Customer Reviews

Doctor Who - The Curse of Fatal Death [VHS]

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

OK, they had The Three Doctors, the Five Doctors, and The Two Doctors, not to mention pairings of Doctors in the New Adventures and Missing Adventures. Well, how does five Doctors in a short comic special sound, especially if one of those Doctors is Rowan Atkinson?

The show mentions a lot of the cliches that made Doctor Who the show it was. To avoid program discontinuity or lengthy answers to questions, there's "I'll explain later." Then there's the escape up the ventilation shaft, endless gravel quarries. That's not to say the Comic Relief special disrespects Doctor Who, but merely has a lot of fun with it.

And talk about intentionally ridiculous dialogue! "The deadly vengeance of deadly revenge." And my personal favourite, "Prepare for 300 miles of fear and feces."

The end of episode I is a gag lifted from a scene in the revamped Star Wars, the part where Han Solo chases some stormtroopers on the Death Star and then...

Jonathon Pryce plays the Master (Evita, Tomorrow Never Dies, Stigmata) and probably has the most fun in this special. With the widow's peak and goatee, he's clearly modelled after Roger Delgado's Master, but he is really OTT, bringing about a manic megalomania that's exaggerated to amuse. He has the best lines here as well.

If they ever bring the show back, I'd nominate Julia Sawalha as a companion or a regular. Perky, gentle, bubbly, she's got the right stuff. I liked her here and in A Midwinter's Tale. More thrilling than an army of cybernetic slugs? Definitely. In simple terms, the most warm and lovable companion since Jo Grant.

And Rowan Atkinson or Hugh Grant would be perfect candidates to play the Doctor, although Hugh Grant has Hollywood commitments, and as much as I like the man, Rowan Atkinson seems to have peaked with Mr. Bean. Unless the show is spectacular and remains essentially British while still catering to Americans, a new series seems unlikely.

Wait, there's more. There's a making of documentary, Comic Relief Uncovered, that's about 26 minutes long. It's full of bloopers, behind the scenes stuff, interviews with the cast and crew, and clips from the original stories. I even found out how they make cobwebs, glue sprayed from an aerosol can. There are also scenes from amateur Doctor Who productions, and people who make TARDIS consoles and Daleks for them. It's a passion more than a mere hobby for these dedicated people.

Then there are three Who sketches from British TV programs--French and Saunders, Victoria Wood On TV, and The Lenny Henry Show, all which total 14 or so minutes. We are so isolated from what little we get of British comedies, except for more successful ones like Monty Python, Are You Being Served?, Allo Allo, Keeping Up Appearances on PBS or A&E, or the few video releases without esoteric references that only a Briton would understand, that anything else seems exotic.

Anyway, the French and Saunders sketch sends up Colin Baker's Trial Of A Timelord story, with jabs at program continuity, and the robot dog K9. French and Saunders play two silly, flibbertigibbet actresses playing Silurians who give the director of the story headache after headache. Comment: the actor is obviously doing the Tom Baker Doctor, but he seems to have stolen his scarf from Harry Potter.

The Lenny Henry sketch of Oct. 1985 is another jab at the Colin Baker era, especially the cancellation crisis, technobabble, Cybermen, and Margaret Thatcher. It's brief but fun.

Any Doctor Who or Rowan Atkinson fan will appreciate this spoof special. I know I did.

The primary content of this tape is not what the box would have you believe. The bulk of the material is not actually "The Curse of Fatal Death". Mostly this tape is a making-of vignette and a collection of three other brief DOCTOR WHO parodies. You'll probably be a bit disappointed if you buy this thinking you were getting a full-length parody episode.

However, if you understand you're buying a product which showcases the lighter side of the longest-running science fiction television show in history, then you'll likely be well-pleased.

"The Curse of Fatal Death" is itself incredibly good. Its only real fault--its length--is actually a hidden strength. Though its meager run time is unfortunate, this brevity also serves to tighten the comedy. There's very little time to do much BUT laugh. To be sure, DOCTOR WHO fans are going to get the most fun out of the piece, because they know what's being lampooned, but such a star-studded cast--including film stars like Hugh Grant and Jonathan Pryce--lends broader appeal to the general British comedy fan as well. The piece, after all, was part of a much larger COMIC RELIEF effort.

After "Curse" ends, however, the tape becomes of greater interest to DOCTOR WHO fans. A splendid "making of" vignette follows immediately. It may be the only such work which is actually longer than its subject. Chief amongst all the questions it answers is why all these celebrities were involved with this project in the first place. For serious fans of the show, it's got lots of great material on how Daleks work and the best way to build a TARDIS set in your spare time. But maybe most importantly, it shows that the reason "Curse" worked so well is that the people writing it were genuine fans of the show itself. This point is amply underscored by the presence of three other sketches, which, with the possible exception of the previously unaired French and Saunders bit, mostly show how easy it is to make a bad parody. Still, DOCTOR WHO completists will like to have even these sub-par sketches, because they only go to prove the point of DOCTOR WHO's longlived popularity.

[PARENTAL NOTE: Though DOCTOR WHO is itself largely an inoffensive kids' show, "The Curse of Fatal Death" was written for an adult audience. It was originally aired as a part of Comic Relief UK. As such, it contains some sexual suggestion and slightly off-color humor which is unusual to the series as whole.]

OK. I will admit it. I am a die-hard Whovian. I've been to conventions. I got chills the first time I saw Peter Davidson in person. I had my photo taken with some man dressed up like the Master. I am a geek, and I am proud.

