Folkestone Film, TV & Comic Convention 2018

Well, last weekend was the 6th local sci-fi convention hosted by the local community group 'Planet Folkestone'. What I like about this event is that it is run by a group of people passionate about sci-fi and it raises money for local charities too and still has that parochial feel about it and is not ruined by the commercialism so prevalent today.

Planet Folkestone was started by Andy, Terri and Vicki (although I didn't see Vicki there this year) and they also ran the much missed Zombie Walks in the town... see previous posts.

This year was spread across two days. Last year it was just on one day and was so incredibly cramped and hot inside the Leas Cliff Hall, that the event lost most of its enjoy-ability for me. That and the fact that Sophie Aldred's helper messed up my photo with her and I still got charged!!!

So, as I had already met the 5th Doctor Who, Peter Davison, a couple of years back, who was attending on the Saturday and as Janet Fielding (Tegan) and Sarah Sutton (Nyssa) weren't necessarily my favourite Dr Who companions; I just volunteered to help on the Sunday.

[As an aside: If I did turn up on the Saturday I would've gone simply to meet the under-rated Sarah Sutton. It is such a shame that her performance in BBC's 'The Moon Stallion' has only been released in Germany on DVD, where, now deleted, it commands a sky-high price.]

I arrived at 8.20am before most of the organisers and quickly got posted with a radio to the front entrance to stop people who shouldn't be getting in from getting in before time under false pretenses. So I let in the stall holders; and the sole actor that came my way (John Levene), I directed to the actor's entrance. 

Ironically when 10am, a Cyberman ascended and the opening came, I was still at the entrance and seemed to have been forgotten about, as I was down to help an actor in the signing room.

I hurried down to the Green Room to find out which actor I was being allocated to help. On the way I bumped into the exhibitor and owner of the replica H.G. Wells Time Machine prop that I had let in earlier. The prop had been used in the BBC documentary on H.G. Wells last year and he allowed me to sit in it - the general public were not allowed such a privilege apparently.

I rushed down to the Channel Suite to find the organiser Andy, asking all and sundry helpers for his whereabouts. As it happened John Levene re-entered the Green Room while I was asking where I was supposed to be. And I supposed as I was wearing a rucksack which could be mistaken for a bag containing A4 photos to sign, and that I had helped him earlier to the actors' entrance, I was ushered into the main hall by John Levene, saying "Come with your Uncle John. We're in here. Us actors must stick together!" I remonstrated that I was simply a helper and he saw the funny side.

I spent the day with the actor Dermot Crowley, at the convention primarily for his Star Wars: Return Of The Jedi role as General Crix Madine ("We have stolen a small Imperial shuttle.") 

To be honest I am not as big a Star Wars fan as I am a Doctor Who fan; but I spent a very enjoyable day helping this wonderful Irish actor, finding out about his other roles, current National Theatre play (a major revival of Brian Friel's Translations), probably boring him with the history of Folkestone, and trading unrepeatable tales of Miriam Margolyes!

As the afternoon quietened, I did also get the chance to meet some of the other actors there too. It was great to meet Richard Franklin (Captain Yates), John Levene (Sergeant Benton), and Katy Manning (Jo Grant/Jones), mainstays of John Pertwee's Doctor Who years. I did see Fraser Hines (Jamie) from Patrick Troughton's era, but not to speak to.

But undoubtedly the busiest star of the day was the 8th Doctor, Paul McGann, balancing the autographs later on with updates on how his beloved Liverpool FC were doing on the last day of the football season.

Yet the real treat was getting to chat to the legend David Warner. Often cast in the role of the baddie, such as in some of my childhood favourites - Tron and Time Bandits - many will remember him as the journalist in The Omen who meets with a nasty end involving a sheet of glass.

It was good to hear stories of working him with Gregory Peck and of working with Angela Lansbury again in the up and coming Mary Poppins 2. The latter prompted by my remembering of him playing the father in Neil Jordan's 'The Company Of Wolves'

In the past couple of years he has appeared in two of my recent supernatural BBC favourites: the adaptation of James's Herbert's The Secret of Crickley Hall and Inside No.9: The Trial Of Elizabeth Gadge.

What a great day, what charming guests, and a big vote of thanks to Andy, Terri and all the other helpers for putting on such a fabulous event, and especially Rebecca for the cups of tea. I really hope it was financially successful and that the charities have a nice donation to carry on with their worthy work. Long may these conventions continue.

