One night in 1968 in Los Angeles as I remember, I went to a theater in East Los Angeles because I wanted to watch a movie called "Night of the Living Dead." In those days, two movies were shown. The second feature was some film about an old man that traveled to another planet and battled against some metal creatures. It was low budget, much like the first feature but did have someone that I recognized, Peter Cushing. I had no idea that there was a TV Serial in England by the name of "Doctor Who." It was slow at times but an interesting concept of travel in time and space, a telephone box call the TARDIS. The metal beings were rather primitive because they had what look like a plunger on them and always wanted to kill and exterminate living beings. There was a sequel the next year but little did I know that this film would be my first experience into the world of Doctor Who. In Los Angeles, California 1977 on a local TV station, I would be able to watch that TV Serial and would remain a Dr. Who fan even after the series ended in 1989. It was this movie that started it all, just a quiet night, after watching zombies eating people. Who would know what the future would bring!
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jcholguin26 May 2003
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neil-4762 April 2008I have fond memories of seeing this at the cinema (a treat on a friend's birthday) when it first came out. I was a big Dr Who fan anyway as a 12 year old, and this big screen colour adaptation of the 2nd Dr Who serial and first Dalek story was just what the Doctor ordered.
It never occurred to me, as a 12 year old in 1965, that the Doctor was a mere human and not a Time Lord from Gallifrey, and that was because, at the time, he was a mere human and not a Time Lord from Gallifrey on TV, too. That particular wrinkle wasn't introduced until long after the first couple of Dalek TV series and the two movies.
That said, while the film brings back fond memories, and is particularly good to see in widescreen, it is very much a product of its time, and specifically targetted at its market - youngsters who were mad keen on Daleks. That market is not there any more. The movie shows its age, and doesn't stand up that well to today's demands. For all that, there's still a genuine sense of jeopardy involved, the principals play well, the production values are (for the time and the UK cinema industry) very high, and it remains good, colourful innocent fun. -
claudio_carvalho31 March 2018When Dr. Who (Peter Cushing) shows his time machine TARDIS to the clumsy Ian (Roy Castle), who is boyfriend of his granddaughter Barbara (Jennie Linden), he accidentally transport them and Dr. Who´s granddaughter Susan (Roberta Tovey) to somewhere in space and time. They explore the spot and see a city; Dr. Who fakes a leak in the fluid and they go to the city to seek mercury to refill the component. They are captured by the Daleks and soon they learn that a war between Daleks and Thals has destroyed the planet. Further they are exposed to radiation and only the Thals have the antidote. The Daleks send Susan to find the cure and she meets the Thal Alydon (Barrie Ingham) that has the antidote and wants to negotiate with the Daleks to exchange for food. But the cruel Daleks want to destroy the Thals to rule the world.
The naïve "Dr. Who and the Daleks" is a funny entertainment for children and for adults in a Saturday afternoon. The art direction is very poor, the plot is silly but in the 60´s we had "National Kid", "Lost in Space" among other films and "Dr. Who and the Daleks" is in the same level. My vote is six.
Title (Brazil): "Dr. Who e a Guerra dos Daleks" ("Dr. Who and the War of the Daleks") -
JohnnyOldSoul9 December 1998A fun adventure film that, while it may be too dated for today's youngsters, still has a certain sparkle that is perfect fare for a rainy Saturday.
While fans of the BBC series "Doctor Who" (1963), upon which the film is based, may be distracted by the film's use of creative licence (the characterizations are very different from those of their television counterparts,) if not taken too seriously, this is a quite enjoyable trek across an alien landscape and a classic battle of good vs. evil.
The character of Ian is played comically by Roy Castle though he is heroic where the situation demands. Jennie Linden's Barbara is a bit different from other females of the genre as she holds her own when things get tough, rarely dissolving into screams. Roberta Tovey is delightful as Susan, and kids will love her. Peter Cushing really shines, wisely not trying too hard to emulate his television counterpart William Hartnell, and makes the character his own.
All-in-all, an exciting romp. -
The first time I saw Dr Who and the Daleks, I used to cower behind the sofa every time the Daleks appeared, and the music I remembered was incredibly haunting. Seeing it again, it isn't quite as good as I remembered, but it is an entertaining and passable enough piece of nostalgia. The script lacks bite at times, the plot isn't as inventive as any of the ones used in the landmark TV series, Roy Castle and the comedy relief felt out of place and on occasions because of the overuse of pink plastic sheeting the art direction was a little on the cheap side. However, the music is very haunting, the Daleks are still as intimidating as I remembered, the pacing is fast and fun, the length is amiable and Peter Cushing is terrific as the Doctor, more serious than any of the other doctors but it suits him. The female characters are admittedly on the vapid side, but the alluring personalities of Roberta Tovey and Jennie Linden made up for it. Overall, fun and nostalgic, even with its many faults. 6/10 Bethany Cox
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I have never understood the rather low esteem the die-hard Who fans give to the Amicus films. I'm a casual Yank fan of the series; I enjoy the series overall, but find individual episodes and portrayals to be very hit and miss. However, I enjoy the heck out of the movies, despite hearing bad things about them before finally encountering Dr. Who and the Daleks on a late night TV broadcast.
