After finishing off the second Dalek serial Ang and I decided to watch the Peter Cushing movie based on it. Actually we put up a solar powered motion light, did some laundry, mocked the cats a little and then watched the movie.
My big complaint with the first Cushing Doctor Who film was the changes to Ian. They turned him into comic relief. That's not a problem with this one. Ian and Barbara have been replaced in this by Tom Campbell and Louise. Louise is pretty much the same character from the first movie with a different name while Tom is a police officer who runs into the TARDIS thinking that it's a real police box.
Tom is played by Bernard Cribbins and while he has does a few comedic turns he is still portrayed as a competent human being.
This is very slick in comparison to the original TV serial. The stunt work is top notch and the effects, while not amazing, are light years ahead of what the series was able to afford at the time.
Much of the basic plot has been retained minus the David/Susan romance (Susan is 10 or 11 in this) and the character of Jenny.
We still end up with three groups headed for Bedfordshire, but the mix is very different. Dr. Who (I hate to use that name, but that's what this character calls himself) is with David, Susan is with Wyler (Tyler from the TV show) and Loiuse is with Tom on the Dalek ship.
This means that it isn't Barbara that runs through the Dalek blockade, it's Wyler. It's more of that women are only meant to be pretty bullshit that the TV series gets accused of from time to time.
Phillip Madoc does a nice turn as Brockley, more-or-less Ashton from TV. Both Maddoc and Cribbins would land roles in the TV series. Madoc played opposite Troughton and Tom Baker while Cribbins would work alongside Tennant.
The Slyther is gone. No great lose.
Visually this is a treat and I did enjoy it much more than the first installment. It still doesn't hold up to the TV series.
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