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Special Features
Commentary by actors William Russell and Carole Ann Ford, director John Gorrie, and designer Raymond Cusic, moderated by Clayton Hickman
The Sets of Marinus: Interview with designer Raymond Cusic
Photo gallery
PDF material (DVD-ROM, PC/Mac): Radio Times listings, Cadet Sweets: Doctor Who and the Daleks (scans of the entire set of the Cadet Sweet cards, which features a mini Doctor Who story involving the Daleks and the Voord
Production note subtitles
The Sets of Marinus: Interview with designer Raymond Cusic
Photo gallery
PDF material (DVD-ROM, PC/Mac): Radio Times listings, Cadet Sweets: Doctor Who and the Daleks (scans of the entire set of the Cadet Sweet cards, which features a mini Doctor Who story involving the Daleks and the Voord
Production note subtitles
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
For all the Whos in Whoville (sorry, wrong Doctor), this vintage Doctor Who adventure from the venerable British series' inaugural season is a must-own collectible. For the uninitiated, Doctor Who is television's longest-running science fiction series and it has gained a cult following that rivals those of Star Trek and Star Wars. Dr. Who, portrayed here in his first incarnation by William Hartnell, is a Time Lord who travels the cosmos in a spacecraft called the TARDIS (Time and Relative Dimension in Space), whose exterior looks like a police call box.
Originally broadcast in 1964, The Keys of Marinus is a six-episode arc that features the doctor's original traveling companions, science teacher Ian Chesterton, history teacher Barbara Wright, and the doctor's granddaughter, Susan, who is given to screaming at the first sign of peril. Hartnell's doctor is a sprightly curmudgeon who relishes adventure and mystery, which he finds after the group lands on Marinus, an island of glass surrounded by a sea of acid. Doctor and company are compelled to retrieve four microcircuits that are the keys to the Conscience of Marinus, a computer that has eliminated evil from the minds of men (except apparently the evil Yartek and his web-suited Voords, who want to seize the machine). Their quest takes them most memorably to "a planet of the most contented people" (beware the brainwashing powers of the "mesmerent"), another world overrun by plants, and finally a city where Chesterton, framed for murder, is considered guilty until proven innocent--by the doctor, of course. As is characteristic of this series, the special effects are a hokey hoot and the actors sometimes step on each others' lines. Hartnell vacationed during production and is absent for two episodes. But this is a surprisingly prophetic cautionary tale: it may be good to heed the doctor's prescient observation that "man was not made to be controlled by machines." If you have yet to make an appointment with the doctor, perhaps the episodes featuring Tom Baker--the fourth and most popular of the doctors--are a more accessible introduction. --Donald Liebenson
Product Description
On a remote island of glass surrounded by a sea of acid, there is a machine that can remove evil from the minds of an entire population – the Conscience of Marinus. Fearful of its immense power falling into the wrong hands, its sole guardian has scattered the machine’s operating keys across the planet. The TARDIS crew arrives to find the island under attack by the evil Voord. Marinus’ last line of defense – and its only hope – is the Conscience machine. The Doctor and his companions must undertake a deadly quest to recover the keys of Marinus.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
24 of 27 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
It's worth noting that you've been watching a cut version of this story all these years; read this from the Restoration Team website:
"[The film copies had] seven seconds of cuts to episode two and ten seconds of cuts to episode four. The most likely reason for these cuts is either physical damage to the transmission videotape or physical splice edits in the tapes, both of which might be expected to produce disturbing picture off-locks in the film recording.
It was decided to reinstate all the audio material back into the episode, leaving Peter Crocker with the problem of how to fill seven black holes in the picture! Using various combinations of cutaways, composite images and retiming, he was able to cover all the holes. Although this will obviously differ from what what would have been seen originally, it does at least allow the story to be enjoyed uncut for the first time since its transmission in 1964."
As for special features, read on...
* Commentary with actors William Russell and Carole Ann Ford, director John Gorrie and designer Raymond Cusick. Moderated by Clayton Hickman.
* The Sets of Marinus (dur. 9' 25") - designer Raymond Cusick recalls his work on this story.
* Photo Gallery (dur. 7' 25") - production and publicity photos from the story.
* PDF Material - Radio Times listings plus the entire set of Cadet Sweets 'Doctor Who and the Daleks' sweet cigarette cards in Adobe pdf format for viewing on PC or Mac.
Plus of course the usual Subtitle Production Notes and Coming Soon trailer.
