Dr. Who e a Guerra dos Daleks

First of all, I've seen several episodes of the Dr. Who series, but I don't follow it. It has its fan base and that's fine. If you are looking for a good Dalek adventure without getting into the whole Dalek "genesis," then this movie works well. You don't have to know all about Who-ville as a prerequisite.

There are some visual elements that needed more budget or something - miniature exteriors of the city, the burnt forest set, and the make-up on the humanoids don't quite make the grade. But the Daleks themselves inside their metal city are something to see (be sure to look for the lava lights). The Dalek robot mechanisms are very convincing, and they are very menacing as they roll around with their modulated voices trying to exterminate anything with two legs. The camera work is good - it looks like the director tried to add some interesting angles and follow shots when others maybe wouldn't bother. The cast plays well in their roles, and the story is simple and straight-forward. This is no "2001 A Space Odessey," but then again, you don't have to think too hard about what the ending really means.

This movie will probably disappoint most loyal Dr. Who followers, but it will entertain sci-fi fans who enjoy some light fare and aren't too attached to the series.

The first time I saw Dr Who and the Daleks, I used to cower behind the sofa every time the Daleks appeared, and the music I remembered was incredibly haunting. Seeing it again, it isn't quite as good as I remembered, but it is an entertaining and passable enough piece of nostalgia. The script lacks bite at times, the plot isn't as inventive as any of the ones used in the landmark TV series, Roy Castle and the comedy relief felt out of place and on occasions because of the overuse of pink plastic sheeting the art direction was a little on the cheap side. However, the music is very haunting, the Daleks are still as intimidating as I remembered, the pacing is fast and fun, the length is amiable and Peter Cushing is terrific as the Doctor, more serious than any of the other doctors but it suits him. The female characters are admittedly on the vapid side, but the alluring personalities of Roberta Tovey and Jennie Linden made up for it. Overall, fun and nostalgic, even with its many faults. 6/10 Bethany Cox

A fun adventure film that, while it may be too dated for today's youngsters, still has a certain sparkle that is perfect fare for a rainy Saturday.

While fans of the BBC series "Doctor Who" (1963), upon which the film is based, may be distracted by the film's use of creative licence (the characterizations are very different from those of their television counterparts,) if not taken too seriously, this is a quite enjoyable trek across an alien landscape and a classic battle of good vs. evil.

The character of Ian is played comically by Roy Castle though he is heroic where the situation demands. Jennie Linden's Barbara is a bit different from other females of the genre as she holds her own when things get tough, rarely dissolving into screams. Roberta Tovey is delightful as Susan, and kids will love her. Peter Cushing really shines, wisely not trying too hard to emulate his television counterpart William Hartnell, and makes the character his own.

All-in-all, an exciting romp.

An elderly scientist named Doctor Who invents a machine that can travel through time and space called the TARDIS. He lives with his two granddaughters, Barbara and Susan. Barbara has a bumbling boyfriend named Ian who accidentally turns the TARDIS on and transports the four of them to an alien planet inhabited by the peaceful Thals and the destructive Daleks. Doctor Who tries to convince the Thals to reclaim their planet before the Daleks detonate a neutron bomb.

First things first, we have to put aside comparisons to the TV Doctor Who. There's very little that's similar between the two, even though this movie is based off of one of the earliest stories from the show. The Doctor is human not an alien time lord and his name is literally Doctor Who here, not The Doctor. Judging this by its own merits, I thought it was watchable and sometimes even good. Peter Cushing is enjoyable, as are Jennie Linden and Robert Tovey as his granddaughters. Linden looks quite good in her pink capris. I wasn't crazy about Roy Castle, particularly when he's trying to be funny. It's filmed in a lovely Technicolor, which I always appreciate. The effects and sets may appear cheesy to some today but I think they're very creative and fun, as sci-fi designs usually were back in the day. The music's pretty good, too. This isn't likely to appeal to many modern Who fans but I think people who like Peter Cushing and Amicus will find something to enjoy about this.

One night in 1968 in Los Angeles as I remember, I went to a theater in East Los Angeles because I wanted to watch a movie called "Night of the Living Dead." In those days, two movies were shown. The second feature was some film about an old man that traveled to another planet and battled against some metal creatures. It was low budget, much like the first feature but did have someone that I recognized, Peter Cushing. I had no idea that there was a TV Serial in England by the name of "Doctor Who." It was slow at times but an interesting concept of travel in time and space, a telephone box call the TARDIS. The metal beings were rather primitive because they had what look like a plunger on them and always wanted to kill and exterminate living beings. There was a sequel the next year but little did I know that this film would be my first experience into the world of Doctor Who. In Los Angeles, California 1977 on a local TV station, I would be able to watch that TV Serial and would remain a Dr. Who fan even after the series ended in 1989. It was this movie that started it all, just a quiet night, after watching zombies eating people. Who would know what the future would bring!