Subtitles (both):

English (SDH), none

Extras:

• Commentary by Jonathan Sothcott (The Cult Films of Christopher Lee), Jennie Linden and Roberta Tovey

• Dalekmania (Dedicated to the memories of Peter Cushing and Roy Castle) - (57:30)

• Restoring Dr Who & The Daleks (8:31)
• Interview with author Gareth Owen (7:41)
• Stills Gallery
• Trailer (3:04)

 

Description: Directed by Gordon Flemyng and now fully restored, Dr. Who & The Daleks (1965) was the first big screen film adaptation of British TV’s most iconic sci-fi hero, and was the first time Doctor Who was ever seen in colour!

British film legend Peter Cushing plays everyone’s favourite Timelord, and having invented the TARDIS, a strange machine capable of travelling into other dimensions, the Doctor and his three young accomplices set forth on a quest through time and space. Their journey takes them into the dark, undiscovered depths of the universe and to the planet of Skaro. A primitive world devastated by nuclear war and populated by two warring species, a peaceful tribe known as Thals and a life form heavily mutated by radiation, encased in protective machines. A merciless force of destruction known as The Daleks!

 

 

The Film:

Excerpt from eFilmCritic  located HERE

Image :    NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

Dr. Who and the Daleks is restored on Blu-ray from Studio Canal in the UK.  The image quality shows a fine layer of grain but colors are more passive than vibrant. It can look frail with mediocre contrast but I suspect that this may have been a concession to the restoration as it has some instability that required addressing. It is 1080P and is neither glossy nor pristinely sharp but shows some texture in the, pleasing, 2.35:1 aspect ratio. This Blu-ray has a consistent appearance. Visually this isn't dynamic but has no marks or flaws - it's just a little lifeless.

The Kino Lorber is on a dual-layered disc with a max'ed out bitrate - cited as a 'new 2K restoration'. It looks superior to the Studio Canal with richer deeper colors and better rendered contrast levels. It looks like the same restoration - very clean - duplicate framing but Kino have transferred it more robustly. Kino wins on the video.

CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

1) Studio Canal - Region 'B' - Blu-ray  TOP 2) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 

1) Studio Canal - Region 'B' - Blu-ray  TOP 2) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 

1) Studio Canal - Region 'B' - Blu-ray  TOP 2) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 

1) Studio Canal - Region 'B' - Blu-ray  TOP 2) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 

1) Studio Canal - Region 'B' - Blu-ray  TOP 2) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 

1) Studio Canal - Region 'B' - Blu-ray  TOP 2) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 

1) Studio Canal - Region 'B' - Blu-ray  TOP 2) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 

More Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray Captures

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Studio Canal offer an uncompressed Linear PCM 2.0 channel track (16-bit) with minimal depth but the film doesn't have an abundance of floor rattling. It's fairly passive. There are optional English (SDH) subtitles and my Oppo has identified it as being a region 'B'-locked.

Kino advance on the audio as well with a DTS-HD Master dual-mono track transfer at 24-bits. This is apparent in the effects (Dalek robotic hollow voices) and score by Malcolm Lockyer (Deadlier Than the Male, Island of Terror, Night of the Big Heat, Bang Bang, You're Dead, Ten Little Indians) that adds to the film's genre charisma sounding pleasing and often light for the humor, with more depth than the Studio Canal's 16-bit LPCM. Kino also offer optional English subtitles (within the widescreen frame - see samples above) and their Blu-ray disc is Region 'A'-locked.   

Extras :

Studio Canal add many extras including a commentary by Jonathan Sothcott (author of The Cult Films of Peter Cushing), and the gals from the film; Jennie Linden and Roberta Tovey. It has reminiscing about Cushing, how they got involved in the project etc. Not deeply probing but an okay surface recollection. There is also Kevin Davies' 1995 Dalekmania (dedicated to the memories of Peter Cushing and Roy Castle) that runs shy of an hour. It's a behind-the-scenes documentary about the two 1960s "Dr. Who" movies starring Peter Cushing, and spin-offs from the BBC TV series Doctor Who (1963), that starts with a trip to the cinema for two kids lands them in the world of Dr. Who and the Daleks. It has clips from the movies, various trailers, and interviews with the original cast and crew. Fans should enjoy. Restoring Dr Who & The Daleks goes through some of the stages of how the film was restored - both video and audio (drop-outs smoothed-over etc.) It runs 8.5 minute. There is an 8-minute interview with author Gareth Owen (A Life Through the Lens: Memoirs of a Film Cameraman), a stills gallery and a trailer.

Kino include as supplements the same Dalekmania: Kevin Davies' 1995 documentary is dedicated to the memories of Peter Cushing and Roy Castle. It's a behind-the-scenes documentary about the two 1960s "Dr. Who" movies starring Peter Cushing, and spin-offs from the BBC TV series Doctor Who (1963), that starts with a trip to the cinema for two kids lands them in the world of Dr. Who and the Daleks. It has clips from the movies, various trailers, and interviews with the original cast and crew. Also duplicated is the 8-minute interview with author Gareth Owen (A Life Through the Lens: Memoirs of a Film Cameraman) and the 8 1/2 minute Restoring Dr Who & The Daleks goes through some of the stages of how the film was restored - both video and audio (drop-outs smoothed-over etc.) Plus there is a theatrical trailer. New is an audio commentary by Kim Newman (author of Anno Dracula 1999: Daikaiju), and writers Robert Shearman (author of Doctor Who: Dalek - Target Collection) and Mark Gatiss (author of St. Anthony's Fire - New Doctor Who Adventures). They are very enthusiastic - gaining energy from each other's enjoyment and stories of watching Dr. Who. It's filled with details including William Hartnell and the Kinescope TV versions of Dr. Who from the early 60's. They are really enjoying each other's company, plenty of laughing, and we benefit from the depth of the information exported.

Studio Canal - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

 

 

Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

 

 

BOTTOM LINE:
Dr. Who and the Daleks has the character's wonderful cache appeal, although it doesn't adhere to the initiated story arcs. It has some family-esque humor but it is lacking somewhere. Not the fault of Cushing but perhaps the infusion of the Roy Castle boyfriend character as am awkward comic foil and the little girl, who keeps it too wholesome. I enjoyed seeing it as a, quasi-pre-cursor, comparison to the iconic series, at least. The Blu-ray has value for 'Dr. Who' milieu, and the excellent supplements, a restored image and it's on our 50's-50's sci-fi listing. Pricey at present - for 'Dr. Who' or Cushing completists.

 

Well, the Kino wins on audio and video. I think I give the Newman, Shearman + Gatiss commentary the win as well - the rest of the extras are the same. This is very family-oriented Dr. Who and Cushing is not at his finest. But the nostalgia level is high and it is fun - especially for the Dr. Who completists - there is a reason the series is so popular. Another great job by Kino!    

Gary Tooze

November 8th, 2017

August 29th, 2020