"[The film copies had] seven seconds of cuts to episode two and ten seconds of cuts to episode four. The most likely reason for these cuts is either physical damage to the transmission videotape or physical splice edits in the tapes, both of which might be expected to produce disturbing picture off-locks in the film recording.
It was decided to reinstate all the audio material back into the episode, leaving Peter Crocker with the problem of how to fill seven black holes in the picture! Using various combinations of cutaways, composite images and retiming, he was able to cover all the holes. Although this will obviously differ from what what would have been seen originally, it does at least allow the story to be enjoyed uncut for the first time since its transmission in 1964."
As for special features, read on...
* Commentary with actors William Russell and Carole Ann Ford, director John Gorrie and designer Raymond Cusick. Moderated by Clayton Hickman.
* The Sets of Marinus (dur. 9' 25") - designer Raymond Cusick recalls his work on this story.
* Photo Gallery (dur. 7' 25") - production and publicity photos from the story.
* PDF Material - Radio Times listings plus the entire set of Cadet Sweets 'Doctor Who and the Daleks' sweet cigarette cards in Adobe pdf format for viewing on PC or Mac.
Plus of course the usual Subtitle Production Notes and Coming Soon trailer.
18 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Season one, 11/4/64-16/5/64.
My main gripe with this story is, it's just too ambitious on it's minuscule budget. Who plays to it's strenghts when it embraces it's limitations, and doesn't try to do a story that needs a Hollywood budget. Okay rant over.
This was Terry Nation's first non-Dalek story, Dalek popularity was still in the ascendancy when Nation hastily delivered this script.
The only other time he went Dalek-less was the "Avenger" like Android Invasion.
Mr Nation's strong points were ideas to capture the imagination, but with this story his weaknesses are revealed, he simple couldn't write easy flowing natural dialogue in the same way as Whittaker or Spooner. This was also the earliest of the quest like stories which later came out as The Chase, The E-space trilogy, the Key to Time season, and the Black Guardian trilogy.
The reason for Hartnell's disappearance for episode three and four was, he was on two weeks holiday, and it worked wonders, he comes back in episode five completely invigorated with no fluffs or dries.
~~~~
With six new sets required each week and only one designer (Ray Cusick).
This story does appear to have more production problems then most early Hartnell stories, example: when the secret entrance door swings open you catch a glimpse of one of the set workers operating it.
But episode four, "The Snows of Terror" sums up exactly why I always rate sixties Who above any other decade, and that is when Vasor is alone with Barbara he attempts to rape her. Very strong stuff for an early evening TV show. (A similar incident occurs with Edith in, "The Time Meddler".)
This touching on some of societies taboos was avoided in later decades. Which I felt was a shame, as it gave it an extra edge of realism.
Unlike most Who fans I can't slavishly mark every story as a five star one, If all stories are marked highly then that cheapens the quality of the real classics.
This is one story that needs to be criticized, in places.
~~~~
(Brief synopsis)
Episode One, Sea of Death, Arbitan stops the Tardis crew gaining entrance to the TARDIS. Forcing them on the quest for the four keys.
Episode Two, The Velvet Web, here in the city of Morphoton you can get anything you wish for, or so it appears.
Episode Three, The Screaming Jungle, in the jungle, scientists have speeded up plant growth, to a frightening degree!
Episode Four, The Snows of Terror, On the Icy tundra they meet a fur trapper called Vasor, who seems a nice man.
Episode Five, Sentence of Death, The travellers encounter a society in which the legal system is, guilty until proven innocent.
Episode Six, The Keys of Marinus, returning to the Island but only to find, trouble.
Overall opinion, not a classic story but the changing locations help to maintain ones interest.
Trivia.
This is the first time we see the Tardis land from the outside, albeit a model shot, all other times were shown to have landed from inside the Tardis.
What has this story got in common with the film Citizen Kane?.....Answer George Couloris starred in both.
Watch the conscience machine make a reappearance four years later as, "The Mind Robber."
Don't let the fact it's in B&W put you off.
My main gripe with this story is, it's just too ambitious on it's minuscule budget. Who plays to it's strenghts when it embraces it's limitations, and doesn't try to do a story that needs a Hollywood budget. Okay rant over.
This was Terry Nation's first non-Dalek story, Dalek popularity was still in the ascendancy when Nation hastily delivered this script.
The only other time he went Dalek-less was the "Avenger" like Android Invasion.