That said, I hope all you other geeks will join me in buying this truly hilarious spoof on what was **and should be again** a wonderful slice of British Television, Doctor Who. There are some very brilliant tongue-in-cheek gags (I'll explain later), some surprises, and lots of laughs. If there really is a force of good in the universe, the BBC will see how popular this video is and show the good sense to put the "real" Doctor Who series back into production.

The "behind-the-scenes" footage is even funnier than the spoof itself. I was touched by the true affection almost all the stars have for the old series. Jonathan Price displays a rapier wit, and the whole process looks like so much fun, I wish I could hop the next Concord over to help them with the next installment!

The 3 additional sketches are also cute, especially the Larry Henry sketch which uses the same gentle homage and parody which make the Comic Relief sketch great. Buy this. It'll make a wonderful addition to your collection and it will put a smile on your face.

The earlier reviews posted here have pretty well covered the merits of the plot, but a brief note is needed on the technicalities, as this story has been re-edited for video.

When it was shown on television, "The Curse of Fatal Death" was in four parts, each one ending in a cliffhanger. But BBC Video, always happy to throw in a spoiler where it can, has chosen for no good reason to pointlessly spoil this story by re-editing it into a 2-parter.

So do be aware that this video is not what was presented on television.

The parody, 'Curse of Fatal Death', is only about 15 minutes long! The rest of the video is dedicated to how the parody was made which, in my opinion, was boring and tedious. There are three other parodys of Dr. Who at the end of the tape (about 5 mintues each) which are Ok. Although Rowan Atkinson and Hugh Grant are seen in the spoof, I was very disappointed that there wasn't much substance in the parody. The skit is well made, using some orginal Dr. Who visual and audio effects and music, but not enough substance. I probably would not have purchased 'Curse of Fatal Death' if I knew how short it would be.

Well this might just be your video! Rowan Atkinson plays the Doc kinda like a gentler Black Adder. Very funny and the series of big name cameo regenerations at the end makes the tape that much funnier. Behind the scenes show follows the main feature. As an added bonus there are 3 comedy sketches from various British shows. The French and Saunders skit was kind of goofy (thus the 4 stars instead of 5....not quite perfect), but seeing Lenny Henry do a sort of Doctor mixed with Shaft routine is hilarious. In summary....DEFINITELY lives up to WHO name.

'The Curse of Fatal Death' was a Comic Relief special production from 1999. It was made with obvious love and admiration for the original series, and is quite funny. The story is divided into two short episodes, using the familiar Dr. Who theme from the Tom Baker (4th Doctor) era, and I must say that the episode 1 cliffhanger is one worthy of the regular series, itself.

Comic talent Rowan Atkinson plays the 9th Doctor (presumably he has regenerated from the Paul McGann 8th Doctor profile). He and his companion land the TARDIS on a planet, hot on the heels of The Master (perfectly played by Jonathan Pryce). A clever banter convenes between the two Time Lords, and the story is soon in full motion. There is also an appearance of another familiar Who adversary.

'The Curse of Fatal Death' contains many pertinent "in-jokes" to the classic series, pokes fun at it without being rude to its memory, and actually contains a rather involving (if superfluous) storyline. Hugh Grant, Jim Broadbent, and Joanna Lumley also guest-star (as do other notables).

The VHS tape also includes a "behind the scenes" documentary, which is in many ways funnier than the actual production. I have quite a childhood fondness for 'Dr. Who', and it is nice to see so many well-known people taking the time to do such a well-done parody of the show. Also featured on the tape are three skits from various British series, all spoofing the show. The best, in my opinion, is the one from the Lenny Henry Show. If, for nothing else, it mocks the the often used device of the Doctor and his companions running up and down multiple plastic corridors in attempts to evade the villians.

If you are a die-hard 'Doctor Who' fan, then 'The Curse of Fatal Death' will bring a sincere, nostalgic smile to your face, and may make you bring out some of those old episodes to watch again. There's nothing better than watching the Doctor save every planet in the Universe 27 times (a joke from the show). Once more, Who is back in action.

Dr Who-Curse of the Fatal Death proves the Doctor Who is alive and well in the 21st century. Although a parody, Curse of the Fatal Death stays true to Doctor Who characters and events. Starring Rowan Atkinson, Johnathan Pryce and Hugh Grant, this video is one of the funniest takes on the DR. WHO mythos I've ever seen. Done for Comic Relief, Fatal Death will be a welcome addition to any DR. WHO library or make a great gift for any Whovian.

I've held the belief for the past 12 years that Rowan Atkinson would make a great doctor, and now I have proof on tape. I would love to see this series redone with Rowan Atkinson at the helm. His humor is always punctual and sharp. And true to Doctor Who form, the video is low budget and well written. I HIGHLY recommend this video to anyone who is 1) a doctor who fan or 2) is a Rowan Atkinson fan (blackadder, Mr. Bean). Don't miss out on this hilarious video. (I agree that it was a bit short, but for a comedy skit, that is expected)

"Curse of the Fatal Death" is much more than a parody of Dr. Who--in many ways it is a loving tribute. Rowin Attkinson gives such a good perforance as the doctor, that WHEN Dr. Who comes back, and should Paul McGann decide not to play the doctor anymore; I hope Rowin Attkinson will be given consideration to play the real thing. The regeneration scenes are well done, particualrly the last one (I loved the sonic screwdriver joke). The making of segment is interesting; and the other 3 sketches are ok, with the Lenny henry one being the best. If you have a sense of humor aabout being a Dr. Who fan, or have a friend who always makes fun of you--this video will make an excellent purchase.