Doctor Who: Spearhead from Space (Story 51)
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DVD details
Actor: Jon PertweeBrand: Warner Brothers
Producer: Peter Bryant
Writer: Sydney Newman
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo; English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
Format: Color, DVD, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 97 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2001-09-11
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: BBC Video / Warner Bros.
DVD Reviews of Doctor Who: Spearhead from Space (Story 51)
DVD Review: A Doctor Who Story That Nightmares Are Made Of
Summary: 4 Stars
January 1970 found the start of a new era of Doctor Who and the stage was set for a new beginning. Spearhead From Space, the first story of the 1970 season, proved to be just that and more. It was a story of many firsts from the first appearance of the third Doctor (played by Jon Pertwee), to the first episodes made in color to the first appearance of the Autons, Spearhead From Space set the standard for which the Pertwee era would be judged.
The story finds the Doctor exiled to late twentieth century Earth (it's hard to get much more specific but we fans do try) by his own race as punishment for interfering in the affairs of others (the final Patrick Troughton story The War Games) in the midst of a metor shower. With the United Nations Intelligence Taskforce (UNIT) investigating, the newly regenerated Doctor comes back into contact with its leader Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart and the newly recruited scientist Liz Shaw. Together they investigate the meteors, the strange orbs they left behind, and their apparent connection to a factor making plastic mannequins. It all leads to an invasion by the collective mind of the Nestene.
Jon Pertwee slips in the role of the Doctor with so much ease that, like Tom baker in 1974's Robot, it is sometimes hard to believe this is his first story. All the hallmarks of his Doctor are here from the classic combination of shirts and capes to gadgetry and classic cars. Backing him is the ever impressive Nicholas Courtney as the Brigadier for the third time (having played the role in the Troughton story's The Web Of Fear and The Invasion) and Caroline John as Liz Shaw. John plays Liz well and makes a very believable scientist and it's a shame she was only in the four stories of this season. The supporting cast of Hugh Burden and John Woodnut as the men who run the factory plus Hamilton Dyce as General Scobie and Neil Wilson as a trapper make for as fine a cast as the show ever had. Robert Holmes' script plus the direction of Derek Martinus and the music of Dudley Simpson helps to create a taught and suspenseful opening for the Pertwee era. The Autons are one of the series' best creations and when they awake in Episode Four, there is a shiver that goes up the spine. They are one of the worst nightmares come true: shop window mannequins that come not just to life but kill you as well. While their controller, Nestene creature, looks very unconvincing, the Autons and the other elements of this story make it one of the very best stories of the series.
The DVD release is a bit of a disappointment though. This was one of the first stories to be released and consequently the special features are pretty slim and those that are here mostly serves as the prototypes for what is now standard on the releases from the series. The highlight of the special features is an interesting audio commentary by Courtney and John where they reminisce about the making of the story and their thoughts about it today (being when the commentary recorded in 2001). The production notes text commentary is merely a shadow of what is now a staple of the series releases with some pretty large gaps between notes and the same can be said of the Who's Who list. There is also a UNIT recruiting film featuring clips from the various UNIT stories, trailers from airings on BBC 2 in 1999, and a picture gallery but that is all there is. While I keep my fingers crossed for a bigger and better release, I wouldn't hold my breath so go ahead and get this one.
While the special features might be lacking, they can not hurt the main point of the DVD which is the story. With strong performances from the cast backed by Robert Holmes' script, the direction of Derek Martinus and the music of Dudley Simpson, Spearhead From Space is more then just Jon Pertwee's debut story. It is a taught and suspenseful science fiction yarn that nightmares are made of.
Description of Doctor Who: Spearhead from Space (Story 51)
Studio: Warner Home Video Release Date: 09/06/2005 Run time: 97 minutes Rating: NrBestsellers in DVD
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