"CHAP WITH THE WINGS THERE. FIVE ROUNDS RAPID!"
This, one of the most famous quotes by Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, can be found in this most Halloweeny of DOCTOR WHO stories. It's night in the village of Devil's End where, in the midst of a massive thunderstorm, a man and his dog exit the local pub and stumble into something unseen which causes the man to scream! Cut to the next day when the man has been found dead (don't worry the dog ran off to safety) and where local witch Olive Hawthorne advises that evil forces are at work in the village. This is due, apparently, to the archaeological expedition on a local barrow that's being carried out (and televised) by a Professor Horner. A wonderful televised debate between the Prof and the white witch is broadcast. The Doctor and Jo Grant race to Devil's End (oddly, the doctor taking the mystical witchy side of the argument) to try to stop the dig. Locals have been having "Devil sightings" with the horns and the cloven hoofs and a 30 foot tall Devil. Also there's been a stone gargoyle running around. And, as this is the second series of the Jon Pertwee era (where the Doctor is stranded on Earth), the local Vicar conducting Satanic rituals in the village church is The Master!
That great, spooky opening of the rainy night with lightning flashing and thunder roaring proclaims to me a definite candidate for a Halloween watch and this story ties into that early-70's occult boom which was going strong at the time. The magnificent Damaris Hayman plays the magnificent Olive Hawthorne who quite matter-of-factly proclaims to the television audience that she is a witch and, nicely, no one seems to have a problem with that. There's no ostracizing her by the villagers or religious nuts proclaiming her "damned to hell" or a "devil worshiper"; she is simply the village's white witch and is accepted as such in the community. Gee, isn't it a shame that nowadays she's likely have a lot of problems with that. Just goes to show you that time may move forward but that doesn't mean we "progress". I just love Hayman (who sadly left us this year)
and she's obviously the best part of the story; however there are other things to recommend it. The previously-mentioned early-70's occult boom is in full bloom with the Master donning typical Satanic robes, magic circles and pentagrams with candles blazing in an ancient, stone-walled basement. The story is credited to Guy Leopold which is a pseudonym for producer Barry Letts and writer Robert Sloman. Letts wanted to introduce an occult story into DOCTOR WHO but didn't know how to do it in the scientifically-slanted show. He was influenced by CHARIOTS OF THE GODS into making the Devil-figure into an alien lifeform called Azal who came to Earth eons ago and helped primitive man develop intelligence as something of an experiment. Besides the CHARIOTS OF THE GODS influence, THE DAEMONS sports quite a few other obvious influences
from Hammer's THE DEVIL RIDES OUT as well as QUATERMASS AND THE PIT to THE STONE TAPE (the set for the church basement REALLY reminded me of the set used in THE STONE TAPE -- I wonder if it actually WAS the same set?!?!). THE DAEMONS storyline also benefits from the extensive location shooting in the Wiltshire area with the main village exteriors shot at Aldbourne -- a place which looks so representative as our typical idea of a quiet English village that I would up sticks and move there if I could! Nicholas Courtney is particularly excellent as the Brig in this one; his performance is just lovely with many great quips like his "Five rounds rapid" one. The ending features another wonderful Brig moment as the baddies have been vanquished and all the villagers (along with The Doctor and Jo) dance around a maypole. Captain Yates asks the Brigadier if he fancies a dance; the Brig looks sideways at Yates and says "I'd prefer a pint" and both men bound off for the pub. THE DAEMONS is not anywhere near the best DOCTOR WHO storyline -- not even the best Jon Pertwee story -- but it certainly is entertaining as all hell and a favourite of mine as it introduces some well-needed spookiness into the series while we wait for the heights of the classic Tom Baker/Philip Hinchcliffe years where horror would be given full reign!
No comments:
Post a Comment