Mr Nation's strong points were ideas to capture the imagination, but with this story his weaknesses are revealed, he simple couldn't write easy flowing natural dialogue in the same way as Whittaker or Spooner. This was also the earliest of the quest like stories which later came out as The Chase, The E-space trilogy, the Key to Time season, and the Black Guardian trilogy.
The reason for Hartnell's disappearance for episode three and four was, he was on two weeks holiday, and it worked wonders, he comes back in episode five completely invigorated with no fluffs or dries.
~~~~
With six new sets required each week and only one designer (Ray Cusick).
This story does appear to have more production problems then most early Hartnell stories, example: when the secret entrance door swings open you catch a glimpse of one of the set workers operating it.
But episode four, "The Snows of Terror" sums up exactly why I always rate sixties Who above any other decade, and that is when Vasor is alone with Barbara he attempts to rape her. Very strong stuff for an early evening TV show. (A similar incident occurs with Edith in, "The Time Meddler".)
This touching on some of societies taboos was avoided in later decades. Which I felt was a shame, as it gave it an extra edge of realism.
Unlike most Who fans I can't slavishly mark every story as a five star one, If all stories are marked highly then that cheapens the quality of the real classics.
This is one story that needs to be criticized, in places.
~~~~
(Brief synopsis)
Episode One, Sea of Death, Arbitan stops the Tardis crew gaining entrance to the TARDIS. Forcing them on the quest for the four keys.
Episode Two, The Velvet Web, here in the city of Morphoton you can get anything you wish for, or so it appears.
Episode Three, The Screaming Jungle, in the jungle, scientists have speeded up plant growth, to a frightening degree!
Episode Four, The Snows of Terror, On the Icy tundra they meet a fur trapper called Vasor, who seems a nice man.
Episode Five, Sentence of Death, The travellers encounter a society in which the legal system is, guilty until proven innocent.
Episode Six, The Keys of Marinus, returning to the Island but only to find, trouble.
Overall opinion, not a classic story but the changing locations help to maintain ones interest.
Trivia.
This is the first time we see the Tardis land from the outside, albeit a model shot, all other times were shown to have landed from inside the Tardis.
What has this story got in common with the film Citizen Kane?.....Answer George Couloris starred in both.
Watch the conscience machine make a reappearance four years later as, "The Mind Robber."
Don't let the fact it's in B&W put you off.
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
"The Keys of Marinus" is on paper a sweeping outer-space epic. The TARDIS crew is solicited by a man named Arbitan -- the keeper of the Conscience of Marinus, a robed figure living in a pyramid on a deserted island surrounded by a sea of acid. Arbitan's played by George Colouris, who was part of Orson Welles' repertory and who had a role in Citizen Kane (Two-Disc Special Edition). So in the first part of this six-part story, the principal guest actor brings great gravitas to proceedings.
Then our heroes are sent across the planet in search of the hidden micro-keys that will reactivate the Conscience machine and set Marinus to rights. They travel to such terrifying locations as the Screaming Jungle and the Snows of Terror. They're imprisoned in a Velvet Web, and then later, in a fine "Perry Mason" pastiche, Ian is framed for murder and it's up to the Doctor to act as his defense counsel. This reads great on paper, as the novelization (Doctor Who and the Keys of Marinus) demonstrates.
So, how could this story go wrong? Well, a low budget, for one. The DVD release of "Marinus" looks fabulous -- the original videotapes for this story have long since been destroyed, but the existing kinescope transfers have been restored to a pristine VT look. Unfortunately, that process doesn't serve the story well -- with "Marinus" already well known for tons of technical errors, it's hard to look at this DVD for 45 seconds without spotting a stray stagehand or a roaming boom shadow or a wobbly set.
The writing isn't great, either. For "Doctcr Who"'s second adventure into outer space, Terry Nation was brought in on short notice (following a string of canceled scripts) to recapture the success of "The Daleks" (available in Doctor Who - The Beginning Collection). He fails. The story's biggest logical flaw is that Arbitan himself hid each key in an inaccessible location -- and then never tells his hand-picked agents how to overcome those traps.
The audio commentary to "Marinus" adds a lot of flavor. The director, John Gorrie, was from the BBC plays department, and this was his only foray into "Doctor Who". However, his inexperience was offset by that of designer Ray Cusick, who'd been largely responsible for the success of "The Daleks" just a few stories previously. Surviving original cast members William Russell (Ian) and Carole Ann Ford (Susan) recall details about their characters 45 years after the fact. It's all moderated by ex-"Doctor Who Magazine" editor Clayton Hickman. Similarly, the text commentary track ably matches dry production details with a keen eye for pointing out on-screen bloopers.
