Product Details

• Actors: Tom Baker, Elisabeth Sladen
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Original recording remastered, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: 20th Century Fox
• VHS Release Date: May 2, 2000
• Run Time: 100 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6305754551
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #126,082 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Scotland's Loch Ness is the setting of this very traditional 1975 Doctor Who monster story--though it was actually filmed in southern England, with local atmosphere provided by Scottish character actor Angus Lennie (The Great Escape). The Doctor (Tom Baker) is called in to investigate a mystery involving the destruction of several oil rigs, and it's not too long before the Loch Ness monster is revealed as the culprit. But it's actually just a biomechanical weapon being manipulated by the evil Zygons, who have been living at the bottom of Loch Ness and plotting world domination. The organically designed sets and monsters are very striking, as are the visual effects, with one notable exception: really big creatures have always been difficult for the series, with its limited budget, to pull off, and this story's reliance on an obvious puppet monster, especially during the climax, diminishes its impact. But there is still much to relish, particularly the dialogue of writer Robert Banks Stewart (who would go on to create the long-running BBC series Bergerac), which provides a number of gems, including the Doctor admonishing the Zygons that if they succeed in their plans, "You'll have to come out on the balcony sometimes and wave a tentacle." With much derring-do, the Doctor saves the day as usual, but not before four exciting episodes of fun and action. --Ryan K. Johnson

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent leading story for the 13th season, May 15, 2001

By 

Bruce Bender (Houston, TX. United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Doctor Who - Terror of the Zygons [VHS] (VHS Tape)

After a very subpar Cybermen story,the Doctor, Sarah and Harry come back to Earth to help UNIT investigate destroyed oil rigs. What they find are people who aren't what they appear to be, an alien threat and one version of the Loch Ness Monster. This story is full of nice touches, including the Doctor's indignation at being called back about "mineral slime" until the Brigadier reminds him of the loss of life, a look at the Brigadier's Scottish heritage and Harry not being an imbecile. The Zygons are well written with a fascinating technology and deserved to come back, which sadly never happened onscreen. However, their one appearance is well worth getting.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Zygons?...A name humans will learn to fear!, June 3, 2000

By 

Peter - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dr. Who - Terror of the Zygons [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This story has be rated as one of the best ever. Not only are the monsters among the series most convincing (by 1970's Dr Who standards), but the overall atmosphere generated by the direction and production is extremely powerful. Adding to this wonderfully eerie feel, is a superb score by Geoffrey Burgon - the tension created by his music is incredible. For me John Woodnutt steals the show, playing two parts as the lead monster 'Broton', and the 'Duke'. His whispering delivery of the aliens' threat to the world ranks as one of the series most remarkable performances. Some feel that the story is let down by some badly executed animation used for the 'Skarasen' (The Loch Ness Monster). But for me, this only further enhances the appeal of the story: It's not Hollywood special effects that make it work, it's a superb mix of deep characterisation, thoughtful direction and above all, spine-tingling performances from all involved.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Doctor won't let Zygons be Zygons, January 25, 2004

By 

Daniel J. Hamlow (Narita, Japan) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Doctor Who - Terror of the Zygons [VHS] (VHS Tape)

The opening story of the thirteenth season has the Doctor, Harry, and Sarah responding to the Brigadier's emergency call that he got at the end of the previous story. Three rigs by the North Sea have been destroyed in one month. First there's a radio blackout, then a weird sound that comes in, and then the rig is destroyed. UNIT is stationed in the nearby village of Tullock, Scotland to investigate.

Some curious markings from the wreckage of the Bonnie Prince Charlie, the rig destroyed at the beginning of the story leads the Doctor to do a study in orthodontology, with a cast of "a set of giant molars than can chew through solid steel as easily as paper." Could it be a manifestations of evil spirits that Angus McRanald, landlord of the inn UNIT is occupying, tells about to Sarah? "Bad luck comes to them who set foot on Tullock Moor" he tells her. But do evil spirits destroy oil rigs?

Another character is the Duke of Forgill, a cynical-looking man with a withering look who is not very pleased with the oil company for two reasons. One, most of his servants have left his employ to work for the oil company, making Forgill Castle a lonely place. Two, roughnecks from the oil company keep trespassing and poaching on his land.

Things get going when Harry is shot while attempting to help the survivor of the Bonnie Prince Charlie, and the climax of Episode One has a Zygon reaching out for Sarah while she's on the phone to the Doctor.

What makes this story interesting is the fact that the Zygons are shape-shifters, and the special effects of their transformations are well-done. The Zygons are aliens who like so many alien invaders, want to conquer Earth. However, the way they intend to do it involves a creature from ancient legend. Hint: UNIT are stationed six or seven miles from Loch Ness.

The Doctor's dismissive comment on oil is clearly inspired by the effects of the 1973 oil crisis. "Oil, an emergency? Huh! It's about time the people who run this planet of yours realize that to be dependent on a mineral slime just doesn't make sense!"

One error is the Doctor telling the Brigadier he's come 270 million miles just to help him. The outermost of the satellites of Jupiter, where the previous story took place, is 370 million miles, so he's off by a factor of 100 million.

The Zygons themselves are well-realized, macrocephalic, fetal-looking aliens with suckers on their body and prominent rib-cages. They were modelled after half-formed embryos in amniotic sacs. As for "Nessy", the director was not too happy with the model realization, so much of the script was rewritten in order not to see much of it. The interior of the Zygon ship, organic like that of the Axons in Claws of Axos, is very realistic and alien.

This would be the last appearance of Nicholas Courtney (the Brigadier) for eight years until he reprised the character in Mawdryn Undead and The Five Doctors. There would be two further UNIT stories without him--The Android Invasion and The Seeds Of Doom. Other trivia: the two bagpipe tunes heard playing are "Strathspey Reel" and "Flowers of the Forest." Also, as location shooting in Scotland proved too expensive, shooting was done around the village of Charlton in Sussex.

Not a bad opener for the season, with the usual cast solid and the Zygons and their ship well-realized, but there isn't that extra oomph to make it a great story.