Tuesday 15th May 2018

Doctor Who at The New Metropole in 1988

As there is going to be a plethora of Doctor Who actors at this year's Folkestone TV & Film Convention in May in Folkestone, I thought I'd share a short article on how the town celebrated the 25th anniversary of the programme. Here's a cutting from Folkestone Herald from Friday 14th October 1988.

Friday 23rd February 2018

Terry Nation visits Folkestone

Whilst researching some local history information for a book I came across reference to a visit that Dalek creator Terry Nation made to Folkestone in 1976 to talk to a group of local creative writers in the town.

Well the visit obviously didn't put him off as he opened an exhibition in the local library in 1977 as the article below shows...

Tuesday 15th August 2017

Folkestone Carnival 1975

As an almost five year old, and already by then a Dr Who fan, I remember my Dad, who worked for the Orion Insurance company, making carnival costumes in the garage. I remember him making a Dalek and also using my Mum's crockery as papier mache moulds for Cybermen heads.

As a family I remember walking to the junction in Shorncliffe Road by Folkestone West station and looking out for the Doctor Who / Orion Insurance float. Sadly the photographs taken of the carnival were thrown out probably 15-20 years ago... but I found the below in the Folkestone Herald!

Friday 4th August 2017

Folkestone Film, TV & Comic Convention 2017

Well, it was time for the annual trip to the Folkestone Film TV & Comic convention today, which returned to its former venue of the Leas Cliff Hall. The place was packed, a testimony to all the hard work put in by the organisers but after about an hour in the incredibly hot venue it felt like time to get some fresh air. 

The main hall was used for exhibitors with the Channel Suite below used for the actors who were signing autographs - as can be seen in the photographs below - taken just before it started to get busy.

Arguably the main draw this year was Dave Prowse (the man in the Darth Vader suit... but not the voice!). But there were a couple of actors from Red Dwarf attracting big queues, and two from Blake's 7 (Sally Knyvette and Jan Chappell) - sadly Jacqueline Pearce (Servalan from Blake's 7) who had been due to attend had to pull out due to unforeseen circumstances Also in attendance were a plethora of minor characters from the Star Wars franchise that are too numerous to go into here. 

As more of a Doctor Who fan, sadly there was only Sophie Aldred (Ace) in attendance signing autographs - and I'd already got her autograph from a London event four years previously.

It was great to see too some of the fan created models and costumed fans. The Wookies were a popular draw for those wanting their photos taken with them, and there was a collector of Dr Who props and costumes  who has built up quite a collection over the years and donates his appearance fee to charity.

So overall a good day out - perhaps not quite as enjoyable for me as previous years, but only due to the lack of Doctor Who representation amongst the guests compared to previous years. Let's hope that next year's event is just as successful when it returns to the Leas Cliff Hall, but over two days - which should also hopefully alleviate some of the overcrowding.

Sunday 7th May 2017

Folkestone Film, TV & Comic Convention - the day after

Well I thought I'd better put a few pictures on here, similar to what I did after last year's visit. However, as this year I was volunteering as a helper I got to see very little of the convention itself!

I was sitting for most of the day in between the 5th & 7th Doctor Who's, assisting Sylvester McCoy with the running of his table and taking money for autographs and selfies, so it was an enjoyable experience getting to meet and, in between the queues, briefly talk to two actors that I grew up watching on TV - although it was not about Dr Who that I had to ask Mr McCoy about, but his performance in 'The Secret Policeman's Ball' and his antics which included hammering a 4" nail into his nose and an escapology stunt involving a model train set in a sketch featuring Ken Campbell and David Rappaport ("...NOT the smallest man in the World, but f*cking close!") And later on some of the fans were eve treated to a performance on the spoons.

Also just along from where I was sitting was Miriam Margolyes who was in fine form with her badinage with the punters together with some risque comments and  she mentioned to me in passing about her liking of the writing of Jill Murphy's 'The Worst Witch' books for which she recorded audiobook versions, even in preference over J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series, in which films she also starred.

Other stars at this year's event included Julian Glover (General Veers - Empire Strikes Back, Dr Who - City Of Death & The Crusade, Indiana Jones & The Last Crusade, Bond - For Your Eyes Only), Shane Rimmer (Thunderbirds voice actor of Scott Tracey), & Ray Brooks (the voice of Mr Benn)!

