STORY
PLOTLINE
The Doctor, Sarah and Harry arrive on a desolate
and apparently deserted Earth to discover that a group of shipwrecked astronauts
from a human colony, GalSec, have been lured there by a fake distress call. One
of their number, Roth, tells Sarah of an alien conducting gruesome experiments
on him and his crewmates. The alien turns out to be a Sontaran, Field-Major Styre,
who is compiling a report on human physical and mental capabilities as a prelude
to an invasion of Earth.
DVD
EXTRAS
- Commentary: Elisabeth Sladen (Sarah
Jane Smith), Bob Baker (co-writer) and Philip Hinchcliffe (Producer)
- BUILT FOR WAR -
A brief history of the Sontaran race, told by some of the actors and production
personnel who worked on the stories, including Elisabeth Sladen, stuntman Stuart
Fell, co-writer Bob Baker, etc
- Photo Gallery, Production notes and Subtitles
Being a two-part CLASSIC SERIES story it seemed that this was destined never
to be released on DVD. And that would have been a disappointment as its history
and content is fascinating.
The first DOCTOR WHO to be filmed entirely
on location, and the first of Phillip Hinchcliffe's unmatchable (even by Phil
NEW SERIES Collinson's standards) deftness at producing a superior sci-fi-fantasy
drama. And, if the on-set injury had not been superficial, it could have been
Tom Baker's last as the leading man - just
two weeks into the role.
THE SONTARAN EXPERIMENT is unique and the
crispness and definition of the new "print" for DVD is outstanding, looking as if it was only filmed yesterday.
This is a testament to both the skill of the original production team and the
dexterity of the "Restoration Team" working for BBC DVD.
The location filming was subtly light, tautly
directed by Rodney Bennett and effortlessly acted by the regular & supporting
cast alike, with Tom Baker particularly naturally nonchalant and engaging in
his only second story to be filmed.
The DVD EXTRA documentary, BUILT FOR WAR,
provides insight to the background of the Sontaran warrior cloned race - ahead of the NEW SERIES reintroduction - and
the difficulties encountered by the production team and the fondness of the cast
in filming the story thirty years ago.
Elisabeth Sladen recalls how Kevin "Styre" Lindsay
scared the locals by taking lunch alone amongst the craggy outcrops of Hound
Tor. Her Australian accented impersonation of him is delightful.
Script Editor, Terrance Dicks talks affectionately of Robert Holmes' reluctance
to complete the novelisation of the first Sontaran story, THE
TIME WARRIOR.
However, one question remains unanswered; why is there an Equity reject stomping
on heath-land dressed as Christopher Biggins in his rubber fetish gear?
The DVD EXTRA studio commentary (by Elisabeth Sladen, Bob Baker and Phillip
Hinchcliffe) is littered with recollections and gems that make, once again, for
essential viewing.
Commenting on how much ("too much") details
that Sontaran creator, Robert Holmes, gave this story's writers, Bob Baker: ".even down to the sexual habits
of the Sontaran."
On the bright yellow fisherman's waterproofs worn
by Sarah Jane Smith:
Elisabeth Sladen: I still have the costume in the wardrobe.
Phillip Hinchcliffe: An antique.
Elisabeth Sladen: Like me.
On relaxing after filming at the local pub:
Phillip
Hinchcliffe: We took on the local darts team. Barbara Kidd was the star player.
One of the darts nearly took out Tom's eye.
On why the colonists' accents were Australian:
Bob Baker: Future English.
On the performance of Tom Baker as the Doctor,
all theee commentators were in agreement:
Phillip Hinchcliffe: Enthusiasm personified.
The perfect job for Tom. And a pub in the evening!
Commenting on the too often
reliance on the Sonic Screwdriver to get the Doctor & assistants
out of trouble:
Phillip Hinchcliffe: Someone will write a Thesis about it one
day.
On Sarah Jane Smith's ability to scream at a drop
of a hat:
Elisabeth Sladen: I love to scream. People should scream more. They
scream at a lower pitch nowadays. I should write a Thesis on screaming.
On Ian Marter's Harry Sullivan:
Elisabeth Sladen:
So believable.
On leaving Kevin (Styre) Lindsay, in costume,
on the Hound Tor to eat his lunch whilst the rest of crew walked a quarter of
a mile to the catering van:
Elisabeth Sladen: He didn't mind - but a woman walking
her dog was petrified.
On the acting input of Elisabeth Sladen's
Sarah Jane Smith during key scenes:
Phillip Hinchcliffe: You never stop working.
Elisabeth Sladen: It's called over-acting.
Over the credit sequence:
Elisabeth Sladen: 1975.
Bob Baker: Oh, dear!
Phillip Hinchcliffe: Good year.
