Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. (theatrical film)

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Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. was the second and final theatrical feature film based on Doctor Who. It was adapted from the television serial The Dalek Invasion of Earth. It stars Peter Cushing as a human scientist named "Dr. Who", and also featured Roberta Tovey reprising her role of Susan. This was also Bernard Cribbins' first Doctor Who-related role. Forty-one years later, he would be cast as Wilfred Mott in the BBC Wales series.

Synopsis

Policeman Tom Campbell stumbles into Tardis on a normal night and ends up being taken to 2150 A.D. by Dr. Who. In the future, Earth seems to be deserted, but the group soon finds out that the world is controlled by the evil Daleks. The human survivors hide, lest they be turned into Robomen. The Doctor teams up with the survivors to take down the Daleks.

Plot

PC Tom Campbell is on his usual rounds when he is attacked by a man who has been sitting in a car outside a shop. After he has been beaten up he sees an explosion at a nearby jewellery shop and two men emerge with bundles of stolen goods. They run into the waiting car and escape. In a daze, Tom staggers towards a police box across the street and opens it to discover it is Dr. Who's Tardis. His injuries, combined with the shock of Tardis, cause him to faint. Dr. Who uses his scanners to see that there is a kerfuffle outside and leaves with Tom on board before anyone else makes the same mistake as he did.

When Tom awakes he is introduced to Dr. Who, Louise and Susan. He is eager to get out and report the crime, but Dr. Who tells him this is impossible, as the year is 2150 AD. Tom reacts to this news with scepticism and says that he will report Dr. Who for wasting police time. He exits Tardis to find himself in a barren and deserted area of London. Tom is initially very confused. As the travellers go off to explore, Susan accidentally loosens some debris which causes masonry to topple over, trapping Tardis in rubble. Dr. Who and Tom go off to find something to help loosen the debris, while Louise stays behind with Susan, who has hurt her ankle. As they explore an abandoned warehouse they see a figure in amongst some boxes. They discover it is a dead man dressed in futuristic clothing and wearing a helmet with a receiver in it.

Back at Tardis Louise returns from getting water to bathe Susan's ankle to find her gone. A man grabs her and tells her that Susan has been taken to safety, and that the two women should never have been out there at all. The man takes Louise with him to meet Susan.

Dr. Who and Tom go back to join the women, but discover them gone. As Louise and her mysterious friend enter an abandoned Tube station, Louise is stopped in her tracks by the sight of a spaceship looming over London which the Doctor and Tom also see.

In the tube station Susan and Louise are reunited and the man who saved them both reveals himself to be called Wyler. He introduces them to the rest of the underground rebels who are fighting the alien species that are attacking London. A man named David goes out to look for Dr. Who and Tom on the advice of a very distressed Susan.

Back at Tardis, Dr. Who and Tom are confronted by the Robomen, who start firing guns at them. They try to run, but are trapped by the river where, much to their shock, they see a Dalek emerge. The men are captured and led away to one of the Dalek saucers. Little do they know David has been watching all this.

In the underground hideout, Susan and Louise are introduced to the leader of the underground rebels, Dortmun - a disabled weapons expert. As they are introduced they are interrupted by a radio bulletin from the Daleks urging all rebels to surrender themselves or face the wrath of the Daleks. Dortmun reveals to the women that he has constructed a bomb that will bring the Daleks to their knees. He also explains to them how the Daleks took over Earth, through a strategic bout of meteor attacks and segregation. Dortmun explains the strangest act of the Daleks is to start a mining facility in Bedfordshire staffed by human slaves. David returns to the underground network and tells the girls that their friends have been imprisoned and that the saucer is where Robomen are created. Dortmun, David and Wyler discuss how to take the Daleks down. Dortmun suggests dressing as Robomen, getting onto the saucer and then attacking from the inside.

As Dr. Who and Tom are led to the saucer, Dr. Who explains to Tom that he has encountered the Daleks once before at the end of their civilisation but that Tardis must have put them down much earlier on in their timeline. His story is interrupted by a prisoner trying to escape. He is soon exterminated by the Daleks, who warn the other prisoners that this will be their fate if they try anything similar. Dr. Who and Tom are locked in a cell along with a man called Craddock, but Dr. Who soon discovers that the doors are powered by magnetics and uses Tom's comb to break the magnetic attraction. As soon as they are free, the Daleks recapture him and say Dr. Who has passed the intelligence test and will now be robotised along with Tom and Craddock. The men are led away. As they are prepared for the transfer, the rebel faction aboard the ship. They are challenged at the top of the ramp, and the Dalek realises the trick. A battle ensues with many casualties on either side, however, this enables Dr. Who and Tom to escape from the transfer - although they soon get split up in the melee. However, Craddock cannot be freed in time and his robotisation is completed...