The films depart from the series in a few respects, mostly in the character background. The Doctor is an eccentric Earth genius who has developed the TARDIS, rather than an alien. He has two granddaughters, Barbara and Susan, where only Susan was a granddaughter in the series (though the 20th anniversary magazine had a story that suggested Susan wasn't a blood relation of the Doctor). In the series, Barbara and Ian are Susan's teachers, who stumble into the TARDIS, after following the odd little girl home. Here, Ian is Barbara's boyfriend, who is shown the TARDIS by the family. Also, the TARDIS interior is vastly different, with the film version looking like a complicated mess of wires, tubes, and equipment, compared to the cleaner and more functional lines of the series. After that, the film pretty much follows the plot of the original Dalek serial.
Our explorers are accidentally propelled into the future, and to another planet (Skaro), where they discover a devastated world, as seen in the wonderfully designed petrified forest. They encounter a strange city, where they meet the Daleks, armored apparently robotic creatures who have survived a nuclear holocaust. Later, they will meet the Daleks' foes, the Thals, humanoids who have developed a serum to cure radiation sickness and create immunity. The Doctor and his family join with the Thals to stop the Daleks and their aims of conquest and destruction.
The world is wonderfully realized, at times very reminiscent of the 60s, yet also appearing otherworldly and timeless. The exterior of the Dalek city is very evocative of this strange race, while the insides are sleek and functional, as who fit this mechanical race. The Dalek designs are slightly modified from the series, with some of the "plunger" arms replaced by gripper claws, slightly larger dome lights, and wider bases. Also, since the film is in color, we get to see varied designs for the Daleks that weren't available in the original black & white TV broadcast. The petrified forest is an amazing set, with a sandy gray texture and the appearance of a world frozen in time (rather like Pompeii or the petrified forest of Arizona). Watching the film, you feel like you are observing an alien world, not a studio set.
The actors are all terrific, with Peter Cushing making a fine Doctor. he was a bit of a departure from the gruffer William Hartnell, but fits right in with the more twinkle-eyed qualities of Patrick Troughton or Tom Baker. It's a lighter portrayal, for sure, but never campy. Jennie Linden makes for a fine Barbara, who gets to muck in with the action, though she is the closest to the standard Who companion, asking lots of questions and screaming at the appropriate moment (though not nearly as much as the television ladies did). Roy Castle adds some comic relief as the slightly bumbling but valiant Ian. Castle proves very versatile and would have made a great hero, had he continued in the sequel. Roberta Tovey is excellent as Susan, the youngest granddaughter. She essays a very mature character, one who combines the seriousness of an adult scientist with the curious nature of a young girl. Susan makes for a great heroine, as she doesn't stand around screaming or whining. She explores and she solves problems. She could have easily have been the main focus of a whole series. The Thals are able assayed by Barrie Ingham and Geoffrey Toone, in the key roles. They are given an odd appearance that does look very 60s, but doesn't scream "The 60s" at you. really, they kind of look like a proto-Glam Rock band.
The film offers plenty for everyone, with great sets, costumes, and vibrant colors contrasted with more subdued elements in the petrified forest. The is plenty of mystery to go along with the action and fantastic, presenting something for both child and adult. It has many tense moments and a rousing climax that makes good use of plot points that were introduced along the way.
I personally feel that the harsher criticisms of some fans are grounded in fact that they forget this (and the series) was designed for children. As such, many elements are kept simple; but, that helps strip away some of the excess baggage of many sci-fi dramas and lets you focus on the key story elements. The lighter tone helps offset the rather grim nature of the story (a post-holocaust world and a fight for survival), but it never descends into farce. If you enter the film with an open mind, you will find much to entertain you. -
Purists of the BBC cult programme will doubtless sniff at this cheerfully undemanding little spin-off by Amicus producers Milton Subotsky and Max Rosenberg. But, aimed squarely at Saturday morning children's cinema audiences, its not without its charm. Not least the paint-box colours (the petrified surface of planet Skaro is lit by a lurid green light) and lava-lamp decor. And some of the planetary landscape mattes are rather magnificent in their comic-strip way.
Alas the weakest link, amazingly, is Peter Cushing as Dr Who. Though the film mainly sticks to writer Terry Nation's original story, the producers understandably had to jettison the television serial's back-story (such as it was in 1965) if it was to appeal to the crucial American market. But here Cushing's Doctor is little more than a doddery old grandfather, with none of the crotchety antagonism of William Hartnell, the role's originator. And the Tardis interior is just a mess of overhanging wires and junkyard cast-offs rather than the wonderfully sterile, futuristic control room of the small-screen.
