It is interesting to look at this story after the previous one. The Brain of Morbius is about a mad scientist who wants to give the brain of a megalomaniac a new body, but it has very limited ambitions beyond this, both thematically and dramatically. The Seeds of Doom, on the other hand works on more levels than being simply the story about an alien plant that threatens all life on earth. It has long been a story I enjoy (and incidentally, the first episode was broadcast the day I was born!)
One of the most common criticisms of 6-parters is that they are frequently padded 4-parters (or even less). As commented by others, this story avoids this criticism by basically being a 2-parter followed by a 4-parter, and there is very little padding. As in the outstanding Pyramids of Mars, the story progresses believably without containing any plot points that are blatantly put in by the writer to move the plot along. The characterisation is superb. Scorby has far more depth than Doctor Who henchmen usually have and we have the brilliant character of Amelia Ducat, who seems like a Robert Holmesian incidental character, but actually fulfils important functions. Even the characters at the Antarctic base, although based on the usual stock base types in Doctor Who, are given enough characterful dialogue to make them transcend this. All of these characters are superbly played- John Challis is so good as Scorby that we very quickly forget Boycie. Best of all is Tony Beckley as Harrison Chase. He is portrayed as an environmentalist gone bad, bringing the portrayal of environmentalists to the precise opposite of what the likes of Professor Jones in The Green Death were, via the well intentioned, but misguided Sir Charles Grover of Invasion of the Dinosaurs. Beckley was a very underrated actor who, despite looking like the type of character actor who is limited in range, made all his portrayals different. There is not a hint of Camp Freddie in his brilliant performance.
Visually, the story is aided by the always outstanding Douglas Camfield. Camfield’s choice of shots is always inspired- mention must be made of the moment after Chase has been possessed by the Krynoid, which Camfield has the nerve to shoot in a way that makes it seem almost post-coital. The production values are excellent on the whole. The story is shot entirely on video, bar a few effects shots, and this gives the production a very unified style, with studio scenes meshing very well with location. The Krynoid creatures fail to convince in some shots, but this is a minority of shots. This is also one of the few stories from this period that does not have Dudley Simpson as a composer. Although Simpson did do some excellent work, Geoffrey Burgon is a much more gifted composer and his more subtle score here is a joy to listen to.
The Doctor is more violent and action-orientated than usual, but Baker’s great performance here makes this interpretation of the character similar to that on Pyramids of Mars. Both regulars are on great form in this story, one which is never less than entertaining and a must-see for all Doctor Who fans.
NEXT: The Masque of Mandragora
Showing posts with label Douglas Camfield. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Douglas Camfield. Show all posts
Saturday, 21 March 2009
Monday, 9 March 2009
Terror of the Zygons
Tom Baker's second season begins with his first alien threat against contemporary Earth. The basic storyline is nothing we haven't seen before- the Zygons want to conquer the Earth and use their cyborg monster, the Skarasen, to help them accomplish this. There are some plot problems, as we shall see later. However, if there is one story that is genuinely a 'triumph of style over substance' it is this one.
The Zygons themselves are one of the best realised alien races the programme has ever had. A fantastically designed costume is seamlessly blended with make-up onto the faces of the actors. Even today, a Hollywood budget would only slightly improve on the look. As in The Claws of Axos, there is an organic spacecraft, but one which is far easier on the eyes and far more subtle and interesting. All this is helped by Douglas Camfield's great skill in selecting the shots and supervising editing- the first full reveal of a Zygon is brilliantly done. Camfield manages to make the programme more 'edgy'- there is a real sense of danger in scenes such as the Zygon Harry's escape. Much has been made of the believability of the Skarasen. The creature is realised through a mixture of puppetry and a few shots with stop-motion animation. Although the creature is not particularly convincing, it is mobile and quite well designed. The end, where it rises out of the Thames fails mostly because it combines film and video elements- there have been far worse special effects on the programme.
The script is quite good, if somewhat half-baked. Despite the fact that the very first line by a Scottish character is aboot haggis, characterisation is good, with some nice moments. There is some clunky info-dumping- Broton explains things to Harry for no good reason, and some rather unbelievable plot points- the removal of the bug from the inn only alerts UNIT to where the bug came from and Sarah stumbles into the tunnel to the spaceship after being left alone by the Zygons, who have fetched a step-ladder for her to reach it. Any thought that they did that deliberately is scotched when they angrily discover the tunnel open.
The performances throughout are first rate, from Lillias Walker's spooky performance as Sister Lamont to John Woodnutt's excellent Broton/ Duke of Forgill. Tom Baker's detached, yet playful performance further distances the Fourth Doctor's personality from his predecessor. It's sad to see Harry go as a regular- Ian Marter made him entertaining and convincing throughout. This is also the last we'll see of the Brig for a good long while and Nicholas Courtney works his usual magic.
Terror of the Zygons has its problems, but it is thoroughly entertaining throughout and highly recommended.
Next: Planet of Evil
The Zygons themselves are one of the best realised alien races the programme has ever had. A fantastically designed costume is seamlessly blended with make-up onto the faces of the actors. Even today, a Hollywood budget would only slightly improve on the look. As in The Claws of Axos, there is an organic spacecraft, but one which is far easier on the eyes and far more subtle and interesting. All this is helped by Douglas Camfield's great skill in selecting the shots and supervising editing- the first full reveal of a Zygon is brilliantly done. Camfield manages to make the programme more 'edgy'- there is a real sense of danger in scenes such as the Zygon Harry's escape. Much has been made of the believability of the Skarasen. The creature is realised through a mixture of puppetry and a few shots with stop-motion animation. Although the creature is not particularly convincing, it is mobile and quite well designed. The end, where it rises out of the Thames fails mostly because it combines film and video elements- there have been far worse special effects on the programme.