Tom hides away inside the saucer as does Louise who was part of the rebel faction. Dr. Who escapes from the ship with David, and the two are pursued through London by the Daleks. They hide in a sewer network until the Daleks lose them. The bombs prove futile and while they caused damage to some Daleks, they did not damage their saucer at all. Tom disguises himself as a Roboman and joins a pack of Robomen in order to remain inconspicuous on the saucer. Eventually, he is reunited with Louise and they hide away on the saucer together.

Back at the underground station, Susan and Dortmun wait patiently for news of the siege. A badly injured Wyler returns to say that most of the men have been wiped out as the bomb was ineffective. When Susan asks about the Doctor, he confirms that he saw him escape with David. The trio decide to go to Watford so they can access more weaponry. Susan leaves a message for the Doctor written in chalk on the door of the station.

Dr. Who and David return to the underground station and find it deserted. Unaware of the note on the door, the Doctor and David look through Dortmun's plans and incorrectly assume that he and Susan will have gone to Bedfordshire to examine the mining colony. David and the Doctor decide to join them. As they leave the underground station they see the saucer take off, unaware that Tom and Louise are still in there.

Dortmun, Wyler and Susan come across a van which they intend to use to drive to Watford. Dortmun goes out to check if the coast is clear and sees a group of Daleks. On a whim he starts to attack them with his bombs. Frustrated with the futile effect of them, he throws the whole bag at them which causes the building he is standing next to to collapse and kill him. Wyler panics and starts to drive away. The disturbance has drawn a crowd of patrol Daleks who create a roadblock which Wyler drives through. One of the Daleks reports to the saucer that a patrol has been breached. The saucer redirects itself and fires a ray which blows up the van. Luckily, Wyler and Susan have jumped to safety before the explosion.

When the saucer comes to land, Louise and Tom use a waste chute to escape into the outside world. They find themselves in the mining colony and start to explore. They are set upon by a Roboman, but are saved by a man named Wells who clubs the Roboman down. He finds a small shed for the pair to stay in until the trouble has died down.

Wyler and Susan are now forced to carry on with their journey on foot. They come across an old farm cottage where a woman and her mother live. The woman points a gun at the pair asking where they are going. Susan responds that they are going to Bedfordshire - much to the confusion of Wyler. Eventually the family welcome them in. Susan explains to Wyler that she is sure that her grandfather would have seen all the Daleks in Watford and decided to go to Bedfordshire so they may as well go there too. The daughter leaves her mother to look after the guests as she has errands to do. The mother offers the travellers some soup.

Dr. Who and David have arrived at Bedfordshire. Dr. Who suspects that they are trying to mine the magnetic core out of planet Earth and David says that Dortmun was sure that they were doing so to use the Earth as a massive space ship that they could pilot around the universe. Dr. Who concurs that this is his view too. They are interrupted by a man named Brockley who threatens Dr. Who with a knife to the throat and then takes David's gun. He says he is a black marketeer who for a price will smuggle them into the camp. They wait in a cave until nightfall to make the move.

Back in the cottage, Wyler and Susan are asleep. However, when the daughter returns, Wyler wakes and hears that the daughter has betrayed them to the Daleks. As they try and escape, they come across the Daleks waiting for them outside. They are led away.

In the morning, Dr. Who and Tom are smuggled into the camp and by chance are led to the same shed where Louise and Tom are hiding out. They are soon joined by Conway who is paying for food that the black marketeer has smuggled in. The Doctor sets about using the shed as his HQ. Conway informs Dr. Who that the final stage of the Dalek's plan will take effect tonight. They are dropping a bomb to the very centre of the Earth that will ensure that they will be able to implement their technology at the centre of the Earth and pilot it at their whim. Brockley says that he will be able to get a plan of the workings of the mine to help the Doctor take the Daleks down. When Dr. Who gets the plans, he realises that the bomb could be deflected which would mean that the explosion would trigger the polarities of the magnetic poles and cause a massive magnetic surge pinpointed at the mine shaft. He asks Tom to see if he can deflect the bomb in the shaft at all. He sends the others to hide elsewhere whilst he fine tunes his plans. Soon Brockley returns, saying that he has something to show Dr. Who. Dr. Who goes outside to find that he has been betrayed and the Daleks surround him. Brockley apologises, but Dr. Who says that his betrayal was part of his plan. As Dr. Who is led away, Brockley is killed anyway.

