"Doctor Who" The Five Doctors (1983)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

Peter Moffatt
(more)

Writer:

Terrance Dicks (writer)
(more)

TV Series:

"Doctor Who" (1963)

Original Air Date:

23 November 1983 (Season 20, Episode 23)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | Sci-Fi

Plot:

The Doctor and his previous regenerative versions are abducted to an isolated area of his home planet as part of a renegade timelord's scheme.

Plot Keywords:

Robot | Kidnapping | British | Time Machine | Mysterious Villain

Cast

Peter Davison	...	The Doctor
Frazer Hines	...	Jamie McCrimmon
Patrick Troughton	...	The Doctor
Jon Pertwee	...	The Doctor
Richard Hurndall	...	The Doctor
Tom Baker	...	The Doctor (archive footage)
William Hartnell	...	The Doctor (archive footage)
Janet Fielding	...	Tegan Jovanka
Mark Strickson	...	Turlough
Elisabeth Sladen	...	Sarah Jane Smith
Carole Ann Ford	...	Susan Foreman
Nicholas Courtney	...	Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart
Lalla Ward	...	Romana (archive footage)
Anthony Ainley	...	The Master
Philip Latham	...	Lord President Borusa
Dinah Sheridan	...	Chancellor Flavia
Paul Jerrico	...	The Castellan
David Banks	...	Cyber Leader
Mark Hardy	...	Cyber Lieutenant
Richard Mathews	...	Rassilon
Wendy Padbury	...	Zoe Heriot
Caroline John	...	Liz Shaw
Richard Franklin	...	Captain Mike Yates
David Savile	...	Colonel Crichton
John Leeson	...	K9 (voice)
Roy Skelton	...	Daleks (voice)
John Scott Martin	...	Dalek Operator
Stuart Blake	...	Commander
Stephen Meredith	...	Technician
Ray Float	...	UNIT Sergeant
John Tallents	...	Guard
William Kenton	...	Cyber Scout
Keith Hodiak	...	Raston Robot
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mark Bassenger	...	Cyberman (uncredited)
Norman Bradley	...	Cyberman (uncredited)
Graham Cole	...	Cyberman (uncredited)
Gilbert Gillan	...	Cyberman (uncredited)
Emyr Morris Jones	...	Cyberman (uncredited)
Myrddin Jones	...	Cyberman (uncredited)
Johnnie Mack	...	Time Lord (uncredited)
Ian Marshall-Fisher	...	Cyberman (uncredited)
Charles Milward	...	Time Lord (uncredited)
Richard Naylor	...	Cyberman (uncredited)
Alan Riches	...	Cyberman (uncredited)
Mark Whincup	...	Cyberman (uncredited)
Lloyd Williams	...	Cyberman (uncredited)
Frederick Wolfe	...	Time Lord (uncredited)
Lee Woods	...	Yeti / Cyberman (uncredited)

Directed by
Peter Moffatt
John Nathan-Turner		(uncredited)
Pennant Roberts		(uncredited)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Douglas Adams		uncredited
Terrance Dicks		writer
Eric Saward		uncredited

Produced by
June Collins	....	associate producer
Sue Kerr	....	producer (special edition)
John Nathan-Turner	....	producer
Paul Vanezis	....	producer (special edition)

Cinematography by
John Baker
Fintan Sheehan		(uncredited)

Film Editing by
M.A.C. Adams

Production Design by
Malcolm Thornton

Costume Design by
Colin Lavers

Makeup Department
Jill Hagger	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Jeremy Silberston	....	production manager

Art Department
Robert Fleming	....	property buyer
Ian Hewett	....	graphic designer

Sound Department
Andy Freeth	....	dubbing mixer (special edition)
John Gatland	....	sound
Benedict Peissel	....	dubbing mixer (special edition)
Martin Ridout	....	studio sound
Brian Hodgson	....	TARDIS sound (uncredited)

Special Effects by
John Humphreys	....	creature design

Visual Effects by
John Brace	....	visual effects designer
Mike Kelt	....	visual effects designer
Steve Roberts	....	video effects (special edition)

Camera and Electrical Department
Don Babbage	....	studio lighting
Alec Wheal	....	camera supervisor

Editorial Department
Tariq Anwar	....	additional film editor
Shirley Coward	....	vision mixer
Shirley O'Mara	....	post-production liaison (special edition)
Hugh Parson	....	editor: video tape
Paul Vanezis	....	editor: video tape (special edition)

Music Department
Ron Grainer	....	composer: theme music
Peter Howell	....	composer: incidental music
Delia Derbyshire	....	music arrangement: theme (uncredited)

