Have one to sell? Sell yours here
Doctor Who - Spearhead From Space [DVD] [1970]
 
See larger image
 

Doctor Who - Spearhead From Space [DVD] [1970]

Jon Pertwee , Caroline John , Derek Martinus    Universal, suitable for all   DVD
4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (49 customer reviews)

Available from these sellers.


Shop on Amazon.co.uk, Pay with Your Local Currency
Amazon.co.uk allows you to pay for your items in your local currency. Restrictions apply. Learn More.
Learn about LOVEFiLM
Amazon.co.uk’s choice for film and TV series rental has over 70,000 titles, including thousands to watch online - search LOVEFiLM for titles. Enjoy a 30-day free trial and a £15 Amazon.co.uk gift certificate. Learn more at LOVEFiLM.com

Special Offers and Product Promotions

  • Find all the best television shows from the other side of the pond in our US TV store and catch the latest shows in our 2012's Hottest TV page.

  • doctor who 4
    Time and Relative Deals in Space Our Doctor Who Store truly is bigger on the inside. We've got all the DVDs, audiobooks, toys and everything else the Doctor's put his name to.



Product details

  • Actors: Jon Pertwee, Caroline John, Nicholas Courtney, Hugh Burden, Hamilton Dyce
  • Directors: Derek Martinus
  • Format: PAL, Colour, Mono, Full Screen
  • Language English
  • Subtitles: English
  • Region: Region 2 (This DVD may not be viewable outside Europe. Read more about DVD formats.)
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3 - 1.33:1
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Classification: U
  • Studio: 2 Entertain Video
  • DVD Release Date: 29 Jan 2001
  • Run Time: 97 minutes
  • Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (49 customer reviews)
  • ASIN: B00004ZBWR
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 31,957 in Film & TV (See Top 100 in Film & TV)

Reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review

"Spearhead from Space" launched Doctor Who into the 1970s with not only a new Doctor, Jon Pertwee, but a new assistant, the scientist Liz Shaw (Caroline John) and a regular place in the show for UNIT and Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart (Nicholas Courtney). It also marked the debut of the programme in colour and saw the Doctor stranded on Earth after Patrick Troughton's last adventure, "The War Games" (1969). Not only that, but it proved the only serial in the show's history to be entirely shot both on film and location, giving it a uniquely cinematic feel. Regenerating in a country hospital, the Doctor finds himself helping the Brigadier investigate an unusual meteorite and its links with a sinister doll factory. The Autons are cybernetic killers--anticipating The Terminator by some 15 years--and the sequence in which they break through high-street shop windows to slaughter pedestrians remains a chilling highpoint of Doctor Who's entire history. Things do turn silly with a subplot involving a waxworks museum, while the ultimate battle with the Nestine consciousness is more likely to induce laughter than fear, but as vintage television nostalgia this is fast-moving splendidly characterised entertainment. --Gary S. Dalkin

On the DVD: The remastered picture and sound are exceptional for a 1970 TV show. Obviously in 4:3 and mono, this DVD offers technical quality easily as good as many feature films. There is a very friendly, if not especially informative, commentary from Nicholas Courtney and Caroline John, and subtitles that offer background facts and figures. With an amusing five-minute recruiting film for UNIT, repeat trailers and a gallery including previously unpublished photos, this excellent DVD is a Doctor Who fan's dream come true. --Gary S. Dalkin

Special Features

DVD 9
English
Region 2


Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
 
(1)

Your tags: Add your first tag
 

 

Customer Reviews

49 Reviews
5 star:
 (30)
4 star:
 (13)
3 star:
 (3)
2 star:
 (1)
1 star:
 (2)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.4 out of 5 stars (49 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A Cracker, 27 July 2001
By A Customer
This review is from: Doctor Who - Spearhead From Space [DVD] [1970] (DVD)
By 1988, I'd gone off Doctor Who to the point where I couldn't even watch the show anymore as I felt it had become so desperately poor.

My interest in the show was only revived when I was passed a copy of this story on VHS to watch. I really remembered why I had become a fan of Doctor Who in the first place. It is well paced, is full of atmosphere and includes some of the most famous scenes from the show's history.

The DVD remastering means that the episodes have never looked or sounded as good and the extras are an interesting diversion which add value to this release.

I would have no hesitation in recommending this DVD to any fan (past or present) of Doctor Who - a great place to start a DVD collection.

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Classic Jon Pertwee, 7 Oct 2000
This review is from: Doctor Who - Spearhead From Space [DVD] [1970] (DVD)
This is one Doctor Who that can be used to shut up those who slag the series of for dodgy visuals and wobbly sets, as the whole story is shot on location. It also features one of the classic "behind the sofa" scenes when Autons burst out of a shop window and massacre civilians. No other Doctor had such a powerful debut, there is no plodding and moves at a cracking pace. Jon Pertwee as usual shines though, a sad reminder of how much he is missed. No good DVD collection is complete without this.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars An all time British television classic, 10 Dec 2002
By 
James Raven. (North Yorkshire) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Doctor Who - Spearhead From Space [DVD] [1970] (DVD)
This story, perhaps more than any other, is the perfect introduction to Dr Who from any period because it has all the right elements that make for a gripping story, without any of that trademark silliness that has unfortunately tended to draw derision upon us adult fans. Therefore if you have a friend that you suspect might need introducing to Dr Who but you aren't sure of the reaction you'll get - this is the one to sit them down in front of.

I have to confess to being able to remember seeing this when originally broadcast, and it made a lasting impact too I can tell you. I was a little bit jumpy in the presence of shop dummies for some time after. People have come to love the Daleks and Cybermen because they make for fun viewing but they feel too safe, animated shop dummies, however, are the stuff of nightmares!

Viewing it now I can still feel what it was about the general atmosphere that made it so gripping, and I feel it set the standard for early 'seventies Who, namely the tangibly sinister undercurrent, terrifying adversaries, and the knowledge that only the Doctor's advanced science would save the day. Perhaps if today's younger generation had access to something of this calibre on TV there may even be a better uptake of science subjects at school.

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
 Go to Amazon.com to see all 52 reviews  4.7 out of 5 stars 
Were these reviews helpful?   Let us know
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews











Only search this product's reviews



Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions
   
Related forums


Listmania!


Look for similar items by category


Look for similar items by subject









i.e., each product must be in subject 1 AND subject 2 AND ...

Feedback