may remember the rather wonderful Skeleton Dance from 1929, which this reminded me of (a bit). They remade it in colour some time in the 30s, which is the version I remember, but here’s the original black and white (which I’ve always wanted to see since I saw the remake, ironically. Funny what knowing there’s another version will do to you):

5. Daddy’s Song
Davy Jones and the Monkees at their finest.  Watch the syncing of the video as well, and remember this is Bob Rafelson and Jack Nicholson before they had a clue what they were doing…  “years ago I knew a ma-ah-an…”  Beautiful…  Watch at the end for Frank Zappa doing an impression of Marilyn Whirlwind.

4. Winnie Loves Satan
Not Churchill.  Obviously.  But strangely, weirdly – hideously, in a ghastly way – funny.  Remember to clean your mind after watching this, folks.

3. OK Go – Here It Goes Again
If you’re feeling guilty about watching Winnie The Pooh The Satanist, what better but a bit of OK Go?  This video is so good a pharmaceuticals company recently made an advert that is an homage to it…  In fact, it’s so good my brain hurts.

2. Krazy And Ignatz At The Circus
It may have first seen light of day in 1917, but it’s the only one of the Krazy Kat cartoons from that year that still works.  And if you’re a true Krazionista, like me and that Michael Stipe fella out of REM, then you’ll like this sort of thing.  And if you’re not, you won’t.  But it made me cry.

1. Lord Of The Rings, 1940 Vintage
You just have to pause this every so often just to look at it, especially when the credits are on (read VERY carefully at that point).  But this is so wonderful it needs no more hyperbolae – just enjoy!

PS: for those that have made Herbert Payne my top search result, just enjoy the man himself, on the new-fangled YouTube box of visual delights …