This being a Special Edition, Carnival of Monsters is loaded with extras. There is a commentary by Katy Manning and Barry Letts, as well as a second one using several guest stars and a special sounds creator. Of course, there is the usual photo gallery and PDF materials, too.
A twenty-three minute featurette called "Destroy All Monsters!" is a Making Of special, and calls on many of those involved, both in front of and behind the camera, to tell the story of putting together this four-part serial. Additionally, there is a two minute look Behind the Scenes. And Ian Marter, a guest star in Carnival of Monsters, as well as being a novelist, gets his own sixteen minute retrospective.
Eleven minutes are devoted to the various gadgets shown in Doctor Who. It's quite interesting, as some are obviously based in science fact, while others are definitely pure fiction. Another eight minutes expands upon some of the models used for the visual effects. Barry Letts spends three minutes talking about using blue screen in a separate extra. This is cool because the technique is brand new when this serial is made. It makes this short feature a little piece of history.
Eighteen minutes are given to Mary Celeste, who discusses disappearances in human history. The cargo ship seen in Carnival of Monsters has to be taken from somewhere. Celeste outlines some wonderful unsolved mysteries from our past that are actually real, the basis for the ship in the story.
For those curious about the process of restoring the Doctor Who classics, there are some real treats. A longer, un-restored version of the second episode is included in this two-disc set. This provides a model for comparison, as well as shows what the technical team is working from. It really helps one to appreciate the amount of work that goes into the Doctor Who DVD project. There is also a Director's Amended Ending, done to remove an error involving a bald cap.
Doctor Who's "Carnival of Monsters" is another excellent effort by a very talent team. It is on sale now at retailers everywhere, including online.
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