Planet Of Wretched Evil on DVD

[Si Hunt]

It's literally still sealed!

Si.

[Dirk Gently]

I haven't started on this yet, I'm still bogged down in the Armageddon Factor.

[Dave Tudor]

I have now watched this DVD, including all the extras, and I have to say, 'Planet Of Evil' has gone up in my estimation - if only a little.

It's not really a bad story, but it could have been so much better, if some of the production team had been on top of their game, which, unfortunately, isn't always the case. David Maloney, normally so good, turns in some rather workmanlike direction. He sets up the rather atmopsheric first episode nicely, and there are a few particularly eerie set-pieces, not only in the jungle scenes, but also, occasionally in the dark corridors of the spaceship, and during some of Sorenson's transformation scenes in his cabin. However, Maloney does little to crank up the tension later on, for instance when the ship is 'hurtling' back towards Zeta Minor, and, more crucially, during the cliffhangers, all of which should be edge-of-the-seat stuff, but are not thrilling in the slightest. Dudley Simpson surprisingly doesn't help matters either - his low-key score is perfect for the opening episodes, but it fails to ignite during the climax when it should be really emphasising the drama of the situation.

In addition, some of the design work is a little below par, particularly in the realisation of the monsters. Doctor Who monsters are notoriously slow and lumbering but the odd-looking Anti-Matter creature and the rather comical Sorenson monsters are especially ponderous and their almost-static appearances almost totally dissipate any scares which may have been achieved. And why the BBC in the seventies ever thought comedy fright wigs and fake plastic fangs could ever look scary, I'll never know! However, Roger Murray-Leach saves the day, with some wonderful set designs, not just in the deservedly lauded jungle, but also the sparse Morestran spaceship, so typical of that period of 'Doctor Who (see also the Nerva stories the previous year) and, of which, I've always been fond.

The cast are generally very good, especially Tom and Lis in their first outing as a duo. They don't quite demonstrate the same wonderful chemistry witnessed in the following 'Pyramids Of Mars (surprising, since 'Planet' was recorded after that story), but they are always a joy to watch. It's also interesting to note a much more sombre Tom Baker here, and, indeed, one of the more remarkable things in 'Planet Of Evil' is that there is virtually no humour in the script at all. Of the guest cast, Ewen Solon and Frederick Jaeger are excellent, and, I know it sounds rather perverse, but I can't get enough of hammy old Prentis Hancock chewing the scenery like only he can! Elsewhere, Graham Weston stands out in the small role of De Haan, but Michael Wisher is criminally wasted in his last 'Doctor Who' role. In fact, one can't help but wonder what a fantastic Salamar he might have made.

The special features are good, if unremarkable, 'A Darker Side', the disc's main documentary suffering from being a little choppy and slightly unfocused. It's telling that nearly half of the documentary is given over to Roger Murray-Leach's designs at the expense of the story's shortcomings, although Philip Hinchcliffe (always one of these releases more dependable and entertaining contributors) does at least acknowledge that 'Planet' is not one of his better stories. I'm not quite sure why an additional feature looking at the acting was needed, especially since two of the story's main cast are no longer with us, but it's an interesting look at the business, Prentis Hancock (who now looks like he should be in Supertramp!) coming across as a particularly affable contributor. Along with Philip, Lis and an unsurprisingly bizarre Tom, Prentis helps to make the commentary one of the warmest and most entertaining I've heard in a while.

'Planet Of Evil' may not be a very special release, but it's not a particularly poor one, either, and if any DVD helps one to re-evaluate an often-overlooked story slightly more favourably, then it must be doing something right.

Oh, and I forgot to mention that the 'Destiny' trailer is fantastic - bring it on!

[Perry Vale]

Just finished watching this story last night, and it's too gone up slightly in my estimations, scoring 7/10 (68%).

Tom's on good form, however Lis isn't in this one, IMO. Quite liked Dudley's score, and the guy playing Vishinsky, but the rest of the cast are disappointing, especially a particularly dreadful performance from Prentis Hancock. It is badly directed later on, not only with the unexciting scenes of the ship "plummeting" towards the planet, but the wobbly sets & what seemed like continuity errors (hasn't the Tardis moved location in the very last shot when it dematerialises?). And wasn't the scale out of the ship when it's seen approaching the planet?!

Tom made me laugh during one of the extras when he describes what he & Freddie Jaegar (?) used to talk about in the pub.

[Simon R]

We finally finished this plus extras last night.

We tried, we really did and to be fair the first episode is good and spooky and promising but it just goes tits after that. The plot is basic and strung out with dull dialogue, dreary performances and a lack of humour. Tom gives it his best but it's just so boring! It's one of those stories that everytime I watch it I decide this'll be the time when I finally "get" it but everytime I drift off to daydream land while it's on.

No thank you. (Not today)

BTW, what does Sarah say when they see the Oculoid Tracker? Sounds like "Elfin" or "Elpine" "spirit of the forest"?

[Jonno]

According to the Target novelisation she asks the Doctor if it was an "elfin spirit of the forest" which is a Shakespeare quote and follows on from the Doctor quoting Shakespeare a couple of pages earlier (connected with sunrise).

[Jonno]

I have now completed this and rather enjoyed it (I've always liked the story anyway) - just the one niggle, and that's the super-fast info text, which was a shame as what I could read of it it was one of the more interesting ones - lots of info on the differences between the camera script and lines that were transmitted. I recognised quite a lot of the untransmitted lines from the novelisation, such as the Doctor referring to his Time Lord promise.

I particularly liked the main docu on the making of the story - it seemed more focused and interesting than several others I've seen recently, and it's always nice to see contemporary Tom on his stories. It was nice to see Hinchcliffe looking at the contemporary documents in the BBC Written Archive, and to see him and Roger Murray-Leach wandering around in and outside the Ealing Studios.

Next up is Destiny, which means I'll only be 6 months behind!

[Dirk Gently]

You're now officially ahead of me.

[Jonno]

Funnily enough, I noticed your comment in November about being bogged down in KTT, but assumed you'd have caught up by now and was wondering what you'd made of this DVD!

[Dirk Gently]

Er, yes, haven't quite finished it yet.