Doctor Who - Revelation of the Daleks (Episode 143)
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Movie Reviews of Doctor Who - Revelation of the Daleks (Episode 143)
Movie Review: One of the worst I've seen
Summary: 1 Stars
I try to be as fair as I can to the Sixth Doctor era, and I admit that I am biased against it. I find Peri to be obnoxious and whiney, and I think Six is an emotionally abusive, badly dressed jerk. However, they're not all totally bad episodes. In fact, I rather liked Mark of the Rani, though mostly because of the competing villains.
But all things considered, this has got to be one of the worst Doctor Who episodes I've ever seen, and let me go over a few reasons why:
- This is a two parter (each part is 45 min, as opposed to the usual 24 min per part), and the entire main story takes place at a massive funeral home/cryogenic preservation center called Tranquil Repose. And yet, the Doctor never even enters this place until the SECOND PART! For the entire first half of the story, Six and Peri are literally just walking around trying to find the place, and then trying to find a way in. The contrived cliffhanger, which makes no sense at all, involves a rather non-threatening chunk of styrofoam.
- A large portion of Revelation revolves around two wholly unimportant characters, namely the funeral director and his assistant who is infatuated with him. With Davros interceding and toying with these characters to his own evil ends, this could have been a great opportunity for some intrigue, but instead these characters ultimately have absolutely no bearing on the main plot whatsoever, and I'm left wondering why Davros even bothered. Is this what the great, maniacal Davros has been reduced to? Eric Saward defends his script, telling us that this portion was largely based on one of his favorite books, but so what? Does it have any place in an episode of Doctor Who? Does it add anything to the story? A resounding "NO" I'm afraid.
- The plot involving Stengos is so undercooked, they might as well have just left it out. But as Davros explains, it was all part of his plan to lure the Doctor. Sure it was...
- Genesis of the Daleks, one of my favorite episodes from the Tom Baker era, made great use of lighting and camera position to lend a menacing air to the Daleks and to Davros, and each had a wonderfully sinister introduction. In this episode, the Daleks and Davros just kind of show up suddenly. No introduction, no creepy atmosphere. Again, a classic Who villain like Davros deserves much better than this, and I'm baffled that this episode was directed (clumsily) by Graeme Harper, who would later go on to direct some of the best episodes of the revived series.
- I've mentioned my feelings toward Peri as a character, but as a heterosexual male I must admit that actress Nicola Bryant is rather nice to look at. In fact, given the hateful, belligerent attitude of Six, I often wonder if Peri's penchant for chest-baring outfits is solely responsible for keeping the series alive during what I consider the weakest period in Doctor Who. Even so, I am denied even this carnal pleasure in Revelation of the Daleks, as Peri is wrapped up in a heavy coat for nearly the entire episode. Fans of Peri's bodacious bod, beware. You're better off watching Vengeance on Varos.
- The cryogenically frozen bodies at Tranquil Repose are kept informed about outside events (subconciously I suppose) by a sort of retro-American DJ, played by Brit comedian Alexei Sayle. Now I'm sure this guy has been funny at some point in the past, but there's no evidence of any talent here. His scenes, which frequently interrupt the narrative, go on far too long, and it's often difficult to even understand what he's saying in his overbearing imitation of American radio personalities. On top of that, I wasn't even sure what purpose (if any) his character served until well into the second half of the episode. Truly needless.
I will admit that the second part, involving bounty hunter assassins and the conflict between Davros' forces and the Imperial Daleks, was much more interesting than the first part, but it's too little too late. I know, better than most people, that allowances must be made for a low budget show like Doctor Who, but even with that in mind, I'm afraid the negatives far outweigh the positives. Thumbs way down for me.
Movie Review: One of the best by the 'forgotten' doctor
Summary: 4 Stars
Doctor Who, Daleks - Davros what could be better? A story with great sub plots and Alexi Sayle (not to mention Wiliam Gaunt and Eleanor Bron)make this one of the better Colin Baker stories and keeps on going right up to the end.
Colin Baker oftern had weak stories to play such as Trial of a Time Lord which took Dr Who to previously unknown depths; but always played the part with his own inimitable style. In Revelation of the Daleks he is at his best. For those new fans of the doctor you missed the best - for those of us who saw the first episodes in 1963 Colin Baker was one of the greats - buy this and see what you missed
Movie Review: Ended well
Summary: 5 Stars
This was a slow starter but ended up pretty good.
