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From Amazon.co.uk
The Talons of Weng-Chiang is one of the very best Doctor Who stories, a six-part adventure set in a Gothic Victorian London inspired by The Phantom of the Opera and Sax Rohmer's tales of Fu Manchu, with nods towards Jack the Ripper, Dracula and Sherlock Holmes. The final story from the show's Golden Age (Philip Hinchcliff's three-year tenure as Producer), boasts superior production values and a bizarre storyline involving a time-travelling war criminal, giant rats in the London sewers and a malevolent ventriloquist's doll with the brain of a pig.
Pitted against this flamboyant madness, largely centred on an East End music hall run by the self-important Henry Gordon Jago (a memorable performance by Christopher Benjamin) are Tom Baker's fourth Doctor, in pre-self-parody top form, and Louise Jameson's Leela at her primal best. There's strong support from Trevor Baxter as the Watson-like Professor Lightfoot, and John Bennett as the villainous Li H'sen Chang. Really helping matters is the first-rate direction from David "Genesis of the Daleks" Maloney, evoking a creepy atmosphere in a fantasy London of shadows and fog. Weng-Chiang was the pinnacle of Gothic Who and still remains highly enjoyable entertainment.
On the DVD: Doctor Who: The Talons of Weng-Chiang offers all six original episodes with good, if variable, 4:3 picture and crisp and clear mono sound. There is also highly informative on-screen trivia text and a lively group commentary with David Maloney, Louise Jameson, John Bennett and Christopher Benjamin. The highlight of Disc 2 is an hour-long documentary, Whose Doctor Who, shown on BBC2 the day after the final episode of "Weng-Chiang" aired. Also included is 23 minutes of extremely poor quality b/w timecoded video production footage and--much more fun--26 minutes worth of clips from Blue Peter with Lesley Judd, John Noakes and Peter Purvis showing how to build a Doctor Who music-hall theatre. There's also an interesting 11-minute 1977 interview with Philip Hinchcliffe, continuity announcements and trailers, a photo gallery, a short new animation, Tardis Cam No. 6, and optional subtitles. --Gary S Dalkin
Product Description
The inimitable Doctor Who and his assistant Leela are confronted by sinister and seemingly inexplicable occurrences in this gripping thriller set in the shadowy depths of nineteenth century London.
With the help of Professor Litefoot, the Doctor investigates the gruesome murder of a cabbie and the mysterious disappearances of young girls. Whilst being chased by giant rats and forced to pit his wits against an evil doll and a merciless illusionist, he comes face to face with his most deadly enemy to date: Magnus Greel - a fifty-first century war criminal posing as Weng Chiang, an ancient Chinese god. Can the Doctor thwart his dastardly plans before Leela becomes his next victim…. This is the first time an unedited version of Dr Who: Talons of Weng Chiang has ever been released.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
24 of 27 people found the following review helpful
By R. Thomas
VINE™ VOICE
Format:DVD
This is my favourite and possibly the best Who DVD to date. This is a complete example of everything hitting form at the same time producing not only a good solid romp but a Tom Baker classic. The story is set in Victorian age London and has everything you could possibly want in pea soup fog, chinese gangs lurking in the darkness, theatre halls and a scary mystery villain. Tom Baker is at his best here with one liners aplenty (my personal favourite involves a trumpet and a bowl of fish) and rotating between gogle eyed enjoyment and deep seriousness. Louise Jameson (Leela) also gets an opportunity to act as she is placed in a dress and learning the customs of the age as opposed to creeping around in animal skins. The writer (Robert Holmes at the top of his game) also puts in a classic double act in the form of Jago and Litefoot. Without doubt this is an ideal story to enjoy with lines that are bankers to get a laugh when quoted down the pub.
As for the special features, my favourite of any Who DVD is 25 min behind the scenes footage which makes you feel like you are there trying to wrap up before home time. Also worth the time is an interview with the producer in 1977 and a documentry 'Whose Doctor Who?' from the same year. I always look forward to the commentary and this one is amongst the best as they give annecdote after annecdote as well as a few laughs, its a tad crowded with the 5 of them however its a small gripe.
