Do You Have a Licence to Save this Planet? (home video)

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

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

Publisher's summary
What do you get if you cross a Krynoid with an Auton, Sontaran 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.

Plot
to be added

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

Story notes

 * The opening title sequence vaguely resembles the Doctor Who theme tune. 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, Sylvester McCoy 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.
 * 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 is the first time one of the Doctor actors has appeared in the same production as the BBV versions of the Autons and Sontarans.

Filming Locations
to be added

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.

Home video releases
Orignally released on VHS in 2001, it was later released on DVD on the 11 August 2012. The DVD was region free and featured a different cover to that of the VHS version.