Two classic Doctor Who films, Dr. Who and the Daleks and Daleks: Invasion Earth 2150 A.D., are finally receiving 4K Blu-ray remaster treatment. Both films will also return to U.K. theaters on July 10 after decades of attempts. Fans can expect to see Dr. Who and the Daleks to arrive on Blu-ray on June 20, and Invasion Earth arrives on July 18.
Regarding the Blu-ray collection releases, each film will come with retro posters, a collector’s book, and movie stills. The movies feature Peter Cushing as the popular title character, however, he is not a part of the Time Lord race, rather just an eccentric inventor who built his own time machine - at least it's still a Police Box. Both movies offer a unique viewing for fans of the series, as they will be able to experience the early start of the timeless series that exists now.
Alongside Cushing, Dr. Who and the Daleks feature the acting talents of Roy Castle as Ian Chesterton; Jennie Linden as Barbara; Roberta Tovey as Susan; Barrie Ingham as Alydon; Michael Coles as Ganatus; Yvonne Antrobus as Dyoni; and more. The second film features Bernard Cribbins as Tom Campbell; Ray Brooks as David; Andrew Keir as Wyler; Jill Curzon as Louise; Roger Avon as Wells; and others. As some fans may have noticed, Cribbins appears in these classics as well as in the modern Doctor Who series as Donna Noble’s fan-favorite grandfather, Wilfred Mott.
Doctor Who made its first appearance on British television screens in 1963. It follows The Doctor, a Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey, on adventures throughout the universe. These explorations usually involve investigating strange phenomena on various different worlds which lead to The Doctor and his human companions fighting one-off and recurring villains in order to save a planet. Since its debut, the show has gone on to become a fan favorite and spawned several comics and movies based on the series.
In the first classic film featuring Cushing, The Doctor appears on Skaro, the Daleks’ home planet, where he finds himself in a precarious situation as the Daleks plan to detonate a neutron bomb to take down the Thal. The Daleks eventually sabotage their own plan and The Doctor and his crew safely navigate their way back to safety. The sequel, Daleks: Invasion Earth: 2150 A.D., finds Cushing’s Doctor once again facing down the Daleks as they’ve all but destroyed the planet with cosmic rays and are creating a spaceship out of its hollow shell.
In total, there have been thirteen regenerations of The Doctor, with the most recent being the first woman to take on the role. Needless to say, the show has become a classic among sci-fi fans, and The Doctor remains an icon of British television. So, grab a jammie dodger, put on your fez cap, and check out the 4K Blu-ray of these classic films. Allons-y!
Studio Canal also released a trailer for the remaster celebration - watch it below: