Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. (4½ Stars)

Today I read the sad news that the British actor Bernard Cribbins has passed away. No cause of death has been stated yet, except that it was of natural causes, but at the age of 93 there are many natural causes that could have caused death. The Time Lords live forever, the companions don't. My immediate reaction was to listen to "Right Said Fred" and a few other songs that I'd never heard before. Once I had some quiet time for myself I fetched the second Dalek film from the cellar. I have a few other films in which he appears, but this is his only major role.

It's not quite the main role. Peter Cushing plays Doctor Who, the eccentric old man from London. Yes, he's a man in this film, not an alien. It's a shame that the studios decided to make it a non-canon film, an alternate universe to the Time Lord we know from the television series. I wish I'd been a fly on the wall listening to the creators talk about changes like this. Was it a serious decision to make the film more appealing to young children, or was it just a blunder? We may never know.

This film is a good example of why I can't be considered a serious film critic. The film has a cheap low-budget feeling throughout, and yet I love it. I'm too biased to be able to judge the film objectively. It's part of my childhood as one of the first films I saw in the cinema. If you look carefully you can see strings holding up the Dalek space ships. It doesn't matter to me. It's a film that I'll keep returning to as long as I live.

Even the small details of the film are ridiculous. The previous film had lava lamps decorating the Dalek control room. This film has the Robomen eating Smarties. (Bernard Cribbins is second from the left on the front row). I wonder if Rowntree's paid for the product placement. Don't get me wrong, I like Smarties, but I have my doubts about their nutritional value.

Here's Bernard Cribbins as a Roboman.

Here's Bernard Cribbins as the handsome policeman Tom Campbell.

In his smart uniform he's a credit to the police force. Louise (Jill Curzon) can't keep her hands off him. But does anyone else think that the Tardis looks like Frankenstein's laboratory?

Ironically, Bernard Cribbins appeared as a character in the Doctor Who television series 42 years later. He played the character Wilfred Mott, the grandfather of the companion Donna Noble. Two months before his death he was filming scenes for the 60th anniversary episode of "Doctor Who", which will be broadcast next year. Many fans will have tears in their eyes as they watch it.

Bernard Cribbins will be remembered forever, whether as PC Tom Campbell, Wilfred Mott or in one of his many comedy roles. Or maybe he'll be remembered as a singer of funny songs. I'm listening to "A Combination of Cribbins" as I write this post. Rest in peace.

Bernard Cribbins
29 December 1928 – 28 July 2022