Customer Reviews

Doctor Who - The Sun Makers [VHS]

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This was always one of my favorite Who's as a youngster and it is a joy to watch it again as an adult and think about what we are seeing. Since the reviews above [or below] do a fine job in outlining the plot, my tact will be discussing the look and feel of this superior, offbeat entry in the series.

If nothing else, this Who episode makes me think of George Lucas' first feature, THX-1138, and I am sure that the producers and designers studied that film for ideas, such as the drugged, dehumanized work units and the use of sterile, pre-exitsing "modern" locales. Some of the hallways, subway tubes and of course the rooftop set were probably all located in the same factory or power plant. The familiarity of the settings, redefined for science fiction, produce an odd reaction within the viewer that work very well in serving the plot.

The contructed sets actually remind me of 3d game levels; the wall fixtures are decorated with flat, 2 dimensional slabs of "textures" that represent circuit boards and electrical conduits. While the illusion they present is incomplete in places, the result as a whole creates a very believable world. There is also a claustrophobic nature to the episode that nicely fits in with this futuristic plutocracy; the whole Megropolis is one big production machine, and the humans are merely expendable drones that service it -- echoes of Metropolis, THX-1138, Soylent Green, Logan's Run, Silent Running, et al.

The only part of the story that seems underdeveloped is that of The Others; They have a nice little pit with great looking duct fixtures to skulk about in, but where are they looting all of their provender from? Where do they plan to spend the 1000 telmars? Where did Mandrel get that bullwhip? I can buy into the idea of a group of malcontents living like rats in the undercity, but I wish some more time had been given to showing just how they make their keep. As is they just supply the plot with a readymade bunch of grungy, amoral roustabouts that The Doctor can use to ferment the rebellion against the Company, glory be to the Company. I'm willing to overlook it.

Doctor Who adventures pass or fail on the strengths of their villains, and The Sun Makers has two great villains in the form of The Gatherer ["Perhaps everyone runs from the Taxman."] and the slimy, gross, sneering Collector. I love the scenes where he sits at his control desk, fiddling with computations, issuing proclomations, mumbling figures and pressing levers that go BOINK. It is also interesting seeing The Doctor pit his wits against an Alien Menace that doesn't want to reduce the galaxy to ashes for a change, just make dividends, keep up production, and enjoy a proper Steaming every once in a while. My favorite line from the adventure is when The Collector describes The Doctor with the expression "He has a long history of violence and of economic subversion. He will not be sympathetic to my company's business methods." Contemporary PC sensitive viewers may be uncomfortable with a hunched over little villain confinded to a wheelchair, but the explanation of why The Collector can't leave the chair provides a great laugh. The only bigger laugh comes from watching the people tip The Gatherer over the edge of the roof at the end. Ha ha.

And then there is Leela ... Leela is my favorite of The Doctor's companions, and her role in this episode is pivotal to the plot rather than just penciled in to give The Doctor someone to explain things to. As a "degenerate unsported Telurian colonial savage" she is completely bemused by the culture she encounters but, as usual, adapts well to the situation and provides the spark that ignites the insurrection in her failed attempt to rescue The Doctor. My only question is, why do she and the rebel female character who wants her skins suddenly seemed to have bonded at the end, to the extent where they do some dopey combat buddy handshake? The last time they had seen each other they weren't exactly on the best of terms. But with her blue eyes, dusky skin and scanty costume [I think we see more of Louise's bod in this one than any other in the series] she provides a truly human "Girl Power" counterpoint to the sanitized, impotent futuristic world she is thrust into. Her little bondage scene in the Correction Center also suggests things that cannot be printed here ... ahem.

One thing that kind of raised an eyebrow when watching this again was the opening and closing segments in the TARDIS where Baker's Who is nothing short of rude and petulant to Leela and K9. Why? Was the screenwriter trying to show The Doctor on one of his crabby mood days or were they improvising, and was this Baker's idea of humor? Hearing him tell Leela to "Shut Up" just sounds wrong, though if I am not mistaken she soon left the series after this entry. Perhaps they were trying to set Leela up to where she would be ready to jump ship in the Invasion of Time, but I think a swift one to The Doctor's family jewels might have encouraged him to re-think the way he relates to his traveling companions when company isn't around. Being a super genious hero is no excuse for acting like a jerk.

Still, the satire of the episode shines through; it is not only one of the most humorous entries in Baker's Who tenure but amongst the most poignent. The dialogue, especially Gatherer Hade's scenes, is consistently amusing but still deals with some weighty issues. It also anticipated the ATM machine with it's ConSom bank, an interesting insight that turned out to be a reality of our world of today. But what really makes it work is that The Sun Makers is a story about people and the changes they go through during it's course, and Dr. Who is always it's most entertaining when dealing with humanity.

My favorite moment? The scene where Gatherer Hade and his "underling" Marn try to sneak up on The Doctor's "static loop" of himself ... they draw their pistols, creep up to the spot, and with a "Now!" turn the corner to a wonderfully comic staccatto of trumpet music. Totally stupid, but it works.

