Since Doctor Who returned to our screens nearly twenty years ago now, those familiar with its 20th century incarnation have likely had a pecuilair thought from time to time: what would the old series have looked like if it been made like that? In time for Doctor Who's 60th anniversary in 2023, that is exactly what happened with The Daleks in the form of a 75 minute colorized version. Would the final result be blasphemy or a revelation?
To make the idea work, one needs a serial that actually benefits from being given something a more modern polish and pace. That first Daleks serial is such an example. Yes, it's the first Dalek story, a classic, and the thing that perhaps singlehandedly guaranteed that Doctor Who would have a future beyond 13 episodes. On the other hand, given the Peter Cushing film managed to cut Terry Nation's scripts down to about 80 minutes, it's clearly a story with more than a fair amount of padding. This new edit from Benjamin Cook proves that by offering a fast-moving version of it that, honestly, doesn't lose much in terms of actual plot. Indeed, condensing things like the cave trek to the city by Ian and Barbara alongside the Thals improves rather than detracts.
And what of the colorization? On the whole, it looks remarkably good. The color choices are vivid, evoking the Technicolor spectacle of the Cushing film while also making some decisions of its own such as giving Barbara a bright pink blouse. It's something that is immensely effective except in a handful of shots where the original film quality isn't great to begin with. On the audio front, the new sound mix from Mark Ayers adds so much depth, especially considering the "as live" nature of the original recording limited the soundscape beyond what could be played into the studio. Perhaps the prime example of Ayers new work comes in the scene where Ian and the Doctor pull the creature out of the Dalek shell. An already memorable moment, it has never been more chilling than it is with the added creature sound effects. Tip of the hat, too, on the score from Ayers that wonderfully compliments the original Tristram Cary score by and large.
Is it perfect? No, of course it isn't. It does get flashback heavy in places, yes, a necessity to cover some of the editing choices made by Cook. The escape sequence where Ian is in the Dalek plays out as a nice heist like scene but the cutting back and forth is rapid to the point of approaching confusion. It perhaps wouldn't have been a bad thing to take a further cue from the Cushing film and it let run to 80 minutes to give it a bit more chance to breathe. And, like with much of Modern Who, there are times when the sound mix and music does threaten to intrude on dialogue.
Is it a worthwhile venture? For this reviewer, undoubtedly. Can I see why some Classic Who fans feel it to be at best unnecessary or, at worst, an attempt to invalidate a classic? To an extent, yes. It's something that, along with criticism of The Daleks in Color pre-broadcast comes from those who have the view of Classic Who and archive TV in general as something sacred and untouchable. Things which, as Russell T Davies says in the making of included on the Blu-Ray release, it isn't meant to be viewed solely as museum pieces. Or, indeed, lest we forget that museum's renovate to find new ways of presenting things to visitors.
That is ultimately what The Daleks in Color accomplishes. It's an engaging vision of a classic story, one that ultimately preserves the best of what could have been a moribund museum piece and shows it in a whole new light (or, rather, color). Does it replace the original? Nope, it's even included as an extra on the Blu-ray release. The result is a revelation for fans of Classic and Modern Who alike and one that they can relish partaking in for years to come.
