Doctor Who - City of Death | Dr. Who, Tom Baker

Doctor Who - City of Death | Dr. Who, Tom Baker | Best Who ever!!!!

vhs video:

Doctor Who - City ...

	Doctor Who - City of Death Dr. Who, Tom Baker 20th Century Fox, 1998 average customer review:based on 54 reviews view larger image
	for more information click here

highly recommended

One of the Greats

City of Death is considered to be one of the greatest Dr. Whos ever. This was when the Doctor had the 2nd Romana (and K9 although he doesn't appear in the story) as a companion. So instead of "I'm the Doctor and this is my companion" we have "we're Time Lords". Plus Tom Baker and Lalla Ward's chemistry shows up on screen (they married a year or two later, sadly it didn't last). They arrive in Paris 1979 (more of a table wine year) and proceed to enjoy the sites and sounds. They go to the Louve to see the Mona Lisa and stumble upon a plot to steal it involving some curiously advanced technology. Enter Scalioni (played by Julian Glover, General Veers in Empire Strike's back and Donovan in Indian Jones and the Last Crusade), a rich count with a secret. In reality he is the alien Scarroth, last of the Jagaroth. His spaceship exploded on the surface of prehistoric earth fragmenting his being into several personas throughout history. He is responsible for most all of man's great advances. Now in his last era, he strives to build a time machine to send himself back in time and warn himself of the explosion. Such a paradox would destroy the existence of man. This story is so enjoyable you don't notice some of the obvious plot holes. Thugs robbing the Doctor and companions at gunpoint in the middle of a crowded cafe. Scalioni on a whim telling his butler to kill the same thugs who later show up perfectly unharmed. Scallioni pulling a bundle of a million francs out of his pocket and waving it in a guys face (I laugh my butt off every time I see this scene). Y'see however, the bulk of this story was written by the late Douglas Adams (under a pen name) and it shows. Tom Baker is such a wonderful comedic actor. And Lalla Ward has some great moments of dry wit too. This is Dr. Who at it's best. Look for a cameo by John Cleese.

On another note... if you're looking for new Dr. Who material. Look for the audio releases of the missing episodes. Look for my list "Missing Dr. Who's on Audio and DVD" to find out about this. The jewel cases look really cool although amazon USA has not printed most of them on their web pages. Look for "The Web of Fear" for starters. "The Dalek's Master Plan Audio Release is cool too". Also check out Big Finnish productions for the new audio adventures of Dr. Who featuring Doctors ranging from Peter Davison to Paul Mcgann. ...

for more information click here

Best Who ever!!!!

Nearly an all-star cast, including Julian Glover, studs this sterling script. John Cleese makes a cameo appearance as one of two art-buffs critiquing the TARDIS where it stands in an art gallery. Fantastic jokes, and a fall-off-your-sofa-laughing scene where the Doctor (Tom Baker) makes his Harpo Marx entrance to the villain's stronghold. Cute scenes of the Doctor and Romana (Lalla Ward) frolicking through the streets of 1979 Paris.

Classic Who

One of the best. Great actors, great script. The concept of an alien splintering in time, thus being rendered into separate beings living in different eras (though psychically linked), is unique. The alien threat of total destruction of Paris adds, perhaps, a certain je ne sais quoi. The John Cleese cameo captures, in (sadly) a few seconds, my opinion of the redundant function of the glitterati. Julian Glover is a great kelp-head, Renaissance prince, and 20th Century plotter.

A great place to start if you've never seen Dr. Who before.

We'll miss Douglas Adams.

for more information click here

A Passion for Paris

For most TV series, setting a story in a foreign location (even if fake) can be just a vain attempt to liven up a flagging idea. Very much not so here. Why not? Because the location of Paris is integral to the plot - even if this had been filmed in London, there would have to have been the pretence that it was Paris. So far so good, but what of the story? Impeccable script, tight and concise production, witty but never overbearingly so, acted with absolute delight by all involved, gorgeously filmed. This is classic Tom Baker Doctor Who at its very best, and is not to be missed. Incidentally, owing to a strike of the other UK TV channels at the time this story was watched by more viewers than any other, and that is certainly justice because they watched a TV classic.

for more information click here

The Finest Tom Baker

Paris and the good Doctor (Tom Baker, that is) - what a splendid combination. For many years this has been my favorite Doctor Who episode; it shines with exceptional writing and acting from the likes of Tom Baker, Lalla Ward (Romana), Catherine Schell (the Countess, best known to science fiction fans for her work on "Space 1999") and especially Julian Glover (Scaroth). Glover has made many notable appearances playing villains, most notably in the "Star Wars" and "Indiana Jones" films, but I doubt he has played a villain as cleverly conceived as Scaroth in his various incarnations. I must also note the splendid chemistry between Tom Baker and Lalla Ward (Incidentally, for trivia buffs she later married distinguished British biologist Richard Dawkins after divorcing Tom Baker; I had the pleasure of meeting both last year when Dawkins came to New York City to read from one of his most recent works at a famous bookstore.). Without question this exceptional episode ranks as one of Doctor Who's finest.

for more information click here

reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, page 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

products you might be interested in

recommendations

Doctor Who Extreme~The BEST and CRAZIEST serials
1980's Tom Baker fan(with Lalla)
Best Doctor Who Stories