‘Dr. Who and the Daleks’ (Film)

‘DR. WHO AND THE DALEKS’

Please feel free to comment on my review.

Daleks on the Big Screen

Most exciting! 😀 Welcome to the Peter Cushing era of ‘Doctor Who’! 🙂

This era features two ‘Doctor Who’ movies that were shown in the 1960s. They feature the Daleks! The movies were fuelled by the Dalekmania that was happening at the time. The public were excited by the popular pepper pots who invaded the Earth with their catchphrases of “Exterminate!!!” 😀

When I originally wrote this review, I assumed the Dalek movies existed in an alternative continuity or a parallel universe that was completely separate from the prime ‘Doctor Who’ universe that we know and love today. Steven Moffat changed that when he penned ‘The Day of the Doctor’ novelization in 2018.

Apparently, the Dalek movies do exist in the main continuity as they’re just considered as movies that I assume were pitched by the Tenth and Eleventh Doctors. That is unusual, I grant you, but you don’t need to take these Dalek movies too seriously. These movies are meant to be fun and enjoyable with the Daleks.

My parents purchased the DVD collection of these two films when I getting into ‘Doctor Who’ in 2007. I didn’t really pay much attention to these films and I wasn’t too keen on watching them. But once I got into watching these films, I enjoyed them very much with the Daleks and Peter Cushing’s Doctor in them.

The movies are adaptations of the first two Dalek stories in the classic ‘Doctor Who’ TV series. They were produced by Milton Subotsky and Max J. Rosenberg of Amicus Productions. Milton Subotsky wrote the screenplays for both films with some help from David Whitaker, ‘Doctor Who’s first script editor in the TV series.

As established, the movies are based on Terry Nation’s TV scripts for the first two Dalek stories. They’re both directed by Gordon Flemying, who would go on to work on some popular TV shows in the 1960s. They include ‘The Saint’ and ‘The Avengers’, which is demonstrated in the two films’ action-adventure style.

The first movie is based on the first Dalek story called ‘The Daleks’. It stars Peter Cushing as Dr. Who with his companions Roy Castle as Ian Chesterton, Jennie Linden as Barbara and Robert Tovey as Susan.

There are differences between the films and TV series. One notable difference is that Peter Cushing’s Doctor is not a Time Lord. He’s simply a human scientist who built the TARDIS and is called Dr. Who.

The TARDIS interior also looks different from the TV version, as it’s a jumble of controls sprawled all over the place. It’s unfamiliar to the TARDIS’ hexagonal console we know and love in the TV series. It’s fantasy, but it’s fun.

Peter Cushing as Dr. Who is very unlike William Hartnell’s Doctor. Cushing’s Doctor is more gentlemanly, elderly, rather sweet and gentle-hearted. Not like the fiery spirit of the Doctor that we all know.

But seeing Peter Cushing as Dr. Who is a delight. He has a certain eccentricity and he’s really into his scientific inventions like the TARDIS. He gets on well with his granddaughter Susan, who is a little girl.

Roy Castle stars as Ian Chesterton, Barbara’s boyfriend in the film. Roy is known for appearing in one of the ‘Carry On’ films and being a presenter on ‘Record Breakers’. He has also narrated many Scripture Union bible children’s stories that I used to watch and hear as a kid.

In the movie, Ian is a clumsy and a bumbling sort of chap, unlike his TV counterpart. It was Ian who started off the adventure by accidentally sitting on the red big lever, though that was Barbara’s fault. 😀

I enjoyed Jennie Linden as Barbara. In the movie, Barbara is a sweet person and rather shy. She gets easily frightened when it comes to the Daleks and being on the alien planet. But she’s quite resourceful.

My favourite scene in the film is where all the four characters discuss how to distract and immobilise a Dalek in their prison cell. Barbara throws mud at the Dalek’s eyestalk and is brave to face danger.

Roberta Tovey stars as Susan, the Doctor’s youngest granddaughter and a little girl. She appeals to the children in the movie audiences watching this film. I’m sure little Roberta had a lovely time as Susan.

Susan has inherited her grandfather’s spirit. She’s quite mischievous and is a bit of a know-all. She’s full of adventure and a joy to watch. I did enjoy seeing her scenes when in the TARDIS and facing the Daleks.

The Daleks are also fabulous to watch in the film. The movie Daleks look like the ones from the new ‘Doctor Who’ TV series with huge lights when they speak and having different colour schemes to identify them.

I love the Daleks ranging from black to red to blue and silver. They became the inspiration for the Daleks’ look in ‘Victory of the Daleks’, although those were awful. I find the movie Daleks a lot better.

I love those moments when the Daleks get into a state of panic. One Dalek gets caught by Dr. Who, Ian, Barbara and Susan in their trap and it rants and raves whilst our heroes attempt to immobilise it.

The cast also includes the Thals. There’s Barry Ingham as Alydon, Michael Coles as Ganatus, Yvonne Antrobus as Dyoni and Geoffrey Toone as Temmosus. The Thals’ make-up looks very unusual in the film.

‘Dr. Who and the Daleks’ is my favourite Dalek movie with Peter Cushing’s Doctor. It’s a lot of fun, something to enjoy with the kids, and it isn’t to be taken too seriously with other ‘Doctor Who’ stories.

The movie has fine performances from a stunning stellar cast, including Peter Cushing, Roy Castle, Jennie Linden and Robert Tovey. And of course the Daleks steal the show with their bright colours! 😀

The DVD special features are as follows. There’s an audio commentary with Jennie Linden and Roberta Tovey, moderated by author Jonathan Sothcott. On the 2013 Blu-ray of ‘Dr. Who and the Daleks’, there’s the DVD audio commentary as well as the ‘Dalekmania’ behind-the-scenes documentary, ‘Restoring ‘Dr. Who and the Daleks’, an interview with author Gareth Owen, a stills gallery and the film’s theatrical trailer. On the 2022 Blu-ray of ‘Dr. Who and the Daleks’, as well as the DVD audio commentary, the ‘Dalekmania’ behind-the-scenes documentary, ‘Restoring ‘Dr. Who and the Daleks’, the Gareth Owen interview and the film’s theatrical trailer, there’s a new audio commentary with critic Kim Newman, writer Robert Shearman and actor/writer Mark Gatiss. There’s also ‘The Dalek Legacy: Destination Skaro’.

‘Dr. Who and the Daleks’ rating – 10/10

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The previous story For Dr. Who (DM) was ‘The Five O’Clock Shadow’ (ST) For Susan (DM) was ‘The Five O’Clock Shadow’ (ST)	The next story For Dr. Who (DM) is ‘Dr. Who and the House on Oldark Moor’ (ST) For Ian (DM) is ‘Dr. Who and the House on Oldark Moor’ (ST) For Barbara (DM) is ‘Dr. Who and the House on Oldark Moor’ (ST) For Susan (DM) is ‘Dr. Who and the House on Oldark Moor’ (ST)
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