ActionAdventureDramaScience FictionTV Movie

Doctor Who: The Talons of Weng-Chiang

Death stalks the fogbound streets of Victorian London: young women are going missing, horribly mutilated bodies are found floating in the Thames and criminal gangs terrorize the innocent. At the heart of this tangled web sits the mysterious Li H'sen Chang, sorcerer and hypnotist, and his grotesque sidekick Mister Sin. The Doctor dons deerstalker hat and cape to seek out the sinister force lurking in the shadows of the metropolis, for the Talons of Weng-Chiang are reaching out to shred the human race.

Release Date : 1977-04-02

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : BBC

Production Country : United Kingdom

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : The Doctor

Original Name : Tom Baker

Gender : Male

Character Name : Leela

Original Name : Louise Jameson

Gender : Female

Character Name : Henry Gordon Jago

Original Name : Christopher Benjamin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Professor Litefoot

Original Name : Trevor Baxter

Gender : Male

Character Name : Li H'sen Chang

Original Name : John Bennett

Gender : Male

Character Name : Weng-Chiang (Magnus Greel)

Original Name : Michael Spice

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mr. Sin

Original Name : Deep Roy

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sergeant Kyle

Original Name : David McKail

Gender : Male

Character Name : Buller

Original Name : Alan Butler

Gender : Male

Character Name : Casey

Original Name : Chris Gannon

Gender : Male

Character Name : PC Quick

Original Name : Conrad Asquith

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ghoul

Original Name : Patsy Smart

Gender : Female

Character Name : Lee

Original Name : Tony Then

Gender : Male

Character Name : Coolie

Original Name : John Wu

Gender : Male

Character Name : Teresa

Original Name : Judith Lloyd

Gender : Male

Character Name : Cleaning Woman

Original Name : Vaune Craig-Raymond

Gender : Male

Character Name : Singer

Original Name : Penny Lister

Gender : Male

Character Name : Conductor (uncredited)

Original Name : Dudley Simpson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ho

Original Name : Vincent Wong

Gender : Male

Reviews

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2024-06-22

It's curious that the BBC never thought to bolt these six episodes together to makes a single feature? Quite a few of these Tom Baker "Dr. Who" stories might have made for quite decent stand-alone films. This is one of them as he and his prehistoric, knife-throwing, companion "Leela" (Louise Jameson) find themselves in Victorian London just as Chinese mystic "Li H'sen Chang" (John Bennett) is performing at the theatre of "Jago" (Christopher Benjamin) and young girls are going missing with alarming regularity. Our visiting Time Lord recognises the magician (after several hundred years!) and quickly realises that the malevolent deity "Weng Chiang" (Michael Spice) is probably nearby and desperate to reunite with his ancient time cabinet so he can rejuvenate and take his place once again at the head of humanity - snacking on distilled young virgins as he goes. Baker was at the top of his game with the role by now and he gelled well with the enthusiastic Jameson as the pair try to track down and thwart their new nemesis. The production uses the Victorian scenario to good effect with a solid supporting cast and some basic, but still quite effective (for 1977) visual effects that culminate in a lively denouement with a laser zapping ornamental lion in the hands of a menacing homunculus. I grew up watching this on Saturday evening television and find them still quite entertaining and inventive stories to watch.