The Massacre
daveyboy7472
Posts: 16,407 Forum Member
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I find this story very similar to The Myth Makers in that listening to it on audio only involves listening to several dialogue heavy scenes which invokes boredom. What The Myth Makers has over this story though is that it has a historical subject I am least familiar with even only very vaguely.
However, what makes The Massacre a better story than The Myth Makers is that for me, it is a much more interesting and well written one. This is due mainly to both Hartnell's dual role and the is he/isn't he The Doctor aspect regarding The Abbot Of Amboise.
I think Peter Purves excels as Steven as he has to take the lead in the absence of The Doctor for most of the story. And Hartnell shows just how much of a performance he puts into playing the First Doctor by playing The Abbott with utter seriousness and not a hint of a high pitched chuckle anywhere.
Also this was the most strangest debut of a companion ever with Dodo joining the TARDIS crew at the story's conclusion. At least it was more entertaining than her departure.......:rolleyes:
I think unlike The Myth Makers there are some telesnaps available for this story and I will be watching asap to see if they make a difference to my pleasure of it, because it's not a story that currently ranks very highly in the Hartnell Era for me.
However, what makes The Massacre a better story than The Myth Makers is that for me, it is a much more interesting and well written one. This is due mainly to both Hartnell's dual role and the is he/isn't he The Doctor aspect regarding The Abbot Of Amboise.
I think Peter Purves excels as Steven as he has to take the lead in the absence of The Doctor for most of the story. And Hartnell shows just how much of a performance he puts into playing the First Doctor by playing The Abbott with utter seriousness and not a hint of a high pitched chuckle anywhere.
Also this was the most strangest debut of a companion ever with Dodo joining the TARDIS crew at the story's conclusion. At least it was more entertaining than her departure.......:rolleyes:
I think unlike The Myth Makers there are some telesnaps available for this story and I will be watching asap to see if they make a difference to my pleasure of it, because it's not a story that currently ranks very highly in the Hartnell Era for me.
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I'm afraid you'll be disappointed, there is very little material associated with The Massacre - aside from the soundtracks, there are a few publicity photos and little else. Still, I agree it is a very good story, and very bold
Well someone has made an effort to recreate some kind of reconstruction. Haven't watched this right through yet but the publicity shots you mentioned are very much in evidence.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4b6YhVscVc
I think that's right. No actual telesnaps for this one either.
Very touching scene in the last episode when the Doctor thinks Steven has left him and he has the little soliloquy in the TARDIS. Quite modern in its theme about the Doctor's loneliness.
I wasn't disputing the telesnaps thing by the way, I have double checked and you're both right.
Agree with you about The Doctor's speech at the end, probably one of the best bits of dialogue Hartnell ever had. The argument he had with Steven was a very rare sort of argument, almost the sort you would expect from the Series during Season 19.
It's complex, thought-provoking, intelligent, shocking and unforgettable. Such a shame that none of us will see it. The soundtrack CD is one of the very best, and has kept Mrs Chuff and me occupied on car journeys on several occasions.
Bill Hartnell gives one of his best performances ... actually, make that two of his best performances.
Even the council scenes which feel a little bit staged have an interesting drama.
It really is a refreshing change to only have the Doctor and Steven in this story. Peter Purves in brilliant actually. He gets the opportunity to grow as a character through accidentally getting involved in events. I really like the friendship he develops with Nicholas and the protective role he feels about Anne. Anne is a beautiful delicate kind girl and you know he will try to look after her no matter what. I like Steven’s resourcefulness and strength of character, disguising himself to visit the Abbot and warning of the pending assassination .
Steven’s shock at the Abbot’s death/ possible Doctor’s death does leave him alone and I did wonder what he would do. I can imagine that was a bit of a shock for the audience too in the days before regeneration. There are some scenes following on from the Abbott’s death where you feel the impending horror to come: the list of people to die which is then abandoned to allow the ‘wolves of Paris ‘ free reign. The brutality of what happened of course we don’t see but its depicted in an original way with the drawings
Of course the Doctor appears later and they flee for the tardis, I really feel Steven’s anger that the Doctor couldn’t take Anne in the Tardis and he wants to leave. It’s emotional exchange between them ( transcript below) which I really wish we could see
STEVEN: Oh, no. You just sent her back to her aunt's house where the guards were waiting to catch her. I tell you this much, Doctor, wherever this machine of yours lands next I'm getting off. If your researches have so little regard for human life then I want no part of it.
