April 17th, 2013 126 comments

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Doctor Who The Mind of Evil DVD

Doctor Who The Mind of Evil DVD

Professor Keller has created a machine that can pacify even the most dangerous of criminals.

But when the Doctor and Jo arrive at Stangmoor Prison for a demonstration, things start to go horribly wrong – especially when they discover that the Doctor’s old enemy the Master is responsible for the machine.

What could he possibly want from the criminals?

And what connects him with an impending World Peace Conference?

Starring Jon Pertwee as the Third Doctor, The Mind of Evil will be released, restored to full colour, on DVD in June 2013.

Previously released on VHS in black and white, after the colour masters of the story were junked, this DVD release sees all the episodes fully restored and re-mastered.

Disc 1 contents

• 6 x 25 mins approx colour episodes with mono audio.
• Commentary – stereo. With actors Katy Manning, Pik-Sen Lim and Fernanda Marlowe, director Timothy Combe, producer Barry Letts, script editor Terrance Dicks and stunt arranger Derek Ware. Moderated by Toby Hadoke.
• Programme subtitles.
• Subtitle Production Notes.

Disc 2 contents

• The Military Mind (dur. 22’ 43”) – shot back in 2009 on location at Dover Castle, this look at the making of the story is made unexpectedly poignant by the appearance of Nicholas Courtney and Barry Letts, who both passed away in the intervening years. Featuring actors Nicholas Courtney, Pik-Sen Lim and Fernanda Marlow, director Timothy Combe, producer Barry Letts and script editor Terrance Dicks. Narrated by Cameron McEwan.
• Now & Then (dur. 7’ 06”) – the latest in our long-running series visits the filming locations used in the story to see how they have changed over the years.
• Behind the Scenes: Television Centre (dur. 24’ 00”) – back in 1971, at around the time The Mind of Evil was in production, presenter Norman Tozer visited Television Centre to find out what went on over 24 hours in the life of what was then an incredibly busy ‘television factory’.
• Photo Gallery – production, design and publicity photos from the story.
• Coming Soon – a trailer for a forthcoming DVD release
• Radio Times Listings and the 1971 Kellogs Sugar Smacks promotion in PDF format.

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Original VHS cover and information

Originally made In colour, this exciting six-part story now exists only in black and white. But as a special bonus, the only surviving colour footage from The Mind of Evil – approximately five minutes from episode six – is included on the end of this tape!

The Doctor and Jo are investigating a revolutionary new way of treating psychotic criminals at Stangmoor Prison – a machine invented by one Professor Keller that literally sucks the evil out of a mans brain. But when the process is complete, what is left behind – a saint or a simpleton?

It transpires that Professor Keller is The Doctors arch enemy The Master. The machine actually houses a deadly mind para site The Master has taken to Earth for his own evil ends, He intends to use it to sabotage the global peace conference UNIT is policing, thus bringing Earth to the brink of war. And when he takes over the prison and hijacks a missile that could wipe out half of Europe, it seems the cards are stacked firmly in his favour. Meanwhile, the mind parasite is growing stronger all the time, killing anyone in its path by making them experience that which they fear the most.

Can the Doctor defeat both the Master and the parasite while preventing the world’s powers from embarking on all out nuclear war?

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