 This story, written by former Script Editor Terrance Dicks, was a late replacement for "The Vampire Mutations" (also known as "The Witch Lords") which Terrance Dicks had originally submitted. This vampire-based tale was cancelled close to the start of its production date as it was feared it could detract from the BBC's high-profile adaptation of Bram Stoker's classic novel "Count Dracula", which was due for transmission close to when the story would have aired. A re-written version did, however, eventually see production in 1980 as "State of Decay".
Even though this story was the first story shown in Season Fifteen it was filmed second in the recording schedule in order to give more time for it to be written and filmed.
Many elements of the story were based on a poem, "The Ballad of Flannen Isle" written by Wilfred Wilson Gibson. The poem was inspired by the mysterious disappearance of three lighthouse keepers from the Flannan Isles in 1900. At the end of this story, The Doctor is actually heard reciting part of this poem.
Having originally been contracted for "The Vampire Mutation", the director assigned to this replacement story was Paddy Russell, returning to Doctor Who after a two-year absence since "Pyramids of Mars". Unfortunately, Paddy Russell felt that "Horror of Fang Rock" was a much poorer story than Terrance Dicks’ original effort, and was particularly underwhelmed by the lighthouse locale. Not only would this mean dealing with a lot of curved sets (which made filming laborious), but the exterior walls of the lamp room - in which much of the action took place - would have to be largely glass and hence transparent, with a background achieved via Colour Separation Overlay (CSO), which limited Paddy Russell even further.
This story was recorded the studios at Pebble Mill in Birmingham as it was discovered that there was no space available at BBC Television Centre due to engineering work. This is the first, and only, time a Doctor Who story, of the original run of the show, to have its’ studio scenes recorded outside of London. It is also the only 1970’s story not produced at BBC Television Centre (bar the 1970 Third Doctor story "Spearhead From Space", which did not employ regular studio production at all).
This change in venue caused concern in several members of the crew especially as the recording of this story was by far the most ambitious drama production ever staged at Pebble Mill at that time. Unfortunately, the inadequacies of Pebble Mill became particularly obvious during the final days of recording which involved a large amount of CSO – a filming technique that had only rarely been used at Pebble Mill.
Due mainly to all of the technical and logistical difficulties Paddy Russell, who became exhausted and frustrated after this story’s completion, vowed never to work on Doctor Who again – thus making this her final Doctor Who story. She went on to helm episodes of The Omega Factor (with Louise Jameson), Emmerdale Farm and other programmes before retiring from television in the early Eighties.
As well as playing the part of Reuben, the Head Lighthouse Keeper, Colin Douglas also provided the voice of the Rutan in Part Four. Colin Douglas had previously played Bruce in the 1967/68 Second Doctor story "The Enemy of the World".
Alan Rowe, who played Skinsale, had previously played Dr. Evans and the voice from Space Patrol in the 1967 Second Doctor story "The Moonbase" as well as Edward of Wessex in "The Time Warrior". He would later play the part of Garif in the 1970 story "Full Circle".
Ralph Watson, who played Ben, had previously played Captain Knight in the 1968 Second Doctor story "The Web of Fear" as well as Ettis in the 1974 Third Doctor story "The Monster of Peladon".
This is the second of two stories in which Leela does not wear her famous ‘savage’ Sevateem costume - the other story being the previous season’s final story "The Talons of Weng-Chiang". After this story it was decided to return her to her original, more revealing costume that was introduced "The Face of Evil".
Louise Jameson stopped wearing brown contact lenses at the end of this story; the reason given for Leela's consequent change of eye colour, from brown to blue, was explained away as resulting from a pigment dispersal caused by her looking directly into the bright flash when the Rutan ship exploded. For the first three stories she appeared in Louise Jameson was required to wear brown contact lenses, as it was felt that her blue eyes were not appropriate for the savage character she would be portraying. However, she had found the contact lenses painful to wear and so when her contract was extended, at the end of Season Fourteen, she made their removal a condition for her agreeing to play Leela for another season.
