The Mind Robber
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DVD NTSC
Region 1
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DVD PAL
Region 2
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VHS Video
NTSC
A
NTSC
B
NTSC
PAL
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(Doctor Who Story No. 45, starring Patrick Troughton)
- written by Peter Ling (episodes 2-5) and
Derrick Sherwin (episode 1)
- directed by David Maloney
- produced by Peter Bryant
- featuring library music tracks
- 5 episodes @ 18-22 minutes each
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Story: Desperate to escape
an erupting volcano, the Doctor
takes the TARDIS out of space/time reality.
He and Jamie and Zoe find themselves
in a bizarre struggle to maintain
their identity and their control over
their own minds, as they are confronted
by all-too-familiar people, creatures,
and settings that shouldn't really exist....
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DVD Extras include:
- Audio commentary by actors Frazer Hines (Jamie),
Wendy Padbury (Zoe),
Hamish Wilson (Jamie 2),
and director David Maloney.
- "The Fact of Fiction" making-of featurette (35 min.)
adding writers Peter Ling and Derrick Sherwin,
designer Evan Hercules,
and actor Christopher Robbie (The Karkus).
- Frazer Hines' Doctor Who career retrospective interview (22 min.)
- Photo Gallery music and sound effects montage (7 min.)
- Pop-up Production Note Subtitles
- "Who's Who" text biographies (may feature on Region 1 discs only)
- Basil Brush Yeti segment (10 min.)
Buyers' Guide Review
by Martin Izsak
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(A more in-depth analysis, containing "SPOILERS" and intended
for those who have already seen the program, can be accessed
here.)
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This is one of the very best of the stories of Doctor Who's
6th season, and of its particular
"candy-horror" genre.
The TARDIS
is introduced quite well here, particularly the relationship
between the interior and the exterior, and the vehicle sees
plenty of unique action early in the story.
Episode one focuses on the three regulars, and is a fair
demonstration of their relationships with each other and their
life aboard the TARDIS interior, something that Doctor Who rarely
gives us enough of. In scripting and in execution, this episode
is by far better done than
"The Edge of Destruction" (story no. 3),
which basically attempted to do the same.
"The Mind Robber" continues to be excellent all the way through,
leaving reality behind and taking up residence in a mental
dimension that is perfect for hosting a "candy-horror" story.
The believability factor is thus pretty much on-par with
"The Celestial Toymaker" (story no. 24),
but dramatically speaking "The Mind Robber"
is miles ahead. Many of the story's best scenes are of our three
travelers discovering exactly how and why the bizarre is made
manifest.
Bernard Horsfall's character is very enjoyable and watchable
all the way through, particularly the very humorous exchange
he has with Jamie as they try to agree on who they are hiding
from. One of season six's best moments, for my money.
Emrys Jones succeeds in bringing out several interesting
personas from the almost schizophrenic character opposing the
Doctor in this adventure. Rapunzel, the Karkus, and the rest of
the odd assortment of characters also get well-done, their
crisp fresh dialogue keeping the story both light and interesting
all the way through.
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This is director David Maloney's first work on Doctor Who,
and although he doesn't attract as much attention as a spectacular
director as Douglas Camfield, he knows how to turn in solid work,
and seems to be able to turn any story with a good script into
something extremely appreciable. The number of all-time classic
Doctor Who stories that he has helmed is extremely impressive.
"The Mind Robber" is no exception, being perhaps the very best
example of this style of story in Doctor Who.
The episodes are noticeably shorter than usual, but the lack of
padding helps keep the pace up.
The simple odyssey plot moves quickly and steadily
ahead to the revelations, satisfying confrontations, and exciting
final conclusion. A lot of twists are thrown into the
final battle between the Doctor and his adversary,
achieving a great deal of humour without losing dramatic realism
or impact.
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Episode Lengths:
- Episode 1: (21:19)
- Episode 2: (21:36)
- Episode 3: (19:26)
- Episode 4: (19:07)
- Episode 5: (18:00)
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"The Mind Robber" is extremely good, the most unusual
gem of season six.
This story has become available on DVD and VHS video:
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DVD NTSC Region 1
for the North American market:
in the U.S.
in Canada
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DVD PAL Region 2
for the U.K.
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VHS Video
NTSC
A
in the U.S.
NTSC
B
in the U.S.
NTSC
in Canada
PAL
for the U.K.
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Comments on this article are welcome. You may contact
the author from this page:
Contact page
LYRATEK.COM
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Read the Buyers' Guide Review for the next story:
"The Invasion"
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