I love British science fiction, whether it’s the political thriller The Prisoner, the bizarre and hilarious Red Dwarf, the silly and hilarious Black Adder, or the bizarre and hilarious Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. You name the series or movie and I’ve probably watched it, from Day of the Triffids to Black Mirror, The Quartermass Experiment to V for Vendetta to Lifeforce. There’s a certain sensibility to the English take on the genre that makes even its poor productions entertaining. In other words, I’m a big fan!
And then there’s Doctor Who. A huge global phenomenon, I’ve somehow never gotten the bug, even though so many of my friends are fans. Heck, the best man at my wedding was such a huge Doctor Who fan that he had neatly labeled VHS tapes of every single episode. Shelves and shelves of them. I’ve started to dip my toe in the water, however, by reading some of the Doctor Who books, notably Shada: The Lost Adventures by none other than Hitchhiker’s Guide author Douglas Adams.
When I learned that Colorado-based Fathom Events was going to host a two-part Doctor Who theatrical screening for the dual episode Rise of the Cybermen and The Age of Steel, I knew I was in. David Tennant as Doctor Who (making him the tenth Doctor) is very well received by Whovians, and Harry Potter fans will also recognize Tennant as Barty Crouch from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
Fathom Events is pairing the Doctor Who screening with a subsequent night screening of Wings 3D, narrated by none other than David Tennant. Wings 3D is described thusly: “fans get to take flight and soar alongside birds in a groundbreaking 3D aerial adventure presented in RealD 3D and will put you high in the sky, in the middle of flocks of birds as they soar above the most iconic landscapes and witness the greatest animal spectacles on Earth.”
Sounds cool, but it’s The Doctor I’m heading to the theater to see. And the post-Rise of the Cybermen interview with Tennant who talks about his experience as Doctor Who, that’s just a nice bonus. Mostly I’m just looking forward to a silly night of fun, entertaining British science fiction.
Screenings at theaters around the United States on June 16 (Doctor Who) and June 17 (Wings 3D). Find a theater near you: Doctor Who & Wings 3D.
Just don’t bring your sonic screwdriver or Tardis as they won’t let you bring them into the theater. 🙂