Editing Pyramids of Mars (section)

==Production==
{{Multiple images
| direction         = vertical
| total_width       = 250
| image1            = Berlin 122009 018a.jpg
| caption1          = The main villain of the serial, [[Sutekh (Doctor Who)|Sutekh]], is inspired by the Egyptian deity [[Set (deity)|Set]] and is said to be Set's inspiration in the serial.
| image2            = The Mummy 1932 film poster.jpg
| caption2          = The serial drew influence from earlier mummy films such as ''[[The Mummy (1932 film)|The Mummy]]'' (1932)
}}

===Writing===
The [[Universal Pictures]] film ''[[The Mummy (1932 film)|The Mummy]]'' (1932) and especially the [[Hammer Film Productions|Hammer]] horror films ''[[The Mummy (1959 film)|The Mummy]]'' (1959) and ''[[Blood from the Mummy's Tomb]]'' (1971) influenced the story.<ref name="BBC"/> It was originally written by [[Lewis Greifer]], who had been approached by script editor [[Robert Holmes (scriptwriter)|Robert Holmes]], his former colleague at [[Associated Television|ATV]]. However, it was considered unusable as a ''Doctor Who'' script, even after multiple rewrites, due to Greifer's unfamiliarity with ''Doctor Who''; Holmes took over, with Greifer retaining the option to have his name on the script.{{sfn|Wright|2016|p=46}} While he retained the basic premise, he completely altered other aspects, which included making the "Osirians" a powerful alien race, and changing the setting to 1911, instead of a more contemparary time.{{sfn|Wright|2016|pp=46-50}} The pseudonym used on transmission was Stephen Harris.{{sfn|Wright|2016|p=55}} 

Although the name of Sutekh's race is pronounced "Osiran" throughout the serial, the scripts and publicity material spell it as "Osirian" in some places and as "Osiran" in others.<ref name="television companion">{{cite book |last1=Howe |first1=David J. |author1-link=David J. Howe |last2=Walker |first2=Stephen James |author2-link=Stephen James Walker |title=The Television Companion: The Unofficial and Unauthorised Guide to DOCTOR WHO |publisher=Telos Publishing Ltd. |location=Surrey, UK |edition=2nd |year=2003 |page=387 |isbn=1-903889-51-0}}</ref>

===Casting===
[[Bernard Archard]], who had previously appeared in ''[[The Power of the Daleks]]'' (1966), was cast as Marcus Scarman, due to his work on the 1970 horror film ''[[The Horror of Frankenstein]]''. [[Michael Sheard]], who had also previously featured in two ''Doctor Who'' serials, was cast as Laurence Scarman; production assistant [[Peter Grimwade]] had recommended him for the role because of his recent performance in the [[BBC2]] show ''[[Lord Peter Wimsey (TV series)|Lord Peter Wimsey]]''.{{sfn|Wright|2016|p=50}}

[[Gabriel Woolf]], a prominent BBC actor, was cast in the role of the villain Sutekh.{{sfn|Wright|2016|p=50}} Woolf would go on to reprise his role in audio dramas by [[Magic Bullet Productions]] and [[Big Finish Productions]] in 2015;{{sfn|Wright|2016|p=66}} and on television in the two-part [[Doctor Who series 14|series 14]] finale "[[The Legend of Ruby Sunday]]" / "[[Empire of Death (Doctor Who episode)|Empire of Death]]" in 2024, in which Sutekh appeared as the main villain.<ref name="DGS">{{Cite web |last=Mohamed |first=Stefan |date=14 June 2024 |title=Doctor Who's New Villain Explained |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/doctor-whos-new-villain-explained/ |access-date=15 June 2024 |website=Den of Geek |language=en-US}}</ref> He also provided the voice of Sutekh for the comedy sketch ''Oh Mummy: Sutekh's Story'', included on the 2004 DVD release of ''Pyramids of Mars''.{{sfn|Wright|2016|p=66}} Woolf would also go on to provide the voice of "The Beast" in the 2006 episodes "[[The Impossible Planet]]" and "[[The Satan Pit]]".<ref name="DGS" />

===Filming and post-production===
The exterior scenes were shot on the [[Stargroves]] estate in [[Hampshire]], a Victorian mansion noted for its ornate, [[Gothic revival architecture|Gothic revival]] style of architecture which was owned by [[Mick Jagger]] at the time.{{sfn|Wright|2016|p=51}} The interior shots, as well as model filming, took place in the [[BBC Television Centre]].{{sfn|Wright|2016|p=59}} Exterior scenes were filmed between 29 May and 2 June, and the interior shots between 7 May and 3 June.{{sfn|Wright|2016|p=59}} Tom Baker and Elisabeth Sladen improvised and added a number of moments in this story, most notably a scene in Part Four where the Doctor and Sarah Jane start to walk out of their hiding place and then when they see a mummy, quickly dart back into it. Baker based the scene on a [[Marx Brothers]] routine. {{sfn|Wright|2016|p=57}} Sarah Jane wears a dress which the Doctor says belonged to former companion [[Victoria Waterfield]].<ref name="BBC"/>

A number of scenes used the [[colour-separation overlay]] (CSO) system, including the sarcophagus, which was made to look like it was pulsating with energy; to show the ravaged Earth and the Egyptians settings; and for Sutekh's monitoring systems. It was also used to insert eerie glowing as well as bizarre, swirling patterns to the background.{{sfn|Wright|2016|pp=57,58}} The flame effect at the end of the serial was achieved by using CSO effects, as well as a controlled fire, which was the largest staged fire in the studio at the time.{{sfn|Wright|2016|p=59}}

Several scenes were deleted from the final broadcast. A model shot of the TARDIS landing in the landscape of a barren, alternative 1980 Earth was to be used in Part Two, but director Paddy Russell decided viewers would feel more impact if the first scene of the new Earth was Sarah's reaction as the TARDIS doors opened.{{sfn|Wright|2016|p=61}} Three scenes of effects such as doors opening and the Doctor materializing from the [[sarcophagus]] were also removed from the final edit of Part Four because Russell felt the mixes were not good enough.{{sfn|Wright|2016|p=60,61}}