According to the commentary, in the DVD release of this story, supplied by Louise Jameson, John Abbott and Terrance Dicks, a scene in Part Three was crucial to the behind-the-scenes relationship between her and co-star Tom Baker. It is revealed that in one scene, Tom Baker consistently came in ahead of his cue, thereby upstaging her. On the grounds that this move was ‘not what they had rehearsed’ she insisted on three successive retakes until he came in at the rehearsed time. This eventually won his respect and from that point forward, she claims their working relationship was much smoother.
This story introduced the Rutans. This is the only televised Doctor Who story to feature the archenemies of the often seen Sontarans. Despite only appearing the once the Rutans had been mentioned, as being involved in a long and bitter war with the Sontarans, in the two previous Sontaran stories (the 1973/74 Third Doctor story "The Time Warrior" and the 1975 Fourth Doctor story "The Sontaran Experiment"). They would be mentioned again in the 1985 story "The Two Doctors" (for the Second Doctor and Sixth Doctor), and in the 2008 Tenth Doctor story "The Sontaran Stratagem/The Poison Sky".
The Rutans are luminous green blobs with tentacles. They can drain electrical power and use it to kill. Small projectiles go through them. They can climb sheer rock, and are amphibious, having evolved in the ocean. Their spacecraft, spinning fireballs with crystalline infrastructures, are amphibious too, and can release a freezing fog to mimic home conditions, Rutans hating heat.
This particular scout from the army of the Rutan Empire has been equipped with new shape shifting technology, organic restructuring similar to Time Lord regeneration techniques, and can imitate a species having dissected its victim.
The Rutans were later used in various spin-off productions at BBV, including the Lance Parkin include the Seventh Doctor in the Virgin Book’s The New Adventures novel "Shakedown" also written by Terrance Dicks. In this novel the Rutan host mentions to The Doctor the events of this story.
The Rutans also appear in the Virgin Books’ The Missing Adventures novel "Lords of the Storm", written by David A. McIntee, and in the BBC Books’ Past Doctor Story "The Infinity Doctors" written by Lance Parkin.
This exact period when the events of this story take place is never made explicit, but a there is a reference to the beast being seen ‘eighty years ago’ in the ‘twenties’ suggests that the period is in the early 20th century. There is also a reference to King Edward VII, who reigned from 1901-1910. Colonel Skinsale also refers to his feeling uneasy in the presence of Balfour, Salisbury and Bonar Law while Lord Palmerdale makes him feel uneasy when he is not in his presence - Lord Salisbury died in 1903, Balfour was PM in the second half of the first decade of the 20th century and had been First Lord of the Treasury under Salisbury, and Bonar Law was a notable MP already in that decade and early that decade was Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade, although yet to be in the cabinet. All three were prominent Conservatives who became Prime Minister. Marconi's Wireless Telegraph prominently featured in the story and was the latest thing in the first decade of the 20th century most notably being used on the Titanic. Electric lamps in lighthouses started to replace oil at the turn of the 20th century.
There are some obvious use of models, like the ship that crashes in part one, the lighthouse as the Rutan climbs up it and the TARDIS materialising and dematerialising.
Listen out for the scene where The Doctor is talking to Leela about the electrical generator. Leela reminds him that she is not a ‘Teshnician’. The Doctor later remarks at her mispronunciation/pun.
At the beginning of this story it is stated that The Doctor intended to visit the Brighton. The Fourth Doctor eventually does visit Brighton, with Romana, in "The Leisure Hive".
This story marks the last time The Doctor travels with only a single companion until the 1981 story "The Keeper of Traken".
An Eighth Doctor audio story, written by Paul Magrs for Big Finish Productions, that was broadcast on BBC 7 in January 2007, is entitled "Horror of Glam Rock", a play on this story’s title.
The Target novelisation of "Horror Fang Rock" was planned to be re-released by Virgin Books’ in 1994. This release however, was cancelled.
| |
|
The Firsts:
The first story of Season Fifteen.
The first story to have its’ studio scenes recorded outside of London.
The first use of diamonds to defeat an enemy.
The first and only appearance of a Rutan - an archenemy of the Sontarans.
Graham Williams' first involvement in the show as Producer.
|
|
(Position = 21 out of 159)
(Position = 26 out of 200)
