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Post by Cyggy on Aug 1, 2022 14:34:10 GMT
At the end of the day.... how did he do as a replacement for Roger Delgado?
Please discuss the life and work of Anthony Ainley here.....
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Post by Cyggy on Aug 1, 2022 14:38:36 GMT
Anthony Ainley (The Master) at Dr Who Convention 1991
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Post by GC on Aug 1, 2022 15:27:49 GMT
I've always quite liked Anthony Ainley as The Master. I think he was sadly underrated in the role. His presence always livened up a story, even the duff ones like Time-Flight would've been so much the poorer without him. He was at his best in Logopolis and Survival in my humble.
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Post by GC on Aug 1, 2022 15:55:23 GMT
Some stuff about that Wisden obituary for Anthony Ainley. Death becomes himHe "despised cheeses of all kinds."
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Post by sadako on Aug 1, 2022 17:06:15 GMT
I must admit I've never seen or known much of his life or work beyond Doctor Who. In terms of the kind of dastardly pantomime villain role he was given, he played it very spot on with just the right hints of a nasty streak but not to the point it lost the charm of the character.
My problem with his run as the Master is that he was overused, and for me the Master had simply had his time in 1976 and probably should've disappeared into legend rather than been kept going as a tedious has-been who'd outlived his natural screentime. You can kind of tell that Eric Saward did not have the enthusiasm or patience for the character that Terrance Dicks and Robert Holmes did.
The Master in the 70's was a compliment to the Doctor and a villain that got our hero to up his game and smarts. In the Davison era, however he was so over-indulged as a pestilent menace that the Fifth Doctor just ended up looking like a doormat to him (in the main). It was nice to see Colin's Doctor be a bit more biting and kick-ass with him in Mark of the Rani. I do feel less would've been more with his incarnation.
I also feel maybe Logopolis was a mistake, because it showed his Master win far too big and cause an insane amount of innocent collateral. I don't think you could have that villain do that, and then go comfortably back to a recurring pantomime foe that the Doctor doesn't take seriously. If they were going to go that route, then Castrovalva should've been his final comeuppance and end. But either one or the other.
I will say that I was surprised when I finally saw Keeper of Traken and saw that when Anthony Ainley was given a more well-rounded human part to play in Tremas, he really impressed me and made me realize that years of playing a limited, one-dimensional villain had probably done him a disservice.
I would also say that I would take his Master over the obnoxious, childish New Who versions any day. They always came off to me as incapable of running a book club, let alone the planet.
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Post by Cyggy on Aug 13, 2022 16:42:44 GMT
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Post by Black Orchid on Sept 24, 2022 17:50:41 GMT
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Post by Black Orchid on Sept 24, 2022 19:51:43 GMT
From the Destiny of the Doctors video game (1997)
Bubble Car intro:
Bubble Car win / failure of level:
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Post by iank on Nov 22, 2022 23:48:17 GMT
He will always be THE Master to me.
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Post by Cyggy on Nov 29, 2022 11:50:18 GMT
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Post by rapscallion on Nov 29, 2022 16:14:39 GMT
Anthony Ainley was 'MY' Master.
No matter how much I appreciate Roger Delgado (and I think he's superb), Ainley brought the character to life in Logopolis before I'd had a chance to see any of the original Master, so he was the one I grew up with.
For me he's at his most Masterly in Logopolis, Castrovalva, The Five Doctors, Planet Of Fire (despite the fact that I think Planet Of Fire is a bit of a bore and one of the weakest 5th Doctor stories) and Survival.
Special mention goes to The King's Demons because it's a cool little 2 parter which I always thoroughly love whenever I watch it, no matter how daft it really is.
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Post by Cyggy on Dec 6, 2022 6:20:08 GMT
Colin Baker and Anthony Ainley on JNT, Tom Baker and playing The Master!
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Post by Black Orchid on Apr 6, 2023 12:19:11 GMT
Colourised by Clayton Hickman
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Post by Black Orchid on Jul 5, 2023 12:58:33 GMT
intro:
win / failure outro:
Destiny of the Doctors 1997 (London Underground)
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Post by Deleted on Jul 7, 2023 15:26:47 GMT
I always saw him as a Poundland Delgado. Maybe if they hadn't tried to make him look like Delgado it would've worked better. It's not as though all the Doctors had to resemble Hartnell, so why do it with the Master? I always found his performances a bit cardboard too. Like a bland Emperor Ming who just chuckled his way through some of his stories. But then NuWho came along with it's OTT Master, and made me appreciate Ainley a lot more.
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