The Daleks, though larger, are more ungainly and don't have the streamlined menace of the TV ones (perhaps the only monsters on film to actually swivel with sheer pent-up malice). Worst of all, their exterminators just scoosh out rather pathetic white smoke. Was the original x-ray laser effect, turning the TV screen image negative, deemed too scary, even though most of its audience would have thrilled to it at home? There's not a great deal more to commend it. Roy Castle clowns around rather embarrassingly as the young male lead, while Jenny Linden barely gets a line of script as the heroine. All in all, eleven year-old Roberta Tovey walks away with the acting honours. -
Dr Who, a traveller in space and time, lands on a remote planet where he discovers two strange tribes; the Thals a race of beautiful humanoids living in simple ignorance in the forests, and the Daleks, a race of evil machine creatures living in a metal citadel. The Daleks plan to destroy the Thals, whom the Doctor must help by first convincing them of the danger they are in.
The BBC TV science-fiction show Dr Who is arguably the greatest British cult series of all time, and this is a smashing adaptation of Terry Nation's original serial featuring the Daleks - unforgettably monstrous, soulless, destructive, robotic fiends. The film benefits greatly from production values the TV show could only dream of - Bill Constable's sets are simply fantastic, particularly the Dalek city with its gleaming control rooms, sliding panels and trippy architecture. Unlike the serial, the movie is pitched squarely at children but is never stupid or condescending, and has all sorts of interesting themes going on; atomic mutation, space travel and (interestingly for a film made at the height of peacenik sensibilities) the inevitability of conflict. Cushing is as wonderful as always, playing the enigmatic Dr Who as a kindly, absent-minded grandfather figure. Whilst this may not be a great movie, it has action, style and charm to spare. A terrifically enjoyable sci-fi classic from the great producer team of Milton Subotsky and Max J. Rosenberg. -
utgard144 June 2015An elderly scientist named Doctor Who invents a machine that can travel through time and space called the TARDIS. He lives with his two granddaughters, Barbara and Susan. Barbara has a bumbling boyfriend named Ian who accidentally turns the TARDIS on and transports the four of them to an alien planet inhabited by the peaceful Thals and the destructive Daleks. Doctor Who tries to convince the Thals to reclaim their planet before the Daleks detonate a neutron bomb.
First things first, we have to put aside comparisons to the TV Doctor Who. There's very little that's similar between the two, even though this movie is based off of one of the earliest stories from the show. The Doctor is human not an alien time lord and his name is literally Doctor Who here, not The Doctor. Judging this by its own merits, I thought it was watchable and sometimes even good. Peter Cushing is enjoyable, as are Jennie Linden and Robert Tovey as his granddaughters. Linden looks quite good in her pink capris. I wasn't crazy about Roy Castle, particularly when he's trying to be funny. It's filmed in a lovely Technicolor, which I always appreciate. The effects and sets may appear cheesy to some today but I think they're very creative and fun, as sci-fi designs usually were back in the day. The music's pretty good, too. This isn't likely to appeal to many modern Who fans but I think people who like Peter Cushing and Amicus will find something to enjoy about this. -
ma-cortes3 December 2007The eccentric doctor Who (the always watchable Peter Cushing) takes his familiars , a little girl (Tovey) and a young woman (Jennie Linden , Women in love) along with her fiancé (Roy Castle) on a trip throughout space and time . They're transported to another world and end up on a planet inhabited by strange and peace-loving people fighting the mutants named Daleks . These are robot-like and belong to kind of war-mongering mutant creatures who have hidden their brittle bodies in armour shells . The planet has been devastated by an atomic war and they must help the humans facing the Daleks , living various adventures with creepy landscapes , spooky monsters and deep cliffs . Finally , they're wrongfully transported to Roman empire .
This is an enjoyable cinematic adaptation about the interminable British television series . The ever popular Peter Cushing is magnificent reviving his classic interpretation as Dr. Who , furthermore a beautiful Jennie Linden and a sympathetic Roy Castle . The film displays a a rare electronic music and colorful and glimmer cinematography by John Wilcox , Hammer's usual . It's followed by ¨Daleks , invasion Earth 2150 AD¨ about title mutants who are trying to take over Earth . Others Dr. Who for television in the long-running serial are Tom Baker , Paul McGann and Christopher Eccleston . The motion picture is professionally directed by Gordon Fleming . He's a fine director such as ¨The split¨ about a blaxploitation heist and ¨Philby , Burgues and McLean , spy scandal of the century¨ , a chilling tale about tree of Britain's most notorious spies and ¨Daleks 2150¨ . The flick will appeal to Sci-Fi fans and juvenile public. -
ewhac3 February 2006In 1963, the BBC produced an extraordinarily low-budget science fiction series. Doctor Who featured an enigmatic character known only as The Doctor, an extra-terrestrial time traveler, who flitted about time and space in his TARDIS timecraft, encountering strange lifeforms and cultures and righting wrongs wherever he went. The show was originally conceived as an "edutainment" program (before the word had been coined) with the Doctor traveling throughout Earth history and encountering major events. For this reason, the show very nearly died on the vine. But in the second serial, the Doctor travels millions of years into the future to the planet Skaro and encounters the iconic alien menace that would capture viewers' imaginations and propel the show forward for over twenty five years: The Daleks.
