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Doctor Who: The Face of Evil

Name: Doctor Who: The Face of Evil
Director: Pennant Roberts
Released: 1977
Duration: 100 min

Representation Score

3.8/10

Limited

1977

Director

Pennant Roberts

Runtime

100 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

The film starts to break down traditional gender hierarchies by featuring Leela as a powerful warrior. However, it still relies on outdated 'savage' stereotypes when depicting tribal cultures. Additionally, the lack of diverse, multi-ethnic characters restricts the cultural breadth. Despite this, the work critiques absolute authority using a mythological framework, while still adhering to the genre conventions of its time.

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Category Breakdown

Does Doctor Who: The Face of Evil have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

There are no identifiable LGBTQ+ characters or queer relationships in the story. The social dynamics center around the survivalist needs of the main characters.

How does Doctor Who: The Face of Evil portray gender?

Good

Leela challenges 1970s stereotypes by being a physically dominant warrior. She demonstrates significant control over her destiny, defying traditional submissive roles.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Doctor Who: The Face of Evil?

Fair

The Sevateem bring in non-Western aesthetics, but the film sometimes falls back on outdated 'savage' stereotypes from the era. The lack of a diverse cast limits the cultural range.

How does Doctor Who: The Face of Evil represent religion and culture?

Fair

The story uses a mythological framework to criticize absolute authority through the deity Sutekh. It presents social behavior as shaped by specific cultural origins.

Does Doctor Who: The Face of Evil include disability representation?

Minimal

There are no characters with visible or invisible disabilities that play a central role in the narrative. Disability is neither used as a plot device nor mocked.

Present on Screen

Leela challenges traditional gender roles through her strength and leadership.
The narrative questions absolute authority using a cosmic, mythological framework.
The Sevateem introduce non-Western aesthetics.

Limited or Absent

The film occasionally uses outdated 'savage' stereotypes when depicting tribal cultures.
There is a lack of diverse, multi-ethnic characters in the ensemble.
The story does not include any LGBTQ+ representation or non-assuming gender matches what was assigned at birth identities.

Official Synopsis

The Doctor arrives on a planet where two tribes, the savage Sevateem and the technically brilliant Tesh, are at war. He meets Leela, an exile from the Sevateem, and discovers that the tribes' god of evil is apparently himself...

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