Planet of Evil

] [cite web
url= http://www.shannonsullivan.com/drwho/serials/4h.html
title= Planet of Evil
publisher = A Brief History of Time Travel
last = Sullivan
first = Shannon
date = 2007-08-07
accessdate = 2008-08-30] Despite the jungle setting of this serial, the shoot was entirely studio bound, and designer Roger Murray-Leach was built an intricately detailed jungle set. The BBC was so impressed with it that they kept photographs of it for several years as an example of excellent set design and producer Philip Hinchcliffe recommended that he be nominated for an award for this work.

The original script had Sorenson dying after falling into the pit, but Hinchcliffe ordered that this be changed, as he felt it would too grim an ending for "the little ones", and because he saw Sorenson as a victim of the planet's influence rather than an evil man in himself. ["A Darker Side"] Instead, a scene was added in which Sorenson is released from the pit, cured of his anti-matter contamination.

The most visible reference to "Forbidden Planet" is the anti-matter monster (Mike Lee Lane), which is sometimes invisible and otherwise is seen as red outlines. It bears a close resemblance to the film's "Creature from the Id". The monster is invisible in the filmed sections of the serial (where a wind machine was used to show its progress), and as outlines in the video sections (created with CSO).

Outside references

The story was inspired by the movie "Forbidden Planet" and Robert Louis Stevenson's novella "Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde". In the DVD commentary Elisabeth Sladen, in a discussion about "Forbidden Planet"'s influence from Shakespeare's "The Tempest", compares Sorenson/Antiman to Caliban.

In print

Doctorwhobook
title=Doctor Who and The Planet of Evil
series=Target novelisations
number=47
featuring=


writer=Terrance Dicks
publisher=Target Books
coverartist=Mike Little
isbn=0 426 11682 8
set_between=
pages=
date=18 August 1977
preceding=Doctor Who and the Brain of Morbius
following=Doctor Who and the Mutants|A novelisation of this serial, written by Terrance Dicks, was published by Target Books in July 1977 as Doctor Who and the Planet of Evil.

Broadcast, VHS and DVD release

*This story was released on VHS in January 1994.
*This story was released on DVD on 15 October 2007.
*The DVD includes a commentary with Tom Baker, Elisabeth Sladen, Philip Hinchcliffe and Prentis Hancock which was recorded on Friday 26 January 2007
* Also included is a 25 minute documentary, "A Darker Side", in which Hinchcliffe and designer Roger Murray-Leach return to Ealing studios and recall the planning and production of the story. Hinchcliffe is also taken to the BBC production files to muse over original production documentation. The serial's director, the late David Maloney appears in the documentary, in an interview first conducted in 2003 for the "Serial Thrillers" documentary. Baker, Sladen & Hancock also appear. The documentary was produced by Ed Stradling. A second, shorter retrospective feature on the DVD, "Planetary Performance" produced by Steve Broster, featuring Baker, Sladen & Hancock along with Graham Weston and Tony McEwan, discussing their performances in the story. An easter egg is included, entitled "Hidden Hinchcliffe".
*All four parts of the episode were reshown on UKTV Drama from the 28th January 2008 to 31st January 2008, with one episode showing each day at 5pm.

External links

*BBCCDW | id=planetofevil | title=Planet of Evil
*Brief | id=4h | title=Planet of Evil
*Doctor Who RG | id=who_4h | title=Planet of Evil

Reviews

*OG review | id=4h | title=Planet of Evil
*DWRG | id=plane | title=Planet of Evil

Target novelisation

*DWRG | id=planenov | title=Doctor Who and the Planet of Evil
* [http://www.personal.leeds.ac.uk/~ecl6nb/OnTarget/1977/planet/77planet.htm On Target — "Doctor Who and the Planet of Evil"]

References

* Cornell P., Day M., Topping K. "The Discontinuity Guide" Doctor Who Books (1995)
* Haining P. "Doctor Who: 25 Glorious Years" W H Allen (1988)