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Title:
Doctor Who: The Green Death: The Jon Pertwee Years 1970 – 1974
Region:
One
Genre:
British Sci-Fi Television Series
Stars:
Jon Pertwee, Katy Manning, Nicholas Courtney, Richard Franklin, John Levene,
Jerome Willis, Stewart Bevan, and Tony Adams
Writer:
Robert Sloman
Director:
Michael Briant
Producer:
Barry Letts
Feature
length: 154 minutes
Extras:
Audio Commentary With Actress Katy Manning, Producer Barry Letts, and Script
Editor Terrance Dicks, Text Commentary, “Global Conspiracy!” Mockumentary,
Interviews With Actor Stewart Bevan, Visual Effects Designer Colin Mapson, and
Writer Robert Sloman, Photo Gallery, Cast Bios and Credits
Languages:
English Two-Channel Monaural Sound
Subtitles:
English Captions
Packaging:
Keep Case
Chapter
Stops: 6 Per Episode/36 Total
Sound:
Two-Channel Monaural Sound
Year
of Television Broadcast: 1973/DVD Release: 2005
Home
Video Distributor: BBC Video
MPAA
Rating: Not Rated
Reviewer:
Mark A. Rivera
Jon
Pertwee along with Tom Baker are arguably two of the most popular Actors to
portray the Doctor in the long running British sci-fi television series
“Doctor Who.” BBC Video, which is distributed in America and Canada by
Warner Home Video, has released two more volumes featuring the Doctor’s
fabulous adventures through time and space onto DVD. In the sixth part story
“The Green Death,” the Doctor takes a quick trip in the TARDIS to Metebilis
3, leaving Jo (Katy Manning) and the Brigadier (Nicholas Courtney) to
investigate the death of a coal miner in South Wales where the mysterious Global
Chemicals has been operating under much controversy. When the Doctor returns to
Earth, he joins the investigation of the company owned mineshaft where two more
miners have fallen victim to the same bizarre plague that turns their skin a
bright, almost fluorescent green upon death. Unable to get any form of
satisfactory cooperation from the management at Global Chemicals, the Doctor
enters the mine and discovers a pool of waste that is developing giant mutant
maggots that after maturing will fly over the countryside spreading a plague
unlike the world has ever seen.
“The
Green Death” is a great episode because it features a more earthly threat
instead of some monster from another world. Besides the strong environmental
theme that runs throughout the episode, the story is quite timely in regards to
how corporations can use government officials to bend the rules in their favor
and also offers a warning regarding globalization and humanity’s over
dependence on technology to solve the world’s problems. Though the term is not
used in the story, there’s even an A.I. in the episode as well as a healthy
dose of humor to lighten up the story just enough so we can accept the less than
stellar special effects, but still take the production seriously.
Digitally
remastered for DVD, this six-part “Doctor Who” adventure looks quite
remarkable considering it is over thirty years old. There are hardly any glaring
analogue video artifacts and certainly none that are distracting. Even most of
the filmed segments look remarkably clean. In fact this “Doctor Who” DVD
looks better than some American programs currently available on DVD that were
taped in broadcast around the same time. “Doctor Who: The Green Death: The Jon
Pertwee Year 1970 – 1974” is presented in a (1.33:1) 4 by 3 broadcast aspect
ratio that preserves as close as possible the manner in which the program was
televised by the BBC for Region One NTSC users. The English Two-Channel Monaural
Soundtrack is also quite impressive with a nice full resonance and no analogue
background noise or hissing. English Captions for the hearing impaired are also
encoded onto the dual layered disc as an option.
Actress
Katy Manning, Producer Barry Letts, and Script Editor Terrance Dicks provide an
audio commentary for all six episodes, which can be viewed individually or in
succession. Manning radiates a very fond tone for this episode, which sees her
character make a pivotal life changing decision by the end of the final
installment. There is also an optional text commentary filled with anecdotes
regarding the production with frequent references to various issues of the
British “Doctor Who” magazine. Much in the same way the Paramount Home
Entertainment “Star Trek” discs contain information in the form of a text
commentary that reveals all sorts of tidbits regarding the Actors and
behind-the-scenes action, BBC Video’s “Doctor Who” discs give all sorts of
information that even the most discriminating fan should enjoy. For instance it
mentions the use of the Doctor’s Sonic Screwdriver and goes so far as tell the
reader when he loses it, which happens to be an episode entitled “The
Visitation” and that episode has been released day and date with “The Green
Death” on DVD, but is sold separately. The effects of the episodes are elaborated on in great detail
too. In a few instances some materials from Gerry Anderson’s production
company was used.
If
you listen to the audio commentary and read the text commentary than you will
not find too much new in these interviews, but it is still nice to view them.
Within the extra value materials are interviews with Writer Robert Sloman
(6:50), Visual Effects Designer Colin Mapson (11:40), and Actor Stewart Bevan,
who is almost unrecognizable in his discussion where he reveals that he was
already romantically involved with Katy Manning before even being cast (7:41).
In addition there is humorous mockumentary entitled “Global Conspiracy!”
(10:52), which looks back upon the events of “The Green Death” as if they
really happened and features some of the Actors from the episode reprising their
roles too. A motion picture gallery of color and black and white stills (8:11)
as well as cast biographical notes and credits under the banner “Who’s
Who” concludes the bonus materials included on this DVD.
The
interactive menus are well rendered and easy to navigate. “Doctor Who: The
Green Death: The Jon Pertwee Years 1970 – 1974” is available on DVD-Video
now at retailers on and offline courtesy of BBC Video.
©
Copyright 2005 By Mark A. Rivera
All Rights Reserved.
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