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Doctor Who - The Hand Of Fear [1976]


RRP: £19.99
Our Price: £5.35 (subject to change)

Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review

Doctor Who fans must take the bittersweet with the suspenseful in this four-part story arc from 1976, which pits the Doctor (Tom Baker) and companion Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen) against the fossilized hand of an alien criminal which possesses a hideous will to live again. Discovered by the Doctor and Sarah during a trip to Earth that puts them in the middle of a mining blast, the hand belongs to Eldrad, a fugitive criminal from the planet Kastria who desires to regain his bodily form and return to his home. To do so, he possesses Sarah and the staff of a nearby nuclear reactor in order to use its power to regenerate, which leads to several eerie scenes with the reanimated hand that nicely evoke British horror features from the '60s and '70s. Well-liked by Baker-era fans, The Hand of Fear is best remembered as Sladen's final turn as Sarah (though she has frequently returned to the role on both radio and TV), and her final scenes with Baker (largely written by the two actors) have an endearing sort of wistfulness.

As with all Doctor Who DVD releases, The Hand of Fear features a number of well-produced extras that flesh out the production history of the episodes. The commentary by Baker, Sladen, co-star Judith Paris (who plays the reconfigured Eldrad in an early female form), co-author Bob Baker, and producer Phillip Hinchcliffe is an excellent place to start for first-time viewers and longtime fans; all except Paris are also featured in an informative 50-minute featurette titled "Changing Time," which illuminates the warm working relationship between Baker and Sladen, as well as her reasons for departing the series. An 11-minute videotape clip from the U.K. children's show Swap Shop featuring Baker and Sladen before the broadcast of The Hand of Fear is also included, as well as the now-standard photo gallery, text-only commentary, and PDF of the 1977 Doctor Who Annual and Radio Times. --Paul Gaita


"The Beast with 5 fingers and some other bits too"
Review date: 2008-02-15 Rating: 8 out of 10

For a long time this stood to be Sarah Jane Smith's last stand, but thankfully she has been back many times since.

Caught in a quarry explosion Sarah clutches a fossilized hand which then takes her over as an alien influence grows. An alien regenerates its form and then the real problems start.

A fun story that could have served as Sarah's last hurrah since she gets a bit more to do here as Sarah plays both companion and alien monster while she is possessed. It's her story more than Tom's and she carries it well right up to a reluctant farewell scene.

Uncle Tom is in charge as ever even though a little sidelined in Sarah's favour. Here he is playing Earth's defender against the agressive tendencies of Eldrad. It's good that until he is certain it's evil, he is ready to help Eldrad.

Eldrad in an interesting alien who (bar a small prologue) we 1st experience through Sarah Jane. Next we have Eldrad's interpretation of a female form as played by Judith Paris and then finally the proper male form as lovely shouty Dr Who Repetory actor Stephen Thorne takes over.The costume in both main forms, is a good one with joins not too obvious.

The supporting cast are also good and a very fine moment allows Glynn Houston who beleives a nuclear accident is imminent, a moment to ring his family.

Effects are of the time but there not being too many they do not distract.

There is a documentary "Changing Time" about both the story and Sarah's journey in The Police Box Show. It's highly enjoyable with Liz, Tom and various others. Tom has a few tall stories especialy 1 about Mr. Pertwee and Liz highlights some of the differences between the 2. The only sour note is the need to tell us how supporting cast members Rex Robinson & Glynn Houston broke into acting!

There is a Tommentary with both Tom and Liz on great form although Liz gets a little lost as Tom effects to fancy Judith Paris, you almost think he's plucking up the courage to ask her out!

We also get a vintage interview with Liz and Tom on the 1st edition of Swap Shop chatting with viewers and Noel Edmonds.

With a package of this quality, if you're happy with the price the question you must ask is "Deal or No Deal"?

Sorry I couldn't resist.


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Reviews


Goodbye Sarah Jane
Review date: 2007-12-05 Rating: 10 out of 10

The Hand of Fear is a classic slice of Doctor Who from the show's so-called 'Golden era'. Tom Baker is at his best; alternately whimsical and filled with supressed rage at the injustice he sees. The story is also particularly noteworthy for being the swansong of Elisabeth Sladen as feisty journo Sarah-Jane Smith.
The Doctor and Sarah find themselves in a quarry in timeless 'Who' tradition; Sarah is subsequently buried as an explosion rips through the rocks. When he unearths her, The Doctor finds she is clutching a fossilised hand; this leads the time-travellers to the planet Kastria where they encounter the reborn Eldrad, a monstrous dictator put to death by his own people...
What makes this serial so special is the chemistry between The Doctor and his 'best friend'. There is real pathos in their parting and her hideous Andy-Pandy outfit aside, Sarah is fantastic. The other plus is the set design, particularly the planet Kastria and the manipulative Eldrad, all booming voice and figure-hugging shimmery lycra.
If you only ever watch one 'classic' Doctor Who story then make it this one!

