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FOURTH DOCTOR | THE SUN MAKERS

"...Praise the Company.

Stuff the Company..."

STORY PLOTLINE

The TARDIS arrives in the future on the planet Pluto where there are now six suns,
a breathable atmosphere and a large industrial community. The Company controls the planet and exploits the workers, pays them a pittance and then taxes them on everything imaginable. The Doctor and Leela join forces with an underground band of rebels led by a man named Mandrel.

DVD extras for THE SUN MAKERS:

  • COMMENTARY Louise Jameson (Leela), Tom Baker (The Doctor), Penant Roberts (Director) and Michael Keating (Goudry)
  • RUNNING FROM THE TAX MAN - The making of THE SUN MAKERS
  • OUTTAKES
  • TRAILER - the original BBC1 on-air trailer
  • THE DOCTOR'S COMPOSER (PART 2) - An interview with Dudley Simpson
  • PHOTO GALLERY + INFORMATION TEXT

COMMENT - SPOILERS AHEAD

The expectation of “hilarity ensues throughout” is perennially heightened when you know that the most iconic of actors, Tom Baker, has recorded a commentary. “Tommisms” become rife and with this commentary we are not disappointed but, I have to say, the recollections & comments from the contributors do not do Robert Holmes’ penned script justice.

There is tangible lack of dynamism (even though Jameson affirms that it is her favourite story) and is a little dry, mediocre and dull at times.

However, I would recommend to watch the release with the commentary active along with the on-screen invaluable “information notes”.

On THE SUN MAKERS, Louise Jameson: My absolute favourite. The quality of acting. Roy Macready gave the most brilliant performance as Cordo. Touching, vulnerable and truthful.
Pennant Roberts: Totally honest.

On Richard Leech (Hade), Tom Baker: He was hilarious and deliriously deaf.

ON the Robert Holmes penned script that attacked authority in particular the BBC, Pennant Roberts: His revenge.

On the recent reclassification of Pluto, Louise Jameson: Pluto has been demoted since we recorded this.
Pennant Roberts: No longer a planet.
Tom Baker laughs.
Pennant Roberts: Whether we were a contributing factor on this I don’t know.
Tom Baker: Oh, dear!

On the exterior filming in Bristol, Louise Jameson: One of the coldest filming days of my career.

On the location filming within the abandoned tunnels adjacent to London’s Camden Town Underground Station, Louise Jameson: Extraordinary location. All that World War II graffiti on the walls.

In comparing THE SUN MAKERS to the NEW SERIES, Pennant Roberts: So different from the contemporary for a totally difference audience. I’m sure it went over the heads of eight or nine year olds.

On Leela’s iconic line, Louise Jameson: That’s a line that fans quote back at me.
Tom Baker: “Cut his heart out!”

On the humour within DOCTOR WHO, Tom Baker: Graham Williams (Series Producer) was a bit frightened of jokes.

For episode two, the commentary team is joined by Michael Keating (Goudry), famous for Vila in BLAKE’S 7, Tom Baker: I’ve never heard of it.
Michael Keating: You were never in it.

On seeing a close-up for Louise Jameson on-screen, Tom Baker: Oh, darling, that’s a lovely picture of you.

On going off topic, Tom Baker: There was a terrible outbreak of dandruff if Brighton in the mid 70s.

And again, Tom Baker: I get on terribly well with the dead.

And again but this time with a hint of DOCTOR WHO, Tom Baker: Janice Thorn. She was a “goer”.

On Mary Whitehouse’s influence, Tom Baker: She was doing great PR for us.
Louise Jameson: She had real influence.

FACT: THE SUN MAKERS saw the final appearance of the original Leela costume.

On the seemingly “human” set design, Michael Keating: Breasts on the wall.
Tom Baker: Breasts on Louise!

On Henry Woolf (The Collector), Tom Baker: On all fours he was tiny.

On going off topic again, Tom Baker: I’m a disconnected old man.

On incidental music, Pennant Roberts: They put too much music in it (NEW SERIES) and take the drama away.
Tom Baker: The music acts as a bully. The music should nudge you or lead you all the time.

On the Doctor being given a hand-held communicator, Tom Baker: The guy gave a Toffee Apple.

On seeing the Collector disappearing into his life-support chair, Tom Baker: “Quick, Leela, pull the chain”.

Certainly, the DVD EXTRAS are not a painful to watch as completing a HMRC Tax Return but lack a authority or substance that should have been credited to one of Robert Holmes’ most fascinating (and most underrated) of stories.

After skimming through the EXTRAS you feel that BBC DVD producers just could not be bothered in exploring the production at any depth.

The greatest oddity is OUTTAKES. Five clips showing a special effects prone Cordor attempting to ignite a weapon’s “spark” was tiresome and irrelevant.

The conclusion of THE DOCTOR’S COMPOSER could have been included in any CLASSIC SERIES release and should be regarded as the flimsy paper-tissue hat that flies from a Christmas cracker – the novelty of it will wear off quickly but you have to have it. The genius of Dudley Simpson is often overlooked (as with other “non-acting” roles behind the camera – Barry Newbery needs a greater recognition on DVD releases) so it is welcome that his contribution is so kindly recognised by BBC DVD whilst the opportunity is available.

RUNNING FROM THE TAX MAN is like a badly cooked ratatouille; all the ingredients are there but not necessarily in the correct proportion making the result taste wrong. A “dog’s dinner” as the British may say. The contribution from Sandbrook and Kulula is surreally misguided, whilst Jameson, Keating and Roberts (sadly, died in 2011) provide suitably relevant and pertinent observations.

Sadly, the COMING SOON TRAILER may be most polished, pulse racing, and thrilling EXTRA on this release. The special edition, two-disc set of DOCTOR WHO – DAY OF THE DALEKS will be this year’s ENLIGTENMENT.

Overall, the BBC DVD release of DOCTOR WHO – THE SUN MAKERS is disappointingly run-of-the-mill as if the producers at 2|entertain had given up before that had started (or perhaps their focus was elsewhere on the forthcoming DAY OF THE DALEKS or the equally anticipated releases of THE REIGN OF TERROR, THE DAEMONS and TERROR OF THE ZYGONS?).

It’s August 2011 and school’s out with an “end of term report” stating; quality has remained constant but content is diminished. Could do better in September.

 

EOH CONTRIBUTOR
MATTHEW WALTER
EOH RATING

eyeofhorus.org.uk DVD rating: 5/10

INFORMATION

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DVD RELEASE - 1 August 2011

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