Dr. Who and the Daleks

1965

1h 23m

Sci-Fi

List

43%

21 Reviews

Tomatometer

41%

1,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

The doctor's (Peter Cushing) TARDIS time machine takes him, his granddaughters and a friend (Roy Castle) to war-ravaged planet Skaro.

Read More

Read Less

Watch on Fandango at Home

Premiered Jan 01

Buy Now

Fandango at Home

Prime Video

Rent Dr. Who and the Daleks on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, or buy it on Fandango at Home, Prime Video.

Kevin Maher

Times (UK)

A shoestring dirge, ruined by hopeless plotting (radiation sickness, anti-radiation drugs, hapless Daleks) and a wince-inducing Roy Castle turn in “comedy” support.

Rated: 2/5

Jul 8, 2022

Full Review

Kevin Thomas

Los Angeles Times

Not only has this movie a sound moral but also a quaint Flash Gordon charm because of its fanciful sets, Cushing, Hammer's reliable Baron Frankenstein, is properly whimsical, and Gordon Flemyng's amiable direction wisely avoids camp.

Sep 9, 2021

Full Review

Kim Newman

Empire Magazine

Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 AD, the sequel, is even better, but the two Who films still make an engaging kiddie matinee double bill.

Rated: 3/5

Nov 30, 2018

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

The film is pitched directly at small children, but it works on that level.

Rated: 2.5/4

Sep 12, 2020

Full Review

Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

Poor attempts at horror are more comical than frightening and the sci-fi concepts are devoid of creativity.

Rated: 3/10

Aug 24, 2020

Full Review

Jonathon Carley

What Culture

I can't recommend it to Peter Cushing fans either as it is hardly his finest hour and he is in no way centre stage.

Nov 30, 2018

Full Review

Read all reviews

Jack D

This was actually really fun! The production sets were awesome, and the story, while just being a typical Doctor Who episode in film form, was decent. A very underrated sci-fi movie, that can be enjoyed even if you know nothing about Dr. Who!

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

09/11/22

Full Review

Liam D

A Delightfully Campy adventure that drags in the middle with Peter Cushing's performance being an highlight and some great production design

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

07/10/22

Full Review

Audience Member

It's nice. It's pretty good. If you like Doctor Who and are an American, then go see this and the sequel on Tubi. It's free. 3.5/5.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/24/23

Full Review

mark l

See the Daleks in colour ... and boy is this movie colourful, with its wonderful Sixties colour palette! The film is a charming and highly enjoyable big screen adaptation of the classic TV series' first appearance of the Daleks. Some plot elements are different, such as the Doctor being a regular human who has simply knocked up a time machine in his back yard, but why not present an alternative version of the story? (the novelisation also varies from both on-screen productions and is none the worse for it). The film has a great cast, gorgeous sets and clothing design, the Daleks look fabulous, the music soundtrack is awesome too. There's nothiing to dislike about this fun romp.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This was the first movie I saw at the cinema. I asked my dad, where is Dr Who? Even as a five year old I knew this film was all wrong. There are so many things wrong with it, it's like picking low hanging and rotten fruit. First of all Peter Cushing was miscast, he played the Dr in the same way Clive Dunn would later portray senile old soldier Corporal Jones in dad's army. The Dr is no longer an earth grazing alien, but just some dotty old boy, who knocked up a time machine in his Greenhouse. Then there is Roy Castles hugely embarrassing performance, he almost single handedly sunk this movie. Only little Roberta Tovey emerges as a competant actor. Now there are the Thals, one of the surviving races of an ancient neutron war. They are apparently starving and are hoping to trade work for food at the dalek city. They may be starving, the may be the remnants of a war like civilisation turned pacifist, but somewhere in the planet Skaro, they have established a Boots No. 7 cosmetics factory. The men are so painted with make up that they look like they are headed for gay pride day in Brighton, rather than a battle with the Daleks who plan to exterminate them. It's hard to imagine how any director or producer could take such a well thought out and cast iron story and destroy it. However, they managed it, from poor casting to a dumbed down tardis, not so much reimagining but unimagining. By contrast the follow up movie, was far, far superior, even Cushing takes it more seriously and with the exception of Roberta Tovey, it is recast. That is for another review. In short if you want to see how not to make a movie, watch Dr Who and the Daleks. If you want to seethe story done properly, look at the DVDs of the original series.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

01/15/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I'm a fan of Doctor Who and so I've always been a bit curious about these non-canon adaptations. I will say I expected there to be a bigger difference from the original story to this movie. While there are certainly some big ones for the lead characters, the story itself felt mostly untouched. So that aspect I enjoyed, but this isn't a story I was ever all that excited about, and this still holds true with this movie adaptation.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/06/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Post a rating

Gordon Flemyng

Director

Peter Cushing

Dr. Who

Roy Castle

Ian

Jennie Linden

Barbara

Roberta Tovey

Susan

Barrie Ingham

Alydon

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

67%

54%

First Men in the Moon

94%

62%

Robinson Crusoe on Mars

86%

44%

Crack in the World

92%

68%

Fantastic Voyage

76%

80%

The Time Machine

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

The doctor's (Peter Cushing) TARDIS time machine takes him, his granddaughters and a friend (Roy Castle) to war-ravaged planet Skaro.

Director: Gordon Flemyng
Producer: Joe Vegoda
Screenwriter: Milton Subotsky
Production Co: Amicus Productions, AARU Productions
Genre: Sci-Fi
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 5, 2013
Runtime: 1h 23m

Most Popular at Home Now