To some up a fantastic DVD (maybe the best Who DVD) and a good gift for anybody.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I am unlucky to have been to young to watch any of Tom Bakers fantastic tenure as the Doctor when it was first broadcast, my dad had watched Doctor Who from when it first started back in 63 and had quite an extensive video collection which is from where I had my first exposure to many of the great adventures of all the doctors.
This was my favourite although the giant rat scared me silly as a young naive boy!!
A classic moment which seems to get funnier everytime I see it is when a Chinese assasin throws an axe at the doctors head (narrowly missing) and the Doctor striding up to him and asking him if he was trying to attract his attention!!
It is one of the longer stories but its just brilliant and well worth watching.
This was my favourite although the giant rat scared me silly as a young naive boy!!
A classic moment which seems to get funnier everytime I see it is when a Chinese assasin throws an axe at the doctors head (narrowly missing) and the Doctor striding up to him and asking him if he was trying to attract his attention!!
It is one of the longer stories but its just brilliant and well worth watching.
20 of 24 people found the following review helpful
By Ross Nockles
Format:DVD
The Talons of Weng-Chiang would have to be top of my list if I had to choose only one of the BBC's excellent Doctor Who DVDs. It has great production values, good actors and a good story. It's rich period atmosphere evoking a truly Holmesian city of night and misty fogs. It is a story from the Tom Baker period (1974 - 81) and features Lousie Jameson as Leela, who's encounter with a giant Rat, in a sewer, is unforgettable. Whilst I agree that it is almost impossible to rank one Doctor Who story against another and I have other favourites jostling for attention this story still stands out. The sinister back stage at the Music Hall scenes, the mysterious Chinese Magician and his frightening living dummy. You'll be mesmerised by this one. Highly recommended.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Lurking Menace In Victorian London
Over time, for me, 'The Talons Of Weng Chiang' has become the best of all the Doctor Who stories, although The Pyramids of Mars is just about tied for first place. Read more
Published 21 days ago by Anne, a selective viewer
5.0 out of 5 stars
Doctor Who The Talons of Weng - Chiang
The TARDIS arrives in Victorian London where the Doctor and Leela are attacked.
Part 1: The Doctor and Leela arrive in Victorian London where many young women have... Read more
Part 1: The Doctor and Leela arrive in Victorian London where many young women have... Read more
Published 1 month ago by kk
5.0 out of 5 stars
Bloody hell-POSSIBLY THE BEST DOCTOR WHO STORY EVER!
This is just fantastic-BUY IT!!!Everything is perfect-it doesn,t matter that the giant rat isn,t that realistic-the atmosphere and script more than make up for it-wish they could... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Karl
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of my favourites
Thoroughly great doctor who, one of the best I've seen. very creepy and atmospheric, which is one of the reasons why i love the dr who as it doesn't rely on fancy special effects... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Becca
5.0 out of 5 stars
GOOD Dr. WHO STORY ********
This is a Tom Baker story that I didn't sea, but it's Tom Baker doing his style with those from outer space . Get it as your gonna love it.
Published 13 months ago by Mr. Robert Lismore
5.0 out of 5 stars
Classic Who at it's best
The Talons Of Weng Chiang is a masterfull story from the great late Robert Holmes - one of the best writers in the shows nearly 50 year history! Read more
Published 17 months ago by Joseph
5.0 out of 5 stars
Secrets under the theater
Out of the entire Dr. Who series, "The Talons of Weng-Chiang" remains one of my favorites -- it was one of the first serials I ever saw. Read more
Published 21 months ago by E. A Solinas
4.0 out of 5 stars
Gothic Greatness
Another great piece of gothic story telling with superb atmosphere. It doesn't get a 5 star review because some of the special effects are poor and the villain can grate a little... Read more
Published on 8 Mar 2011 by Nick D
5.0 out of 5 stars
Dr Who The Talon of Weng Chiang
As a young child I well remember watching Dr Who when the episodes then in black and white and later in colour. Read more
Published on 4 Feb 2011 by RW
5.0 out of 5 stars
the best doctor,episode,story and assistant
OK first things first.this is the very best episode of Dr.who ever!it has so many things going on...huge rats,magic,time travel and probably the best who villain. Read more
Published on 25 Aug 2010 by Pablo Leone
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