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Elizabeth Sandifer

Elizabeth Sandifer created Eruditorum Press. She’s not really sure why she did that, and she apologizes for the inconvenience. She currently writes Last War in Albion, a history of the magical war between Alan Moore and Grant Morrison. She used to write TARDIS Eruditorum, a history of Britain told through the lens of a ropey sci-fi series. She also wrote Neoreaction a Basilisk, writes comics these days, and has ADHD so will probably just randomly write some other shit sooner or later. Support Elizabeth on Patreon.

32 Comments

  1. Kit
    August 24, 2013 @ 12:13 am

    Local Hero and Franz Kafka's It's A Wonderful Life.

    Reply

  2. David Anderson
    August 24, 2013 @ 12:28 am

    I was given the Local Hero DVD for my birthday earlier this year. I really should get around to watching it.

    Reply

  3. Mike
    August 24, 2013 @ 12:59 am

    He directed, wrote and starred in a fantastic programme called The Cricklewood Greats. I stumbed onto it on BBC 4 and briefly thought it was a genuine documentary until he said "I'm going on a journey" in a brilliantly knowing way.

    A really great parody of those sorts of documentaries which was just a complete triumph.

    Apart from Thick of It, his performance in Torchwood was just astonishing, the first time I'd seen him in anything and subsequently he became someone I have looked forward to seeing turn up in things since.

    Reply

  4. Nick Smale
    August 24, 2013 @ 1:42 am

    I don't know that looking at Capaldi's previous performances really helps us in predicting what his Doctor will be like; that tells us is that he's an excellent actor who will skill-fully play whatever material is given him, but it doesn't tell us what that material will be.

    It might be more useful to ponder Moffat; he's already created one Doctor, his second is likely to be very different. So if Smith's Doctor is at one pole of his work (maybe the same playfully irresponsible one occupied by Jeff and Jane in Coupling or Spike in Press Gang… or even Hyde?) then what is the other pole? Jekyll/Lynda Day/Steve?

    One thought though: Capaldi isn't only an actor, but also a director, indeed he's won an Oscar as such; is it possible that he might become the first Doctor to also direct an episode?

    Reply

  5. timber-munki
    August 24, 2013 @ 2:10 am

    In terms of Capaldi's work I'd second Franz Kafka's It's A Wonderful Life, also The Crow Road.

    As to the sort of Doctor he'll be, I'd like him to use his natural accent. His relationship with his companion(s) is going to be different by dint of the age difference. As to his temperament, I hope they don't go for something similar to Malcolm Tucker volcanic explosions because without the inventive swearing it will come across as very neutered and Capaldi is capable of more than that style of performance.

    As to appearance, a sharp 3 piece suit & tie all in the same colour (black) and a manicured beard/moustache.

    Reply

  6. C.
    August 24, 2013 @ 2:27 am

    Phil–

    have you done any research into what it would cost to reprint artwork (once we get past the utterly obscure Morrison stuff—thinking about Marvelman and Swamp Thing)? I think a book/film would be far more appealing if you could at least use a panel of art from a comic for illustrative purposes (is that considered fair use?) But I can imagine it could be a licensing headache, too, esp. when dealing with the morass of Marvelman/Miracleman rights

    Reply

  7. dm
    August 24, 2013 @ 2:28 am

    The first thing I would have seen him in would have been Neverwhere, where I found his performance beautiful. Local Hero is, to my mind, the best thing he's been in, but I consider it one of the best films I've ever seen. He is also fantastic as Sid's dad in Skins. Other than that, I adore Thick of It. If he's in it, I tend to watch it.

    Really, I cannot recommend Local Hero enough, Philip. I can't see you watching it and not wanting to write an essay on it.

    Reply

  8. Alex Antonijevic
    August 24, 2013 @ 2:40 am

    All I've seen from Peter Capaldi is the Fires of Pompeii and Children of Earth, plus some clips of him swearing. Probably not going to delve too much further until I see him play the Doctor.

    Reply

  9. reservoirdogs
    August 24, 2013 @ 2:53 am

    I would personally be interested in a visual representation of the Last War in Abilon. Sort of like, off the top of my head, Morrison and Moore at whatever devices they use for writing (be it a computer or typewriter or whatever) while above them (in sort of a shared thought balloon coming from the writing devices) is a war with both writers coming at each other with the elements of their writing styles personified by characters they have written. Or something to that effect.

    Reply

  10. Monicker
    August 24, 2013 @ 4:40 am

    I would also like to recommend Local Hero. Haven't watched it for years now, possibly not even since the 80s, but it's a lovely film, and worth watching in its own right anyway. Very nice performance from Fulton MacKay too, as I recall.

    Cricklewood Greats, a parody of documentaries on the British film industry, is worth trying too.

    There's also an hour long play he did for television with Sarah Parish in 2006, Aftersun, which is about a married couple whose children pay for a holiday in Spain they can go on for their twenty fifth wedding anniversary. The play details their experiences and tensions during their first few days there. Both actors feature in it extensively, so it's quite a good way of seeing them at work on something that isn't heavily plot reliant.

    Reply

  11. David Anderson
    August 24, 2013 @ 5:06 am

    I imagine that one of the things Capaldi will want to do with the role is do something completely different from Malcolm Tucker. The spate of Malcolm Tucker as the Doctor sketches after the announcement was sufficient that the Guardian's version ended with the Doctor abusing the camera for ignoring everything else he'd been in.