The script is quite good, if somewhat half-baked. Despite the fact that the very first line by a Scottish character is aboot haggis, characterisation is good, with some nice moments. There is some clunky info-dumping- Broton explains things to Harry for no good reason, and some rather unbelievable plot points- the removal of the bug from the inn only alerts UNIT to where the bug came from and Sarah stumbles into the tunnel to the spaceship after being left alone by the Zygons, who have fetched a step-ladder for her to reach it. Any thought that they did that deliberately is scotched when they angrily discover the tunnel open.
The performances throughout are first rate, from Lillias Walker's spooky performance as Sister Lamont to John Woodnutt's excellent Broton/ Duke of Forgill. Tom Baker's detached, yet playful performance further distances the Fourth Doctor's personality from his predecessor. It's sad to see Harry go as a regular- Ian Marter made him entertaining and convincing throughout. This is also the last we'll see of the Brig for a good long while and Nicholas Courtney works his usual magic.
Terror of the Zygons has its problems, but it is thoroughly entertaining throughout and highly recommended.
Next: Planet of Evil
Saturday, 13 December 2008
Inferno
Inferno has a story line. There is a project dedicated to penetrating the Earth's crust in order to tap a new energy source located beneath it. The Doctor notes the dangers that Professor Stahlman, the project director refuses to heed. However, things are already going wrong. A green slime is coming out of the drilling shaft, which infects anyone who touches it, turning them into sub-human monsters. When the Doctor tries to reactivate the TARDIS he is transported into a parallel universe where the drilling is more advanced. A fascistic government seems to rule Britain and familiar faces mask unfamiliar personalities. It is there that the Doctor realises the full extent of the danger that the drilling will unleash. It's a perfectly respectable story line that would be easy to make into a good Doctor Who story. However, Inferno is not a good Doctor Who story. It's an absolutely fantastic one.
The main reason for this is this is that this story probably has the finest guest performances the programme has ever seen. Every single one of the main speaking roles is impeccably performed. Derek Newark makes Sutton likeable and very exciting to watch. Olaf Pooley plays Stahlman as stubborn and obsessed but not actually evil and Sheila Dunn makes a thoroughly reactive character like Petra seem genuine. We can see the impact of the events in the story in the faces of the characters and in the way that they interact, which means that we are with them all the way. The 'evil parallel universe' idea is not a new one, but it has rarely been done better than here. Don Houghton rightly portrays it as an evil society, but not full of naturally evil people. Some are considerably different (Lethbridge-Stewart, Benton) others only different by the circumstances of life (Liz). Again the actors put their all into these roles. The alt-Greg Sutton has a very slightly more formal manner of speaking, even though the character is a maverick. Section Leader Shaw is the same person, but brought up to believe in a separate set of values. And, of course, the Brigade Leader is a chilling perversion of the Brigadier we have grown to love, an excellent performance by Nicholas Courtney.
Houghton's script is very well written, with many lines of memorable dialogue. The blossoming romance between Greg and Petra is beautifully written and played in both universes. And, of course we see the Doctor faced with an apocalyptic situation- and fail. The world is, indeed, destroyed in the alternative reality, which adds to the intensity of the story. The production values are excellent. Douglas Camfield has a great eye for a great shot and the editing and photography are first rate, with very effective use of filters for the apocalyptic scenes for episodes 5 and 6. The use of stock music, rather than a score, creates a spooky ambience that is very powerful. And, of course, there is the ever present sound of the drilling.
Jon Pertwee is absolutely astonishing as the Doctor throughout, the intensity of his performance matching that of the story. While he fails to save the alternate Earth, he does manage to inspire several of its inhabitants to be better people before they die, perhaps the most 'Doctorish' thing he could do.
The Primords are not very effective, truth be told. But I really don't care. This is one of the best Doctor Whos of all time, a fantastic end to the best season since the Hartnell era.
NEXT: Terror of the Autons
The main reason for this is this is that this story probably has the finest guest performances the programme has ever seen. Every single one of the main speaking roles is impeccably performed. Derek Newark makes Sutton likeable and very exciting to watch. Olaf Pooley plays Stahlman as stubborn and obsessed but not actually evil and Sheila Dunn makes a thoroughly reactive character like Petra seem genuine. We can see the impact of the events in the story in the faces of the characters and in the way that they interact, which means that we are with them all the way. The 'evil parallel universe' idea is not a new one, but it has rarely been done better than here. Don Houghton rightly portrays it as an evil society, but not full of naturally evil people. Some are considerably different (Lethbridge-Stewart, Benton) others only different by the circumstances of life (Liz). Again the actors put their all into these roles. The alt-Greg Sutton has a very slightly more formal manner of speaking, even though the character is a maverick. Section Leader Shaw is the same person, but brought up to believe in a separate set of values. And, of course, the Brigade Leader is a chilling perversion of the Brigadier we have grown to love, an excellent performance by Nicholas Courtney.
Houghton's script is very well written, with many lines of memorable dialogue. The blossoming romance between Greg and Petra is beautifully written and played in both universes. And, of course we see the Doctor faced with an apocalyptic situation- and fail. The world is, indeed, destroyed in the alternative reality, which adds to the intensity of the story. The production values are excellent. Douglas Camfield has a great eye for a great shot and the editing and photography are first rate, with very effective use of filters for the apocalyptic scenes for episodes 5 and 6. The use of stock music, rather than a score, creates a spooky ambience that is very powerful. And, of course, there is the ever present sound of the drilling.