Tom and Conway have accessed the mine. Suddenly Tom sees Craddock in the shadows and calls to him, not realising he has now been robotised. Craddock attacks them, and during the struggle Conway and Craddock fall to their deaths down a mine shaft.

Tom slowly climbs to the very top where the Daleks' control centre lies. As he nears the top, the Daleks prepare the bomb. However, they are interrupted by Dr. Who who has been reunited with Susan and Wyler who have also been taken to the ship. Dr. Who is led into the main control panel of the theatre as the Daleks think him the leader of the rebels. He tells the Daleks that he knows their weakness and simultaneously tells Tom, who he sees down the shaft, at what angle to place the wooden slats he has found in order to deflect the bomb in just the right way to trigger the strong magnetic force he desires. To further disrupt the Dalek operation as well as give Tom more time, Dr. Who utilises the microphone with which the Daleks control the Robomen and orders them to attack the Daleks. This rebellion is soon crushed by the Daleks and the countdown for the bomb is started. The bomb is launched, by which time Tom has created the diversion. The bomb goes off, which causes the magnetic surge. The slave workers flee the mine, while the Daleks are all pulled into the mine shaft or crushed against walls or caves. The Daleks try to escape in their saucer but the magnetic force forces the ship to crash. Dr. Who informs Wyler that the Daleks will never return to this planet as this was their warning.

Back on Tardis, Tom asks to be taken back to a few minutes before the robbery took place. He waves goodbye to Dr. Who before he goes to the car of the getaway driver and knocks him out and takes his place at the driver's seat. When the criminals rush out the shop, they find not their driver but a policeman waiting for them who knocks them both out. Tom drives them to the police station anticipating his promotion, waving to Dr. Who, Susan and Louise who are standing outside Tardis. They wave back.

Cast

Crew

Story notes

Film titles: Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D.
Trailer titles: Daleks – Invasion Earth 2150 A.D.
  • This film has at least two different spellings of its title — Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. which is used in the actual film's title sequence, and Daleks - Invasion Earth 2150 A.D., which was used in the original film's trailer.
  • The film's original trailer had no direct references to Dr. Who, Tardis or Daleks.
  • During the course of the movie the Daleks are heard using rels as a time measurement, which would later be used in the comics and TV series.
  • Tom's foiling of the "smash and grab" marks a peculiar instance of time travel in Doctor Who which is at odds with most accounts in mainstream continuity which establish that generally a time traveller cannot go back and change their own personal history. (TV: Father's Day, The Parting of the Ways, The End of Time, The Time of the Doctor) It is of note that the earlier version of Tom who would have entered TARDIS is completely absent from this new version of the event, his place being taken by the present Tom.

Actors

Myths

  • A third film, based on TV: The Chase and titled Daleks vs. Mechons, was filmed but subsequently lost in a fire. A trailer was discovered in the basement of a church in northern England in 2009. (The supposed "trailer" was fan-made, as the graphics were too advanced for circa 1967. Producer Milton Subotsky claimed that a third film was planned based on The Chase, but there is no contemporary evidence to support this. BBC documentation exists which suggests that the arrangement with Subotsky was for two films only, and no negotiations for a third film ever took place.)

Filming locations

Production errors

  • When the van rams through the ranks of blue/silver Daleks in the street, some of those knocked flying and destroyed are clearly seen to be completely empty casings.
  • Wires are visible on the Dalek saucer in almost all shots of it flying.
  • When the red Dalek falls down the shaft, there is a very clear shot of its base — which reveals three small furniture casters.
  • Observing the Dalek saucer, Dr. Who notes that it seems to be landing in the vicinity of Sloane Square. There is then a lengthy shot in which it is shown to be continuing in level flight for what must be several miles over London (with no apparent intention of landing) before we finally get a close-up of it descending.
  • The Dalek mine is set in Bedfordshire. We see the encampment with high mountains beyond. Bedfordshire is a county of low rolling hills, with virtually no rock.
  • Several times throughout the film, the Daleks' dome lights do not flash when they speak.
  • When Dortmun dies, he moves his legs, despite the fact that he's disabled.
  • When the black Dalek drops a Roboman into the mine shaft, the Roboman breaks the Dalek's claw off, yet in a later scene, the claw has suddenly reappeared intact.
  • The black and red Daleks that fall down the mine shaft are obviously models which don't resemble their full-sized counterparts.
  • When the slave workers flee the mine, watch carefully the woman wearing the blue shawl. She starts off running, but then suddenly slows down to a leisurely walking pace. It would appear she didn't realise the scene was a wide-shot and thought she was safely out of camera range.
  • When the Dalek ship crashes into the mine, the ship momentarily freezes, before returning to a revolving movement as it explodes.
  • As Tom enters the TARDIS, no wall surrounds the doors. The set's background appears to be a mere two-dimensional cut-out against black studio curtains. This is why the floor can be seen behind the doors, which technically would be outside the TARDIS.

