The Talons of Weng-Chiang (TV story)

The Talons of Weng-Chiang
Doctor:	[[doctor::Fourth Doctor]]
Companion(s):	Leela
Main enemy:	Magnus Greel Li H'sen Chang Mr. Sin
Main setting:	London; circa 1889
Key crew
Writer:	Robert Holmes
Director:	David Maloney
Producer:	Philip Hinchcliffe
Release details
Release number:	91
Premiere broadcast:	26th February - 2nd April 1977
Format:	6 25-minute episodes
Production code:	4S

Synopsis

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Plot

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Cast

The Doctor - Tom Baker

Leela - Louise Jameson

Magnus Greel - Michael Spice

• Michael Spice also provided the voice of Morbius in the The Brain of Morbius.

Li H'sen Chang - John Bennett

Mr. Sin - Deep Roy

Henry Gordon Jago - Christopher Benjamin

Professor Litefoot - Trevor Baxter

Sergeant Kyle - David McKail

Crew

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References

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Story Notes

• Some associations and influences have been noted for The Talons of Weng-Chiang among these are:

• Magnus Greel's deformed face, the mask he uses to hide it, and the climactic scene in which the mask is torn off to reveal his true face, are all strongly reminiscent of Gaston Leroux's novel The Phantom of the Opera.
• The Doctor wears a deerstalker hat, the characteristic headgear of Arthur Conan Doyle's detective Sherlock Holmes.
• The giant rat is reminiscent of animals grown to enormous size in the H.G. Wells novel Food of the Gods. It also may be another Holmes reference, since there is a famous reference to a never-told mystery involving "the giant rat of Sumatra, a story for which the world is not yet prepared."
• Li H'sen Chang is reminiscent of Fu Manchu, the villain of a series of novels by Sax Rohmer.

Ratings

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Myths

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Location Filming

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Discontinuity, Plot Holes, Errors

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Continuity

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DVD and Video Releases

DVD Releases

File:Talons.jpg

Released as Doctor Who: The Talons of Weng-Chiang in a two disc set.

Released:

• Region 2 April 28th 2003

PAL - BBC DVD BBCDVD1152

• Region 4 June 30th 2003
• Region 1 October 7th 2003

NTSC - Warner Video E1814

Contents:

• Whose Doctor Who Documentary - BBC Two documentary from 1977, presented by Melvyn Bragg.
• Blue Peter Theatre - Clips from various 1970s editions of the magazine show.
• Behind the Scenes - Footage from the studio recording of the story.
• Philip Hinchcliffe Interview - From a 1977 edition of Pebble Mill.
• Trailers/Continuities
• Photo Gallery
• Production Subtitles
• Easter Eggs
• Commentary: Louise Jameson, Philip Hinchcliffe, David Maloney, John Bennett, and Christopher Benjamin.

Video Releases

Released as Doctor Who: The Talons of Weng-Chiang.

Released:

• UK 1988

PAL - BBC Video BBCV????

Notes: The video had some slight edits to remove material of the Doctor breaking and entering, as well as being edited into a movie-format.

Target Novelisations

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External Links

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