Jon Pertwee is absolutely astonishing as the Doctor throughout, the intensity of his performance matching that of the story. While he fails to save the alternate Earth, he does manage to inspire several of its inhabitants to be better people before they die, perhaps the most 'Doctorish' thing he could do.
The Primords are not very effective, truth be told. But I really don't care. This is one of the best Doctor Whos of all time, a fantastic end to the best season since the Hartnell era.
NEXT: Terror of the Autons
Wednesday, 19 November 2008
The Invasion
The Cybermen are second only to the Daleks in the Doctor Who monster popularity stakes. It is, therefore, unfortunate that Cybermen stories have, so far, been vastly inferior in quality to Dalek stories. Dalek stories have been very ambitious, ranging from the post-nuclear-holocaust morality tale of their first story to the epic plot for galactic domination of The Daleks’ Master Plan. Cybermen stories have been basically the same story every time. The one time they tried something different (The Tomb of the Cybermen) they ran out of plot half-way through.
It is, therefore, a genuine pleasure to announce how much I enjoyed The Invasion. There are two reasons for this which are evident from the start. Firstly, it is not a ‘base under siege’ story, of which there were far, far too many in season 5. Earth invasion stories are also common in Doctor Who, but they offer far more opportunity for variation and creativeness. Secondly, the Cyber-plan is not idiotically over-complicated- I was beginning to think that the Cybermen were being led by a Cyber-Heath Robinson (or Rube Goldberg, if you’re American). The plan is simple, to take over the human race by installing control devices in electronic products. This is effective and also ties in well, conceptually with the Cybermen themselves. There is surprisingly little padding on the story, considering its length.
Interestingly, the Cybermen feature less than in any other story- they do not even appear until half-way through. They have changed appearance again, to perhaps their most iconic look. This makeover is the most successful realisation of the Cybermen since their debut and is very effective (apart from the fact that they wear laced boots!) and, thankfully, the cybermats are nowhere to be seen.
With the Cybermen reduced in prominence, the focus is on the human villain, Tobias Vaughan. Kevin Stoney’s utterly astonishing performance would stand out in any season of Doctor Who, but coming just after a time when the adversaries were becoming increasingly similar, the phrase ‘breath of fresh air’ is totally inadequate. Stoney plays Vaughan as being a bit unhinged, but not mad, ruthless but not inhuman. He roars at his subordinates, banging his fist on the table and when they acquiesce, he calmly says ‘Good chap’. Although he wants to dominate the world, he does not want the human race converted into Cybermen, for reasons both selfish and unselfish. Stoney truly gives one of the best guest performances in the programme ever, making me sad all over again about his recent death. There are some good performances from the other guest stars. Peter Halliday is fun as the sadistic but dim Packer and Sally Faulkner is wonderfully sparky as Isobel Faulkner. This is a very location rich production- Douglas Camfield shoots with a filmic dynamism. The use of lighting is great, especially in the dank sewer sets. The set design is also up to scratch and the use of real military aircraft gives this story a very expensive look. The music by Don Harper is very distinctive, very redolent of an ITC serial. There is one rather bad gaffe- when Gregory reports the rescue of Professor Watkins, it abruptly cuts from him in the office telling Vaughan to him (or a badly disguised double) running from Packer in the sewers. This cut seems to suggest that Vaughan has an identical office in the sewer!
The regulars are on great form, with Troughton and Hines getting better with every episode. Troughton’s scenes with Stoney, in particular, positively sparkle. This is also a great story for Zoe- the scene where UNIT use her computations for launching the missile at the Cyber-fleet is great. And, of course, this is the first UNIT story, with Nicholas Courtney effortlessly bringing the Brigadier to life with a great sense of authority and a dry sense of humour.
This is a wonderfully entertaining story, easily better than all the other 60s Cybermen stories combined.
NEXT: The Krotons
It is, therefore, a genuine pleasure to announce how much I enjoyed The Invasion. There are two reasons for this which are evident from the start. Firstly, it is not a ‘base under siege’ story, of which there were far, far too many in season 5. Earth invasion stories are also common in Doctor Who, but they offer far more opportunity for variation and creativeness. Secondly, the Cyber-plan is not idiotically over-complicated- I was beginning to think that the Cybermen were being led by a Cyber-Heath Robinson (or Rube Goldberg, if you’re American). The plan is simple, to take over the human race by installing control devices in electronic products. This is effective and also ties in well, conceptually with the Cybermen themselves. There is surprisingly little padding on the story, considering its length.
Interestingly, the Cybermen feature less than in any other story- they do not even appear until half-way through. They have changed appearance again, to perhaps their most iconic look. This makeover is the most successful realisation of the Cybermen since their debut and is very effective (apart from the fact that they wear laced boots!) and, thankfully, the cybermats are nowhere to be seen.
With the Cybermen reduced in prominence, the focus is on the human villain, Tobias Vaughan. Kevin Stoney’s utterly astonishing performance would stand out in any season of Doctor Who, but coming just after a time when the adversaries were becoming increasingly similar, the phrase ‘breath of fresh air’ is totally inadequate. Stoney plays Vaughan as being a bit unhinged, but not mad, ruthless but not inhuman. He roars at his subordinates, banging his fist on the table and when they acquiesce, he calmly says ‘Good chap’. Although he wants to dominate the world, he does not want the human race converted into Cybermen, for reasons both selfish and unselfish. Stoney truly gives one of the best guest performances in the programme ever, making me sad all over again about his recent death. There are some good performances from the other guest stars. Peter Halliday is fun as the sadistic but dim Packer and Sally Faulkner is wonderfully sparky as Isobel Faulkner. This is a very location rich production- Douglas Camfield shoots with a filmic dynamism. The use of lighting is great, especially in the dank sewer sets. The set design is also up to scratch and the use of real military aircraft gives this story a very expensive look. The music by Don Harper is very distinctive, very redolent of an ITC serial. There is one rather bad gaffe- when Gregory reports the rescue of Professor Watkins, it abruptly cuts from him in the office telling Vaughan to him (or a badly disguised double) running from Packer in the sewers. This cut seems to suggest that Vaughan has an identical office in the sewer!