Deviations from television serial

  • Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright are replaced by Tom Campbell and Louise.
  • As in the first film, the Daleks exterminate their enemies using some sort of gas rather than a directed-energy weapon.
  • Some Daleks have a claw manipulator arm instead of their regular plunger arm.
  • The Daleks are using solar panels instead of the parabolic discs in order to travel.
  • Dr. Who breaks out of the cell in the Daleks' saucer using a comb rather than the First Doctor's more advanced form of intelligence test.
  • The Dalek saucer is more technologically advanced than the original.
  • In the siege of the Dalek saucer, far more Daleks are killed.
  • Dr. Who, Tom, Louise and Susan journey to the mine in different ways. Dr. Who goes with David, Susan travels with Dortmun, and Tom Campbell and Louise use a Dalek ship. In the TV version, the Doctor and Susan go with David Campbell, Barbara travels with Dortmun and Ian uses the Dalek ship.
  • In the TV version, David and Susan use the sewers to avoid the Daleks - the only time that a sewer is featured in the film is when Dr. Who and David briefly hide from the pursuing Daleks in one. They escape and emerge from a different manhole. There are no scenes of the inside of the sewers, nor any crocodiles.
  • In The Dalek Invasion of Earth, the Daleks had begun levelling the city. There is no sign of that in the movie.
  • The character of Larry Madison is absent, and the original subplot of the character going to Bedfordshire to locate his missing brother is eliminated.
  • In the TV version, the black marketeer endeavours to smuggle Ian out of the camp; the same character in the film is smuggling Dr. Who and David into the camp.
  • The film does not feature the Slyther, so there is no fight as there was in the TV version.
  • In Bedfordshire, the Daleks in the film seem to have some kind of building as their HQ rather than using the saucer as was the case in The Dalek Invasion of Earth.
  • In the TV version, the Robomen rebellion is initiated by the Doctor, Ian, and Barbara impersonating a Dalek and ordering the Robomen to "destroy the Daleks". The film's version of the rebellion is initiated by Dr. Who alone shouting, "Attention all Robomen: attack the Daleks!", into the microphone without altering his voice.
  • The Roboman rebellion is not the undoing of the Daleks in the film version. In fact, it is dealt with rather swiftly by the Daleks.
  • The plot's resolution is slightly different: in the TV version, the bomb is diverted to the Daleks's ship to destroy them, but in the film it is the Earth's magnetic properties that drag the Daleks to the Earth's core and destroy the flying saucer in a totally non-scientifical process.
  • In The Dalek Invasion of Earth, robotising a human was an irreversible process; however, in the film, Robomen are seen fleeing from the mine as their regular human selves.
  • Since Susan is depicted as a child in the film, the original subplot of the character's romance with David and being left behind by the Doctor is eliminated.

DVD, video and other releases

Super 8 releases

Video releases

  • Released in the UK in 1982 on VHS and Beta by Thorn EMI.
  • Released in US in 1985 by Thorn EMI.
  • Released in Japan in 1992 on VHS by King Video/Tohokushinsha Film Co.
  • Released in Australia in 1990 by Warner Home Video.
  • Re-released in US in 1994 by Lumiere.
  • Re-released in UK in 1996 by Warner Home Video.

