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Product Description
Mel wants to go swimming so the Doctor takes her to a tower block called Paradise Towers where there is reputed to be a fantastic pool. When they arrive they discover that the place is far from being the superb leisure resort they had expected - it is run-down and dilapidated.
The hallways are roamed by gangs of young girls known as Kangs; the apartments are inhabited by cannibalistic old ladies, the Rezzies; and the building is managed by a group of dictatorial caretakers, presided over by the Chief Caretaker…
Special Features
The hallways are roamed by gangs of young girls known as Kangs; the apartments are inhabited by cannibalistic old ladies, the Rezzies; and the building is managed by a group of dictatorial caretakers, presided over by the Chief Caretaker…
Special Features
- Commentary with cast and crew
- Documentaries and behind the scenes footage
- Photo Gallery
- Digitally re-mastered picture and sound quality
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Amazon Verified Purchase
I remember watching Sixth and Seventh Doctor serials when they were first aired, and not liking them much, especially the start of the Seventh Doctor's reign. I haven't seen them again until the DVD releases, and in general (Time and the Rani, Vengeance on Varos etc) I have reassessed my opinion and found lots to enjoy. This however was just as bad as I remember and time has not improved it.
The set up is interesting - The Doctor and Mel try to go to the fabled Paradise Towers for a holiday. When they get there they find instead of a gleaming modern tower block, the place is a dump. The occupants, who were sealed inside, have split up into various societies and gangs, all warring with each other. It's a fascinating set up, and a really great idea. But that's where it ends. Having had this great idea the script writers then had to find some problem for the Doctor and Mel to resolve, and, frankly, the mystery at the heart of Paradise towers is pretty incomprehensible and pointless. It really feels shoehorned in.
There are a few fun ideas - the officious `Caretakers' and their strict adherence to the rule book, the way the caretakers are all named after regulations and the Kangs all named after wall signs, the `Rezzies' and their strange dining habits. But there is not enough here to flesh out the series. Added to which is a misjudged performance from Richard Briers as the main bad guy, it is just too camp and silly to make him seem like a real threat. The main `monsters', the cleaning robots, are just badly constructed and again so laughable that they give no sense of menace, which this overly humorous series badly needed. And there's Mel. Mercifully her stay with the series was a short one, and this series shows just why she is one of the series least liked companions.... Read more ›
The set up is interesting - The Doctor and Mel try to go to the fabled Paradise Towers for a holiday. When they get there they find instead of a gleaming modern tower block, the place is a dump. The occupants, who were sealed inside, have split up into various societies and gangs, all warring with each other. It's a fascinating set up, and a really great idea. But that's where it ends. Having had this great idea the script writers then had to find some problem for the Doctor and Mel to resolve, and, frankly, the mystery at the heart of Paradise towers is pretty incomprehensible and pointless. It really feels shoehorned in.
There are a few fun ideas - the officious `Caretakers' and their strict adherence to the rule book, the way the caretakers are all named after regulations and the Kangs all named after wall signs, the `Rezzies' and their strange dining habits. But there is not enough here to flesh out the series. Added to which is a misjudged performance from Richard Briers as the main bad guy, it is just too camp and silly to make him seem like a real threat. The main `monsters', the cleaning robots, are just badly constructed and again so laughable that they give no sense of menace, which this overly humorous series badly needed. And there's Mel. Mercifully her stay with the series was a short one, and this series shows just why she is one of the series least liked companions.... Read more ›
By Jeff
Amazon Verified Purchase
Having lived in a tower block a few years ago I can tell that, if they had locked us all in, things probably would have gone the same way. They only thing that spoils it for me is the bit at the end when Richard Briers paints his face silver and seems to be doing a an impersonation of Frankenstiens monster.
5 of 7 people found the following review helpful
By M. Evans
Paradise Towers is one of the least popular classic Dr Who stories, however it's far more worthy than it's ever given credit for. It's main problem, like an earlier story "Nightmare of Eden", is that it has a clever and intriguing storyline with some very dark themes but these are negated severley by some pantomimish performances and poor and silly production designs. I love the concept of the Tower and it's bizarre residents and it's themes of cannibalistic old ladies, girl gangs, beauractically insane caretakers and murderous robots. The design work of the Tower itself is pretty good with (for once) some dark and moody lighting and a good sense of scale is achieved, you often do feel as if the characters are in an enormous tower block rather than just the usual studio set. Sylvester McCoy is vastly better here than in his debut, toning down the pratfalls and comedy schtick drastically. As I said, there are some rather hammy and pantomimish performances on display (Richard Briers, the deputy chief caretaker and some of the Rezzies) -just imagine how sinister this would be if everyone played it dead straight. The music is a little too strident at times, although on occasion it is quite moody and atmospheric.
For me this story is easily the best of Sylvester McCoy's first season, it's clever, dark, sinister and funny, only really let down by a few "overenthusiastic" performances and a few design faults. Build high for happiness!
