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May 17, 2010

Dessicated corpses, terror in the canal and a visit to the sinister House of Calvierri – the Doctor takes Amy and Rory for a romantic mini-break, as the TARDIS touches down once again.
Vampires converge
Vampires in the dungeon

But 16th-century Venice is not as it should be. The city has been sealed to protect it from the Plague, although Rosanna Calvierri may have other plans...

Plot

Cast

Crew

Executive Producers: Steven Moffat, Piers Wenger and Beth Willis






Produced by
Tracie Simpson
Patrick Schweitzer

Directed by
Jonny Campbell

Written by
Toby Whithouse
(script editing by Brian Minchin)

Director of Photography
Tony Slater Ling

Production Designer
Edward Thomas

Visual Effects
The Mill
Make-up Designer
Barbara Southcott

Casting Director
Andy Pryor CDG

Music
Murray Gold

Costume Designer
Ray Holman

Editor
James Pearson

Special Effects
Real SFX
Original theme music by Ron GrainerTitle sequence by Framestore• With thanks to BBC National Orchestra of Wales 



General production staff

Directorial/DOP staff

Art department

Costume

Make-up and prosthetics

Movement

Casting

General post-production staff

Special and visual effects

Sound


Not every person who worked on this adventure was credited. The absence of a credit for a position doesn't necessarily mean the job wasn't required. The information above is based solely on observations of the actual end credits of the episodes as broadcast, and does not relay information from IMDB or other sources.
          

According to a pre-launch press pack issued by the BBC, Patrick Schweitzer was actually the co-producer of this episode, but in the event, he was actually double credited — as both a full producer and a line producer.


References

The Doctor's library card

The Doctor

  • The Doctor shows his Library Card to the Vampires. It has a picture of his first incarnation on it. The name on it appears to be "Dr. J. Smith."
  • Amy describes her time with the Doctor as involving "lots of running."
  • The Doctor gives Amy a boiled sweet.

Individuals

Races and species

  • The relationship between Calvierri and her son and their plan to convert people to become their species is similar to that of the Family of Blood who shared a close bond and took over individuals to go unnoticed.
  • When Calvierri commits suicide she asks The Doctor if he can carry another dead race on his conscience, and to remember her, much like Davros did when he died.

Technology

  • Rosanna Calvierri uses a Perception filter. The perception filter is shown to have a self preservation loophole, making the teeth visible when the brain detects a threat.

Story Notes

  • A 90-second clip from this episode was aired during Matt Smith's appearance on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross on 26 March 2010.
  • The Vampires are not real vampires, but are of alien origin. They are fish-like alien creatures using Perception Filters to hide themselves to other people.
  • There was some initial confusion over the title of this story, with some media sources (as well as Matt Smith in a TV interview[1]) using the title Vampires in Venice.
  • In the Series 5 preview, one of the vampires leap for Rory, without any change. In the actual episode, he changes to his alien form. Differences like this have happened many times from trailer to episode.
  • The name of the species, Saturnynians, isn't spoken in the episode, though the planet Saturnyne is mentioned twice.
  • The Saturnynian are hiding from the Cracks and the Silence.
  • The Doctor mentions meeting Casanova. David Tennant had previously played Casanova in a television series written by Russell T Davies.
  • This is the first Doctor Who episode that, instead of having the last scene cut to the closing titles, the closing titles 'merge' with the scene. In this case, the camera zooms into the TARDIS keyhole, and through it, the Time Vortex is visible.
  • This episode is notable for being filmed in Croatia, and is therefore the first episode of a Doctor Who universe show to be filmed in a formerly Communist country.
  • The Vampires of Venice contains similarities to School Reunion, also written by Toby Whithouse:
    • Pre-titles sequence involves scene of a young girl being attacked by an alien, followed by a scene in which the Doctor appears during a mundane activity and says something rather ordinary.
    • The companion's boyfriend joins in for the adventure and becomes part of the TARDIS crew for the following episodes.
    • Both episodes feature scenes where two of the main characters discuss the Doctor's effect on relationships.
    • The leader of the alien race in both episodes proposes an alliance with the Doctor.
    • A minor character disposes of most of the aliens by causing an explosion.
    • The alien's plan is thwarted by a simple flick of a switch.

Ratings

6.2 million

Filming Locations

  • Croatia was used as the primary location for the setting of this episode. It is the third episode of the revival series after DW: The Fires of Pompeii and Planet of the Dead to include major filming outside the UK.
  • Some filming took place in Caephilly Castle. [1]
  • Scenes featuring The Doctor, Amy and Rory were filmed at Llancaiach Fawr. [2]
Continuity

DVD and Blu-ray Releases

BBC Video - Doctor Who Series Five - Volume Two will feature The Time of Angels, Flesh and Stone and The Vampires of Venice. It will be released on Monday 5th July 2010 (UK Only) on DVD and Blu-ray.[2]