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Amazon.co.uk Review
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
Special Features
Commentary by Louise Jameson, Philip Hinchcliffe, David Maloney, John Bennett and Christopher Benjamin
Whose Doctor Who Blue Peter Theatre Behind the Scenes - 25 minute selection of footage on the recording of this story
Philip Hinchcliffe Interview
Trails and Continuity Announcements 1
Easter Egg
Photo Gallery
Production Subtitles
TARDIS - Cam No.6
Whose Doctor Who Blue Peter Theatre Behind the Scenes - 25 minute selection of footage on the recording of this story
Philip Hinchcliffe Interview
Trails and Continuity Announcements 1
Easter Egg
Photo Gallery
Production Subtitles
TARDIS - Cam No.6
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
22 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Top Talons,
By
This review is from: Doctor Who - The Talons Of Weng Chiang [1977] [DVD] [1963] (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.
20 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
All the atmosphere of Foggy London and a Giant Rat!,
By
This review is from: Doctor Who - The Talons Of Weng Chiang [1977] [DVD] [1963] (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.
10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Incredible.,
This review is from: Doctor Who - The Talons Of Weng Chiang [1977] [DVD] [1963] (DVD)
The Talons of Weng Chiang defies all the budgetary limitations imposed upon the series (despite it being slightly higher here than usual) and paired with a first rate script from the late great Robert Holmes, the result is an extroadinary mish-mash of old literary "classics" combined with breath taking production values (ahh, the giant Rat wasn't THAT bad)For many, it represents the peak of the show and it isn't difficult to see why. The characterisation is superb with an intricate plot, bravura performances and an atmosphere that is evoked so perfectly. Misty Streets at night time, menacing sewer scenes and stalking killers parading the alleyways of London. As for it not "mirroring real life issues", many would say that Science Fiction is a means to escape from realities hence the tag "Fantasy" that is often labelled alongside programmes such as Dr Who. Buy this to see what magic Dr Who truly is.
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