Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6725 in VHS
• Released on: 2001-05-08
• Rating: Universal, suitable for all
• Format: PAL
• Number of tapes: 1
• Running time: 100 minutes

Synopsis
A peaceful holiday in Paris turns into a race through time for the Doctor and Romana when they uncover a plot by the evil Count to steal the Mona Lisa.

From the Back Cover
The Doctor and Romana are enjoying a well-earned break in Paris, relaxing in the gentle delights of the art galleries, the waterfront cafes, the Eiffel Tower... and the unexpected jumps in time that noone else seems to notice...

Rare treasures and once-lost masterpeices are suddenly appearing in auction houses all over the world, the only link to them all being the mysterious Count Scarlioni. But what project is he secretly financing in the basement of his Paris chateau?

The time-travellers meet up with Duggan, a private detective investigating the activities of the Count and his accomplices. Can Scarlioni be planning the most audacious and daring of all art thefts? Or are his ambitions much grander? Big enough to threaten the existence of the entire human race?

This story was broadcast on BBC1 between 29 September - 20 October 1979.

Customer Reviews

Sublime.
One of the finest moments in Dr Who's long history, City of Death only takes itself seriously when it's absolutely necessary (which is about twice). It works best as a light drawing-room comedy with the Doctor and Romana as carefree lovers entangled in the machinations of a sauve, power-mad millionaire criminal who probably cheats at Patience - the fact that he wears a mask made of spaghetti is irrelevant. Glorious music, cosmopolitan setting, the Mona Lisa, John Cleese, Julian Glover, no K-9... it's got something for everyone. And it's also one of the few Doctor Whos in which Tom Baker's manic performance actually adds to the story. As I said, sublime.

A delightfully witty and entertaining slice of classic TV!
This story has to be one of the finest Doctor Who adventures ever. It has everything: a clever, playful script; some marvellous Parisian locations; excellent visual effects, and a clutch of actors who throw their all into the action. Even the soundtrack is top notch, with Dudley Simpson contributing a superb incidental score which greatly enhances the visuals. This is Doctor Who at its wittiest and most watchable. If you haven't seen it then what are you waiting for?

Undoubtedly the best Tom Baker story...
Why does the rest of Doctor Who have to exist? Why can't this story stand alone in its own little world? It probably deserves to, for this is a lovely little story featuring the perfect Doctor (Tom Baker), the perfect companion (Romana), the perfect villain (Julian Glover) and written by the perfect writer (Douglas Adams). It's filled to the brim with wit whilst the plot itself is so well-plotted its impossible to find fault. So why try? Just relax and enjoy it...

You'll be hard-pressed to even try to find a better Doctor Who story on video and I'll admit I've been counting the days to this release... (I just happened to pick up a copy on the high street three days before its official release and couldn't resist)... Even if you're not a fan of the show and have just stumbled in here by accident, you MUST buy this and see what the show was all about...

Did I mention John Cleese is in it?