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The Mind Of Evil
daveyboy7472
Posts: 16,421 Forum Member
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Though this is another exclusively Earthbound Story with no TARDIS, I think this is one is of the the better ones that I enjoy. As a 6-parter, it's one of the few in the Pertwee Era I feel doesn't sag so much in the middle, naturally enough as it was written by the same writer who penned Inferno(which also didn't sag).
It is though at times quite repetitious with two cliffhangers exactly the same, with The Doctor being overcome by the Keller Machine(which looks decidedly rude in it's design!:D)
I do enjoy the Keller machine storyline but I think the peace conference and the Thunderbolt Missile storyline that were also part of the plot weren't really needed. It definitely could have done without one or both of them. Maybe though it's what stopped the aforementioned sagging.
Though Jo has a lot to do in this, it's a shame she is stuck in the prison the whole way through the story. Not one of her better stories.
The banter between The Doctor and The Master is again superb and it really is a good old-fashioned battle of wits the whole way though. I specifically enjoyed the scene where The Master battles to get consumed by his own machine and it's revealed the one thing he is scared of is The Doctor.
As with The Ambassadors Of Death, hope to see this story in colour one day. Though watching it B&W does it give it a certain atmosphere.
It is though at times quite repetitious with two cliffhangers exactly the same, with The Doctor being overcome by the Keller Machine(which looks decidedly rude in it's design!:D)
I do enjoy the Keller machine storyline but I think the peace conference and the Thunderbolt Missile storyline that were also part of the plot weren't really needed. It definitely could have done without one or both of them. Maybe though it's what stopped the aforementioned sagging.
Though Jo has a lot to do in this, it's a shame she is stuck in the prison the whole way through the story. Not one of her better stories.
The banter between The Doctor and The Master is again superb and it really is a good old-fashioned battle of wits the whole way though. I specifically enjoyed the scene where The Master battles to get consumed by his own machine and it's revealed the one thing he is scared of is The Doctor.
As with The Ambassadors Of Death, hope to see this story in colour one day. Though watching it B&W does it give it a certain atmosphere.
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I remember really enjoying it, unlike most of the Pertwee stuff
No, that was Terror Of The Autons.
I love all the psycosis/fear aspects with the Keller machine. It is used so well as a plot device, even I think used as an episode cliffhanger.
Nice to see a bit of Master/Doctor collaboration as they combine to tackle the machine in one of the episodes. It's also interesting what they show you what each different persons fears are realised as as well.
The Master is so ruthless and treacherous in this one, from posing as a workman when we first see him. To working with the prisoners and lauding it as self imposed prison governor. He is slippery in The Daemons, but I think he is at his most treacherous in this story.
The action scenes when UNIT storm the prison are some of the most effective in the series history to date in Mind of Evil. From memory were they still using the Havoc team (I presume they were).
The plot is a little bit fleshed out by the Missile as pointed out but for a 6 parter it's never wanting for a bit of action, just remembered the Hi-jack scenes, where UNIT get a good kicking!!
Actually I like the fact it is in Black and White, somehow it gives it an atmosphere like some of the Troughton's if you know what I mean! Anyhow, if you haven't seen this one, it surely is a top 5 Pertwee :cool:.
Yes the Doctor and Master are always pitted against each other, but as you say it feels like a genuine battle of wits in this one.
Just realised I have repeated what you initially posted, no harm in emphasising the point though!!
I have no problem with people clarifying my point!
Though I agree recolourisation could possibly ruin that effect there is no Doctor Who story that is too dated for DVD IMO. If the very first story can be on DVD so can one that followed it nine years later!
Looks an exciting story. Cant wait to watch it
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x10ua4j_bbc-south-east-today-report-on-doctor-who-the-mind-of-evil_shortfilms
'BBC South East Today' TX Wednesday 12 June 2013
Report on the location filming and colour restoration of the 1971 'Doctor Who' story 'The Mind of Evil'.
Just thought I'd comment on my original post for this story. Just finished watching The Mind Of Evil over the last week and now I've watched both aforementioned stories in colour, I think it is this story which comes across better in the colorisation process than The Ambassadors Of Death.
This is because there is more effects in this story that are improved greatly with colour, such as the dragon effects as Chin-Lee tries to kill the American Ambassador and best of all, the effects surrounded the Keller Machine, especially when it moves or kills someone. Plus the cliffhangers where The Doctor is at it's mercy, especially when he sees all his adversaries from the past.
