There
is no doubt that when pressed, Doctor Who fans around the works will have
one particular story that will forever stick in their minds.
And it would not be surprising that the 1973 Jon Pertwee adventure, “The Green Death” will top their lists.
In a recent Doctor Who magazine, “The Green Death”
starring Kay Manning in her final appearance as his assistant Jo (Katy Manning)
was voted by readers of Doctor Who magazine as one of the Top 40 Doctor Who
stories ever!
Set in the Welsh mining Village of Llanfairfach, trouble is brewing after
a Miner is found dead with his skin glowing bright green.
Enter the ever efficient Brigadier Lethbridge Stewart and
the UNIT team who try to get to the bottom of the mysterious death.
Jo joins forces with Professor Clifford Jones, head of a local environment
group, (looking remarkably like Justin out of the Darkness) played by Stewart
Bevan, while the Doctor investigates the nearby plant of a company called
Global Chemicals.
Together they discover that the mine workings are full of lethal giant maggots
and green slime that have been produced by chemical waste pumped from the
Global plant, and Stevens, the Director of Global has been taken over by the
BOSS – a computer with a mind of its own ready to take on control every
other machine in the world.
Then there is the added problem of the giant maggots turning into Giant insects
So the Doctor has more than his fair share of troubles to seek, but handles them in his usual charismatic self.
And as well as the non stop action, “The Green Death” allows shows element of Pertwee’s comic acting genius, disguising himself as a Milkman and Washer Woman as he tries to break into Global Chemicals.
The special effects may seem very tame by today’s standards (very Cheep and Cheerful) but “The Green Death” more than justifies itself as one of the al time great Doctor Who adventures with a storyline that is certain to keep you hooked right to the end.
Fans can now relive this classic Doctor Who story when “The Green Death” will be released on DVD next month.
And like previous Doctor Who adventures there are plenty of
added extras to keep any Who aficionados hooked:
Global Conspiracy? - A spoof investigative report about the strange happenings
in the village of Llanfairfach, written by and starring The League of Gentlemen's
Mark Gatiss, who has been linked with helping with the writing of the new
adventures of the Time Lord for next year/
Commentary with actress Katy Manning, producer Barry Letts, and script-editor
Terrance Dicks.
Visual Effects - an interview with the story's visual effects
designer, Colin Mapson, including a demonstration of how to build a giant
maggot.
Robert Sloman - an interview with the story's writer.
Stewart Bevan - an interview with the actor who played Professor
Clifford Jones.
Picture Gallery.
Production Notes.
Doctor Who: The Green Death will be available to buy from 10.05.04.
ISBN:BBCDVD1142
RRP:£19.99