The regulars are on great form, with Troughton and Hines getting better with every episode. Troughton’s scenes with Stoney, in particular, positively sparkle. This is also a great story for Zoe- the scene where UNIT use her computations for launching the missile at the Cyber-fleet is great. And, of course, this is the first UNIT story, with Nicholas Courtney effortlessly bringing the Brigadier to life with a great sense of authority and a dry sense of humour.
This is a wonderfully entertaining story, easily better than all the other 60s Cybermen stories combined.
NEXT: The Krotons
Saturday, 8 November 2008
The Web of Fear
After the refreshing break of The Enemy of the World, it’s back to the monster story, with the Yeti returning after a gap of a whole two stories. There is one thing, however, that makes The Web of Fear stand out from the ‘monstrous’ fifth season of Doctor Who- it’s brilliant.
The script is packed with great dialogue and memorable characters and, very importantly, does not feel padded. Again, Haisman and Lincoln know the value of an arresting image- the TARDIS being covered in the web, the pulsating fungus, the contained explosions. The only surviving episode is wonderfully atmospheric, excellently directed by Douglas Camfield and boasting some very effective lighting, which adds a sense of claustrophobia and spookiness. There are moments of real horror- the body of the old man covered in the web is still a great shock today and there is great tension in the scenes where the Doctor is hiding from the Yeti. The body count is huge, with wholesale massacres taking place (these are not done justice by the soundtrack or telesnaps, making the loss of this story all the more tragic). The telesnaps indicate that this quality is maintained throughout. The set design is exemplary and it is not surprising that London Underground thought that the programme had secretly filmed at Covent Garden.
Jack Watling’s performance as the older Professor Travers is completely convincing. The age make-up is basic, but Watling’s performance sells it. Anne Packer is memorable as his take-no-nonsense daughter. There are also some memorable minor characters. Chorley, the journalist, is brilliantly odious, recording the dying screams of a soldier, but not having the courage when faced with the menace itself. There’s the cowardly Welsh driver Evans, who remains likeable (although he is saddled with a few too many ‘boyos’). If there’s one flaw in the story, it’s the character of Julius Silverstein, a disturbingly caricatured Jew (‘You vant to rrrob me!’) that is almost as embarrassing as Toberman in The Tomb of the Cybermen.
Troughton and Hines are brilliant, as ever -I especially enjoyed the interplay between the Doctor and Travers- and Deborah Watling puts in an extra special performance- like in The Evil of the Daleks, she is surrounded by death in a hopeless situation. There is also the appearance of a Colonel Lethbridge-Stewart. The Brigadier (as he was to become) is such an integral part of Doctor Who, that it’s easy to ignore the fact that we are led to mistrust him in this story. He appears mysteriously and he could be the traitor who is controlled by the intelligence. Nicholas Courtney brings the character to life instantly- a no-nonsense soldier who is not devoid of humour and intelligence.
The Web of Fear is, perhaps, the archetypal Doctor Who story. It is a real shame that most of it is lost.
NEXT: Fury From the Deep
The script is packed with great dialogue and memorable characters and, very importantly, does not feel padded. Again, Haisman and Lincoln know the value of an arresting image- the TARDIS being covered in the web, the pulsating fungus, the contained explosions. The only surviving episode is wonderfully atmospheric, excellently directed by Douglas Camfield and boasting some very effective lighting, which adds a sense of claustrophobia and spookiness. There are moments of real horror- the body of the old man covered in the web is still a great shock today and there is great tension in the scenes where the Doctor is hiding from the Yeti. The body count is huge, with wholesale massacres taking place (these are not done justice by the soundtrack or telesnaps, making the loss of this story all the more tragic). The telesnaps indicate that this quality is maintained throughout. The set design is exemplary and it is not surprising that London Underground thought that the programme had secretly filmed at Covent Garden.
Jack Watling’s performance as the older Professor Travers is completely convincing. The age make-up is basic, but Watling’s performance sells it. Anne Packer is memorable as his take-no-nonsense daughter. There are also some memorable minor characters. Chorley, the journalist, is brilliantly odious, recording the dying screams of a soldier, but not having the courage when faced with the menace itself. There’s the cowardly Welsh driver Evans, who remains likeable (although he is saddled with a few too many ‘boyos’). If there’s one flaw in the story, it’s the character of Julius Silverstein, a disturbingly caricatured Jew (‘You vant to rrrob me!’) that is almost as embarrassing as Toberman in The Tomb of the Cybermen.
Troughton and Hines are brilliant, as ever -I especially enjoyed the interplay between the Doctor and Travers- and Deborah Watling puts in an extra special performance- like in The Evil of the Daleks, she is surrounded by death in a hopeless situation. There is also the appearance of a Colonel Lethbridge-Stewart. The Brigadier (as he was to become) is such an integral part of Doctor Who, that it’s easy to ignore the fact that we are led to mistrust him in this story. He appears mysteriously and he could be the traitor who is controlled by the intelligence. Nicholas Courtney brings the character to life instantly- a no-nonsense soldier who is not devoid of humour and intelligence.
