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Do you have a licence to save this planet

Do You Have a Licence to Save This Planet? is a comedy short film released in 2001 to mark the tenth anniversary of BBV Productions.

A parody of Doctor Who, the film starred Sylvester McCoy as "the Foot Doctor" and poked fun at BBV's stock in trade — making Doctor Who-related video productions that featured licensed alien races, such as the Sontarans, yet never being allowed to use the Doctor himself. [1]  

Do-you-have-a-licence-to-save-this-planet1

Publisher's Summary[]

What do you get if you cross a Krynoid with an AutonSontaran and a sombrero wearing Cyberon with a penchant for fine wines and Ex-cell-ent conversation?

Shot probably.

On the other hand you could have landed yourself in the middle of the Licensed Reality Corporation's ™ attempt to wipe the stain of the Foot Doctor from the bottom of Accepted Canonicity.

Packed full of strange whizzy things, blue swirly things, and more than its fair share of spoons, Do You Have A Licence To Save This Planet? brings Sylvester McCoy into battle against some of the most fearsome (as seen on BBCTV's Doctor Who) monsters of all time.

Armed only with a duffle coat, an umbrella and a patented Sylvester-o-matic-talk-them-to-death-o-tron, the Foot Doctor has come to save the universe once again.

He's back. And it's about feet. [2]

Cast and Crew [3][]

Cast: 

  • The Foot Doctor - Sylvester McCoy
  • The Salesman - Mark Donovan
  • Geoff / The Licensor - Nigel Fairs
  • Gloria - Jo Castleton
  • Rassilon - Nigel Peever
  • Delivery Man - Gareth Preston
  • Sontaran - Rupert Booth
  • Autons - Rupert Booth, Philip T. Robinson, Paul Griggs
  • Cyberons - Gareth Preston, Paul Griggs, Philip T. Robinson
  • Voice of the Cyberons - Paul Ebbs, Steve Johnson

Crew: 

  • Cyberons designed by Terry Cooper
  • Auton / Sontaran Costumes by Philip T. Robinson
  • Autons / Sontarans created by Robert Holmes
  • Krynoid created by Robert Banks Stewart
  • Sound Recordist / Sound Effects - Mike Neilson
  • Main Theme - Steve Johnson
  • Incidental Music - Mike Neilson
  • Editor - Bill Baggs
  • CGI / Video Effects - Steve Johnson
  • Props - Helen Gazely
  • Production Assistants - Rob Neilson, Paul Griggs
  • Special Thanks to - David Elms, Rob Shearman, Zoe McAden, Helen Baggs, Sherry Howell, Steve Butler and the Pickled Heads at BATTLEFIELD V
  • Directed and Produced by Bill Baggs

Trivia [4][]

References[]

  • An animated version of Rassilon appears.
  • The opening vortex resembles the one used in the Fourth Doctor's era.
  • The Foot Doctor mentions fixing the chameleon circuit.
  • There's a reference to the Borg and United Federation of Planets of Star Trek.
  • A Krynoid appears.
  • A Sontaran deems taking his helmet off to a female and licking his lips with his tongue the only option to continue his plans. This is a reference to TV: The Sontaran Experiment.
  • When the Salesman asks the Foot Doctor whether or not he is a Time Lord, the Foot Doctor replies by saying he is a "Chrono-Duke".
  • The Foot Doctor travels in space and time in a washing machine.
  • There is a brief The Weakest Link reference.
  • A Sontaran calls the United Nations Intelligence Taskforce.
  • The Salesman mentions Zygons.
  • The Foot Doctor carries an umbrella similar to that of the Seventh Doctor; his costume, meanwhile, is a patchwork of different patterns, reminiscent of the Sixth Doctor.

Story Notes[]

  • The opening title sequence vaguely resembles the Doctor Who titles and Doctor Who theme. It even begins with a police box spinning, before being knocked out of the way by a washing machine.
  • At the beginning of the story, "The Foot Doctor" is inside a (CGI) ship operating a console that bears a striking resemblance to a TARDIS.
  • Sylvester McCoy makes obvious references to the Daleks, first with an impression, then later in talking about the "Garlics."
  • The Foot Doctor uses Janis Spoons (a play on Janis thorns), which he plays before throwing. This joke refers to McCoy's real-life talent for playing the spoons, a knack that was incorporated into the personality of the Seventh Doctor.
  • At the end of the story, the Foot Doctor cries, "Ace"!
  • Oblique reference is made to BBV regulars Peter Davison and Colin Baker.
  • Nigel Fairs, writer of More Than a Messiah (which in turn was based upon an Audio Visuals Doctor Who story), plays a supporting role.
  • The Salesman, who performs the role of companion in this film, is the only character to break the fourth wall and speak directly to the audience. He even mentions the fourth wall.
  • Rob Shearman, who gets a "special thanks" credit, later went on to write the series 1 episode Dalek.
  • Sylvester McCoy wears the same patchwork coat he wore whilst exploring Canada in Bidding Adieu: A Video Diary as well as when he played the Doctor for the fan film Gene Genius.
  • Alongside licensed monsters the Autons and the Sontarans, the Cyberons also appear; these were a cyborg race created by BBV in lieu of being able to license the Cybermen for its productions (one of the things this film spoofs). Two of the Cyberons are played by the writers of this video.
  • Although various companion and Doctor actors have taken part in BBV productions, this marked the first time one of the Doctor actors appeared in the same production as the BBV versions of the Autons and Sontarans.
  • When the Salesman realises that he is with the Foot Doctor, and not the actual Doctor, he mutters "BBV!" - a reference to BBV Productions, the company behind this film, known for producing Doctor Who spinoffs that don't actually feature the Doctor.
  • Originally released in 2001 as Do You Have a Licence to Save this Planet? on VHS, when it was re-released on DVD in 2012 as Do You Have a License to Save this Planet?
  • The ending is a reference to TV: Survival and the Foot Doctor mentioning "brown toast" is a reference to TV: Ghost Light.

Production Errors[]

  • The Auton's hands/guns open different ways: when they first shoot, they slide to the right, but then the second time, they hinge downwards. Considering the parodic nature of this film, this may have been intentional.

References[]

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