Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D.
Second Dalek film based on a Doctor Who serial.
Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. is a 1965 British science fiction film directed by Gordon Flemyng and written by Milton Subotsky. It is the second of two movies based on the *Doctor Who* television series, following *Dr. Who and the Daleks* (1965). Peter Cushing returns as the eccentric inventor and time traveler Dr. Who, with Roberta Tovey as Susan, Jill Curzon as Louise, and Bernard Cribbins as Tom Campbell.
The plot adapts the 1964 BBC television serial *The Dalek Invasion of Earth*, but the film does not continue the TV series' ongoing storyline. It reuses elements like the Daleks, a police box time machine (called Tardis), and certain characters, though in altered forms.
Special Constable Tom Campbell chases burglars from a jewelry store into what looks like a police box, only to find himself inside the Tardis as it departs for the future with Dr. Who, his granddaughter Louise, and granddaughter Susan. They arrive in London in 2150 A.D., where Daleks have conquered Earth. Survivors either join a resistance or are turned into brainwashed Robomen servants or forced to work in a Bedfordshire mine.
Dr. Who and Tom are captured and taken to a Dalek spaceship. Meanwhile, a rebel named Wyler leads Louise and Susan to a resistance base in a London Underground station, where they meet fighters David and Dortmun. Dortmun plans to bomb the Dalek ship using rebels disguised as Robomen. On the ship, Dr. Who and Tom avoid robotization when the rebels attack. Dr. Who escapes with David, but Tom and Louise are trapped aboard. After the attack fails, Wyler returns to the base and tells Dortmun and Susan that Dr. Who got away. They decide to hide in London's outskirts to regroup. Susan leaves a message for Dr. Who, then they steal a van. Dortmun is killed by a Dalek patrol, and Wyler and Susan abandon the vehicle just before it explodes.
Dr. Who and David return to the empty underground station. Missing Susan's message, they assume the others have gone to Bedfordshire to investigate the mine and follow them. Hidden on the Dalek ship, now heading to the mine, Tom and Louise reunite. They escape when it lands and are saved from a Roboman by a slave worker who hides them in a tool shed.
Wyler and Susan take shelter in a cottage with a mother and daughter. Susan convinces Wyler that Dr. Who would go to the Bedfordshire mine.
Quick Facts
- Director
- Gordon Flemyng
- Writer
- Milton Subotsky / David Whitaker
- Based On
- The Dalek Invasion of Earth · Terry Nation
- Producer
- Milton Subotsky / Max J. Rosenberg
- Starring
- Peter Cushing / Bernard Cribbins / Ray Brooks / Jill Curzon / Roberta Tovey / Andrew Keir
- Cinematography
- John Wilcox
- Editing
- Ann Chegwidden
- Music
- Bill McGuffie
- Studio
- AARU Productions / British Lion Films / Amicus Productions
- Distributor
- British Lion-Columbia Distributors
- Runtime
- 84 minutes
- Country
- United Kingdom
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The film follows Dr. Who, his granddaughter Louise, and granddaughter Susan, along with Special Constable Tom Campbell, as they travel to London in 2150 A.D. They find Earth invaded by Daleks, who are using brainwashed Robomen and slave labourers to mine a site in Bedfordshire. The Daleks plan to drop a bomb into the mineshaft to destroy Earth's core and replace it with a device to pilot the planet as a giant spacecraft. Dr. Who and the rebels work to stop them, ultimately deflecting the bomb to destroy the Daleks. The film was produced by Amicus, which bought an option from Terry Nation and the BBC for £500. Principal photography took place at Shepperton Studios from 31 January to 22 March 1966, eleven days behind schedule.
Reader's Guide
Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. is significant as the second and final cinematic adaptation of Doctor Who produced by Amicus. Its under-performance at the box office led to the cancellation of a planned third film based on the serial The Chase. The film introduced elements later used in the franchise, such as the Daleks using 'rels' as a time measurement. It also featured a cast that included several actors who later appeared in the Doctor Who television series, notably Bernard Cribbins, who later played Wilfred Mott. The film's marketing included a sponsorship deal with Sugar Puffs, which placed product placement in the film and ran a competition to win a Dalek prop. Despite a negative review from The Times, the film has endured as a cult artifact, with documentaries such as Dalekmania (1995) and articles in Doctor Who Magazine exploring its production and legacy.
Did You Know?
- The film's budget of £286,000 was nearly sixty per cent larger than its predecessor, Dr. Who and the Daleks.
- Over £50,000 of the budget was spent on promotion, including a sponsorship deal with Sugar Puffs.
- A Dalek prop caught fire during the filming of rebels storming the Dalek spaceship.
- The film marks the first instance of the Daleks using 'rels' as a time measurement, later used in comics and the revived television series.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who directed Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D.?
Gordon Flemyng helmed the 1965 film, with Milton Subotsky credited as writer. It serves as the direct sequel to the original Dr. Who and the Daleks movie released earlier that same year.
Who is in the cast of Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D.?
Peter Cushing reprises his role as the eccentric time-traveling inventor Dr. Who, joined by Roberta Tovey as his granddaughter Susan, Jill Curzon as Louise, and Bernard Cribbins as Tom Campbell.
Is Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. part of the Doctor Who TV series?
Although it adapts the 1964 BBC serial 'The Dalek Invasion of Earth,' the film tells a self-contained story and does not continue the television show's ongoing narrative. It borrows the Daleks and some worldbuilding details but stands entirely on its own.
What happens in the plot of Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D.?
Dr. Who and Susan are flung forward to the year 2150, where the Daleks have enslaved all of humanity and confined survivors to underground cities. The group must rally the remaining free humans and find a way to destroy the Dalek overlord before the invaders finish sterilizing the planet.
Why is Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. important to the franchise?
It marks the second and final Peter Cushing Dr. Who film, locking in the actor's iconic association with the character. As a 1965 British production, it also represents a landmark moment when the Daleks moved from the small screen into theatrical cinema.
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