There is a fair dose of The Phantom of The Opera in this one..
Classic Who day by day
- Thread starter OmahaStar
- Start date
Yeah Robert Holmes added bit of Phantom Of The Opera to The Deadly Assassin and Caves Of Androzani as well.
The thing I love about Talons is that the Holmsian elements of the Doctor's appearance etc are barely noted, you just know if this had been nuWho that he'd have bumped into Conan Doyle who'd have very obviously gone "Hmm, eccentric detective in a deer stalker...I might use that."
It took awhile, but I have figured out what was bothering me about this episode. I was trying to figure out where I knew the lead "Asian" guy from ... Well, obviously he's not Asian, just under heavy makeup. He's Death ... the father of Mulberry on the show called Mulberry. Once I made that connection, everything made sense again. Ok, going back to work now.
The Talons of Weng-Chiang 2
They escape back to the surface.
Jago, one of the investigators, talks with Chang, the bad guy. Chang hypnotizes him so he won't remember.
The Doctor goes to visit Jago. The Doctor un-hypnotizes him and they chat.
Leela stays behind with a coroner, a nice chap named Litefoot While the Doctor is gone, Litefoot and Leela share a meal, and it's hilarious stuff.
Later, Litefoot goes outside then returns. Just outside the door, there is noise like a struggle. Leela opens the door to investigate, and the doll we saw in the first episode is standing there, poised to kill her.
* * *
It's still interesting, and I'm still enjoying it. The meal was hilarious, bringing out the whole "Doolittle" aspect of Leela's character.
It's still creepy in a Hammer Horror sort of way, and it holds up extremely well.
They escape back to the surface.
Jago, one of the investigators, talks with Chang, the bad guy. Chang hypnotizes him so he won't remember.
The Doctor goes to visit Jago. The Doctor un-hypnotizes him and they chat.
Leela stays behind with a coroner, a nice chap named Litefoot While the Doctor is gone, Litefoot and Leela share a meal, and it's hilarious stuff.
Later, Litefoot goes outside then returns. Just outside the door, there is noise like a struggle. Leela opens the door to investigate, and the doll we saw in the first episode is standing there, poised to kill her.
* * *
It's still interesting, and I'm still enjoying it. The meal was hilarious, bringing out the whole "Doolittle" aspect of Leela's character.
It's still creepy in a Hammer Horror sort of way, and it holds up extremely well.
Its one of the best. If it wasn't for the crappy looking sewer rat, it would be near perfect.
The Talons of Weng-Chiang 3
Leela throws a knife at the doll, but it keeps coming. She escapes by jumping out a window exactly as the Doctor returns. They're together but a moment before parting ways again, each investigating leads.
Weng-Chiang eats people. Mainly women. His servant, the bad guy Chang, finds women, hypnotizes them, and brings them to his master. They are consumed, never to be seen again.
One of these victims manages to escape to the sewer, where a giant rat follows her and tries to eat her too, as the Doctor watches from a distance.
* * *
This was a kids show at the time, right? What's with all these males trying to eat women? Freaky.
It's mostly a good episode, but man that giant sewer rat is just terrible. Even with their microscopic budget, they should have been able to do something better.
I wonder what this cabinet is all about? They sure spent a lot of time talking about it and showing close-ups of it.
Leela throws a knife at the doll, but it keeps coming. She escapes by jumping out a window exactly as the Doctor returns. They're together but a moment before parting ways again, each investigating leads.
Weng-Chiang eats people. Mainly women. His servant, the bad guy Chang, finds women, hypnotizes them, and brings them to his master. They are consumed, never to be seen again.
One of these victims manages to escape to the sewer, where a giant rat follows her and tries to eat her too, as the Doctor watches from a distance.
* * *
This was a kids show at the time, right? What's with all these males trying to eat women? Freaky.
It's mostly a good episode, but man that giant sewer rat is just terrible. Even with their microscopic budget, they should have been able to do something better.
I wonder what this cabinet is all about? They sure spent a lot of time talking about it and showing close-ups of it.
The Talons of Weng-Chiang 4
The Doctor goes to the theatre. First, a singer does a rousing version of Daisy, then he watches Chang's act. (this takes up nearly 20 minutes of the 23 minute episode)
A box is opened on stage. A dead body falls out. The Doctor questions Chang about Weng-Chiang.
Then Weng-Chiang kills Chang and rides off with the doll, who now has a name - Sim.
* * *
Ok, it's filler, it's totally and completely filler, but it's so watchable, ya know? Even when The Doctor is just sitting back, taking it all in, the whole thing has a sinister tone, and it's like something big is going to happen any minute.
The Doctor goes to the theatre. First, a singer does a rousing version of Daisy, then he watches Chang's act. (this takes up nearly 20 minutes of the 23 minute episode)
A box is opened on stage. A dead body falls out. The Doctor questions Chang about Weng-Chiang.
Then Weng-Chiang kills Chang and rides off with the doll, who now has a name - Sim.
* * *
Ok, it's filler, it's totally and completely filler, but it's so watchable, ya know? Even when The Doctor is just sitting back, taking it all in, the whole thing has a sinister tone, and it's like something big is going to happen any minute.
Deep Roy has been around forever, seen him as well in the New Avengers, Blakes 7 (who dares challenge the Klute to Speed Chess?) and he was all the Oompa Lumpas in Burton's version of charlie and the chocolate factory.
Of course Michael Sheard was in Who, Wars and Indiana Jones
Of course Michael Sheard was in Who, Wars and Indiana Jones
^There's also Christopher Neame, who was in a few Treks, the unfinished Shada and a Star Wars video gameHe was also in Ghostbusters and James bond.
