DR.
WHO AND THE DALEKS (1965)/DALEKS: INVASION EARTH
2150 A.D. (1966)Director: Gordon Flemyng
Anchor Bay Entertainment
DR.
WHO AND THE DALEKS (1965)/DALEKS: INVASION EARTH
2150 A.D. (1966)First aired in 1963, the BBC's "Dr. Who" was one of the most popular sci-fi series in England, lasting for nearly 30 years. In the mid 60s, Milton Subotsky of Amicus Films purchased the movie rights for a song, casting Peter Cushing in the title role originated by William Hartnell on TV. The movies differed from the series in that the character was called "Dr. Who" (on the show he's simply called "The Doctor"), and instead of being an alien timelord, the movie doctor was simply an eccentric London inventor, executed in the capable hands of Cushing. The movies were in color, while the series was still in black & white (it wouldn't be until Jon Pertwee's stint in the title role that it would switch to color).
For the films, it was decided that Dr. Who would face his most famous TV nemesis, the Daleks. The Daleks were an army of highly intelligent robots who threatened to violently overthrow any civilization they encountered. In DR. WHO AND THE DALEKS, Dr. Who (Cushing) has two granddaughters--young Susan (Roberta Tovey) and the older Barbara (Jennie Linden). Barbara brings her new bafoonish boyfriend Ian (Roy Castle) to meet grandpa, but he's anxious to show off his new invention, the TARDIS. The TARDIS is a time traveling machine that appears to be a modest police call box, but inside it's roomy with an expansive apparatus.
While being embraced by his would-be date, Ian bumps into the activation lever, sending the TARDIS to an unknown destination. Our four time travelers end up on Skaro, a planet burnt to rubble after years of war with the Daleks. The Daleks capture them, but they manage to cleverly escape. They then encounter the turquoise-skinned Thals (lead by A CHALLENGE FOR ROBIN HOOD's Barrie Ingham), a peaceful tribe scavenging to stay alive. Dr. Who shows them a thing or two about survival and helps them conquer the Daleks once and for all.
The following year brought DALEKS: INVASION EARTH 2150 A.D. with a bigger budget than its predecessor and a more exciting adventure. Cushing and Tovey were back, but this time along for the ride is a niece, Louise (Jill Curzon) and a policeman (Bernard Cribbins, comic veteran of several "Carry On" films). After a robbery is committed, the policeman enters what he thinks is a police box, but it's really the TARDIS. Dr. Who, Louise, Susan and the policeman wind up in London in 2150 AD, and they find the place in ruins. It seems the Daleks have invaded and are turning humans into helmeted slaves called Robomen. They meet up with some rebels led by Andrew Kier and Ray Brooks, and are again faced with the dangerous task of battling the Daleks.
DR. WHO AND THE DALEKS and DALEKS: INVASION EARTH 2150 A.D., are two examples of colorful 60s era science fiction, and you don't have to be a fan of the TV series (or know anything about it) to enjoy these. Only slightly dated, the films are good juvenile fun with dazzling sets, a decent amount of action and the great Peter Cushing playing the Doctor in his own, unique and affable way (Cushing sports a white wig, mustache and applied wrinkles to play an older man).
Anchor Bay's DVD presentation of both titles offer the film in their original 2.35:1 widescreen aspect ratio for the first time on home video, and they're both 16x9 enhanced. Culled from the original source materials, the transfers are flawless, giving a fresh look to both of them, with strong colors and no noticeable blemishes whatsoever. The mono audio tracks are excellent, and the second film features an additional French audio track.
DR. WHO AND THE DALEKS includes a cheery commentary with stars Jennie Linden and Roberta Tovey, moderated by Jonathan Sothcott (author of an upcoming book on Peter Cushing). Both actresses discuss their longtime association and identification with the "Dr. Who" craze, and they have lots of interesting things to say about their co-stars, the director, and what it was like on the set. Other extras: Each film has its own poster and still gallery, its appropriate trailer (for the U.K. theatrical releases), and both contain "A History Of Doctor Who" photo essay, as well as a Peter Cushing bio and a special 4-page booklet.
Both titles can be purchased separately, or as a set (the recommended purchase). If you buy them together (as "The Dr. Who Collection"), you'll get an additional documentary called DALEKMANIA, which focuses exclusively on the two films, produced several years ago during their 30th anniversary. It features interviews with various stars from both including Roberta Tovey, Jill Curzon, Barrie Ingham, Yvonne Antrobus, the late stuntman Eddie Powell (who also briefly discusses his work for Hammer), and the late Terry Nation, creator of The Daleks. The documentary also gives us unenlightened Americans a glimpse into the Dalek phenomenon of the mid 60s, showing the flood of children's merchandise sold in the U.K., now worth a bloody fortune! (George R. Reis)