The charge of the shite brigade

This was posted yesterday on the Gallifrey Base forum by Gorton's loyal foot soldiers in defence of Neill Gorton's supposedly 'accurate' sonic screwdriver. Like the legendary light brigade, I applaud their bravery and belief although ultimately their efforts are futile and fly contrary to objective proof. (My response in Red)

The first is from Barry Jones at EFX:

"As Neill jumped in to confirm, the MFX Sonic Screwdriver is an EXACT COPY of "one" of the sonic screwdrivers used during series four. I have the pics and measurements to prove it. As Neill also pointed out, as is the norm, multiple versions of a prop exist on a show that's been in production for years and they all vary in little ways depending on who made them, and how closely they followed what went before.

So, yes, it is an EXACT COPY of a screen used prop, and to the 400 plus folks out there, including me, who own this marvelous piece of Who memorabilia, it's not a piece of junk. It's rather fantastic.

Barry"

 

Barry, are you some kind of blind fucking moron? I challenge you to prove what you wrote. You seem to forget, I too have measured the prop and have a complete set of plans, measurments and engineering drawings. There is no way IN HELL, that what MFX delivered is exactly the same as what was measured.

 

How do you explain the discrepancy in head window placement? Or the fact that the strut thickness is 2 thirds too thin???? Or the fact that the lens cap is totally the wrong shape and the emitter lip is the wrong shape? (amongst many other things). This is not imagined. This is FACT you dumb fucking shit. Don't insult my intelligence.

 

If you want to prove it, we can. Shall we send a copy of your original measurements of the prop that Neill pictured plus an MFX sonic to a trusted third party for impartial measurement? I am sure suitable trusted candidates can be identified.

 

If someone was to sue MFX, this whole matter can be proven once and for all. In fact, if anyone wants to sue MFX, I will fund the case.

 

 

David Howe, of 'Transcendental Toybox' fame also had this to add.

 

"Does anyone remember the Channel 4 show Manhattan Cable - presented by flame-haired temptress Laurie Pike ("Hair-Low, Aaaam Laaaaaurie Pike..." etc etc). There was one episode featuring clips from a New York cable show in which a crazy religious woman claimed the Pope had been assasinated and replaced by an imposter Pope. To back up her argument she used a series of photos taken from different angles, citing that you could tell the one on the right was an imposter because (at that angle) the nose looked two centimetres longer.....!

Ring any bells? (And I certainly hope she never got into prop collecting!)"

 

David, aside from the fact that a forty something year old man should really have something better to do than to play with toys,  an archetypal anorak like you should really have more of an eye for detail. I refer you to my answer to Barry above and to my previous posts. If you honestly think that I am misinterpreting photographic data, you must be an even bigger knobend that you appear (and from what I've seen you do come over as a total dildo). You cannot argue with side on photos on fucking graph paper!!!!!!

 

You may think photographic evidence is not compelling but I do. In your case, it's damning. As from whatever angle I look at you from, you're still a cunt. 

 

I find it quite amusing that Neill Gorton also claims that 'his' sonic was used for some of Tennant's publicity pics.  I only recall the spring loaded EFX sonic prototype actually being used for the last scene on Voyage of the Damned. The funny thing is, Gorton has yet to post proof of this rather bold statement. I say bold as:

a) I have seen pretty much every publicity shot released and I scrutinise them microscopically. I have yet to see a single shot of the MFX style sonic. Gorton has yet to post a pic of said publicity shots.

b) Tennant filmed his last shots and took his last publicity pics months in the early summer of 2009 and the fact that MFX's production sonics were not ready until Mid October, Gorton must have access to a real TARDIS! Even if Tennant did use one of Nick Robatto's 'prototypes', they are still original props made by the same prop maker as the original props, and as I have proven, they bear no real resemblance to the MFX travesties.

Our buddy Primrodo talks about multiple props and multiple makers. Actually, Justin, if you get with the program you will realise they claimed to have copied (or mostly claimed - the story shifts depending on how Gorton is feeling), a single Nick Robatto made hero prop. In any case, there were only ever two official on staff propmakers, Penny Howarth who made the original Season 1 prop and Nick Robatto who did the Tennant version remakes. (There was also a company that made resin duplicates for Season 1). Penny's work and Nick's work is very distinct but the dimensions and proportions remain generally consistent. Finishing and assembly accounts for the variations and none expalin the blatant liberties that MFX have taken with the dims on their replica. Kind of pisses on the notion that different makers account for the variations, doesn't it?