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Doctor Who: The Masque of Mandragora
Starring: Tom Baker , Elisabeth Sladen
Directed by: Rodney Bennett
Produced by: Philip Hinchcliffe
Written by: Louis Marks
After an early brush with the TARDIS, the Mandragora Helix-a malevolent spiral of energy-enters an underground temple and reveals itself to court astrologer Hieronymous and the outlawed Brotherhood of Demnos. The fourth Doctor (Tom Baker) knows it's only a matter of time before a showdown in the temple decides the fate of the planet and the constellations. Over an hour of extras.
Item Number: 15525
- Format:
- DVD Fullscreen
- Region:
- 1 - More Details
- Run time:
- About 1 3/4 Hours
- Number of Discs:
- 1
- Special Features:
English Subtitles for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired
• Audio Commentary by actors Tom Baker and Gareth Armstrong, producer Philip Hinchcliffe and production unit manager Chris D'Oyly-John
• The Secret of the Labyrinth "Making Of" (26 mins)
• Bigger on the Inside History of the TARDIS (19 mins)
• Now and Then Location featurette (8 mins)
• Beneath the Masque Gareth Roberts and Clayton Hickman take the Masque to task (9 mins)
• Photo Gallery (8 mins)
• DVD-ROM material: Radio Times listings
• Production Notes Subtitle Option
• Digitally remastered picture and sound quality
After an encounter with the deadly Mandragora Helix, the Doctor and Sarah Jane land in 15th Century San Martino. In the midst of danger, secrecy and intrigue, they witness the flowering of the Italian Renaissance.
As the masque to celebrate the accession of the new Duke of San Martino approaches, the Doctor realizes that a third visitor has arrived with him in the TARDIS. It is a force with the power to wipe out human civilization forever. The Doctor has brought it to Earth - and only the Doctor can stop it.
The TARDIS is temporarily captured by the Mandragora Helix, a spiral of energy with a controlling influence, at the centre of which the ship is infiltrated by a sparkling ball of energy.
The travellers then move on to the Dukedom of San Martino in Renaissance Italy, where the Doctor quickly realises that the Mandragora energy is loose. The energy enters an underground temple and reveals itself to the outlawed Brotherhood of Demnos, whose leader, the court astrologer Hieronymous, is instructed to make ready for Mandragora's full appearance.
Hieronymous is a pawn in Count Federico's schemes to usurp his young nephew Giuliano, whose accession to the Dukedom is being marked with a celebratory masque.
At the height of the ball, the Brethren attack the court and kill many guests. Hieronymous, now completely absorbed by Mandragora, confronts the Doctor in the underground temple and attempts to blast him down.
The Doctor, however, has earthed both himself and the altar so that the energy simply drains away, leaving the planet safe - at least until the constellations are again in the correct configuration for the Helix to make contact.
First Transmitted
1 - 04/09/1976 18:10
2 - 11/09/1976 18:05
3 - 18/09/1976 18:10
4 - 25/09/1976 18:10
| The Doctor | --- | Tom Baker |
| Sarah Jane Smith | --- | Elisabeth Sladen |
| Brother | --- | Brian Ellis |
| Captain Rossini | --- | Antony Carrick |
| Count Federico | --- | John Laurimore |
| Dancer | --- | Peggy Dixon |
| Dancer | --- | Jack Edwards |
| Dancer | --- | Alistair Fullerton |
| Dancer | --- | Michael Reid |
| Dancer | --- | Kathy Wolff |
| Entertainer | --- | Stuart Fell |
| Giuliano | --- | Gareth Armstrong |
| Guard | --- | James Appleby |
| Guard | --- | John Clamp |
| Hieronymous | --- | Norman Jones |
| High Priest | --- | Robert James |
| Marco | --- | Tim Piggott-Smith |
| Pikemen | --- | Peter Walshe |
| Pikemen | --- | Jay Neill |
| Soldier | --- | Pat Gorman |
Directed by Rodney Bennett
Written by Louis Marks
Produced by Philip Hinchcliffe
Film Editing by Clare Douglas
Costume Design by James Acheson