The Web of Fear is, perhaps, the archetypal Doctor Who story. It is a real shame that most of it is lost.
NEXT: Fury From the Deep
Monday, 29 September 2008
The Daleks' Master Plan
Terry Nation had many faults as a writer, many of which were embarrassingly displayed in The Chase. At first glance, The Daleks’ Master Plan seems to have many of the same qualities. Both stories feature the Doctor being pursued by the Daleks throughout time and space. Both are filled with B-movie threats- in this story, we have invisible monsters, man-eating plants and prisoners taking over a ship, amongst other things. However, this story is so superior to The Chase that it makes one wonder how it could have come from the same mind. If any two stories prove ‘it’s not what you do, it’s the way that you do it’ it’s these two.
The first thing that strikes the viewer about this story is its length. This is a colossal 12-episode epic, nearly 5 hours of television. This obviously begs the question of whether or not the story is padded or not and indeed, I could easily reduce this story to a 3-parter: The taranium is an obvious McGuffin, with most of the story being centred round it. If the Doctor doesn’t steal the taranium, there is no need for episodes 2-10. However, this story is well named, as this story has a sense of scale that dwarfs the stories that come before it. The Doctor is, for the first time, battling a threat to the whole universe, with the fates of whole galaxies at stake. Such a story is epic in nature and demands an epic length. The threats confronted transcend B-movie cliché- the Varga plants make sense plotwise and are a genuinely horrific threat and the Visians are also brought to life very effectively through very simple special visual and audio effects. The detour to Desperus might seem a bit pointless, but it ends in the most shocking scene in Doctor Who yet, the death of Katarina. This scene is excellently scripted, acted and directed and the story is all the better for it. The detour to ancient Egypt is very well acted and directed and contains the very welcome return of Peter Butterworth as the Meddling Monk. Unlike in The Chase, although the story takes us to many locations in time and space, it is rooted in one place- the nightmarish planet of Kembel.
Apart from the TARDIS crew and the Daleks, the other main player in the story is Mavic Chen, brought to life in a powerhouse performance by Kevin Stoney. Chen is a man who is already the most powerful human being ever and yet wants more. He is depicted as a man of wit, intelligence and charisma, but with an egotism that increases as the story goes on and eventually drives him to madness, believing himself to be a god who rules the Daleks. The only issue I have is with Chen’s make-up. He is meant to be ‘part-Oriental’, which the make-up team interpreted by darkening Stoney’s skin and taping back his eyes. This makes him look like a grotesque, caricatured ‘Chinaman’ which is unfortunate, as Chen’s ethnicity is not mentioned at all in the story, and he is not a Fu Manchu takeoff.
The guest cast is, perhaps, the strongest the programme has had since Marco Polo, and I cannot think of a single poor performance. Nicholas Courtney is memorable as Bret Vyon and it is easy to see why he returned to the programme a couple of times. Even a minor character like Karlton is well brought to life by Maurice Browning It is clear that good deal of thought has gone into characterisation and, importantly, character interplay. For example, Steven is a character from our future, but Sara Kingdom’s past, so that something that Steven would consider contemporary would seem futuristic to us and antediluvian to Sara. This is something which is actually a factor in the way these two characters interact.
The Daleks are totally rehabilitated from the fiasco of The Chase. Here they are scheming, ruthless and efficient. Their voices are brilliant here, after the limp vocal stylings of the previous two stories. As in The Chase Nation throws other monsters against them, but here the Daleks triumph. Their plan is a truly diabolical one and they would not come up with a plan as masterful until 2008.
Hartnell puts in one of his finest performances in this story. The Doctor rages against those who hurt his friends and takes no nonsense from the Daleks, dictating terms to them even when he is at a disadvantage. He also joyfully wraps the Monk up in bandages and whacks Visians with his stick. The length of the story is ably matched by Hartnell’s range. Purves continues to work wonders as Steven- it is mainly due to his performance that Katarina’s death works as well as it does. Adrienne Hill, it must be said, is no more than adequate as Katarina and it is, perhaps, good that the character died before she got too annoying. Jean Marsh as Sara puts in an excellent performance making the character both as tough as nails without making her unsympathetic.
Even though only a quarter of the episodes exist, it is clear that this is where Douglas Camfield got his reputation as one of the programme’s finest directors. As said before, the performances from the guest cast are strong across the board, and Camfield’s choice of camera angles and movement are sublime as is his supervision of editing- there is a great cut from an image of the sun in sky to a glint on the dome of a Dalek.
The Daleks’ Master Plan was the first story to have an episode broadcast on Christmas Day, "The Feast of Steven" and this episode takes a break from the Daleks to give us some light relief for the festive season. The first setting is a charming skit where the doctor is arrested by a policeman after being seen coming out of the TARDIS and the second is set in Hollywood in the Mack Sennet era. It is less successful, but still worthwhile. Then there is the famous scene where the Doctor toasts the viewer at home, which I found to be very well done- as the Doctor says, the TARDIS crew rarely get a chance to celebrate. The inclusion of this interlude is not as random as it looks, as it occurs in a natural break in the story and, although it is business as usual in the next episode, there is still a hilarious interlude at the Oval cricket ground to ease the transition back.
I must also make special mention of the last episode. The previous Dalek stories were resolved with a battle or an explosion. Here we are treated to something truly spectacular. The Time Destructor is turned on and it causes the surface of the Kembel to age. Unfortunately, it has the same effect on Sara and the Doctor and Sara ages to death and decays. Steven manages to turn the machine into reverse, rejuvenating the Doctor and eventually destroying the pursuing Daleks by regressing them into embryos. Kembel is reduced to a desert planet by the time the machine is exhausted. In the midst of this, Steven and the Doctor are left alone to ponder the cost of their victory. It is a truly epic ending to an epic story.
