surfaces

Natural Surfaces: Visual Research for Artists, Architects, and Designers
$89.95
I bought this book as a resource for Theatre Design and it has proven to be a valuable asset. I can look through the photos in the book while researching and use the CD to put together presentations. The book's overall content is wide ranging and detailed, and is organized well. I would recommend this book to anyone in the arts, even if you don't use it for research, it's cool to look though.

Surfaces : Visual Research for Artists, Architects, and Designers (MacIntosh compatible)
$89.95
Even with the wonders of the internet, it's sometimes refreshing to crack open a great reference book to find just the right look you may desire as a scenic designer. This text is filled with bright crisp images to help convey to your painters or directors how you want a texture to look or feel. In my opinion, a must have for the beginning designer or scenic artist.

Doctor Who - Beneath The Surface (Doctor Who And The Silurians / The Sea Devils / Warriors Of The Deep)
$59.98
As if I didn't already have enough cool things I want to waste my money on, the BBC has recently released some great collections of classic Doctor Who episodes. This particular set includes three serials - Doctor Who and the Silurians, The Sea Devils, and Warriors of the Deep - the first two featuring Jon Pertwee, and the last starring Peter Davison. Newly remastered for DVD, and with some special features, photo galleries and promotional trailers, these are classic episodes that will appeal to almost any Doctor Who fan out there.

The common theme here, of course, are the prehistoric reptilian races - the Silurians and the Sea Devils. While perhaps not as well known as, say, the Daleks, Cybermen, Sontarans or Ice Warriors, these two monsters are still iconic enough to be known by most fans of the series. The first serial, Doctor Who and the Silurians from 1970, marks their first appearance, when UNIT asks the Doctor and Liz to investigate a series of power failures at a secret nuclear facility. They quickly find out that a race of intelligent reptiles are awakening from hibernation and wish to reclaim the earth from 'primitive apes'. Can the Doctor negotiate a peaceful solution? Of particular note, this is the first time that Doctor Who and the Silurians has been released in full color glory.

The next serial, also starring Jon Pertwee as the Third Doctor, finds the Doctor and Jo paying a visit to the Master (played by Roger Delgado, with all the evil charm he gave that role) on an isolated prison island. But little do they know that the Master has tricked his warden into becoming a willing pawn in his game, or that he is building a device to communicate with a race of recently awakened marine reptiles. When the Doctor starts investigating some missing ships, he uncovers the Sea Devils, and recognizing their relations to the Silurians he encountered earlier, once again tries to sue for peace, even as the Navy begins launching an attack. Can the Doctor avert disaster?

Finally, coming full circle, the next disc is 'Warriors of the Deep,' a 1984 serial with Peter Davison as the Fifth Doctor. Set in a future earth where two powers stand on the brink of nuclear war, the Silurians and Sea Devils have formed an alliance to once again try and take over the earth. Their plan? Take over an undersea military base and launch an attack, causing the humans to wipe each other out. As always, the Doctor and his companions (Tegan and Turlough) show up at just the right time, and get captured on suspicion of being saboteurs. Just to complicate things, there really ARE saboteurs in the base, working for the unnamed rival superpower, but even they don't know of the impending Silurian-Sea Devil threat. Once again, the Doctor argues against bloodshed. Can he stop a war which would annihilate all three species?

All in all, this is a great boxed set for any Doctor Who fan. It includes all of the Silurian and Sea Devil episodes, collected together for the first time, along with a bunch of special features any true fan would love to see. Especially if they are a fan of Jon Pertwee's Doctor. It also showcases the Doctor's personality, always standing for the path of least bloodshed and trying to negotiate with alien races. I recommend this, along with some of the other classic Doctor Who episodes now on disc, for any sci-fi fans out there. Especially if you enjoy the new series; you owe it to yourself to watch the originals as well. Very good stuff!

The First Time: The Best of Surface
$7.99
The reason I purchase "The Best of Surface" is because of the good old days. During this period I had a lot of fun going to friends, dancing in clubs and just enjoying life as it was. However we all know that time doesn't waits for anyone. There has been many years since I last saw many of my friends and family member. This CD bring back good memories and good times. It makes me feel pretty good. I guess what I am saying is this, whenever times are tough or seem to be tough, I turn on my good old days music. Each and everytime I do this, my friends, family members and my happiness are within me all over again. A really good feeling. Well there you have it, my reason for purchasing this CD.