    Reply

  12. arcbeatle
    August 24, 2013 @ 6:38 am

    My family was watching Poirot the other day and we were shocked and overjoyed to see Peter Capaldi in a supporting role in it! What a treat!

    Oh, and since this is Saturday Waffling, its probably okay for me to point out I'm running a Kickstarter for an episode guide for Doctor Who in the form of Poetry?
    http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/arcbeatle/an-eloquence-of-time-and-space-a-doctor-who-50th-p

    Reply

  13. Corpus Christi Music Scene
    August 24, 2013 @ 6:55 am

    I first saw Capaldi in Prime Suspect 3.

    Reply

  14. Scott
    August 24, 2013 @ 7:03 am

    There are reports coming out today that suggest that Capaldi will in fact be keeping his natural accent.

    Reply

  15. BerserkRL
    August 24, 2013 @ 7:38 am

    Morrison and Moore at whatever devices they use for writing

    Moore uses a pen dipped in his own blood.

    Morrison uses a pen dipped in the blood of some tourist he has locked up in his basement.

    Reply

  16. BerserkRL
    August 24, 2013 @ 7:43 am

    What sort of Doctor will he be?

    That depends on whether he's the Valeyard. Which in turn depends on whether Matt is 11th or 12th. And on what exactly coming between the Doctor's 12th and final incarnations means. And on whether Moffat wants to do that story (it might be a now-prevented-and-cancelled future), though the mention in "Name" might mean that he does.

    Reply

  17. BerserkRL
    August 24, 2013 @ 9:31 am

    Latest word from Moffat: Capaldi's Doctor will be trickier, fiercer, and Scottisher: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2401348/Peter-Capaldi-Scottish-accent-Doctor-Who.html

    Reply

  18. BerserkRL
    August 24, 2013 @ 9:33 am

    He will also apparently be the "12th incantation." So, abra cadabra.

    Reply

  19. Nyq Only
    August 24, 2013 @ 11:16 am

    I don't know what it would be like or who could possibly do the artwork for it but I would squeal in delight at the idea of a graphic novel format for the Last War in Albion.

    Reply

  20. Elizabeth Sandifer
    August 24, 2013 @ 12:16 pm

    That could be interesting, yes.

    Reply

  21. Elizabeth Sandifer
    August 24, 2013 @ 12:28 pm

    It's a tricky line. For the most part artwork reproduction, so long as it doesn't go beyond what's needed to illustrate the point, is covered by fair use, although copyright holders would love you to think otherwise. I'm fairly careful about it with Last War in Albion, actually – the actual reproduction of comics I use is tailored to be within what I believe to be fair use, though other images like the Rangers crest and Tom Baker are just there for flavor and are a bit cheeky.

    The fact that such reproductions are fair use is something I feel very strongly about and would have no qualms about fighting in court if anyone decided to object. I categorically refuse to seek permissions for image used that way, on the grounds that asking wrongly implies that permission is required. And that absolutely applies to ever doing a filmed version.

    That said, what the filmed version would really require is interviews.

    Reply

  22. Elizabeth Sandifer
    August 24, 2013 @ 12:29 pm

    He only uses a tourist because Mark Millar finally escaped.

    Reply

  23. nimonus
    August 24, 2013 @ 3:15 pm

    And difficult, apparently: "People really love Jenna, so we make the Doctor quite difficult."

    I hope he at least is still likable and compelling. Going for "difficult" with Colin was a big mistake.

    Reply

  24. Theonlyspiral
    August 24, 2013 @ 4:24 pm

    A cantankerous darker Doctor can work. Just because JNT screwed it up doesn't mean that Moffat and Capaldi can't do it right.

    Reply

  25. Callum Leemkuil
    August 24, 2013 @ 7:05 pm

    Well, he compared him to Tom Baker in Robot, which is a much more gentle and amusing sort of "difficult" than "angry murderous lunatic."

    Reply

  26. Callum Leemkuil
    August 24, 2013 @ 7:09 pm

    Capaldi appears to have reached the heights of his fandom with Pertwee and Tom Baker, so I would assume his performance would be more indebted to one of them (hopefully Baker). I could see Capaldi playing a Baker-esque Doctor and Moffat writing a Baker-esque Doctor working very well.

    Reply

  27. Matthew Blanchette
    August 25, 2013 @ 10:24 am

    …no Sunday Pancaking? :-S

    Reply

  28. Matthew Blanchette
    August 25, 2013 @ 10:25 am

    If you can get Kate Beaton, I'm in. 😀

    Reply

  29. mengu
    August 25, 2013 @ 3:42 pm

    A very long time ago, you said that The Runaway Bride resolves/addresses the issue of how the Doctor relates to money. Care to elaborate?

    Reply

  30. Elizabeth Sandifer
    August 25, 2013 @ 6:40 pm

    I did? I hate when I forget what sounds like a really interesting point. Link me to where I originally said it?

    Reply

  31. Jenda
    August 27, 2013 @ 12:16 am

    http://www.philipsandifer.com/2011/01/does-it-need-saying-aztecs.html

    "The Doctor, by definition, has no use for money. This tension will not be adequately addressed until December 25, 2009. Today, 45 years earlier and change, we have one of several colossally inadequate attempts at addressing it."

    I'm still not sure what you meant by the statement, but it looks like it was The End of Time you were referring to.

    Reply

  32. Katherine Sas
    August 18, 2014 @ 9:34 am

    I'm sure it has something to do with him taking money from the ATM.

    Reply

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