The End of Sarah-Jane Smith ..................................For a While
Review date: 2007-08-19 Rating: 10 out of 10

Hand of Fear comes from the era in which Doctor Who was described as, 'coming of age'. And rightly so, some of the best serials came from the Hinchcliffe/Holmes era of the show.
Hand of Fear, as a story, works so well because of the build up in plot for the first three parts. Bob Baker and Dave Martin allowed the script to build up over the three parts from a quarry on earth to an alien world.
The only minor detail of the story is the fourth episode. Though the ending delivered is a good one, you do feel that it doesn't quite live up to the spectacular build up of events. However, I press on.
Hand of Fear is particularly good in various 'talents' of acting. A prime example being Elizabeth Sladen, who carries this story with her possession scenes for the first two parts.
Overall, Hand of Fear is a prime example of what made the Hinchcliffe/Holmes era great, and what made Tom Baker and Elizabeth Sladen such a great team.

Pretty routine 1970s "Who"!
Review date: 2007-04-29 Rating: 6 out of 10

Story: 3/5 - Extras: 4/5

"The Hand of Fear" is generally thought of as "Sarah Jane Smith's last story". Indeed, the four parter by Bob Baker and Dave Martin does feature the departure of Elisabeth Sladen's popular character, but only really as an afterthought, or footnote, to what is essentially a very routine and somewhat unmemorable Doctor Who story.
"The Hand of Fear" also has the unfortunate distinction of being a story that gets progressively less interesting as it continues. To begin with, Sarah Jane is possessed by the petrified hand of Eldrad and heads for the nearest nuclear reactor (Sladen puts in quite a good "sinister" performance as the possessed companion), which brings her to the "Nunton Experimental Complex", opening up the opportunity for some great, expensive-looking location shooting at the real-life Oldbury Power Station. The location filming really makes the first two episodes of the story, which have a very distinctive feel. Things go off the plot, however, when the Doctor, Sarah Jane and a newly regenerated Eldrad (Judith Paris) journey to Eldrad's home planet of Kastria, and we get the unfortunate combination of cheap-looking sets and a cheap-looking, shouty monster played by Steven Thorne, that is eventually defeated in the most banal manner possible. The final episode almost, but not quite, redeems itself with a nicely written scene in which the Doctor is summoned to his home planet of Gallifrey and realises that he has to leave his companion behind on Earth.
The DVD presentation of this story is decent, with the usual excellent picture and sound quality, some bits from the archives, a commentary and a documentary. The commentary is a slightly confused affair with Tom Baker, writer Bob Baker, actress Judith Paris, and an unusually quiet Elisabeth Sladen. Producer Philip Hinchcliffe also makes the odd appearance. The 50-minute documentary, meanwhile, is solidly done but slightly repetitive of earlier documentaries when it covers the more general period of Doctor Who outside the confines of this story. Not the very best, but "The Hand of Fear" is a good DVD for the series' ongoing fans.

Eldrad MUST live!
Review date: 2007-03-20 Rating: 8 out of 10

Back in the mid 1970's when I was just a nipper, I would skip gaily home from the newsagents in my little shorts with some penny chews and a lurid red string of liquorice packed with E numbers to watch Saturday's instalment of Doctor Who. I count myself lucky to have experienced the Baker/Sladen partnership first time round. It is the best ensemble acting the show has ever produced. Week in week out, I would be enthralled by the brave, kind and just a little bit unsettling Doctor and the pretty, spunky Sarah-Jane as they battled Daleks, Sontarans, Cybermen and Zygons in a crazed-out monsterfest which was compulsory viewing for any child in Great Britain who grew up in that magical era. Then it all came to an end with the Hand of Fear and I wrote a rude letter to the BBC (which my Mum helped me to write), which they never replied to.

The story is not outstanding, but contains a popular template still retained by the series, namely setting the initial story on Earth in recognisable surroundings (yes, it's THAT quarry again), before shifting the action to outer space. One interesting fact is that Sarah is given a chance to be mean as she is possessed by the power of Eldrad's ring. The highlight is of course her leaving scene, made all the more poignant by being underplayed by both actors.

Elisabeth Sladen is the best actor or actress ever to have played the Doctor's companion, and struck just the right degree of balance between vulnerability and independence, while all the while creating a likeable and entirely believable character. There has not been a companion like her since (although I have to say I was very impressed with Billie Piper). This was her swansong.

Happy days.


Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Elisabeth Sladen
Glyn Houston
Tom Baker

Creators:
Tom Baker (Primary Contributor)
Elisabeth Sladen (Primary Contributor)

Director(s):

Recording label: 2 Entertain Video
Manufacturer: 2 Entertain Video
EAN: 5014503183325
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: PAL,
Release date: 2006-07-24
Audience rating: Parental Guidance
Region code: 2
Running time: 100 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1976
Language: English (Original Language)

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