The Hand of Fear
(DVD)

 

Starring Tom Baker
4 Episodes
1976
99 minutes (color)
Single Disc




 

 

Production Notes
Doctor Who
Tom Baker

Sarah Jane Smith
Elisabeth Sladen

Written by
Bob Baker and Dave Martin

Directed by
Lennie Mayne
Produced by
Philip Hinchcliffe

Original Airdate
Oct 2, 1976 - Oct 23, 1976

Region 1 DVD Release Date
November 2006

Warner Home Video
#E2731

U.K. Cover


 



Cover Blurb

 

A freak accident traps the Doctor's companion Sarah Jane under tons of rock.  After a miraculous survival, she is found frantically clinging to a large stone hand, and the Doctor senses a sinister power at work.

 

 



 

 

 

DVD Features

  • Changing Time: Living and Leaving Doctor Who:

 This main documentary featurette runs 50 minutes and focuses on the relationship of long time companion Sarah Jane Smith and the Doctor (both 3rd and 4th).  Contributors include actors Tom Baker (Doctor Who), Elisabeth Sladen (Sarah Jane), Rex Robinson (Dr. Carter), Glyn Houston (Professor Watson) and Stephen Thorne (Eldrad).  On the production side of the story includes interviews with Colin Mapson (visual effects designer), Bob Baker (co-writer), Philip Hinchcliffe (4th Doctor producer), Barry Letts (3rd Doctor producer), and Terrance Dicks (3rd Doctor script editor).
 

 

  • Continuity Announcements:

 A short featurette that includes some of the original continuity announcements for "The Hand of Fear."
 

 

  • Swap Shop:

 Approximately 11 minutes from the Saturday morning children's show "The Swap Shop" hosted by Noel Edmonds and includes interviews with Elisabeth Sladen and Tom Baker made during their time together on the show.
 

 
  • Photo Gallery:
 Lots of rare and never before seen photos taken during the production of this story.  Very nice.
 

 
  • Doctor Who Annual:
 Accessible from any computer with a DVD drive, a PDF of  the 1977 Doctor Who Annual (a mixture of Doctor Who fiction as well as science based reading for young Doctor Who fans).
 

 
  • Radio Times Listings:
 Accessible from any computer with a DVD drive, a PDF of some of the original Radio Times press clippings.
 

 
  • Information Text:
 An incredible amount of trivia and tidbits of Whovian detail are provided.  The text appears intermittently along the bottom of the screen and is written by members of the Doctor Who Restoration Team.
 

 
  • Audio Options:
 Commentary is provided by Tom Baker (Doctor Who), Elisabeth Sladen (Sarah Jane), Judith Paris (Eldrad), Bob Baker (co-writer), and Philip Hinchcliffe (producer).
 

 
  • Easter Eggs:
 There is 1egg included in this release.  Scroll further down to find more details.    For a full list of known Easter Eggs and screen grabs of them click HERE.

 
 



 

 

 

Easter Egg

#1. ELISABETH SLADEN INTERVIEW ON NATIONWIDE


 

From the main menu screen, press the left arrow button
to highlight the Doctor Who logo in the top left corner.  Now click on it.

   

 

 

 

 

 

Additional Notes
  • This story saw the departure of one of Doctor Who's most popular (and longest running) companions Sarah Jane Smith (played by Elisabeth Sladen).
     
  • This story leads directly into the Tom Baker classic "The Deadly Assassin."
     
  • It has been reported that Tom Baker and Elisabeth Sladen heavily rewrote her departure scene as originally conceived by story editor Robert Holmes.
     
  • Rex Robinson, who played the geologist Dr. Carter, has made several appearances in Doctor Who prior to this story.  During the 10th season opener, he played another scientist, Dr. Tyler, in "The Three Doctors."  A year later he would return, this time as the rebel miner Gebek in "The Monster of Peladon."
     
  • Elisabeth Sladen's involvement in Doctor Who didn't end with this story.  She would return for the 20th anniversary story "The Five Doctors."  She also had starred in the one and (thank God) only spin-off series for Doctor Who called K-9 and Co.  She was even approached when Tom Baker (Doctor #4) was about to leave the series and was asked to return for a short 3 to 4 story run to help bridge the gap between the 4th Doctor (Tom Baker) and the 5th Doctor (Peter Davison).  Sadly, she declined the role.
     
  • Luckily for fans of the series.  Sladen did make a return in the second season of the new Doctor Who series.  The episode was entitled "School Reunion" and included K-9 (thus further establishing K-9 and Co. as real - canonical who history).  Her return to the series is likely one of the factors that led to this story being released on DVD this year.