Our review of the first Dalek film, ‘Dr Who and the Daleks‘, outlined the background to the big-screen adventures starring Peter Cushing as “Dr. Who” that were made in the 1960s. They are certainly a unique glimpse into a parallel universe as two popular William Hartnell ‘Doctor Who’ stories were tenuously remade for the big screen.
‘Daleks’ Invasion Earth 2150 AD’ (1966) sees the TARDIS lands in futuristic London (albeit one that looks uncannily like the 1960s, where chunky period vans are plentiful). It has been devastated by a Dalek invasion. Britain has been conquered and fallen under Dalek rule, and Dalek spaceships control the vanquished human opposition from the skies. The Daleks brainwash thousands of humans and turn them into Robomen, zombie slaves, who carry out their orders like dispensable drones. Dr. Who (Peter Cushing) and his companions (Bernard Cribbins, Jill Curzon and Roberta Tovey, who returns as Susan) become mixed up with the human resistance groups and plot to thwart the Dalek invasion and save humanity.
Whereas the earlier adventure eased in viewers with beloved entertainer Roy Castle offering a bit of slapstick in a domestic scene, ‘Daleks’ Invasion Earth 2150 AD’ wisely goes for the jugular from the opening pre-titles sequence. Police constable Tom Campbell (Bernard Cribbins) witnesses a smash and grab on a bank and takes a nasty knock on the head from one of the thieves. Rushing to what he believes to be a police telephone box to call for back-up, he instead stumbles inside Dr Who’s TARDIS, only to be whisked off to face a deadly encounter with Daleks in London’s future. Cribbins’ everyman performance is the beating heart of the film, and he brings the character of Tom Campbell to life and creates someone the audience truly cares for. Always a sign of an extraordinary talent, his performance is much better than it is written in the script. Bill McGuffie’s full-throated jazz suite with plenty of brass is another major asset of the film, luring viewers in to an exciting adventure that starts with the opening bars of Bach’s Toccata and Fugue.
The film also features superb British character actors of the era, Andrew Keir and Philip Madoc, who both play it dead straight. Keir would make an impression in the ‘Hammer’ horror range of low-budget British films, while Philip Madoc established himself as one of the most popular guest actors in ‘Doctor Who’s history, racking up four appearances over a decade.
The somewhat more adult themes of ‘Daleks’ Invasion Earth 2150 AD’ ensure that this outing for Peter Cushing’s big screen ‘Dr Who’ is more credible, cinematic and evergreen than its more family-oriented predecessor. Once again transposing Terry Nation’s television script for the big screen, the film retains a lot of the very obvious parallels that the writer was making between the Daleks’ invasion and the Nazis’ attempted invasion of Britain. Let’s not forget that the Second World War had only concluded just over two decades before the film was released, and cities like London, Liverpool and Coventry each faced the horrors of the Blitz just a quarter of a century earlier. Piles of rubble and derelict rows of terraced housing were common sites for anyone old enough to remember the immediate post-war years, and they’re represented in abundance here. ‘Daleks’ Invasion Earth 2150 AD’ is a terrifying allegory of a fate that very nearly befell the human race, since Terry Nation explicitly based the Daleks on Nazi ideology.
This 4K release has upscaled the original film elements, previously available on Blu-ray, ensuring that they have never looked more stunning. The crystal clear picture quality benefits this title in particular, since it is earthier, more reliant on locations and has nothing in the way of bright pink sets (see ‘Dr. Who and the Daleks’). Of course, the production values of a relatively low-budget feature film, and one that was made with technology from sixty years ago, inevitably means that the upscale reveals some of the tricks of the special effects trade. But actually, the spinning Dalek spaceships, even if they are shaped a little like a Morris Minor, are stunning, as are the backdrops painted on glass that can be more easily spotted in ultra high-definition. But then, it also gives more clarity to some of the incredible stunt work that make for such memorable moments in the film: Bernard Cribbins holding onto a swinging door that gives way to a twenty-foot drop; the human escaping the Daleks only to be exterminated before spectacularly falling through a canopy onto a pile of bricks; the fight on board the Dalek spaceship orchestrated by Ray Brooks. All these moments look great in high-definition.
Running to only 84 minutes, ‘Daleks’ Invasion Earth 2150 AD’ certainly doesn’t outstay his welcome. Gordon Flemying, who was behind the camera for both big screen Dalek adventures, does a terrific job with this one of keeping the pace high. The Dalek spaceship sets give it a real sense of space, ensuring that it feels like a genuine cinematic adventure. Visually attractive, with some tremendous action sequences and model work, it stands up to this day as an example of a good British sci-fi film. It is also much the stronger of the two Dalek films.
This definitive collector’s edition features a booklet and artwork by Johnny Dombrowski. Some of the extra features such as the ‘Dalekmania’ documentary feature on both Dalek film releases, but this one uniquely has an original featurette on ‘The Dalek Legacy: Invasion Earth’. Critic Kim Newman and writers Rob Shearman and Mark Gatiss reassemble for another commentary. Best of all, there is a short but valuable interview with Bernard Cribbins, who places the movie in the context of his highly impressive career. If you’re a ‘Doctor Who’ fan, these Dalek movies are ones to add to your collection, but if your bank balance can only stretch to one, ‘Dalek Invasion Earth 2150 AD’ is the most satisfying option.
Cast: Peter Cushing, Bernard Cribbins, Roberta Tovey, Andrew Keir, Jill Curzon, Philip Madoc, Ray Brooks Director: Gordon Flemying Writers: Terry Nation, Milton Subotsky Certificate: U Duration: 84 mins Released by: Studiocanal Release date: 20th June 2022 Buy ‘Daleks’ Invasion Earth 2150 AD’
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