- 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.
Special Offers and Product Promotions
Frequently Bought Together
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Product details
|
Reviews
From The Studio
In 19th century England, the Sixth Doctor (Colin Baker) finds himself facing two competing enemies: his old adversary the Master (Anthony Ainley), and the Rani (Kate O'Mara), another Time Lord with a sinister plan. The local population and turning violent and unpredictable and, with a major meeting of the brains of the Industrial Revolution due to happen in the village soon, the Doctor must work out what exactly is causing all the problems...
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
This is a pleasant and watchable tale from Pip and Jane Baker (Space:1999), a pair who are noted for their reliable professional reputation, rather than for writing anything terribly Earth shattering. The result is a highly watchable and inoffensive script with solid research behind it, but a story which is less than the sum of its parts. The Master and new evil Time Lord the Rani make a good double act and their interaction is as enjoyable as that of the Doctor and Peri. Whatever Colin Baker did wrong in the eyes of audiences in 1985, he remains far more engaging than Sylvester MacCoy and his costume, while outrageous, is certainly eye catching and attention grabbing. His sheer energy makes him never less than entertaining to watch. This story is directed with real skill by Sarah Hellings, another example of the high quality contributions made to the series by women directors. The hostorical setting looks suprb, very authentic and gives great production quality to the story. Guest stars like Terrance Alexander add real class as well. It's a pity the plot is such a throwaway thing, because the dialog is amusing and whacky and the story holds the attention well. Overall a very good 90 minutes, just a little hollow in the middle. But I enjoyed it all the same.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
One of Colin Baker's better serials in the role of The Doctor; the one negative here is that it introduced Kate O'Mara's awful camp villainess - The Rani. Fortunately, and unlike the other serial in which the character appeared, the adventure is good enough to compensate for The Rani's presence. The setting - 19th Century England during the Industrial Revolution - makes this an extremely evocative production, and the historical focus reminded me of what the show was originally perceived to do: Educate and entertain. The Doctor's other old adversary from Gallifrey - The Master, is also present in this story, and Anthony Ainley gives one of his more restrained performances in the role. Colin Baker seems much more comfortable playing the nomadic Timelord, and the scene where some unfortunate locals are turned into trees is memorable, if somewhat less impressive than I remember from twenty-odd years ago!
Despite their occasionally inappropriate fondness for language that would make Oscar Wilde scratch his head - who could forget the appalling "Fortuitous would be a more apposite epithet!" from The Doctor - Pip and Jane Baker wrote an atmospheric and gloriously humourous script, which was nicely played out by the story's three leads. Kate O'Mara's deliciously wicked Rani has not yet become the camp abomination that appeared in her second (and final) story, whilst Anthony Ainley produces what is probably his second best performance (after 'Survival') as The Doctor's nemesis, The Master. The only let-down for me is the atrocious North-East accents of the 'locals'; rooting the story firmly in an era when actors were generally expected to speak in RP; whatever the role they had taken on.
DVD extras on this release are also pretty good:
A commentary track featuring a typically charming Baker and Bryant, who are joined by O'Mara; Baker, in particular, shines here by giving a considerable amount of production information along with personal reminiscences.
Lords and Luddites" is a 43-minute featurette about the serial's conception and production (narrated by UK television personality Louise Brady) that's chock full of interviews with the cast and crew, including the Bakers and composer Jonathan Gibbs (who is also profiled in a short interview piece), who replaced John Lewis, who died during production (both composers' soundtracks are offered in isolated music tracks).
A battery of deleted and extended scenes, a return jaunt to the production locations, related clips from the children's TV programs Blue Peter and Saturday Superstore, and the by-now standard photo gallery, text-only information track, and PDF files for the Doctor Who Annual and Radio Times listings round out the supplements.