Next: The Massacre
The first thing that strikes the viewer about this story is its length. This is a colossal 12-episode epic, nearly 5 hours of television. This obviously begs the question of whether or not the story is padded or not and indeed, I could easily reduce this story to a 3-parter: The taranium is an obvious McGuffin, with most of the story being centred round it. If the Doctor doesn’t steal the taranium, there is no need for episodes 2-10. However, this story is well named, as this story has a sense of scale that dwarfs the stories that come before it. The Doctor is, for the first time, battling a threat to the whole universe, with the fates of whole galaxies at stake. Such a story is epic in nature and demands an epic length. The threats confronted transcend B-movie cliché- the Varga plants make sense plotwise and are a genuinely horrific threat and the Visians are also brought to life very effectively through very simple special visual and audio effects. The detour to Desperus might seem a bit pointless, but it ends in the most shocking scene in Doctor Who yet, the death of Katarina. This scene is excellently scripted, acted and directed and the story is all the better for it. The detour to ancient Egypt is very well acted and directed and contains the very welcome return of Peter Butterworth as the Meddling Monk. Unlike in The Chase, although the story takes us to many locations in time and space, it is rooted in one place- the nightmarish planet of Kembel.
Apart from the TARDIS crew and the Daleks, the other main player in the story is Mavic Chen, brought to life in a powerhouse performance by Kevin Stoney. Chen is a man who is already the most powerful human being ever and yet wants more. He is depicted as a man of wit, intelligence and charisma, but with an egotism that increases as the story goes on and eventually drives him to madness, believing himself to be a god who rules the Daleks. The only issue I have is with Chen’s make-up. He is meant to be ‘part-Oriental’, which the make-up team interpreted by darkening Stoney’s skin and taping back his eyes. This makes him look like a grotesque, caricatured ‘Chinaman’ which is unfortunate, as Chen’s ethnicity is not mentioned at all in the story, and he is not a Fu Manchu takeoff.
The guest cast is, perhaps, the strongest the programme has had since Marco Polo, and I cannot think of a single poor performance. Nicholas Courtney is memorable as Bret Vyon and it is easy to see why he returned to the programme a couple of times. Even a minor character like Karlton is well brought to life by Maurice Browning It is clear that good deal of thought has gone into characterisation and, importantly, character interplay. For example, Steven is a character from our future, but Sara Kingdom’s past, so that something that Steven would consider contemporary would seem futuristic to us and antediluvian to Sara. This is something which is actually a factor in the way these two characters interact.
The Daleks are totally rehabilitated from the fiasco of The Chase. Here they are scheming, ruthless and efficient. Their voices are brilliant here, after the limp vocal stylings of the previous two stories. As in The Chase Nation throws other monsters against them, but here the Daleks triumph. Their plan is a truly diabolical one and they would not come up with a plan as masterful until 2008.
Hartnell puts in one of his finest performances in this story. The Doctor rages against those who hurt his friends and takes no nonsense from the Daleks, dictating terms to them even when he is at a disadvantage. He also joyfully wraps the Monk up in bandages and whacks Visians with his stick. The length of the story is ably matched by Hartnell’s range. Purves continues to work wonders as Steven- it is mainly due to his performance that Katarina’s death works as well as it does. Adrienne Hill, it must be said, is no more than adequate as Katarina and it is, perhaps, good that the character died before she got too annoying. Jean Marsh as Sara puts in an excellent performance making the character both as tough as nails without making her unsympathetic.
Even though only a quarter of the episodes exist, it is clear that this is where Douglas Camfield got his reputation as one of the programme’s finest directors. As said before, the performances from the guest cast are strong across the board, and Camfield’s choice of camera angles and movement are sublime as is his supervision of editing- there is a great cut from an image of the sun in sky to a glint on the dome of a Dalek.
The Daleks’ Master Plan was the first story to have an episode broadcast on Christmas Day, "The Feast of Steven" and this episode takes a break from the Daleks to give us some light relief for the festive season. The first setting is a charming skit where the doctor is arrested by a policeman after being seen coming out of the TARDIS and the second is set in Hollywood in the Mack Sennet era. It is less successful, but still worthwhile. Then there is the famous scene where the Doctor toasts the viewer at home, which I found to be very well done- as the Doctor says, the TARDIS crew rarely get a chance to celebrate. The inclusion of this interlude is not as random as it looks, as it occurs in a natural break in the story and, although it is business as usual in the next episode, there is still a hilarious interlude at the Oval cricket ground to ease the transition back.
I must also make special mention of the last episode. The previous Dalek stories were resolved with a battle or an explosion. Here we are treated to something truly spectacular. The Time Destructor is turned on and it causes the surface of the Kembel to age. Unfortunately, it has the same effect on Sara and the Doctor and Sara ages to death and decays. Steven manages to turn the machine into reverse, rejuvenating the Doctor and eventually destroying the pursuing Daleks by regressing them into embryos. Kembel is reduced to a desert planet by the time the machine is exhausted. In the midst of this, Steven and the Doctor are left alone to ponder the cost of their victory. It is a truly epic ending to an epic story.
Next: The Massacre
Monday, 22 September 2008
The Time Meddler
In which the Doctor discovers one of his own race is attempting to change the course of history by destroying the forces of Harald Hardrada, so that the Battle of Stamford Bridge does not occur.
