State of Decay

It is surprising that the Hinchcliffe/ Holmes ‘Gothic Horror’ era never did a vampire story (actually there is a boring production based reason) but we finally get one in the form of State of Decay, from the ever present pen of Terrance Dicks. Dicks’s script takes influences from the classics of Vampire fiction (well, two of them anyway). We have the ancient castle where the vampires live and the peasants who cluster around it ‘like ducklings’ and who live in fear of their vampire lords and owe them tribute. Of course, this is adapted into a Doctor Who context, with the castle being a spacecraft and the traditional vampires that are seen are a mere shadow of the ancient evil beneath the castle, an ancient enemy of the Time Lords. The script blends horror with musings of the decline of civilisations and evolution of language and the effect of the collective unconscious on legend. There is some deft characterisation, especially in the portrayal of the dynamic of the ‘Three Who Rule’, although the rest of the characters are less well drawn- the peasants and their society are not portrayed with the same degree of care as the vampires. There are some things left unexplained- what is ‘The Wasting’ (are they the bats, if so the Three Who Rule are running a protection racket!) and what exactly is the significance of the Chosen Ones?

However, the story is further strengthened by its very impressive realisation. The sets, especially for the castle interiors are gorgeous, with some very effective matte shots being used for the throne room and the blood-red brickwork for the castle corridors are a welcome touch. The miniature shots for the castle are superbly detailed, unlike other miniature efforts in the past. The only production let downs are some of the shots of bats attacking and the realisation of the Great Vampire. I can just about forgive the giant hand, but the terrible shot of the creature on the scanner is awful. Peter Moffat directs the scenes with an elegant simplicity, although he is rubbish at fight scenes.

The cast are first rate- the Three Who rule are terrifyingly cadaverous, but it is clear that they are inhibited and controlled- witness their ritualistic hand-washing. Moffat has the Three arranged in tableaux for several scenes, which seems ‘stagey’ at first, but becomes more appropriate as one understands the story more. Zargo and Camilla are king and queen but Aukon is the one who communes with the Great Vampire. The Three are excellently performed, with special mention for the wonderful Emrys James as Aukon. Tom Baker is wonderful, with the Doctor driven by more than his usual desire to right wrongs. Lalla Ward’s Romana performs the role of Mina Murray very well, although, with Camilla, the influence shifts from Dracula to Le Fanu’s Carmilla (Camilla shows signs of being a lesbite, or lesbian vampire). Matthew Waterhouse is wisely kept in the background and doesn’t manage to be too annoying.

Despite its faults, State of Decay has something in it for all Doctor Who fans and is great fun.

NEXT: Warriors’ Gate