By 1965, Doctor Who's popularity made a film adaptation inevitable. Thus was born, "Doctor Who and the Daleks," which is strongly based on the original television serial that introduced them. The Doctor travels to the planet Skaro, a planet ravaged by radiation from an atomic war, and encounters the Thals, a peace-loving humanoid race; and the Daleks, an aggressive, horribly mutated race who must move about in mechanized armored travel vehicles that resemble large salt cellars. The Doctor befriends the Thals and helps protect them from the Daleks, who seek to exterminate them all.
Since its inception, the television series has developed a fan base with a dedication rivaling that of "Star Wars" and "Star Trek" fans. As such, enthusiasts will find little that's familiar, and will immediately spot the glaring changes made to Who canon (presumably to make the film more accessible to people who didn't watch the TV series), The main character -- the extra-terrestrial Doctor -- is now a human named Doctor Who, an eccentric scientist who invented the TARDIS in his back yard. And while the TARDIS exterior still resembles an old London police box, the interior resembles nothing so much as a messy workshop. The TARDIS' horrible grinding noise when it takes off? Gone, replaced with a flaccid electronic "thwiwiwiwiwpp!" The iconic theme music has been abandoned for a contemporary original orchestral score which fails to enthuse. Even the Dalek's chilling battle cry -- "EXTERMINATE!" -- is essentially absent.
Okay, so the hard-core fans will always magnify insignificant differences into catastrophic flaws. But how might the film appeal to more ordinary people? Sadly, not very well. The chief problem is one of pacing, and it is here that the movie's biggest attraction, the Daleks, becomes its greatest handicap. Daleks speak in an electronic monotone, which means you're going to get odd pauses in the speech. Sadly, the actors chose to draw these pauses out and, in some cases, insert them between every syllable. This means that scenes featuring dialog between two or more Daleks -- and there are a fair number of them -- just drag on for seemingly ever and completely kill the pacing.
A big selling point of the movie was that, for the first time, viewers would be able to see the Who universe with a bigger budget, and in color (the television series would not be shot in color until 1969). In this respect, the film delivers 100%, with widescreen Technicolor. In fact, the film quality is so good that it reveals every detail, including just how cheap the production actually is.
In short, there's not much here to appeal to newcomers (too cheesy and clumsy) or to loyal fans (gratuitous changes from canon). In the end, it's probably little more than a historical curiosity, an adjunct to the "real" show from which can be drawn dozens of other, better examples of the Doctor's travels. -
Graff Vynda-K16 January 2002If, like me, you enjoy checking out the reviews *before* seeing the film, here's the premise in a nutshell: A mishap with silver-haired scientist Doctor Who's latest invention hurls the cast through space and time, landing them in the midst of an eerie alien wasteland. The Doctor's companions on this unanticipated adventure are his granddaughters Susan and Barbara, and Barbara's boyfriend Ian. Needing parts to repair their damaged time machine, the company seeks help in a nearby city, only to be captured and imprisoned by the ruthless mechanical Daleks, a race of machine-bound mutants bent on world domination.
To followers of the original TV series, this plot will be as familiar as the Daleks' squawking cries of 'Exterminate,' and despite some changes to the cast (most notably the Doctor being portrayed as a human), it faithfully captures the spirit of the early programs. For viewers who've never experienced the original Who, or who don't have a taste for early pulp-style adventure sci-fi, this movie will probably be less appealing. It's a fan flick pure and simple, expressly designed to capitalize on the wave of Dalekmania that swept Britain in the mid-1960s following the show's BBC premiere.
Ironically, the film's weakest link is the Daleks themselves. The writers and producers were no doubt keen to capitalize on the popularity of the metal meanies, but it has to be said that the Daleks really don't have much of a screen presence. With their absolute lack of expression, clumsy movement, and painfully slow, mechanical, grating voices, they should never have been scripted to carry any scenes by themselves; however (alas) there are more than a few passages in the film that consist of nothing more than Dalek cross-talk acts, with one metal peppergrinder haltingly rasping its lines to another. Still, I'm one who's been spoiled by the routinely mind-blowing special effects of the 21st century; to Britons of the '60s, the stuff I find boring might have seemed menacing.
Daleks aside, the most memorable aspect of the film is the eye-popping color. The filmmakers pulled out all the stops to give the sets a wonderfully vibrant feel, liberally filling every scene with multi-hued Daleks, glowing control panels, or eerily-lit alien landscapes. This film was the first opportunity for fans to see Doctor Who in color (sorry, `colour'), and they certainly got it in spades. (The original TV series didn't drop the black-and-white format until 1970, five years later.)
The film's greatest strength is its casting, with the best performance by far coming from veteran actor Peter Cushing, best known to U.S. audiences as Grand Moff Tarkin in Star Wars. Cushing's delivery is predictably brilliant, and helps bring conviction and flair to a script that might otherwise come off as unbearably campy. As the Doctor he's also just plain likeable - much more so in fact than his TV counterpart (played by William Hartnell) who often came off as crusty and gruff. Roberta Tovey as the young Susan also gives a marvelous performance, something that's a true rarity among kid actors. Jennie Linden does an adequate job as Barbara, though her character has no clear role in the story and was probably just included to suggest continuity with the TV series, while Roy Castle provides some (generally successful) comic relief with his portrayal of the bumbling klutz Ian. Kudos also to Barrie Ingham (Thal leader Alydon) for actually giving a credible performance from beneath false eyelashes and a blonde wig.