The above description would indicate a run-of-the-mill pseudo-historical had it referred to a story set a decade later. But this was only the seventeenth Doctor Who serial and, to the viewing public who had followed the Doctor’s adventures for the past two years, this would have been a thoroughly shocking episode that turned everything you knew about the Doctor on its head. It is clear that there is something very different about this journey into the past. Donald Cotton’s historicals had been increasingly moving away from John Lucarotti’s in theme as well as style. In Lucarotti’s historicals, the Doctor and his companions do not change the status quo and the Doctor states that ‘not one line’ of history can be changed. In The Romans, the Doctor inspires Nero to burn Rome, which means that the Doctor has been the cause of a historical fact. Of course, Nero (as the story depicts him) would probably have decided to burn Rome anyway. However, with The Time Meddler, we have a character that has directly influenced history (helping raise the megaliths of Stonehenge, putting the idea of powered flight to Leonardo Da Vinci) and now intends to alter it. History is no longer sacrosanct and history can be rewritten, and the anachronistic objects that increasingly turn up during the story add to this sense of ‘temporal violation’.
However, the greatest shock is that the Doctor is no longer unique. This is clear from the very start, when the Monk witnesses the materialisation of the TARDIS. There is surprise on his face, but not fear or shock, and when the regulars go into the sarcophagus and find themselves in a TARDIS, several assumptions about the Doctor are questioned. To viewers, it was assumed that the Doctor was the inventor of the TARDIS and he was unique amongst his people. This is no longer the case.
The Monk is clearly not evil- he tends Eldred’s wounds and, in aiming to destroy Hardrada’s army, rather than Williams, he will not be killing anyone who would not have died anyway. Indeed, rather than mistreat the imprisoned Doctor, the Monk goes to the trouble of cooking him a full-English breakfast. However, even though there is no direct threat to the Doctor’s life (apart from the cholesterol) the Doctor still puts his all into stopping the Monk and stranding him in time. Peter Butterworth is phenomenal as the Monk, giving a performance that is full of humour but doesn’t obscure the calculating intelligence in the character. The sense of fun that Butterworth imbues in the Monk means that we can accept ludicrous things like the very large to-do list and his diary of time meddling. Despite this, the Monk’s wail of anger and despair at being marooned still feels genuine.
The scenes with the regulars are a delight. Although we are still missing Ian and Barbara, Peter Purves is instantly likeable as Steven and his initial TARDIS scene is charming and very funny. Hartnell plays the Doctor as being increasingly annoyed with the relentless faux piety of the Monk and puts in one of his funniest performances.
Amongst the supporting cast, Alethea Charlton and Michael Miller are also excellent as Edith and Wulnoth. Charlton again plays a character from the past with bad hair, but she gives the character warmth and steel, sometimes within the same scene. Unfortunately there is precious little of note provided by the other speaking roles. Peter Russell lacks charisma as Eldred and Norman Hartley and David Anderson are far from memorable as the main Viking characters.
Cotton’s script full of funny lines, but the story is not just comedic. There is a shocking and very well acted scene where it is strongly implied that Edith has just been raped by the Vikings in which both Charlton and Miller give their all. Douglas Camfield does some good work in making Barry Newbery’s excellent sets look very convincing with canny use of stock footage. However, the fight scenes (arranged by David Anderson) are rather limp. Some might be turned off by the rather slow pacing and the fact that both the Doctor and the Monk practically soliloquise when they are alone.
The importance of this story cannot be overstated. When it was first broadcast, it was an oddity, but it increasingly became the template for the Doctor Who historical to come.
NEXT: Galaxy 4
The above description would indicate a run-of-the-mill pseudo-historical had it referred to a story set a decade later. But this was only the seventeenth Doctor Who serial and, to the viewing public who had followed the Doctor’s adventures for the past two years, this would have been a thoroughly shocking episode that turned everything you knew about the Doctor on its head. It is clear that there is something very different about this journey into the past. Donald Cotton’s historicals had been increasingly moving away from John Lucarotti’s in theme as well as style. In Lucarotti’s historicals, the Doctor and his companions do not change the status quo and the Doctor states that ‘not one line’ of history can be changed. In The Romans, the Doctor inspires Nero to burn Rome, which means that the Doctor has been the cause of a historical fact. Of course, Nero (as the story depicts him) would probably have decided to burn Rome anyway. However, with The Time Meddler, we have a character that has directly influenced history (helping raise the megaliths of Stonehenge, putting the idea of powered flight to Leonardo Da Vinci) and now intends to alter it. History is no longer sacrosanct and history can be rewritten, and the anachronistic objects that increasingly turn up during the story add to this sense of ‘temporal violation’.
However, the greatest shock is that the Doctor is no longer unique. This is clear from the very start, when the Monk witnesses the materialisation of the TARDIS. There is surprise on his face, but not fear or shock, and when the regulars go into the sarcophagus and find themselves in a TARDIS, several assumptions about the Doctor are questioned. To viewers, it was assumed that the Doctor was the inventor of the TARDIS and he was unique amongst his people. This is no longer the case.
The Monk is clearly not evil- he tends Eldred’s wounds and, in aiming to destroy Hardrada’s army, rather than Williams, he will not be killing anyone who would not have died anyway. Indeed, rather than mistreat the imprisoned Doctor, the Monk goes to the trouble of cooking him a full-English breakfast. However, even though there is no direct threat to the Doctor’s life (apart from the cholesterol) the Doctor still puts his all into stopping the Monk and stranding him in time. Peter Butterworth is phenomenal as the Monk, giving a performance that is full of humour but doesn’t obscure the calculating intelligence in the character. The sense of fun that Butterworth imbues in the Monk means that we can accept ludicrous things like the very large to-do list and his diary of time meddling. Despite this, the Monk’s wail of anger and despair at being marooned still feels genuine.