For me this story is easily the best of Sylvester McCoy's first season, it's clever, dark, sinister and funny, only really let down by a few "overenthusiastic" performances and a few design faults. Build high for happiness!
9 of 13 people found the following review helpful
By CJC
Amazon Verified Purchase
Paradise Towers, like the rest of Doctor Who's 24th season, is not high up on the all-time list of classic Who. The reason for the general dislike of the story is easy to pin down as being too weird and too comedic, given that at the time of its production in 1987 many critics were arguing that the show should have been taking itself (and its stories) a lot more seriously.
I'll hold my hands up and say that although Paradise Towers would never make my Top 10 of Who stories, I think there is much in the story that deserve its re-evaluation as well as much to deride. One aspect which worked really well is that for once in classic Who, the writer has created a fully believable world . Stephen Wyatt has clearly thought about the backstory of Paradise Towers and the depiction of its inhabitants. As Wyatt himself states on one of the special features, he took J.G Ballard's "High Rise" where the inhabitants of a luxury apartment block descend into savagery, as an influcence for Paradise Towers and backed up with some strong design work from Martin Collins with the graffiti and low lighting, the audience is fully emersed in the world of Paradise Towers and a definite sense of space and atmosphere is effectively created. The idea of three sets of inhabitants - the overly-bureaucratic Caretakers, the young, trouble-making Kangs and the older,detached Rezzies, all left behind as the result of most men of breeding age leaving to go and fight a war - is well-depicted and is portrayed better than for instance, the relationship between the Alzarians and the Marshmen in "Full Circle".
Where the story falls down unfortunately is the acting and, surprise surprise, the effects.... Read more ›
I'll hold my hands up and say that although Paradise Towers would never make my Top 10 of Who stories, I think there is much in the story that deserve its re-evaluation as well as much to deride. One aspect which worked really well is that for once in classic Who, the writer has created a fully believable world . Stephen Wyatt has clearly thought about the backstory of Paradise Towers and the depiction of its inhabitants. As Wyatt himself states on one of the special features, he took J.G Ballard's "High Rise" where the inhabitants of a luxury apartment block descend into savagery, as an influcence for Paradise Towers and backed up with some strong design work from Martin Collins with the graffiti and low lighting, the audience is fully emersed in the world of Paradise Towers and a definite sense of space and atmosphere is effectively created. The idea of three sets of inhabitants - the overly-bureaucratic Caretakers, the young, trouble-making Kangs and the older,detached Rezzies, all left behind as the result of most men of breeding age leaving to go and fight a war - is well-depicted and is portrayed better than for instance, the relationship between the Alzarians and the Marshmen in "Full Circle".
Where the story falls down unfortunately is the acting and, surprise surprise, the effects.... Read more ›
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Paradise Regained
Normally I wouldn't give the McCoy years the time of day, (I don't like his delivery, pronunciation and the majority of his era's stories) but there is something about this story... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Cliff Hanger
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Tower of Terror
Welcome to Paradise Towers...a rat infested apartment block that hasn't been looked after for a while. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Andrew50
4.0 out of 5 stars
Bonkers, but Brilliant
Many fans, including some of the reviewers here, make out that paradise towers along with the rest of series 24 is silly nonsensical rubbish, but highlight series 26 as McCoy's... Read more
Published 14 months ago by Matthew
5.0 out of 5 stars
Review of DVD content
Ok, here we have another hotly contested episode. Much like the episode before it (time and the Rani) this is one of the more under-rated of the McCoy era and has received a lot... Read more
Published 14 months ago by mccoy989
2.0 out of 5 stars
Paradise Howlers
Oh dear. I love classic Doctor Who and I remember watching this as a child but this serial is just... BAD. Read more
Published 17 months ago by karmacar
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fun fantasy
The Doctor and Mel, at the insistence of the latter, journey to Paradise Towers, a supposedly luxurious place with a fantastic swimming pool. Read more
Published 20 months ago by StormSworder
5.0 out of 5 stars
Taken to the cleaners - by fans
There's an awful lot to like about Paradise Towers, a story whose reputation precedes it.
But don't listen to the po-faced fans - Paradise Towers is a cracking yarn with... Read more
But don't listen to the po-faced fans - Paradise Towers is a cracking yarn with... Read more
Published 21 months ago by Zee Jai
3.0 out of 5 stars
"Monstrous Carbuncle?"
That's how Prince Charles once described a building he particularly disliked and despite his remiss attitude in giving us the Royal verdict on the Police Box Show (we don't know if... Read more
Published 21 months ago by Bob Marlowe
5.0 out of 5 stars
Absolutely Fantastic!
this story is a shining example of good Doctor Who. a couple of niggles here and there (the rather ridiculous strip-light-eyes monster feeling quite cheap. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Flolloper
1.0 out of 5 stars
What A Laugh!
If like me you haven't seen much of Sylvester McCoy era and you want to buy this just because you want to see how bad it is! Read more
Published 21 months ago by Christopher Briggs
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