Despite their occasionally inappropriate fondness for language that would make Oscar Wilde scratch his head - who could forget the appalling "Fortuitous would be a more apposite epithet!" from The Doctor - Pip and Jane Baker wrote an atmospheric and gloriously humourous script, which was nicely played out by the story's three leads. Kate O'Mara's deliciously wicked Rani has not yet become the camp abomination that appeared in her second (and final) story, whilst Anthony Ainley produces what is probably his second best performance (after 'Survival') as The Doctor's nemesis, The Master. The only let-down for me is the atrocious North-East accents of the 'locals'; rooting the story firmly in an era when actors were generally expected to speak in RP; whatever the role they had taken on.
DVD extras on this release are also pretty good:
A commentary track featuring a typically charming Baker and Bryant, who are joined by O'Mara; Baker, in particular, shines here by giving a considerable amount of production information along with personal reminiscences.
Lords and Luddites" is a 43-minute featurette about the serial's conception and production (narrated by UK television personality Louise Brady) that's chock full of interviews with the cast and crew, including the Bakers and composer Jonathan Gibbs (who is also profiled in a short interview piece), who replaced John Lewis, who died during production (both composers' soundtracks are offered in isolated music tracks).
A battery of deleted and extended scenes, a return jaunt to the production locations, related clips from the children's TV programs Blue Peter and Saturday Superstore, and the by-now standard photo gallery, text-only information track, and PDF files for the Doctor Who Annual and Radio Times listings round out the supplements.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
I always found this episode to be a bit of an enigma as before i had seen it i always associated the Rani with the Time and the Rani, her second appearance. When learning of another episode, i sought it out and to my surprise, its an entertaining piece that also includes the Master! The banter between the two evil time lords is in a class of its own and Colin's doctor is at his patronising, all-clever best. Some interesting ideas (mines that turn people into vegetation), a little bit of history (the Industrial Revolution) and some great sets (the Rani's Tardis) make this a memorable episode and almost make you wish we had seen more of Kate O'Mara's evil-in-a-sexy way Rani.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
A new fore?
Mark of the Rani was a interesting story. We had the 6th Doctor and Peri (Nicola Bryant and Colin Baker) in a semi historical story, involving The Master, and a foe I wish had benn... Read more
Published 14 days ago by Harry VanHoudnos
underrated classic
the mark of the rani was the third story of season 22 it is often ingored story but i love it it's my favrout colin baker story kate o mara is wonderfull as the rani she and colin... Read more
Published 3 months ago by K. J. Astbury
By my son:
Just don't buy this DVD! The storyline is horrible and the acting is even worse. Stay away from this DVD.
Published 7 months ago by S. E. Phipps
Great film and well done
A gothic telling of the timelords` interference in human history. Silly at times but the story and Kate O`mara is great in it all the same.
Published 21 months ago by Kevin Bransbury-jones
Enjoyable romp, very well-made
This is one of the most enjoyable Colin Baker stories. The idea that the Rani is simply trying to get on with her work and finds both the Doctor and the Master irritating nuisances... Read more
Published on 4 May 2009 by The Goose Loose
EXCELLENT
45minutes maybe a bit to long for anyone but a great piece of storyline and to have three time lords in one story is excellent the master, the rani and the doctor also way things... Read more
Published on 3 May 2009 by Mrs. D. Wilson
Beaten All The Odds
Doctor Who - The Mark of the Rani [1985]
Although this story was set in the dreadful time of those 50 minute episodes which could make you fall asleep and want the episode to... Read more
Although this story was set in the dreadful time of those 50 minute episodes which could make you fall asleep and want the episode to... Read more
Published on 3 Sep 2008 by AH
A good story let down by poor dynamics
I wavered a lot between whether this is a 3 star or 4 star story. The story itself is rather good, but the central dynamic between the Doctor and his companion is really rather... Read more
Published on 29 April 2008 by S. Bentley
"Bad News in Black Leather"
That's how Colin Baker described the appearance of Kate O'Mara's Rani in the "Colin Baker Years" video and she is the highlight of the story. Read more
Published on 11 April 2008 by Bob Marlowe
Historical adventure with science fiction thrown in
Filmed in and around Ironbridge in Shropshire, Mark of the Rani is the only Colin Baker adventure to feature an historical setting and is indeed one of only a handful of stories... Read more
Published on 6 Jan 2008 by D. Evans
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
