Marco Polo and Stone Tape

[dalekboy]

Been working my way through the first Hartnell season of Doctor Who, in preparation for Swancon. I'm writing mini-reviews of each episode as I go, which will make their way up here at some point, but just had to pause and say that the first episode of Marco Polo blew my socks off all over again.

Steady pace, great characterisation on all the cast, not just regulars or the guests. But both Mark Eden (Polo) and Hartnell deserve special mentions for great performances. Says a lot that I enjoy the story so much with just audio, script, and telesnaps.

Also watched Nigel Kneale's The Stone Tape today, which was also pretty darned cool. The characters were three-dimensional and well realised, and the story was slow but steady. And at times really creepy. Easy to see how it helped inspire Spielberg and Hooper on Poltergeist, and Carpenter on Prince of Darkness (though Kneale thought that film rubbish).

Comments

[angriest.livejournal.com]

It is genuinely sad we're missing so much early Doctor Who. I was watching what exists of "The Crusades" and "The Daleks' Masterplan" the other night, and it's simply masterful television.

I think I agree with you that Steven Taylor is possibly most overlooked companion of all time. He's intelligent, smart, and Peter Purves does an amazing acting job with the character.

[dalekboy.livejournal.com]

Look on the bright side, we at least have audio of every missing episode. There are plenty of series that don't even have that, or telesnaps!

Interesting going through it this time with the telesnaps. Found it's easier to read the script to the audio, then look at the snaps afterwards. Some nice sets, a cute model, and even a clues to how they filmed a certain sequence, one that I'd wondered how they'd gotten around certain production limitations.

Steven's one of the most interesting male companions the show has ever had, because he's layered. He gets tired of watching good people suffer and decides to leave, then finds himself stuck aboard the Tardis for a few more episodes, which is interesting in itself. In the context of the series and his personal character arc, the way he's written out makes good sense, too.

[angriest.livejournal.com]

Peter Purves also does something in his performance that I don't really feel William Russell or Jacqueline Hill ever did, which is that he makes you feel like he and the Doctor are genuinely in danger. In some parts of The Daleks' Masterplan, you really do feel as if they could die at any moment - and of course Katarina, Bret Vyon and Sara Kingdom all do.

[dalekboy.livejournal.com]

Yep, he's very full-on in his reactions to things, not at all muted. When he thinks that a watch found by a peasant belongs to Vicki, he jumps up and goes after them without a moment's pause. He grows and changes, and feels things keenly.

That said, Ian and Barbara get some great material to work with in the first three stories. Barbara gets stuck into the Doctor and Ian at different points due to the strain. Ian lets the Doctor have it on more than one occasion, because he's worried about the danger to themselves and to the Thals.

There's obvious point in Brink of Disaster where Ian obviously decides that the Doctor is harmless and slightly amusing. His attitude changes from that point. I think Barbara's change is slower to come.

[kaths.livejournal.com]

Ah yes, I listened to Marco Polo a little while ago, and really enjoyed it. There's real quality in some of those very early episodes.

[dalekboy.livejournal.com]

You're clever, sexy, and you listen to missing Doctor Who stories on audio...

How on Earth can you still be single?

[jocko55.livejournal.com]

The Stone tape has a sustained creepiness, that builds up all along. I saw it once years ago and still remember it. Jane Asher is great as the main character. That and the 1957 film The Innocents starring Deborah Kerr are two of the creepiest things I have seen on TV.