The bottom line? The film's a little too far removed from modern tastes to be enjoyed by the average Joe, but to Who fans and sci-fi aficionados it'll be a delight. -
Cinema_Fan20 August 2006Doctor Who was written by Terry Nation (1930 - 1997), amongst others, who before his inauguration into the Doctor Who franchise, and personally creating the Dalek, was already writing for television, with works as The Saint with Roger Moore and The Avengers during the 1960's. The year 1963 was to be the year that an unsuspecting British television audience would be captured and mesmerised, and for the next forty years too, by an old mysterious being from another world, another time; Dr. Who had arrived.
Doctor Who: The Dead Planet, a seven-episode show for television, which first aired in 1963, was his first adventure into this concept, that was played by the original Doctor: William Hartnell (1908 - 1975). Terry Nation continued to be one of the main innovators' toward the Doctor Who legend, with writing creditability's from 1963 to 1979. His work also includes the British sci-fi Blakes 7 and The Persuaders! With Roger Moore and Tony Curtis.
Dr. Who and the Daleks is based around the 1963 episodes The Dead Planet, with a movie feel towards it and by 1960's standards a huge budget of £180,000. This was a big production; the first of it's kind for this franchise and shot in Technicolor and Technoscope, a 35mm film technique that laid each frame horizontally end-to-end instead of vertically. With the international movie star Peter Cushing O.B.E. to headline, not as a time travelling alien, the last of his breed, but an eccentric, inquisitive and inventive scientific Grandfather, known as Dr.Who, not as The Doctor as he is referred to in the television series.
Dr. Who and the Daleks was the first taste of the Doctor Who name for the American market, released there during July 1966, though not too successful in the US', as here in England. This well-known television show spin off needed very little prompting, just the mass hysteria and movie publicity throughout the nation would most certainly keep these wheels of industry well oiled. Star Wars some twelve years later would be the next huge movie franchise, but on a global stage, rather than on an English lawn as Dr. Who and the Daleks were. Successful it was indeed, with massive merchandising rights too, toys, books etc, this was the big time for the small screen; Dalekmania had landed.
Dr. Who's invention of the time travelling machine T.A.R.D.I.S. (fully known as Time And Relative Dimension In Space), that he with his two young granddaughters and young male friend, played by Roy Castle (1932 - 1994) as Ian, set of to another world and time with, land on planet Skaro. Here they encounter the passive life forms of the Thals, and their struggle against the repressive and destructively evil Daleks, these living creatures that can only live inside their metal casings to survive, their aim, is for interplanetary domination, taking no prisoners along the way, to destroy, to exterminate everything that crosses their path.
Dr. Who and the Daleks can share, coincidently, similar parallels to the 1960 movie The Time Machine, with Rod Taylor as George Wells, such as the time traveller and his plight against the evil Morlocks fighting the also passive Eloi people and their uprising for survival.
Dr. Who and the Daleks, remember this is 1965, is a wonderful concoction of colour and imagination, with an impressive budget to play with, there was little wasted in creativity and design, with the full use of the Shepperton Studios to their advantage, no expense was spared, the sets are stunning and the Thal costumes look very chic. This also is the first outing for the Daleks to be seen in full colour, and the differing colours of the Daleks, to signify their ranks, would, and still do, thrill and captivate their audience, particularly the children who were hiding behind their cushions while watching.
Dr. Who here is a sixties nostalgia trip, with its now retro styled look and feel, feeling dated but never out dated. This is nineteen sixties science fiction at its visual best, it really is, along with its international star, the Doctor Who brand name had transcended to a higher level of escapism. Though differing from the television series, this doppelgänger, the parallel world that is Peter Cushing's Dr.Who is at times a little flat, while we are hypnotised by the colourful Daleks and their surrounds, we are sometimes left behind in a script whose pace can reel us back not forward. Peter Cushing's Doctor is a lovable old sea dog type, of the time traveller variety, very nice to know and not at all grumpy, spiteful and rude; placid and charming is his nature here, it's the adventures that he stumbles across that make him interesting.
Dr. Who and the Daleks is basically relying on the success of the television series to help cash in, then watched by millions of children each week. With its target audience already in great supply and ever hungry, as children always are, to help itself to its own fame and fortune, this helps, only for a while, until we are left with a parody, a pastiche of the real thing. Not an out and out copy, just a good movie with an interesting idea that could blossom into a beautiful friendship between makers and fans alike, I feel another movie in the air, time will tell. -
Theo Robertson15 April 2002DR WHO AND THE DALEKS is based on the second televised BBC adventure THE DEAD PLANET which introduced the Daleks to popular culture. It was cheaply made with a jungle set the size of a garden shed making up the planet Skaro. However it had an intelligent script by Terry Nation which has been simplified beyond recognition in this film version.