I stick by my point that B&W does make it more atmospheric but where it loses that in the colour process, it's more than makes up for with that with what I said above.
Overall, still a good story, the colour doesn't improve the standard of it any further but it does make for a better watch.
Loads going on, everyone has a decent part to play in the storyline (not bad for the ensemble cast that's getting established here), and there's some excellently directed action sequences.
All of that happily let's me overlook the humungous coincidences in the plotting of the story - UNIT just happens to be transporting the very missile the Master needs, right past the prison where he's pretending to be Keller, and also UNIT just so happens to be the security at a Peace Conference. But the convolutions of the plot are no worse than the James Bond films this story clearly wants to be. Even the Master is written as a Bond Supervillain, complete with fat cigar. All he needs is a cat to stroke!
Mind Of Evil is, above all, terrifically good fun, and one of the most solidly entertaining Pertwee stories. The excellent guest cast helps, with William Marlowe and Neil McCarthy being especially good.
The only really odd thing about The Mind Of Evil is the timing. It appears that the Master has been in the guise of Professor Keller for some considerable time. Yet this story comes straight after Terror Of The Autons where he's only just arrived on Earth. Despite the Master's love of inexplicably silly plans, it seems odd, even for him, to have planned all this Mind Parasite / Peace Conference / Thunderbolt missile guff and then gone off and brought the Nestenes back to Earth. I think you definitely have to assume that there's been a very lengthy gap between Terror Of The Autons and Mind Of Evil.
Oh, and what's all that about the Parasite making the Doctor see his worst fears? Ok, a Cyberman I can understand. But a Zarbi? Really? And a War Machine? Scary? Were these simply the only pictures that the production team could lay their hands on?
Strange you should mention that but on the DVD release, on the Inside pamphlet at the front, it does mention that comment about a year has passed between both stories. Though this maybe true, I find it a bit difficult to believe The Master has been gone a year and hasn't even tried to get his Dematerialisation Circuit back from The Doctor in that time! Or that The Doctor himself has made no progress in escaping his exile in this story though in The Claws Of Axos, it appears he has been hard at work judging by all the loose wiring in the TARDIS, which The Master handily fixes for him!
Do agree the monsters The Doctor saw, was a bit random!
Third Doctor: "Arghhhh! Noooooooo!!!! Did the budget used to be that small????? Yargggghhh!!!!" etc
(Love Sixties Who.)
Finally got round to seeing this and its a bit of a slow burner but there are some lovely little surprises: The Doctor speaking Hossin to the Chinese candidates, seeing both Benton and Yates more involved in the story, They feel like more than just supporting characters now. The Brig dressed as a workman.
Jo does get stuck in the prison doesn't she.? But I like her getting the gun off the prisoners at one point and she is building a bond now with the doctor.
I think what I really like about this Master and this story is Roger Delgado really brings different sides to the Master. He does rely on humans a lot and has to negotiate a relationship with them to achieve his aims- thinking of Maller here. Whether this is just because he is stuck on Earth he isn't the self sufficient Ainley Master that I watched who just despises humanity.
I cant think of many of the Ainley stories where he creates a semi equal relationship with humans. Maybe I'm wrong on this but humans seem to be more his play things. Is there a difference in the writing between the 1970's and the 1980's I do wonder? Even Simms Master is written as written as one dimensional deranged.
Anyway back to Roger's Master I like the way he helps the Doctor, almost as a younger brother, at one point to fight the Keller Machine and its then revealed that he fears the Doctor laughing at him.
I do like the action sequences a lot although UNIT must be recruiting every week as so many of theIR soldiers get shot !. They lift the story quite a lot as the prison interior sequences are quite violent and dark. I did like the Keller machine story and to know it moved was quite creepy. I seem to remember that there was more than one machine mentioned though ?
A good story. Couple of slight downs. The electronic music is a bit jarring and harsh throughout but I suppose typical of the era and Jon Pertwee's faces when he is being attacked by anything is a bit painful to see now
Ainley's Master doesn't show anything but a cold hearted attitude to humans, even other races such as the Cheetah People in Survival or the people of Sarn in The Planet of Fire. He shows interest in the Rani in The Mark of the Rani but of course she is a Time Lord.
For those of you doing a Pertwee rewatch how many gurning faces when being attacked are we up to? Off the top of my head up to including The MInd of Evil there is - Spearhead from Space, The Mind of Evil. There has to be more
On a more serious note I wouldn't mind knowing the answer, as it was always a part of his performance that seemed at odds with his portrayal of the Doctor.