On the planet Telos, the Doctor, Jamie and Victoria join a
party of archaeologists exploring the so-called tombs of the
Cybermen. The once formidable cyborgs have been inactive for
500 years - but rumours of their extinction have been greatly
exaggerated. Trapped underground, the explorers are told that
they are to become a new generation of Cybermen...
This
narrated Doctor Who television soundtrack is something
of a first, in that such releases have previously dealt with
stories that are wholly or partially missing from the BBC
film and videotape archives, whereas this one exists in its
entirety. However, it so very nearly didn't. This famous four-parter
proved to be something of an archaeological find in its own
right when it suddenly reappeared in 1992, recovered from
a television station in Hong Kong, having been missing presumed
wiped since the 1970s.
Back in '92, the BBC was making its first foray into releasing
narrated Who episodes on audio (on cassette) and Tomb
was one of the titles selected for such treatment under the
Doctor Who: The Missing Stories banner. Then - would
you believe it? - all of a sudden the serial wasn't missing
any more. However, Jon Pertwee had already recorded the linking
narration and so, a year later, following a short delay, the
Beeb went ahead and released the tape anyway.
It's
a pity that BBC Audio hasn't stuck with the late Pertwee's
narration for this remastered double CD. It would have added
an interesting historical angle from a collector's point of
view. It would not have been entirely unprecedented either,
since the CD release of The Macra Terror retained Colin
Baker's narration. Instead, the ever-reliable Frazer Hines
(Jamie) fulfils the voice-over duties. At the end of the second
disc, he also shares his memories of making the show, the
addition of Deborah Watling (Victoria) to the regular cast,
and what it was like working for the often inflexible director
Morris Barry.
But
what of the story itself? Well, no matter which medium you
experience it in, be it on
DVD, in print or on audio, The Tomb of the Cybermen
works exceptionally well. Kit Pedler and Gerry Davis's script
draws inspiration from the "mummy's tomb" genre of horror
movies. The dramatic build-up is gradual but perfectly judged,
and the pace rarely falters.
The
climax to Episode Two is particularly impressive. The thawing
of the ice tombs would have made an excellent cliffhanger
in itself... but wait, there's more. The Cybermen climb out
of their cells and advance upon the archaeologists... but
there's still more to come. Kaftan (Shirley Cooklin) is attacked
by a Cybermat... but that's not the end either. The Cyberman
Controller (Michael Kilgarriff) is revived, yet there's a
further shock to come...
Cooklin
is splendidly villainous as Kaftan. Though theoretically subservient
to Klieg (the equally good George Pastell), she is like his
Lady Macbeth as she goads him into action, and is practically
calling the shots during the latter half of the story. Her
devoted Negro servant Toberman (Roy Stewart) is something
of a racial stereotype, but this is simply a sign of the times
in which this serial was made (1967) and his fate is an undeniably
poignant one.
Add
to this the lovely character moments such as the heart-warming
scene in which the Doctor (Patrick Troughton) and Victoria
discuss their families, and we have a strong contender for
the greatest Troughton story of them all. Its tautness of
plot beats the flabbier Evil
of the Daleks hands down.
It
could be argued that Tomb works even better on audio
than it does on TV. Here we are spared the sight of clearly
visible Kirby wires when a Cyberman lifts Toberman in Episode
Three and an obviously empty dummy costume as Toberman hurls
the Cyberman Controller across the room during Episode Four.
The
Cyber troops' buzzing voices still sound rather ridiculous
when they are in "attack" mode, and some of Victoria's opening
lines are somewhat snigger-inducing: "It's so big... What
are all these knobs?" On the other hand, we hear some excellent
use of stock library music, including the famous "Cyber-theme",
Martin Slavin's "Space Adventure".
If
the Cybermen's recent return to television has left you in
a Cyber-mood, then, as the Cyberman Controller himself might
have put it: You... will... like... this.
Richard
McGinlay
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