The last word belongs to Cusick, who in this disc's lone featurette, describes point by point the budget shortfalls that led to his ingeniously minimal set designs... and who then, when asked what about this story he'd keep,if he had to do it all over again, says "nothing".
Then our heroes are sent across the planet in search of the hidden micro-keys that will reactivate the Conscience machine and set Marinus to rights. They travel to such terrifying locations as the Screaming Jungle and the Snows of Terror. They're imprisoned in a Velvet Web, and then later, in a fine "Perry Mason" pastiche, Ian is framed for murder and it's up to the Doctor to act as his defense counsel. This reads great on paper, as the novelization (Doctor Who and the Keys of Marinus) demonstrates.
So, how could this story go wrong? Well, a low budget, for one. The DVD release of "Marinus" looks fabulous -- the original videotapes for this story have long since been destroyed, but the existing kinescope transfers have been restored to a pristine VT look. Unfortunately, that process doesn't serve the story well -- with "Marinus" already well known for tons of technical errors, it's hard to look at this DVD for 45 seconds without spotting a stray stagehand or a roaming boom shadow or a wobbly set.
The writing isn't great, either. For "Doctcr Who"'s second adventure into outer space, Terry Nation was brought in on short notice (following a string of canceled scripts) to recapture the success of "The Daleks" (available in Doctor Who - The Beginning Collection). He fails. The story's biggest logical flaw is that Arbitan himself hid each key in an inaccessible location -- and then never tells his hand-picked agents how to overcome those traps.
The audio commentary to "Marinus" adds a lot of flavor. The director, John Gorrie, was from the BBC plays department, and this was his only foray into "Doctor Who". However, his inexperience was offset by that of designer Ray Cusick, who'd been largely responsible for the success of "The Daleks" just a few stories previously. Surviving original cast members William Russell (Ian) and Carole Ann Ford (Susan) recall details about their characters 45 years after the fact. It's all moderated by ex-"Doctor Who Magazine" editor Clayton Hickman. Similarly, the text commentary track ably matches dry production details with a keen eye for pointing out on-screen bloopers.
The last word belongs to Cusick, who in this disc's lone featurette, describes point by point the budget shortfalls that led to his ingeniously minimal set designs... and who then, when asked what about this story he'd keep,if he had to do it all over again, says "nothing".
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Just a tad beyond their reach...
The Keys of Marinus is somewhat of a disappoint for many viewers. You would think a nice long story written by Terry Nation would be a great, wonderful, interesting and keep you... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Michael Valdivielso
5.0 out of 5 stars
Well crafted plot, but not a necessity.
If you're wanting good William Hartnell stories, then this is certainly one to consider buying. But if you're looking only for the essential Doctor Who stories, then this one... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Mark Vanderlinde-Abernathy
5.0 out of 5 stars
Whoism
As a dedicated Whoist and a dedicated follower of Whoism, it does not come much better than this...
Very much worth watching!
Very much worth watching!
Published 3 months ago by Randolph Lee Harkins
5.0 out of 5 stars
A good introduction to the original Doctor.
While I was out looking for DVDs of each Doctor to sample, I got this because I recalled reading a favorable review which called it a good old fashioned serial, and that's an... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Patrick Correa
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gift
I gave this as a gift to my father for christmas. He has an almost complete collection of Doctor Who. It came in great condition and he's very happy with it.
Published 4 months ago by CorsetFan
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great DVD
If you are a Doctor Who fan you will like this DVD story is great but special effects are ok.
Published 4 months ago by Pete
4.0 out of 5 stars
Relatively new to the Original Series
I've been a massive fan of the newer version of Doctor Who. But lately, I've been trying to catch up with the original series. So far, I've been enjoying them a lot. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Will Frazier
4.0 out of 5 stars
HIstorical
Just because we are a house of Whovains we felt the need to start gathering all the origional Doctors that we can, but I must say after watching this far through the American... Read more
Published 18 months ago by Silasil
4.0 out of 5 stars
Keeps getting better
To be bought after The Beginning DVD collection. Includes story five (story four is not available on DVD) and includes episodes 21-26 of season one. Read more
Published 23 months ago by S. Molina
5.0 out of 5 stars
Classic Sci-Fi
This is the dawn of Sci-Fi.... cheesy special effects and elobrate sets. So far of the orginal Hartnell years, this is my favorite. Read more
Published on July 15, 2010 by T Ducky