Dr. Who is still going strong.
Movie Review: Dr. Whom, Mark III
Summary: 2 Stars
This was the third early Dr. Who that I bought to see how the early ones compare to the current one. I did not like Hartnell; I found Tom Baker much better in the role; Colin Baker falls between the two. I found him rather cold and distracted. The sets are better than either of the other two. The acting...feh. Not campy enough. Movie Review: "I never thought precognizance of my own death would be so disturbing."
Summary: 5 Stars
Well, if the Daleks have a Genesis and experience a Resurrection, I suppose it only follows that a Revelation is in store, and besides, the sixth Doctor well deserves his chance to reestablish his credentials as their enemy. To do so though invites the very real risk of simply churning out a cookie-cutter Dalek plot in a perfunctory manner, and that is exactly what does NOT happen here. "Revelation of the Daleks" is an incredibly inventive and creative storyline, almost to the point of being weird--just when you think a twenty-some-year-old TV show is out of surprises, it goes and throws you for a loop with something like this. Of course, sad to say, it was precisely around this time that the show's future was cast in serious doubt, making the cliffhanger where the Doctor is disturbed at coming across what seems like his own gravestone one of those surreal moments where fiction seems to be mirroring reality.
The Doctor's not the only one to get the willies, though. There's a lot that's disturbing in this one, along with some pretty gross imagery both on-screen and off. Much of this has to do with the setting: the planet Necros, funeral home and cemetery to the galaxy. The nitty-gritty details of death, what it does to one's corporeal remains, and the nasty job of obscuring these details from the bereaved during funeral ceremonies (stuff we usually like to not think about) are always hovering around in the background and in the conversations of the supporting characters. But then we go one step worse with Davros using a portion of these corpses to genetically engineer a new race of Daleks loyal to him and using the rest to fund his research in that regard (How? Well, that's grosser than gross, but I won't give it away). Finally, increasing the funereal atmosphere is the extremely high body count, with people killing and getting killed at every turn, including but hardly limited to some old-fashioned extermination courtesy of two different sets of competing Daleks--even Davros gets his one good hand shot off in plain sight of the camera, poor guy.
Speaking of Davros, yes, he's still around overshadowing his creations (this is really his "revelation" rather than that of the Daleks, truth be told). I'm sternly of the opinion that he should've stayed dead in "Genesis of the Daleks" and only the intent to avoid beating a dead horse keeps me from knocking this otherwise fine story down a star on his account. Besides, given that like it or not his survival is by now a done deal, one has to look at how his character is used in this story, and it is actually integral to the plot and makes sense. Besides, he's a far more interesting character here than the ranting two-dimensional lunatic of "Destiny" and "Resurrection", more sinister actually and yet we get creepy little glimpses of his psychology as we didn't before.
Whatever one thinks of Davros, though, everything else about this one shines unambiguously. A great concept, a fine script, top-notch directing. There is a large supporting cast of different characters all interacting in different ways, way too many to list here and yet each one very vivid and distinct and memorable, each with a definite role in the plot and all brought to life by really excellent acting. Colin Baker is superb as the Doctor once again, witty and yet a bit pensive, eccentric and yet crazy like a fox, short-tempered and yet extremely concerned for the welfare of Peri--speaking of which, she's still annoying but less so in this one, and after more than a year Nicola Bryant's acting, while not stellar, has improved discernibly. Her chemistry with the Doctor seems plausible here, and her character's distinctive interests (as in botany and rock music) are highlighted so that she's finally more than just a pretty face for the dads (and teenage dads-in-the-making). Moreover, the sets are incredibly convincing: futuristic buildings with slate-grey pyramidal mausoleums in the background, tacky glitzy gold and marble funeral halls built on top of old stone catacombs littered with different and various votive images and religious icons--all just what you'd expect from such a planet and yet overflowing with just the right kind of moody atmosphere this bizarre tale calls for. And on top of all of that, we get treated to morbidly dark humor as only the British can deliver. It only goes to show, "Doctor Who" is one series that just never gets old.