DR WHO AND THE DALEKS features far too much humour , most of which centers around Roy Castle`s Ian character. In the TV version Ian was a school teacher who was the hero of the early episodes as opposed to the title character who was very much an anti hero and catalyst . William Russell played Ian in the series and always acted with total and absolute conviction suspending any disbelief the viewer might have. Castle interpretation is very much different and vastly inferior , though perhaps Castle shouldn`t be solely blamed since the part is obviously written as comic relief , but this comic character becomes very tiresome within 10 minutes.
Not only that,the script doesn`t allow any conflict between the Tardis crew , one of the best things about the early shows was watching the character interaction between Ian and Barbera and the Doctor and Susan . Also missing from the script is a high body count, off the top of my head I can only recall two Thals being killed on screen , despite its flaws DALEKS INVASION EARTH 2150 had lots of humans being exterminated which makes it the better film .
Any good points ? Well it`s in colour so it must have been a pleasant surprise for children in 1965 to have watched Daleks on a black and white telly one week then gone to the cinema to see them in colour. And the Daleks do look good in their different colour livery , and they do look metalic and unstoppable . Just a pity every time in a fight sequence they exterminate one another !
Stick to the original teleplay. It might not have a massive budget but it does have a very good script and some great acting -
bob the moo9 April 2002When visiting his girlfriend Barbara, Ian is given a tour of the TARDIS by Dr Who. However he accidentally activates it and sends them to an unknown planet. Keen to explore they find themselves prisoners in a city controlled by the Daleks. The Daleks seek to rule the whole planet and get rid of the peace loving natives. When Dr Who et al accidentally help the Daleks to achieve this, they have no choice but to work with the natives to stop the Daleks.
Made to cash in on the huge popularity mid-sixties of both Dr Who and the Daleks, this film version has much higher values than the TV show, but doesn't mean it's better. The story is weak like an introduction to the Doctor. It's very basic and provides little opportunity for thrills right up until the final battle. It's not that bad, but for a film you'd expect more.
The Daleks themselves are good but the film uses them badly we see them as things trapped in a city with little power outside of their own walls. To make matters worse them seem very vulnerable and easy to beat all you have to do is push them very hard! They also don't `do' dialogue very well they are used several times for long scenes where they talk to each other and explain the plot to the audience, these scenes are poor as their delivery mixed with the dialogue is terrible!
Cushing makes a good doctor and is better than many of the TV incarnations. Record breaking Roy Castle is quite good as Ian, but his comedy clowning doesn't really fit in with the tone of the film. The female lead is vapid but Susan (played by Tovey) is actually pretty good.
Overall this is TV standard fans will enjoy it but anyone looking for thrills or good plotting will be disappointed. Check out Dalek Invasion Earth that is a much better use of these tin-can bad guys. -
First of all, I've seen several episodes of the Dr. Who series, but I don't follow it. It has its fan base and that's fine. If you are looking for a good Dalek adventure without getting into the whole Dalek "genesis," then this movie works well. You don't have to know all about Who-ville as a prerequisite.
There are some visual elements that needed more budget or something - miniature exteriors of the city, the burnt forest set, and the make-up on the humanoids don't quite make the grade. But the Daleks themselves inside their metal city are something to see (be sure to look for the lava lights). The Dalek robot mechanisms are very convincing, and they are very menacing as they roll around with their modulated voices trying to exterminate anything with two legs. The camera work is good - it looks like the director tried to add some interesting angles and follow shots when others maybe wouldn't bother. The cast plays well in their roles, and the story is simple and straight-forward. This is no "2001 A Space Odessey," but then again, you don't have to think too hard about what the ending really means.
This movie will probably disappoint most loyal Dr. Who followers, but it will entertain sci-fi fans who enjoy some light fare and aren't too attached to the series. -
Dock-Ock21 June 2001Dr Who and the Daleks is a good little film. It is fairly typical of the British Sci-Fi movies made at this time. The plot is ok, but where the movie succeeds is with the acting and set pieces. Peter Cushing makes an excellently dotty Doctor, Roy Castle is bumbling as Ian Chesterton and Roberta Tovey does well as a young Susan. The action scenes set on Skaro are fantastic and quite chilling, and the set designs, costumes and Dalek design are all frst rate. What is a sin is that the Television theme tune is discarded for a more bouncy swinging sixties type, and the TARDIS interior is abolished for what looks like a gatecrashed science lab. The Doctor is referred to as 'Dr Who' throughout the movie and the whole thing is slightly camp. If these thing would have been ironed out this could have gone on to be come an all time classic. On a final note it is also a shame William Hartnell didn't play the Doctor in the movie, that would have been fantastic, but Peter Cushing is more than good as his replacement.
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Fans of the later DR. WHO series (such as those with Tom Baker or Peter Davison) will probably see a lot of inconsistencies with this film (such as the Doctor actually being called "Dr. Who" for the only time on film and his being human and not from the planet Gallifrey). This is because the movie is based on the early Dr. Who character created for William Hartnell. Hartnell's Dr. Who was an older man with a granddaughter who accompanied him on his missions. The whole idea of Gallifrey and Time Lords was later added to the Who lexicon. So, don't freak out at this type of Dr. Who--it isn't WRONG, just different.
