tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386390949828958591.post3564765833318997117..comments2024-03-14T05:07:57.110-07:00Comments on Doc Oho Reviews...: Destiny of the Daleks written by Terry Nation and directed by Ken GrieveDoc Ohohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01819922630249965949noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386390949828958591.post-13979852598307555772021-02-20T10:06:04.907-08:002021-02-20T10:06:04.907-08:00A remarkably kind review to this utter clunker. At...A remarkably kind review to this utter clunker. At best i'd get it 4/10. It's really hopeless. The opening episode to my mind is dreadfully boring, the action and drama of the piece barely getting started (what suspicion there might be of the Daleks returned is, obviously by the title). It feels like Terry Nation has failed to write a script that isn't the same as one written in the Hartnell era. His tedious repetition of almost every script is nauseating. Endless back and forths from being kidnapped to not be, half of which go nowhere. Flat, boring, generic terrible "rebel" characters (why are the rebels and revolutionaries of old who so utterly fucking boring?). An inevitable big bad bomb scare. All that was needed was a virus threat and a chase up an elevator and i'd be a classic colour by numbers Nation script. The plot is utter pants, i've never watched a series of episodes and then gone "is that it?" so quickly, i seriously don't even know if there is any drama at all in the whole story. The daleks are defeated by Tom Baker throwing a hat over its eye. Davros is wheeled about like a fucking supermarket trolley. Tom makes a fool of him and kills any suspense or terror in his presence "shut up or I'll switch you off!". Great. Compare the Davros v Doctor scenes here to the absolute goldust scripting in Genesis, sincerely some of the best ever the show has had, it's just dreary how far it sinks. There's a kernel of an interesting idea in this, about the Daleks at the end of their rope, degenerate and ossified, going on an almost religious pilgrimage back to the holy hand to resurrect their god father and give them meaning and purpose. But it stinks, it's never elaborated, the Daleks are more boring here than they've *ever* been. Phillip Hinchcliffe was probably justified, for a while anyway, in deciding to ban the old monsters. Imagine if he had teased out how demented they had become at this point, how fanatic, how desperate, like how they are in the Parting of the Ways, almost like becoming cultists. <br /><br />Romana is relegated to a prop and a damsel. Ah well. You're right about Ward though. I got used to Tamm's performance quite a bit, but she clearly is the Patrick Troughton to her William Hartnell, she developed the character so well and for many people just her. She's also really gawd damn purdy, I think the little pink doctor suit is my favourite of hers. <br /><br />What really staggers me about the episode is the direction, it's brilliant! Low angle shots, smooth camera movements weaving in and out of the seat (which feels like a place with all the interesting ways the camera operates in three dimensions, shots like Davros leaving his room and the camera pivots around a pole to see him from the back. Brilliant!), interesting point of view shots even when it's just two characters talking. The eerie shot of Davros' hand twisting like a spider beneath the cobwebs leading up to his eye turning on. That's great. It's probably the most dynamic and interesting direction the show had since the says of David Maloney and Douggie Camfield. It's a shame his skills are wasted on such an utter wet turd of a show. Andrewnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386390949828958591.post-88522418228905905172021-01-27T23:16:00.031-08:002021-01-27T23:16:00.031-08:00Watching all in order. This is where I get slapped...Watching all in order. This is where I get slapped in the face by nostalgia. I enjoyed this, but maybe not as much as season 16. I never realised how good the camerawork was. Its an odd story, the Movellans are ok, reasonably well acted as robots, Romana grabs Sharrells crotch in the last episode fight, not sure why he was staggering, was it because of the whistle? We now have the cliffhangers spot on, with sting, timing and drama. Criminal lack of music. Davros is good, 'supreme Dalek...' love that bitchy sneer. Watch Suzanne Danielle's eye brow when she says conquest of the galaxy, was Baker making her laugh? The bit where Davros puts aside their differences, speaking as scientists, is great, the fact they do both have tremendous respect for each other, a fact you see more in Revelation than Resurrection. There is a famous bit in part 2 where the Doctor says Dalek Hunting and then walks off to the city, totally in control, Romana and Tyssan keeping up and the Movellans serenly following which shows everything great about Bakers portrayal even in his 6th season. He is not tired of the role and we are not tired of him, that comes next season, not this. Part 4 was great. The resolution scene with the Dalek is hilarious, with Baker on the floor, plays it so well. Only Roy Skelton can make 'category 9 subjects' sound terrifying. Brilliant Dalek voices. What was the point of the DVD extra effects, there was nothing wrong with the original. Enjoyed it, probably above Invasion of Time but only better than 3 of the Williams era, shows the strength of that era.Linx D Oderanthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06587578831858117637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386390949828958591.post-41276919601552570572018-02-04T14:30:45.804-08:002018-02-04T14:30:45.804-08:00I thought Romana's regeneration scene was grea...I thought Romana's regeneration scene was great. Some fans may sniff about it not seeming 'canonical' enough, but I don't see how. I mean, there wasn't really a canon when it came to regeneration, was there? The First Doctor was seemingly 'renewed' by the TARDIS. The Second was given a non-consensual face lift by the Time Lords. The Third was 'pushed' into regeneration by an apparently Buddhist Time Lord that, incidentally, was not only able to choose his own next face, but had it walking around doing his bidding before it became him. And though it hadn't happened yet at this point in the show, the Fourth Doctor would have his own next regeneration basically stalking him. The fact that Romana wants to put on a regeneration fashion show hardly seems that far out of the norm at this point in the show.David Pirtlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00636601389899125100noreply@blogger.com