And Babylon 5. Shada counts, since it was filmed (some footage was used in Five Doctors) and is on tape.
Unless there's someone else I'm forgetting, Chris is the only actor to appear in Babylon 5, Doctor Who, Star Trek, and Star Wars.
Do we really count a videogame? Because that's a whole 'nother can of worms.
^There's also Christopher Neame, who was in a few Treks, the unfinished Shada and a Star Wars video game
And Blakes 7
Was he in Ghostbusters or GB2? Because I'm having a hard time remembering him?
GB2, he's a waiter or something.
The Talons of Weng-Chiang 5 and 6
The Doctor and Leela return to Litefoot's. The time cabinet the bad guy was looking for is gone.
Jago and Litefoot finally meet, and it's hilarious. But they get captured and taken to Weng Chiang's.
They are placed in a room to wait for their probable execution, but find a dumbwaiter which they use to escape ... right into the hands of a group of guards.
Back at Litefoot's, Leela is practicing with weapons when she gets captured by Weng Chiang. To keep Leela alive, the Doctor agrees to go with the bad guy and is reunited with Jago and Litefoot.
The bad guy and his puppet are both killed.
The Doctor and Leela return to the Tardis, while Jago and Litefoot have a chat.
* * *
Ok, while it's honestly not the best story to come out of Doctor Who, it's entertaining, and has an air of mystery and excitement the whole time. I liked it. It's no Tomb of the Cybermen, but it's not the Fear Her either.
The Talons of Weng-Chiang 5 and 6
The Doctor and Leela return to Litefoot's. The time cabinet the bad guy was looking for is gone.
Jago and Litefoot finally meet, and it's hilarious. But they get captured and taken to Weng Chiang's.
They are placed in a room to wait for their probable execution, but find a dumbwaiter which they use to escape ... right into the hands of a group of guards.
Back at Litefoot's, Leela is practicing with weapons when she gets captured by Weng Chiang. To keep Leela alive, the Doctor agrees to go with the bad guy and is reunited with Jago and Litefoot.
The bad guy and his puppet are both killed.
The Doctor and Leela return to the Tardis, while Jago and Litefoot have a chat.
* * *
Ok, while it's honestly not the best story to come out of Doctor Who, it's entertaining, and has an air of mystery and excitement the whole time. I liked it. It's no Tomb of the Cybermen, but it's not the Fear Her either.
The Horror of Fang Rock, episodes 1 and 2
Written by Terrance Dicks
Directed by Paddy Russell
The Doctor and Leela land on Earth, on an island, near a lighthouse, where all the people have funny accents. Seriously, they all sound like Mr. Moleturd from Are You Being Served? Again!
The lighthouse's generator is on the blink, and the Doctor offers to help fix it. As usual, as soon as he is there, bodies start to pile up.
The light is out again, and a ship is headed straight for them. It hits.
Leela stands around looking bored as some of the men go out to the shipwreck. They bring back a small group of complainypants survivors.
The Doctor figures out there is an alien somewhere on the island, something attracted by the lighthouse's electricity.
The Doctor tries to tell people about the alien. None believe him.
* * *
There is no horror. At least, not yet. The visuals, though ... The beginning of the first episode just gives me a headache. The lighthouse is all wibbily wobbily, going every which way. I'm guessing the source material was crappy, and they elected not to even try to fix it when they copied it onto dvd. It doesn't last long, but holy crap it's like a kite in the wind.
Poor Leela looks bored out of her skull. She's not given anything to do, except hang around in the background as a glorified extra in the series she co-stars in.
Written by Terrance Dicks
Directed by Paddy Russell
The Doctor and Leela land on Earth, on an island, near a lighthouse, where all the people have funny accents. Seriously, they all sound like Mr. Moleturd from Are You Being Served? Again!
The lighthouse's generator is on the blink, and the Doctor offers to help fix it. As usual, as soon as he is there, bodies start to pile up.
The light is out again, and a ship is headed straight for them. It hits.
Leela stands around looking bored as some of the men go out to the shipwreck. They bring back a small group of complainypants survivors.
The Doctor figures out there is an alien somewhere on the island, something attracted by the lighthouse's electricity.
The Doctor tries to tell people about the alien. None believe him.
* * *
There is no horror. At least, not yet. The visuals, though ... The beginning of the first episode just gives me a headache. The lighthouse is all wibbily wobbily, going every which way. I'm guessing the source material was crappy, and they elected not to even try to fix it when they copied it onto dvd. It doesn't last long, but holy crap it's like a kite in the wind.
Poor Leela looks bored out of her skull. She's not given anything to do, except hang around in the background as a glorified extra in the series she co-stars in.
Another excellent story, imo
The Horror of Fang Rock 3
Wandering around over and over ... The Doctor and Leela stand outside a door and a "ghost" appears behind them. Neither notice, and they go on exploring.
They find a body, already stiff. But they've just seen the man, which means they are dealing with some kind of shape-shifter.
* * *
This is not a bad episode (or story), it's just one of those times where very little (read: nothing) happens.
Just one thing ... Since when does the savage Leela know how to use a telephone?
Wandering around over and over ... The Doctor and Leela stand outside a door and a "ghost" appears behind them. Neither notice, and they go on exploring.
They find a body, already stiff. But they've just seen the man, which means they are dealing with some kind of shape-shifter.
* * *
This is not a bad episode (or story), it's just one of those times where very little (read: nothing) happens.
Just one thing ... Since when does the savage Leela know how to use a telephone?
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