Doctor Who : Terror of the Zygons

http://www.renaud-bray.com

http://www.renaud-bray.com

*** Résumé en anglais seulement *** 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.