As for the rest of those viewers, if you aren't a fan of the series, I STRONGLY doubt that this film will do anything but bore you and underwhelm you with the rather poor special effects and sets. Fans of the series, though, know that sets costing $2.76 are the norm for the series and the film actually looks a lot better than the series back in the 1960s (where it was in black and white and its main props were aluminum foil and popsicle sticks).
As for me, I am reasonably well-versed in everything WHO, but I tired of the series decades ago. So, I know a lot of the lingo, but just don't wax philosophical about it and haven't named my children after characters from the show! This is important to know because some who totally adore the series still probably think that this is the greatest movie ever made and any criticism is heresy. But, I am not a WHO-Hater either--it was cheesy fun and that's all it was really meant to be.
It is inexplicable that Peter Cushing was chosen to be the Doctor, as he never played him on the show. Perhaps Hartnell was too old and tired for the rigors of the film, but he had a long movie career so it wasn't like he was an "untried commodity". If the whole notion of the Doctor having multiple lives had already been introduced to the series (it was how they explained Hartnell's eventual replacement), then having Cushing in the role might have made more sense.
Now for the movie itself. The sets sucked compared to most other movies and the matte paintings looked amateurish. The plot, at times, was shallow and silly. and the acting, apart from Cushing, was pretty shabby as well. But the absolute worst aspect of this film was the use of DELEKS. Throughout the series, this was probably the most popular villain (other than The Master) and I have no idea why. They talk in the most amazingly annoying manner in the universe and they seem incredibly easy to defeat and seem incredibly stupid. And, if they had to have the insipid Daleks, there's no sign of their insane creator, the green and goofy Davros. Even the Cybermen (who looked like silver Pillsbury Doughboys) looked scarier! Their cries of "Ex-Ter-Min-Ate" were just silly and I really think a reasonably bright otter could have taken them on and won! This movie is just for Who fans and people with extremely low expectations. -
Dalekmania ran wild in the 60's. This is a fun movie loosely based on the TV series Dr. Who. It's not great stuff, but it's fun, and that's all that matters.
I'm not gonna debate TV series vs. Movie. It's not worth it. Enjoy the movie for it's own sake, but there is no comparison to the TV series. TV allowed much more character development (consider how many thousands of hours of Dr. Who are there vs. 3 hours of movie). Take a ride, forget the series, and enjoy. -
hitchcockthelegend16 August 2012I feel I have to put a disclaimer here. I am not a hardcore Dr. Who fan, I grew up with Pertwee and Baker and loved them, after that I hit puberty and the good Doctor left my own personal universe. So basically I want to say that I view this picture as a film lover, not as some serio Dr. Who fan. Thus I ask, just how did Amicus get it so wrong?
Oh it really isn't as awful as some "who" fans have painted it as, and by painted I mean spittle daubed venom! But it looks like Amicus have tried to reinvent Dr. Who about 25 years before he needed reinventing. I mean, I realise it's a show involving time travel, but Amicus' Tardis is just a bit too early! They have taken two of Britain's most beloved entertainers and made one a bumbling comedy side-kick (Castle as Ian), and the other a doddering old eccentric granddad type (Cushing as the Doctor). Fair enough Cushing's Doctor is a genius, we know and understand that, but if you take away the Tardis invention, then this could be any old geezer in a sci-fi movie.
Things are further muddied by lack of screen time for Cushing, he is strangely secondary here. It's a good job the two girls playing his nieces (Jennie Linden and Roberta Tovey) get good characterisations to work from, and that the Daleks are a colourful and dastardly foe, because Sir Peter of the Who is jostling for attention in a film that bears his character's name. The irritants continue when you reach the end credits and the action quota amounts to being very little. It's safe to say the stunt department and director Gordon Flemyng's camera were not required to work over time.
On the plus side. The production design, considering the low end budget, is visually impressive. The outer lands of the Dalek's planet Skaro is very striking with green tints and scorched plant life. The interiors are suitably metallic in feel, plenty of odd angles, though you will have to ignore parts of the set flapping about when they aren't meant too. The Thal race of beings that enter the story significantly, are interestingly costumed and made up, preempting Glam Rock by a few years, and those Daleks, pop culture for ever assured and entering the villain stratosphere, really do rock with their staccato voices. But ultimately the film feels like such a waste of talent and source material, so much so that not even a casual Dr. Who fan can proclaim it a worthy spin on this particular practitioner. 5/10 -
jamesmccloskey9818 August 2013This was quite different to the Doctor Who television series. It is not part of the mainstream canon of Doctor Who and it's a bit childish. However as a Whovian, I quite enjoyed it. It's very good quality on Blu-Ray (which was what I watched it on). Peter Cushing portrayed the Doctor (or Dr. Who, as he's referred to in this film) as a kinder person than William Hartnell did. This is, as you may know, based on the second episode of Doctor Who, "The Daleks", which I found more entertaining despite the fact that the special effects and picture quality wasn't quite as good. The Daleks themselves talked strangely but looked superb. The Thals looked weird due to the fact that their makeup was overdone. The storyline for the film is good and it has a nice and the film as a whole is enjoyable. I recommend this to fans of the classic Doctor Who series, and I also recommend it on Blu-Ray, it is remastered fantastically! On another note that may upset many, Dr. Who is human (as far as we know) in this film and they have a different theme- tune.