DOCTOR: We've landed. Your mind is made up?
(The Tardis doors open.)
STEVEN: Goodbye.
DOCTOR: My dear Steven, history sometimes gives us a terrible shock, and that is because we don't quite fully understand. Why should we? After all, we're all too small to realise its final pattern. Therefore don't try and judge it from where you stand. I was right to do as I did. Yes, that I firmly believe. (Steven leaves the Tardis without another word.)
DOCTOR: Even after all this time he cannot understand. I dare not change the course of history. Well, at least I taught him to take some precautions. He did remember to look at the scanner before he opened the doors. Now they're all gone. All gone. None of them could understand. Not even my little Susan, or Vicki. And as for Barbara and Chatterton. Chesterton. They were all too impatient to get back to their own time. And now, Steven. Perhaps I should go home, back to my own planet. But I can't. I can't.'
The Doctor’s speech to himself is sad and poignant that only he bears that responsibility alone not to change history but I’m so happy that Steven came back. It reminds me how in the Fires of Pompeii that gruff stance of non-intervention does move somewhat when Donna begs the Doctor to save one person and eventually he saves Caecilius and his family.
Last word on Dodo- yes very strange introduction and oh dear her accent was a mess but lets give her a chance as she may be related to the lovely Anne. She’s a bit brash isn’t she ?
I do agree with your comments about the story chuffnobbler. Very intelligent stuff for Doctor Who.. I remember learning way back in school about Lutheranism and the opposition of the Catholic church so do praise the production team for their educational remit back and highlighting some of the religious injustices that grew out on opposing religious schools of thought. in the 15th/16th century.
There are some parallels to modern times with the commentary on being tolerate of religious differences and Catherine de Medici is like a ruthless silent spider at the centre of a tangled web conspiring with some of the councillors. Her son ‘ afraid’ of his mother is weak and I feel a bit sorry for the position he is in with all the infighting of his council..
Regarding Bill Hartnell’s dual role It’s a real pity that there aren’t any episodes of this story as if I could see it I might for my own satisfaction ‘know’ if the Doctor was at any point the Abbot Of Amboise. All we hear from the Doctor when he appears in Episode 4 is that he was ‘ unavoidably delayed’
As we do really see the majority of the story from Steven’s perspective I can quite believe that Steven believes it was the Doctor. I believed it was it was the Doctor when the Abbot is keen to send Steven away with Anne in Episode 3 and he tells Tavannes that it is too late to warn Coligny he will be assassinated. It’s a moment to wonder if it was a bluff by the Doctor because he knew Steven would try to warn his Hugenot friends and also Tavannes is suspicious because things have started going wrong since the Abbot arrived. Of course that would mean the Doctor has interfered in events which goes against his later speech to Steven in the Tardis.
When the Abbot is killed later you seem to have confirmation that it wasn’t the Doctor so what was he doing ? Escorting Preslin out of France. Who knows! But I do like the way that the story leaves it open a bit at times but it’s also frustrating at the same time because I would like to know for sure!
Loose cannon interview below with Donald Tosh where he discusses The Massacre ( first nine minutes)
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3pumf6_loose-cannon-the-massacre-donald-tosh-interview-lc40_tv
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This bit of dialogue is honestly such an undervalued moment from Doctor Who, and it's one that makes me honestly appreciate the heart of Hartnell's Doctor more than ever.
Well said Lord S
I regard it as as one of the greatest speeches of any Doctor.
I agree that that speech at the end was one of Hartnell's finest and the fact he was still getting Ian's name wrong sometime after he has left was great continuity.
I do wish at times there were more of the Doctor in it. Hartnell is gone for one episode and the Doctor is gone for two. Steven does carry it off well. But if we could actually see Hartnell's performance as the Abbot, mannerisms and so forth, that would be epic. And yes, I'd give quite a lot to see That Speech in the last episode, which would surely make everyone's highlight reel!