Doctor Who DVD covers are works of art, and we’ve been blessed with dozens of them since the range launched. Here’s a rundown of some of the very finest sleeves in the Whoniverse…
10) The Robots of Death (original)
This may be controversial, but there’s a lot to be said for the ‘minimalist’ design of the early Doctor Who DVD covers. Granted, one could hardly call them ‘art’ given that they’re simply photo stills placed next to some TARDIS roundels, but still. There was a pleasing simplicity to this early approach, and ‘The Robots of Death’ is a great example. Over time, the BBC would move more towards photo montages, more in-line with the VHS covers of the time
9) The Aztecs
‘The Aztecs’ was one of the first Doctor Who DVD covers to take the photo montage technique to a whole new level. A far cry from the muted palette of ‘Robots of Death,’ this sleeve is dazzlingly colourful, showing off the gorgeous hues of Barbara’s costume which, sadly, couldn’t be appreciated in the original, black and white episodes. Having her burst out of the frame to mask the TARDIS roundels is a nice touch, too.
8) Horror of Fang Rock
This serial has always done well. It had a great novelisation cover, a great VHS cover, and then a great DVD cover. All three versions used variations of the iconic shot of Tom Baker posing with a coil of rope around his shoulders, although this particular Doctor Who DVD cover went one step further and bathed the actor in a green hue, reminiscent of the story’s main villain the Rutan.
7) Frontios
When it was first released on video, ‘Frontios’ featured one of the final hand-painted pieces of cover artwork by Colin Howard. And although this particular Doctor Who DVD cover is a photo montage, it is somewhat reminiscent of a painting. This is a trademark of the digital artist Lee Binding, whose ‘painted’ Doctor Who DVD covers would become more commonplace as the range progressed. Here, his work is atmospheric and brimming with the ethereality of this classic Peter Davison adventure.
6) Death to the Daleks
Speaking of painted artwork, Binding’s trademark style is put to good use in the next of our Doctor Who DVD covers. The sleeve art for ‘Death to the Daleks’ is colourful and action-packed, and has echoes of a Target novelisation. Certainly, Binding has made ‘Death to the Daleks’ look more dramatic and fast-paced than it actually is, but that is not to say that it’s a bad serial, and it’s great to see it so well-served by a stunning DVD cover.
5) The Web Planet
‘The Aztecs’ set a precedent in having characters burst out of the frame and spill out onto the roundels, and the technique is used to great effect here. The Doctor Who DVD artwork for ‘The Web Planet’ is simply beautiful, and it was a bold choice to go for a blue colour palette when, traditionally, this serial has been associated with the colour yellow. Indeed, this was the hue adopted by the original VHS release, and it’s nice to see a nod to that particular piece on the DVD sleeve, as the artist has chosen a similar photo of Hartnell for the cover.
4) The Enemy of the World (special edition)
Like many Doctor Who DVDs, ‘The Enemy of the World‘ was released twice: once as a standard, more ‘vanilla’ release, and then as a special edition. And whilst both versions sported great pieces of artwork, a special mention must go to the later iteration, which features a wonderfully-realised depiction of the villain Salamander’s expulsion from the TARDIS at the end of episode six. We would say “spoilers,” but we doubt whether his death was a surprise to anyone at this point!
3) The Web of Fear (special edition)
Like ‘The Enemy of the World,’ ‘The Web of Fear’ was also re-released, and again, both of its DVD sleeves were stunning pieces of art. But the Doctor Who DVD cover for the special edition is gorgeous: Patrick Troughton, a giant yeti, the London underground… What’s not to like? The artist Lee Binding should also be credited for being able to come up with such creative variations for a story he’d already done. Simply put, it’s hard to fault ‘The Web of Fear.’
2) The TV Movie
Okay, we’re cheating slightly. This next Doctor Who DVD cover was in fact a Blu-ray release, although the set did include a DVD disc, so we can (just about) justify its inclusion. And, in any case, it’s a stunning piece of work, with Binding effectively having created a new photo of Paul McGann as the Eighth Doctor, here wielding his sonic screwdriver and almost looming out of the case for the viewer. The TV movie has never looked better.
1) Terror of the Zygons
At the time of its release, ‘Terror of the Zygons’ was the last of the classic Doctor Who DVDs, and it’s fair to say that Lee Binding left the best artwork until last. One can sense the artist wishing to push the boundaries with this design; the Zygon doesn’t merely burst out of the frame, but practically dominates the cover. And then the roundels are overlayed with a fire-like effect which really makes this a Doctor Who DVD sleeve like no other. It’s a fitting piece of artwork for a much-loved adventure, and the BBC definitely made the right call in selecting it to round off the range. (Until Philip Morris came along, that is…)
But over to you, reader. What do you think of our choices? And which do you think is the best Doctor Who DVD cover? Let us know in the comments below.
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