DVD releases

  • Released in Australia in 2001 by Universal/Studio Canal as a double release with Dr. Who and the Daleks. and 1995 Dalekmania documentary in the 'Doctor Who and the Daleks...' box set.
  • Released in US in 2001 by Anchor Bay as a single disc and as a double release with Dr. Who and the Daleks. and 1995 Dalekmania documentary in 'The Doctor Who Movie Collection' box set.
  • Released in UK on 29 July 2002 by Studio Canal/Warner as a double release with Dr. Who and the Daleks and 1995 Dalekmania documentary in 'The Dr Who Movie Collection' box set and 'The Dr Who - The Motion Pictures' (Gold Edition) box set.
  • Released in UK on 25 September 2006 by Studio Canal/Optimum as a double release with Dr Who and the Daleks and 1995 Dalekmania documentary in the 'Doctor Who: The Dalek Collection' box set.
  • A digitally restored version of the film was released in the UK on 27 May 2013.
  • Released in France (as "Les Daleks Envahissent La Terre", meaning "The Daleks Invade The Earth") in 2001 by Canal+ video, with original French soundtrack, and the 1995 Dalekmania documentary.
  • Released in Spain (as "Los Daleks Invaden la Tierra 2150 AD", meaning "The Daleks Invade the Earth 2150 AD") in 2009 by Universal Pictures Iberia S.L. with original Spanish soundtrack. (The original Spanish title was "Los Machinos Invaden La Tierra 2150 AD", "The Machines Invade The Earth 2150 AD".)
  • Released in Italy (as "Daleks - Il futuro fra un milione di anni", meaning "Daleks - The future a million years in the future", although the film is set in 2150) in 2017 as a triple release with Dr. Who and the Daleks and the 1995 Dalekmania documentary in the Sinister Films Dr. Who Film Collection box set.
  • The film will be released on DVD in Germany with a new 4K restoration on July 21 2022.
  • 2001 Australian DVD release

    2001 Australian DVD release

  • 2002 UK DVD release

    2002 UK DVD release

  • 2006 UK DVD release

    2006 UK DVD release

  • 2013 UK DVD release

    2013 UK DVD release

  • 2022 Germany DVD release

    2022 Germany DVD release

Blu-ray releases

  • A digitally restored version of the film was released in the UK on Blu-ray on 27 May 2013.
  • A steelbook was released exclusive to Zavvi.
  • It was also released on Blu-ray alongside Dr. Who and the Daleks in a limited edition collector's set.
  • The film was released on Blu-ray in the US and Canada alongside separately with Dr. Who and the Daleks by Kino Lorber on 8 September 2020. This release restored a number of dialogue and sound effects that were missing to prior DVD and Blu-ray releases and was overseen by Mark Ayres.[1]
  • The film will be released on Blu-ray in Germany with a new 4K restoration on July 21 2022.
  • 2013 UK Blu-ray release

    2013 UK Blu-ray release

  • 2013 UK Blu-ray steelbook release

    2013 UK Blu-ray steelbook release

  • 2013 UK Blu-ray Limited Collector's Edition set release

    2013 UK Blu-ray Limited Collector's Edition set release

  • 2020 US Blu-ray release

    2020 US Blu-ray release

  • 2022 Germany Blu-ray release

    2022 Germany Blu-ray release

4K Ultra HD Blu-ray releases

The film will see a 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray combo release on 18 July 2022 by StudioCanal and will be available in Collector's Edition packaging and steelbook packaging. Both discs will contain a new 4K restoration.[2]

French, German, and Australian releases will shortly follow.

  • 2022 UK 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Collector's Edition release

    2022 UK 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Collector's Edition release

  • 2022 UK 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Steelbook release

    2022 UK 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Steelbook release

  • 2022 Germany 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Steelbook release

    2022 Germany 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Steelbook release

VOD releases

  • The original version of the film is available through various VOD providers including Amazon Instant Video, iTunes, and YouTube.
  • The RiffTrax edition of the film, with a humorous commentary track added, was released 13 December 2013.[3]

Novelisations / Books

No official novelisation of the screenplay was ever published; however, the original teleplay, The Dalek Invasion of Earth, was eventually novelised by Terrance Dicks in 1977 as Doctor Who and the Dalek Invasion of Earth. This novelisation homages the film by depicting its version of the Dalek flying saucer on its cover.

An unofficial novelisation was written by Alan Smithee and was published by Obverse Books.[4]

A new book about the making of both films Dr Who & The Daleks: The Official Story of the Films by filmmaker John Walsh is to be published by Titan Publishing Group in September 2022.

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/KinoLorberStudioClassics/posts/3234564513267100
  2. ↑ https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=30487
  3. ↑ http://www.rifftrax.com/dr-who-daleks-invasion-earth-2150-ad
  4. ↑ Daleks Invasion Earth 2150AD
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