The only downside to the volunteering was as mentioned having very little time to visit the other rooms and traders stalls, which seemed to have grown in number form last year's convention, however I did get to take a picture of the 4 Dr Who actors at this year's convention by a replica TARDIS; and one thing I always find impressive is the lengths fans go to dressing up in costume, with the quality of authentic replica masks and props available these days - especially from the Star Wars fans.

Peter Davison (5th Doctor), Sylvester McCoy (7th Doctor),

Deborah Watling (Victoria), Dan Starkey (Strax)

Some of the Star Wars fans in costume

So all in all a very worthwhile and enjoyable day from 8am to 6pm but with the heat it was tiring. And as an added bonus I did manage to pick up from a Japanese food stall some green tea flavoured biscuits; and briefly catch up with a former comic shop owner who I used to play Dungeons & Dragons with as a teenager!

Let's hope the convention was a financial success so that another in 2017 takes place, and the dementia charity for whom the organisers were fundraising gets a sizeable donation too.

Sunday 8th May 2016

Record Store Day 2016 - Nosferatu & Suspiria

Today is National Record Store Day and independent record shops have been selling limited edition records from 500 different artists from all genres as vinyl sales continue to grow.

So a 4am start was needed to guarantee a space near the front of the queue outside Gatefield Sounds in Whitstable which had a solitary copy of a purple vinyl 7" single of Goblin's Suspiria.

Slightly less scarce was a silver vinyl 7" of the soundtrack to the 1922 film Nosferatu which I bought from the same shop in Whitstable... but I was still able to find copies in both of Folkestone's record shops (Vintage & Vinyl and Hot Salvation) later on in the morning.

I also managed to pick up the BBC lp of 'Doctor Who - Genesis Of The Daleks', the 1975 story that in the age before videos and DVDs was released as an audio soundtrack with linking narration by Tom Baker. This is available on 'TARDIS' blue vinyl. Also I managed to pick up a double lp on yellow vinyl of the 1960s Peter Cushing Dr Who films 'Doctor Who & The Daleks' and 'Daleks - Invasion Earth 2150AD'.

Saturday 16th April 2016

More Folkestone Film, TV & Comic Convention pictures

A few more pictures from Saturday's event....

The poster outside showing the guestlist

Dr Who fan models

Davros actor Terry Molloy photobombs my first attempt to get a picture with Nicola Bryant (Peri)

Matt Irvine demonstrating K9

Felt bad that I hadn't taken a picture of Peter Miles (Nyder - Genesis of the Daleks) before I noticed both him and Nicola Bryant in one of the photos taken of Tom.

Me & K9

And with election week over, the eyes have it!

Monday 11th May 2015

Folkestone Film TV & Comic Convention

Yesterday was Folkestone's 3rd Film, TV & Comic Convention at The Folkestone Academy - once again trying out a different location. I must admit I missed last year's so can't comment on The Leas Cliff Hall's facilities, but some people were saying that last year felt a bit more compact and easier to navigate with everything in the one central hall, rather than the narrow-ish corridor and 3 rooms at the Academy, but with that aside, a big congratulations must be given to all at Planet Folkestone who put on a fantastic event once again - and the word on the ground was that more people visited this year than last year. So brilliant! Well done for continuing to put Folkestone on the map!

Obviously to have the great Tom Baker signing and doing a talk undoubtedly must have been the star draw, and indeed the queue for Tom's signature was the longest of all the celebrities. 

I met Tom in 1997 when he did a book signing in Folkestone's Waterstones for his autobiography and forgot to get my book signed then. So 18 years later I took my Tom Baker book to be belatedly signed but sadly the queues were somewhat deep than I was expecting and when he made to leave was ushered out past me where I was waiting talking to Matt Irvine.

That said, there were plenty of stalls selling their memorabilia, comics, autographs, action figures, knitted Daleks and even TARDIS wallpaper. Hardcore fans dressed up adding to the ambience and brought homebuilt props including K-9s, Daleks, a TARDIS, Davros.  I wished I'd taken a picture of the fans dressed up as Federation guards from Blake's 7 but they were leaving as I arrived. 

There was a Simpsons couch with human sized 3D Simpsons characters to sit next to, a Star Trek bridge prop on which to pose, plenty of comic book artists and role playing game groups. But it was the stars that presumably most had come to see.

