CinemaSerf

Though this is quite a watchable feature based on the BBC serial, the production is just a bit too basic. Roy Castle ("Ian") comes courting "Barbara" (Jennie Linden) but is diverted by her grandfather (Peter Cushing) and "Susan" (Roberta Tovey) and shown his rather curious invention - TARDIS - a machine that can travel though time. Of course he doesn't believe them, but next thing we know we are on the irradiated planet "Skaro" which is occupied by the primitive "Thals" and their much more menacing mechanical neighbours - the "Daleks". Lured to their city, our intrepid explorers must try to thwart a cunning plan to detonate a nuclear device that will eliminate the "Thals" once and for all. Cushing holds this together quite well, and the "Daleks" were always my favourite "Dr. Who" baddies, but this story just has too many holes in it; the visual effects are particularly rudimentary - the "Daleks" appear to want to steam their opponents to death (and their aim isn't up to much, either), and Roy Castle seems to be trying to do his best Norman Wisdom just bit too enthusiastically throughout. It is a fun watch, but sadly it lacked the budget or the scope to really work properly. Enjoyable, nonetheless, especially on a big screen.