This interview is terminated.

The Sunmakers is one of the more popular Tom Baker Doctor Whos. The Doctor, Leela, and K9arrive on the third moon of Pluto to find a human colony bogged down in taxes and work levied by the infamous company. In this colony, crimes are punished by being sent to a re-education center and the greatest crime is tax evasion. The ruler of this colony is the impish company representative who's voice would make the crypt keeper proud. There's a lot of opportunity for humorous dialogue ("let's say he wants to make a double vision tax for people with two eyes")and the story works hard to make a statement about beuracracy out of control. This is a classic Doctor Who of the Tom Baker Era.

On another note... if you're looking for new Dr. Who material. Look for the audio releases of the missing episodes. Look for my list "Missing Dr. Who's on Audio and Video" to find out about this. The jewel cases look really cool although amazon.com USA has not printed pictures for most of them on their web pages. Look for "The Web of Fear" for starters. "The Dalek's Master Plan" Audio Release is awsome too. Also check out Big Finnish productions for the new audio adventures of Dr. Who featuring Doctors ranging from Peter Davison to Paul Mcgann. Was this review helpful? Did you learn something new from it? Please vote Yes.

A rather unusual story, 'The Sunmakers' is a highly clever, tongue-in-cheek dig at over-taxation and government and corporate beauracracy. Written by the incomparable Robert Holmes, this story deals with the plight of humanity, now confined to a terraformed Pluto and subservient to a greedy corporation which provides the means by which humans survive. The Doctor, Leela and K-9 become involved in the power struggle between the scheming officials of The Company and the uncultured rebels of the underground.
The characters Holmes creates for this story are highly effective, from the lowly, desperate worker Cordo to the marvellously larger-than-life Gatherer Hade and the slimy, evil alien Collector. The dialogue sparkles as well, with almost everyone getting his or her share of memorable lines. The caliber of the guest cast is universally high, with the aforementioned Hade and Collector stealing their scenes brilliantly. Tom Baker and Louise Jameson are typically superb, with Baker owning a priceless scene in the medical ward where he bumbles about in a stait jacket, all the while chatting to a fellow patient and plotting his escape. The climax featuring the Collector and the Doctor is also a fascinating scene.
Overall, 'The Sunmakers' is a fun and biting satire, brilliantly conceived, written and acted. Praise to The Company indeed.

This story shows Doctor Who at its best -- instead of relying on flashy special effects, the show relies on social commentary, dark humor, and good, solid storytelling.

Instead of the usual alien menace swarming in guns blazing (or biological weapons inflicting plague or causing mutation or what have you), determined to destroy the poor innocent humans, we are presented with a future distopia. We see an entire world that is nothing but a wholly owned subsidiary of a corporation. The land, the machines, the government, *the people* all are effectively company property. Crushing taxes are just another way to transfer wealth upward, maximize corporate profits.

Arriving on this dreary world, the Doctor and Leela find a man beyond hope, preparing to commit suicide. In saving him our heroes begin a chain of events which will save the entire world -- or destroy it.

This is Louise Jameson (Leela)'s favorite Doctor Who story, one where she felt her character was shown off to the best effect. I have to agree -- this one fired on all cylinders. The Doctor is funny and subversive, the companion spends enough time away from him to be a hero in her own right, the villains give broad performances without sinking into pantomime, and Robert Holmes gives us one his most biting and clever scripts.

A winner from top to bottom. Five stars.

While there's some campy moments that almost detract, the political undertones (both commercial imperialism AND excessive taxation are pelted on, so writer Robert Holmes was able to stick it to everybody!) more than make up for it.

Very unusual but very good story for 1977, which was written 4 years before Western society started its form of commercial imperialism. :-)

Definitely a must-see. But if you're not fond of stories that dare play with social scenarios, stay away. Reality bites.

Incredibly underrated due to the cheap-looking production, but really has aged very well and extremely humorous. Another Robert Holmes superlative takes a look at the tax system. Although, not filled with many double-plays(a Robert Holmes signature in his serials), there is still lots of fun to be had. i find that this one seems to get lost in the shuffle due to Season 15 not being a real fan favorite. Louise Jameson has some great lines: "Then they should rise up, and slaughter their oppressors!"

A diamond hidden in the rough, unless you're a Graham Williams detractor...

This has to be one of most hilarious episodes in all of the doctor who cannon. The premise for the entire story is quite imaginative and interesting. It seems to be some sort of parady of the income tax system. 'Monetary supremacy is much more effective than miltary conquest' the collector declares. That is certainly true of the real world. Think of the rockefellers and rothchilds stranglehold over the world. Compare this story to the multi-national corporations that smother the western world and exploit the third world. You can see the parallels between these and 'the company'.

From this it hardly seems a story to insert great humour into - but it does and brilliantly. Cordo seems to be like the unlikely hero in another doctor who story "the Horns of Nimon". Tom Baker is at his silly best here. The collector is exceptionally well played and the gatherer is convincing as the arrogant, smug company official. The story holds up well throughout and the end completely unexpected - except that the doctor wins and that's not giving anything away to those who haven't viewed the tape.

