Dr Who - The Daemons - DVD Review

Dr Who - The Daemons - DVD Review

Rating: G
Released by BBC and Roadshow Home Entertainment

Fans have been clamouring for this release from 1971 to be let out on DVD for years - and now here it is.

In the village of Devil's End, something mystical and a bit evil is brewing. As a crew ready themselves to investigate a burial mound, there's the possibility of black magic coming to the fore. Throw in the appearance of the Master (Roger Delgado) and Jon Pertwee's Doctor Who is fighting a race against time to prevent the summoning of a Dæmon.

This five part adventure from the 70s is relatively spooky to start off with before going a bit creaky and uneventful towards the end - granted, it's remembered for some visual moments as well as an iconic phrase uttered by Nicholas Courtney's Brigadier but really, it's a bit of a fizzer. The ending is appallingly simple and ruins the build up of the rest of the serial.

A gargoyle demon - essentially, a guy in a grey leotard - is more hilarious than horrific but if you can overlook these minor constraints of the story, the acting of Pertwee, Katy Manning as his assistant Jo and Delgado is solid and very watchable.

Overall, this story's probably best remembered with nostalgic tint rather than for good reasons.

Extras: Commentary, a doco, location film shoots from the time, colourisation tests, a tribute to show producer Barry Letts.

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