Other crew
Steve Broster	....	consultant: graphics (special edition)
Dave Chapman	....	video effects (also special edition)
Jean Davis	....	production assistant
Ian Levine	....	program consultant (special edition)
Jo McGrogan	....	video effects (special edition)
Richard Molesworth	....	researcher (special edition)
Ralph Montagu	....	consultant: graphics (special edition)
Jean Peyre	....	design effects
Alison Rickman	....	video effects (special edition)
Eric Saward	....	script editor
Pauline Seager	....	assistant floor manager
Derek Thompson	....	technical manager

Writing credits
Sydney Newman		(creator) uncredited

Produced by
Peter Bryant	....	associate producer (1966)

Production Design by
David Buckingham
Bob Cove		(1970s)
Victor Meredith
Geoff Powell
Stephen Scott
Michael Trevor

Costume Design by
Anushia Nieradzik
Dee Robson

Makeup Department
Dorka Nieradzik	....	makeup designer (1982, 1984-1988)

Art Department
Peter Brachaki	....	production designer: TARDIS interior

Special Effects by
Mat Irvine	....	special effects (1970s-1980s)
Ian Scoones	....	special effects (1960s-1980s)
Ron Thornton	....	special effects (1980s)
Bernard Wilkie	....	special effects (1960s-1970s)

Visual Effects by
Mitch Mitchell	....	special video effects (1960's-1970's) (as A. J. Mitchell)
Oliver Elmes	....	title sequence designer (1987-1989) (uncredited)
Bernard Lodge	....	title sequence designer (1963-1979) (uncredited 1963-1969)
Sid Sutton	....	title sequence designer (1980-1986) (uncredited)

Stunts
Alan Chuntz	....	stunts (1960's-1970's)
Peter Diamond	....	stunts (1960s)
Max Faulkner	....	stunts (1960's-1970's)
Stuart Fell	....	stunts (1970s-1980s)
Alf Joint	....	stunts (1960s-1980s)
Derek Martin	....	stunts (1960s-1970s)
Roy Scammell	....	stunts (1960s-1980s)
Lee Sheward	....	stunt coordinator
Terry Walsh	....	stunts (1960s-1970s)
Derek Ware	....	stunts (1960s-1970s)

Camera and Electrical Department
Stewart A. Farnell	....	camera operator (1 episode)
Peter Hamilton	....	camera operator (12 episodes)
Alan Jonas	....	camera operator (6 episodes)
Reg Poulter	....	senior camera operator
Robert Sleigh	....	camera operator (pilot episode)
Ken Westbury	....	camera operator (4 episodes)

Music Department
Mark Ayres	....	composer: incidental music (1988-1989)
Paddy Kingsland	....	composer: incidental music (1980-1985)
Keff McCulloch	....	composer: incidental music (1987-1989)
Humphrey Searle	....	composer: incidental music (1965)
Dudley Simpson	....	composer: incidental music (1964-1980)

Other crew
Christopher Baker	....	production assistant
Ali Bongo	....	magic advisor
Kenneth J. Bussanmas	....	creative consultant (1979-1985)
Patricia Greenland	....	production assistant
Jeremy Hare	....	assistant floor manager (three episodes)

Production Companies

• Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)
• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Distributors

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (1983) (UK) (theatrical) (original airing)
• BBC Video (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Fox Video (1991) (USA) (VHS)
• Image Entertainment (1996) (USA) (VHS)

Runtime:

90 min | 102 min (DVD version)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:PG | UK:U

Filming Locations:

Carreg Y Foelgron, Ffestiniog, Gwynedd, Wales, UK

Company:

Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)

Trivia:

Richard Hurndall is the first person to double for the Doctor whose face was visible on screen (because he was playing the part of the First Doctor, which had been William Hartnell's role before his death). The other doubles for the Doctor had all had their faces hidden up to this time.

Quotes:

Second Doctor: [the Second Doctor's visit of his old friend Brigadier Allister Gordon Lethgridge Stewart is drawing to a close] Now Brigadier I must bid hail and farewell. I shouldn't even be here at all. I'm not exactly breaking the laws of time but I am bending them a little.
Brigadier: [Nodding slightly] Yes. You never did care much for rules as I remember.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Jon Pertwee at Panopticon (2003) (V)

Soundtrack:

Destiny Waltz

"No, not the mind probe!"

The 20th Anniversary episode of "Doctor Who" is low on plot and features some ridiculous dialogue (see above). But who cares. The nostalgia factor is very high. And it's great to see all the Doctors, companions, and monsters packed into one story. The story only seems to flag during the Fifth Doctor's conspiracy investigation in the Capitol.

Troughton and Pertwee easily slide back into their characters despite not having played them in years, and Richard Hurndall does well as the First Doctor.