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First of Two Big Screen adaptations of the Popular and extremely Long Running TV Show (800 episodes and counting). Most Fans of the Series seem to give this a Grudging Pass. Many Things were Altered from the Show but the general Nonsensical Whimsy and Gaudy Low-Budget Effects are in Evident.
Viewed from a Non-Cultists and Naive Perspective, except for a Psychedelic Color Palette and Surreal Sets, the Movie might be Insufferable to some. The Most Glaring is the Voice of the Daleks. Grating, Throbbing, Ear-Piercing Icepicks, the Dialog from these Salt and Pepper Shakers is a Headache Inducement.
The Look of the Movie is that of a No-Budget TV Show Enhanced for the Big Screen. Exactly What it is. While it does have Artistic Flare, the Film is so Juvenile and Uninteresting with its Condemnation of Pacifism, Slapstick Humor, and Dull Pacing with Ridiculous Action Scenes, the Film just Limps along Until it's Over.
Worth a Watch as a Curioso and Viewed with a Tolerance for its Big Screen Changes, it might Entertain with a bit of Nostalgia for those that were there at the Time. But most, including Die-Hard Followers of the Series, will most likely Reluctantly Nod and Move On, but other more Critical Purists will Not Be so Kind. -
chris_gaskin12311 April 2005This was the first of Dr Who's appearances on the big screen. The doctor was played by Peter Cushing in both of the movies and some say he is the best actor ever to play the role. He certainly makes a good Doctor. Daleks: Invasion Earth 2150 AD followed in 1966.
The Doctor, who is showing his two grand-daughters and the eldest's boyfriend the TARDIS end up on a strange planet after the boyfriend accidentally pushes the go lever. They see a city and that is when the Daleks appear. We learn of the war between them and the good people of the planet, the Thals and that the Daleks plan to finish them off. After being held as prisoners by the Daleks, the Doctor and the others help the Thals to defeat them and they eventually succeed. After saying their goodbyes, the Doctor and the others manage to get back Earth, but not home...
The Daleks look quite good in this movie which is quite creepy in parts, especially the forest scenes. The movie has a good score too.
As well as horror legend Peter Cushing, the rest of the cast includes Roy Castle (Record Breakers), Jennie Linden and Roberta Tovey as the grand-daughters and Barry Ingham (A Challenge For Robin Hood).
If you are a Dr Who and sci-fi fan, Dr Who and the Daleks is certainly worth viewing. Excellent.
Rating: 4 stars out of 5. -
TondaCoolwal24 April 2023It is apparent that many later-series Whovians are a bit sniffy about this movie. All I can say is - like the sixties, you had to be there! In common with many sixties youngsters I found the TV series irresistible. Therefore, the prospect of a big-screen version was hotly anticipated. It was the technicolor that clinched it for me. The tweaked story and characters were of no consequence.
Peter Cushing was brought in as a well-known star; probably for the American audience. He played the doctor as the eccentric inventor of the TARDIS time machine, rather than someone from outer space. The characters of Ian and Barbara (Roy Castle and Jenny Linden) were changed simply for brevity. In the TV series they were Susan's teachers who were intrigued by her strange behaviour and followed her home. Since this comprised the whole of the first episode it would have taken up too much screen time. Consequently they became the Doctor's older granddaughter and her boyfriend, already in Susan's life. Far from being the "Unearthly Child" Susan is simply a precocious 12-year old, played by popular child actress Roberta Tovey; again probably for the intended American audience who were up to their ears in Hayley Mills!
The story is simple. The TARDIS is set in motion by accident when Ian leans on the control lever, and the travellers land on the planet Skaro which has suffered a nuclear war leaving two races. The humanoid Thals and the mutated fascist Daleks who are more technically advanced but have to live inside metal casings in order to survive and move about. The bigger sets made it more impressive and enjoyable than the TV series. And, seeing the Daleks in different colours was very much appreciated. For some reason the gaudiness made me think of a big toy store at Christmas! But I have to say that the Thals, particularly the men with their eye-shadow, left us a bit bemused.
The Daleks are such obvious baddies that the Doctor sides with the Thals in helping to defeat them. All of the familiar sci-fi themes are used. Susan is in apparent peril. The Dalek city is accessed via a secret tunnel and, the Daleks' offer of peace is definitely a trap. But, like I said, at the time we simply enjoyed it. Try doing that! -
richardchatten18 December 2021A breeze through The Doctor's first encounter with the Daleks in 1963 with his three companions bearing the same names but all far much younger than in the original TV series.
The sets recall both 'Flash Gordon' and the fairy tales recently made in Eastern Europe; but the use of colour means the daleks lack their old elegance and makes for a much less scary experience than the bleakness of early sixties British TV. Peter Cushing in the title role is far less scary too than the cantankerous old cuss still being played on the box at the time by William Hartnell.