The scenes with the regulars are a delight. Although we are still missing Ian and Barbara, Peter Purves is instantly likeable as Steven and his initial TARDIS scene is charming and very funny. Hartnell plays the Doctor as being increasingly annoyed with the relentless faux piety of the Monk and puts in one of his funniest performances.
Amongst the supporting cast, Alethea Charlton and Michael Miller are also excellent as Edith and Wulnoth. Charlton again plays a character from the past with bad hair, but she gives the character warmth and steel, sometimes within the same scene. Unfortunately there is precious little of note provided by the other speaking roles. Peter Russell lacks charisma as Eldred and Norman Hartley and David Anderson are far from memorable as the main Viking characters.
Cotton’s script full of funny lines, but the story is not just comedic. There is a shocking and very well acted scene where it is strongly implied that Edith has just been raped by the Vikings in which both Charlton and Miller give their all. Douglas Camfield does some good work in making Barry Newbery’s excellent sets look very convincing with canny use of stock footage. However, the fight scenes (arranged by David Anderson) are rather limp. Some might be turned off by the rather slow pacing and the fact that both the Doctor and the Monk practically soliloquise when they are alone.
The importance of this story cannot be overstated. When it was first broadcast, it was an oddity, but it increasingly became the template for the Doctor Who historical to come.
NEXT: Galaxy 4
Saturday, 13 September 2008
The Crusade
The TARDIS lands in the middle of the Third Crusade, where the Doctor and his companions find themselves embroiled in struggles on all levels of society. Saladin and Richard I are considering peace. The emir El Akir yearns for Saladin’s favour, but his pride and wrath threaten those underneath him.
This is another excellent historical, excellently directed by Douglas Camfield and with some brilliant performances, Julian Glover is excellent as Richard and Jean Marsh exudes fire and regality as Joanna. Their interplay is a joy to behold. Walter Randall, in a performance of great control, makes El Akir a memorable villain and George Little is excellent as his nemesis Haroun.
The story almost seems to want to be a Shakespearean history. A good deal of the dialogue is in iambic pentameter and the story is more concerned with politics and court intrigue than actual crusading. This results in some absolutely wonderful dialogue, but Whitaker doesn’t have the luxury of writing a five act play with lengthy soliloquies and characterisation suffers slightly. In addition, a sense of realism is lost when actors speak in metre. This affects the character of Saladin the most, which is probably why Bernard Kay seems a bit stifled in the role.
I am also not sure whether the plot quite manages to mesh together. The critical figure is El Akir- his loss of face before Saladin causes his vendetta against Barbara. Haroun is out for vengeance against El Akir. The trouble is that Haroun is introduced too late in the story for his victory to be as cathartic as it could be- there should have been a real feeling of ‘chickens coming home to roost’ when El Akir died.
Again, the regulars are excellent, with Vicki’s impish charm winning over all and Ian finally becoming a literal knight in shining armour. Barbara again shows her real courage and resourcefulness- her defiance of El Akir in front of Saladin is wonderful. The Doctor, meanwhile, shoplifts at a bazaar, wins a swordfight, advises the King and basically pulls out a plum with every digit he sticks his thumb into, with Hartnell delivering in spades.
Again, we have the question of white actors made up to be non-white characters. As in Marco Polo and The Aztecs, this is done sensitively on the most part (although Tutte Lemkow seems to have wandered in from It Ain’t Half Hot Mum!) and both sides are treated with respect (although Richard was a far less likeable figure in real life).
This does not detract from the fact that I was totally enthralled by the story- about as resoundingly successful as a qualified success can be!
NEXT: The Space Museum
This is another excellent historical, excellently directed by Douglas Camfield and with some brilliant performances, Julian Glover is excellent as Richard and Jean Marsh exudes fire and regality as Joanna. Their interplay is a joy to behold. Walter Randall, in a performance of great control, makes El Akir a memorable villain and George Little is excellent as his nemesis Haroun.
The story almost seems to want to be a Shakespearean history. A good deal of the dialogue is in iambic pentameter and the story is more concerned with politics and court intrigue than actual crusading. This results in some absolutely wonderful dialogue, but Whitaker doesn’t have the luxury of writing a five act play with lengthy soliloquies and characterisation suffers slightly. In addition, a sense of realism is lost when actors speak in metre. This affects the character of Saladin the most, which is probably why Bernard Kay seems a bit stifled in the role.
I am also not sure whether the plot quite manages to mesh together. The critical figure is El Akir- his loss of face before Saladin causes his vendetta against Barbara. Haroun is out for vengeance against El Akir. The trouble is that Haroun is introduced too late in the story for his victory to be as cathartic as it could be- there should have been a real feeling of ‘chickens coming home to roost’ when El Akir died.
Again, the regulars are excellent, with Vicki’s impish charm winning over all and Ian finally becoming a literal knight in shining armour. Barbara again shows her real courage and resourcefulness- her defiance of El Akir in front of Saladin is wonderful. The Doctor, meanwhile, shoplifts at a bazaar, wins a swordfight, advises the King and basically pulls out a plum with every digit he sticks his thumb into, with Hartnell delivering in spades.
Again, we have the question of white actors made up to be non-white characters. As in Marco Polo and The Aztecs, this is done sensitively on the most part (although Tutte Lemkow seems to have wandered in from It Ain’t Half Hot Mum!) and both sides are treated with respect (although Richard was a far less likeable figure in real life).
This does not detract from the fact that I was totally enthralled by the story- about as resoundingly successful as a qualified success can be!
NEXT: The Space Museum
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