Now I've never been a fan of Red Dwarf, but it was good to see a loyal following around Robert Llewellyn (who was also in attendance last year) with co-star Norman Lovett.

For Star Wars fans the biggest draws were Jeremy Bulloch (Boba Fett)

Paul Blake (Gredo)

and Mike Edmonds (the Ewok shaman Logray - although for many, including myself, Og from Time Bandits).

For me however, the draw was Classic Doctor Who. I'm sure I'll have done a disservice by missing out the other stuntmen, writers, actors and extras who were in attendance, but it was great to recognise Peter Miles (Nyder from Genesis of the Daleks) and Terry Molloy (who played Davros against Peter Davison, Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy.)

But in missing getting Tom Baker's autograph, I had the great pleasure to talk to Nicola Bryant, who played companion Peri alongside both the 5th & 6th Doctors (as well as Patrick Troughton in the story 'The Two Doctors.') - my second favourite companion after the late Elisabeth Sladen. (Sorry Nicola - coming to Doctor Who as a 4 year old - your first Doctor and first Companion are most likely going to be your favourites!) I would however advise anyone to go back and watch the Colin Baker years for although they may not have been truly appreciated in the 1980s they have more than stood the test of time especially now we are in the modern Dr Who era where we are more used to a 'darker and more alien' Doctor. And Nicola was the perfect counterpart to Colin. I am also looking forward to listening to some of the new Big Finish audio releases featuring both Nicola and Colin.

Also, another great experience was in meeting Matt Irvine from the BBC's special effects department whose work I was familiar with on many shows. I did feel a little sorry that he was in another side hall from the main hall and the footfall in this part of the convention was not as great, but that allowed more of a chance to talk about his work. I'd read articles about his work as a child in my Doctor Who magazines and remember him demonstrating the model spaceships he'd created on 'Blue Peter,' but it's always great to see some of the original props up and close, such as Orac from Blake's 7,

and the original K-9 Mark 3.

And we even got Matt to switch K-9 on give us a demonstration! (N.B. it's not my voice that can be heard on the clip only Matt's and a somewhat overexcited female fan!)

I hope the actors and guests had as good a time as the fans so Folkestone can continue to attract them to future events and this convention can go from strength to strength and be around for many years to come.

Sunday 10th May 2015

Ace exhibition!

As a Doctor Who fan I thought others might like to know of this forthcoming exhibition of rare photos of the 7th Doctor's companion - Ace.

See the flyer for detaails, but in brief, it's at Orbital Comics in London.

Sunday 18th August 2013

Doctor Who Cakes & Cookies

I was tipped off that UK kitchenware shop Lakeland is now selling a variety of Dr Who partyware in readiness for the show's 50th anniversary in November. Whereas I didn't buy all the items on offer, below is a selection of the more reusable products. There is another set of two cookie cutters but I personally didn't like the K-9 & Cybermen designs.

The chocolate moulds look like a good idea and there is also on offer at Lakeland, Dr Who ice cube moulds. The Dalek silicone cake mould can also be used for jelly. And it was nice to get the dusting set of 6 characters to add decoration to cupcakes or even a cappuccino.

The store also has the disposable items of partyware that you'd also expect such as paper plates, straws, etc.

Monday 22nd July 2013

Doctor Who in crochet!

I saw this on a Dr Who fan website and must say well done to Allison Hoffman of Texas for making all 11 incarnations of the Doctor plus his TARDIS.

Wednesday 6th February 2013

Doctor Who Series 7 on DVD

Well this week sees the release of the first 5 episodes of Doctor Who Series 7 on DVD in the UK. Special features include the preludes to 'Asylum of the Daleks' & 'A Town Called Mercy' as well as the 5 mini episode season prequel 'Pond Life.' But if you're a Dr Who you'll already know all that. Anyway when 'Asylum of the Daleks was first aired the 'Radio Times' put out a 'Dalek Bingo' card to see if viewers could tick off all the different types of Dalek seen throughout the episode. So if anyone missed getting the card and want to give it a go now the DVD has been released... here it is...

Wednesday 31st October 2012

Pumpkin carving practise...

Well I know there are better carved pumpkins out there, but I think my attempt tonight isn't too bad!

The local church youth club were carving pumpkins tonight, and I'm always asked to come along and lend a hand - and they expect me to be able to do one in about half an hour, with no stencil or anything and just make it up as I go along. So above was my effort!

Sunday 24th October 2010