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Post by Cyggy on Mar 5, 2022 1:59:49 GMT
Please rate and discuss this story here.....
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Post by Cyggy on Mar 13, 2022 5:07:09 GMT
I like the concept of the Mandragora Helix hitching a ride on the TARDIS to wreak havoc. And the mask design is nice and eerie looking, but otherwise I find this a bit of a take it or leave it story. Not one I would opt to put on to watch very often. ...
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Post by Black Orchid on Mar 13, 2022 12:24:23 GMT
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Post by johnnybear on Apr 2, 2022 7:49:34 GMT
'When Mandragora swallows the moon!!!' This story was brilliant and begins the exodus of UNIT stories totally although the Brigadier is mentioned in the next story, The Hand of Fear! The Doctor had already shown us his dislike of being at the behest of the Brigadier and UNIT whenever they wanted his help and with his exile lifted and his freedom to wander in space returned along with a very erratic regeneration the Doctor was off exploring anything he discovered in the cosmos but of course with Sarah Jane on board he still couldn't go too far out! Here we have Port Meirion, the location of the Prisoner tv series doubling as fifteenth century Italy and bad guy actor Jon Laurimore as Count Federico who turns good when he realises Hieronymus is trying to take over the place once he is possessed by the Mandragora energies and the poor old cult of Demnos has to change Gods mid-play!!! JB
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Post by Servo on Apr 2, 2022 22:01:09 GMT
Like this one.
Thought the effects when people got zapped by the Mandragora Helix were the best I’ve ever seen in the show up until that time.
Norman Jones is always good value.
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Post by johnnybear on Apr 25, 2022 7:11:47 GMT
Funniest Norman Jones line came from The Sweeney episode Bad Apple where Regan and Carter were undercover in the area of a manor run by bent cops. Pierrot (Norman Jones) realises that he might be under investigation by the higher ups after a villain confesses to the Sweeney. He then rings up the local pub after his main man has trouble with a bar man after collecting the 'rent' and says, "Guv, it's George!" in a croaky voice and Regan falls for it by replying, "George? I told you not to ring me here!" Then he realises he's been identified and the sting is over and it's time for the arrests! JB
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Post by Cyggy on Jul 10, 2022 15:58:51 GMT
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Post by Future-Diver on Jul 11, 2022 8:32:13 GMT
"Now, at last, the empire of Mandragora will encompass the Earth, for Demnos is only the servant of Mandragora, and Mandragora is a mighty master of all things"
Another superb story featuring the Fourth Doctor and Sarah - apparently inspired by Roger Corman's 'The Masque Of The Red Death' (1964) - one of my favourite Vincent Price films. The Doctor inadvertently transports an evil alien energy ('The Mandragora Helix') back to 15th Century Italy, where it plans to gain control of the Earth. Masque is often overlooked because there are so many other excellent stories from around this time (the Hinchcliffe years) but it's still a strong opening serial for the 14th Season. The costumes and setting (the beautiful Italianate village of Portmeirion, familiar to fans of The Prisoner) and the elegant language make this pseudo-historical tale appear almost Shakespearean.
I'm very fond of the wooden (Second) control room that Sarah discovers in the first episode - the Victorian/Jules-Verne style décor somehow suits the gothic feel of the many of the serials from this period and also matches the way the Doctor dresses.
"I love a knees-up".
8/10
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Post by GC on Sept 5, 2022 16:20:28 GMT
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Post by Black Orchid on May 6, 2023 20:23:42 GMT
Clayton Hickman twitter
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Post by GC on Aug 18, 2023 23:52:06 GMT
Doctor Who: The Tom Baker Years - Reaction to clip #12 The Masque of Mandragora
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Post by profh0011 on Aug 24, 2024 16:39:27 GMT
I know there was a lot of chaos going on in my life in late 1979 when this first ran in Philly. This was ANOTHER story where, maddeningly, I walked in right in the middle. My first glimpse of this was then The Doctor gets into a swordfight with Federico's men, and then The Brethren seem to come to his rescue (but not really). No wonder I had a hard time figuring out what was going on.
Not too long after, I saw it again from the beginning. First time I ever saw anyone wandering the corridors of The TARDIS. Wild to learn there's a 2nd control room, and that it look like something from the Victorian era. I do think the central control column could have been bigger and more elaborate.
One thing that has ALWAYS bugged me about this story, is the way The Doctor's behavior got him into even more trouble than he really needed to be in. He really wasn't being very smart when dealing with the initial situation. I've often thought that once Sarah was kidnapped, the obvious thing to do, when confronted by Federico's men, and then Federico himself, would have been to explain that he was a travelling scholar, his young lady travelling companion had been kidnapped by religious fanatics in long dark robes, and "PLEASE SIR, CAN YOU HELP??? She's in DEADLY DANGER!"
Instead, he annoys the guards, he annoys Federico, and then gets into a pointless pissing match with Heironymous. Federico might NOT have been interested in helping, but Juliano MIGHT have been, which would have at least prevented him from being condemned to having his head cut off as quick as he did.
Of course, the fact that Federico plans to murder Juliano is the ONLY thing on Federico's mind, the moment Juliano does offer The Doctor any help immediately paints The Doctor as DEFINITELY someone to be killed, instead of merely someone who might as well be killed just because and why not?
The way Heironymous reacts to Mandragora and its promises makes him seemingly oblivious to the fact that he's still officially working for a power-crazed murder-obsessed madman, which puts HIM in danger for a short while, but not enough to ever be considered any kind of potential ally of The Doctor. Federico and Juliano both think it's a two-sided game, but there's really three factions involved, and Mandragora & Heironymous are the REAL danger.
For the most part, Sarah was SO adorable in this, it makes it really hurt all the more knowing what happens to her in the next story.
This story feels like the absolute distillation of what Phillip Hinchcliffe and Robert Holmes wanted to do with the show. It's kinda-sorta downhill after this.
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Post by GC on Sept 26, 2024 16:55:27 GMT
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