The Pluto of the future has been transformed into an Earth-like planet. Unfortunately for the human colonists, the Earth-like qualities extend to an Earth-like tax system. This is a real must-see, a bona fide political satire. Tom Baker is suitably wacky, there are a lot of little in-jokes (one of the corridors is numbered P45), the adventure aspects are well-written, and Henry Woolf is both sinister and hilariously obnoxious as the oppressive head of the Pluto tax company.

On a Pluto heated by six artifical suns, a giant corporation known as "The Company" has set up a branch under their leader the Collector, using humans as "work units," working and taxing them up the you-know-what. Taxes are a primary consideration

The Doctor and Leela stop a D-grade foundry worker, Cordo, from committing suicide because of the unjust death taxes imposed on him following his father's death. They are captured by an underground resistance movement, who are none too friendly, and led by the scruffy-looking Mandrel.

Leela plays a highly inspirational part here as she denounces Mandrel's underground lot. "No pride, no courage, no manhood. Even animals protect their own." Mandrel's threat to kill her is empty, as Leela could go fifteen rounds with them and come out unscathed. And when Cordo is the only one to help Leela rescue the Doctor, she tells him that he is the bravest one compared to Mandrel's gang. One of Leela's best stories.

Richard Leach (Gatherer Hade) plays his part as a typical fat, corrupt, pompous, and hammy bureaucrat. He also misquotes the Earth proverb, "There's one rotten apple in every barrel," saying "acorn." His respectful honorifics to the Collector border on the ridiculous, "Your Grossness, Your Voluminousness, Your Amplification," but that contributes to his ridiculous character.

This variation of amoral but plummy character would later be played to perfection by Iain Cuthbertson in The Ribos Operation. Of course, the difference between Hade and Garron is that the latter is more enjoyable.

There's also a French Revolution influence in designating people as "citizens," and a revamp on an old proverb: "To err is computer, and to forgive is fine."

The dialogue has its moments as well. The Doctor theorizes that an overtaxing corporation is caused by too many economists in the government. His condemnation of the Collector, is well put: "You bloodsucking leach! Don't you think commercial imperialism is as bad as military conquest?" To which the Collector replies that "economic power is more effective." We only need to look at the exploitation of African and Asian countries even after their European masters gave them independence of the Doctor's veracity. Look at Shell Oil in Nigeria, for example.

The most inspirational speech comes from the Doctor, who tells Mandrel and his group: "I want you to scatter through the city and tell the people what has happened. Remind them that they are human beings, and that human beings always fight for their freedom."

This was criticized in the past for its leftist political leanings, but this would also have appeal to libertarians or populists who are against taxation. There's also an anti-corporate message here as well. I work in a retail outlet of a corporation and sometimes I feel like just a "D-grade work unit." So there is no surprise that this story, which I previously ranked in the lower tier of the Who canon, has a lot more relevance to me. I can only dream of fomenting the kind of French, Russian, or Eastern European revolution of 1989 depicted in the Sunmakers against the corporation I work for. To quote Karl Marx, "Workers of the world unite!"

"The Sun Makers" was the last Doctor Who story script-edited by Robert Holmes, who wrote the script himself, veering away from his usual specialty--gothic horror--to write a lightweight political satire informed by the spirit of the times: high unemployment under Britain's faltering Labour government and the failed economic policies of Chancellor of the Exchequer Denis Healey.

The Doctor, Leela and K9 land on the planet Pluto, which has been turned into a giant industrial concern fueled by six artificial suns and run by something called "The Company," which is represented on Pluto by an obsequious official named Gatherer Hade and his tyrannical boss, the Collector. The Company exploits its workers ruthlessly, forcing them to meet ever-higher production quotas while paying ruinously high taxes on every aspect of their miserable, short lives.

In Holmes' script, the Collector was to be played by a rotund actor in the tradition of Sydney Greenstreet from "The Maltese Falcon." Throughout the story, Gatherer Hade kisses up to this obese tyrant with such dubious titles of respect as "Your Enormity," "Your Rotundity," "Your Immensity," etc. This becomes a running gag because the Collector is actually played by Henry Woolf, a dimunitive comic actor who had previously worked with Eric Idle on Rutland Weekend Television and would play the Rutles' guru in the Beatles satire "All You Need Is Cash." In "Sun Makers," Woolf is made to appear a bald dwarf in a motorized wheelchair who flashes bushy eyebrows made to mimic Healey's.

For viewers who relish this sort of thing, "The Sun Makers" is loaded with witty, punning dialogue rich in cultural allusions. As science fiction, however, the story is a mediocre achievement, despite some clever touches in costuming and set design by Tony Snoaden, who tried to evoke the sun-worshipping culture of the Aztecs but was trumped by the usual BBC budgetary constraints. Check out the Special Features menu for the customary "making of" documentary and a brief retrospective on composer Dudley Simpson's contribution to Doctor Who in the '70s.