Daleks' Invasion Earth: 2150 A.D. 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		5.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.0

Daleks' Invasion Earth: 2150 A.D. 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman July 1, 2025

Note: This version of this film is available on Blu-ray as a standalone release and as part of Severin's exclusive Total Extermination: The Peter Cushing Doctor Who Collection 4K set.

Late Spring and Early Summer 2025 seem to be a nexus of sorts for a certain Time Lord. Already released in just the past few weeks have been BBC Blu-rays of Doctor Who: Season One, Doctor Who: The War Games in Colour , Doctor Who: The Savages, Doctor Who: Sylvester McCoy: Complete Season Two and Doctor Who: Jon Pertwee: Complete Season One. Now Severin is entering the fray and/or the TARDIS with the two quasi-Amicus feature films from the mid-sixties offering Peter Cushing in the title role, films which any diehard Whovian will probably be more than happy to tell you don't "really" belong in the "official" Doctor Who canon. In terms of the above linked releases from BBC, though, another "reconstituted color" release from last year, Doctor Who: The Daleks in Color, offers the original serial that inspired Dr. Who and the Daleks, and which might be of especial interest to fans since it features a new pretty severely redacted version of the original serial in color that at times rather closely matches decisions made for the feature film adaptation, but which also offers the original full length serial in standard definition on a DVD. In a way, the BBC release may only tend to point out what are widely discussed in supplements as at least perceived deficiencies in the first Cushing film, and in that regard, while the original serial of The Dalek Invasion of Earth which gave birth to the second Cushing film is indeed available on Blu-ray as part of Doctor Who: William Hartnell - Complete Season Two, it hasn't yet been granted a "standalone edited color" release. As is also discussed in the bounteous supplements included, these two Doctor Who outings made significant changes in various aspects of the "companions", and Cushing's characterization still provokes controversy to this day (as indicated by some slightly at odds comments in various supplements). Still, if accepted on the self confessed terms that these films were produced and marketed for young children, they have at times extremely colorful production designs, and of course both of them took full advantage of what was then in the United Kingdom a veritable Dalek craze that was perhaps eclipsed only by Beatlemania in the pop culture department.

Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. had a 1080 release a few years ago courtesy of Kino Lorber and Svet Atanasov's Daleks' Invasion Earth: 2150 A.D. Blu-ray review offers some plot information, a list of supplements and Svet's reaction to the technical presentation. Svet also reviewed the more recent Region B Studio Canal release of Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. 4K which may be of additional interest.

Daleks' Invasion Earth: 2150 A.D. 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Note: Screenshots are sourced from the 1080 disc in this package.

Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. is presented in 4K UHD courtesy of Severin Films with an HEVC / H.265 encoded 2160p transfer in 2.35:1. A prefatory text card before the feature presentation offers the following information:

This restoration was scanned in 4K - 16 bit by Silver Salt Restoration - UK, from the original Techniscope 2-perf 35mm negative.

Colour grading and restoration were completed by Silver Salt Restoration - UK who dedicated over 200 hours to manually clean and carefully remove sparkle, dirt and scratches.

Audio remastered by Mark Ayres.

This project was brought to you by Studio Canal and supervised by Jahanzeb Hayat.

Some regular visitors to this site may recall I had the great good fortune to spend a day at Silver Salt last December, which resulted in this interview, in fact with some of the very people who worked on this restoration. As with Silver Salt's efforts with Dr. Who and the Daleks, this is another sterling example of the typically excellent and meticulous work Silver Salt brings to their restoration processes. As with the first Cushing outing, I'd probably argue that the biggest plus of this 4K version is the vividness of the palette, something that's already pretty impressive in the 1080 presentation by Severin but which attains some nice new highlights here in the HDR / Dolby Vision grades. This may not have the same "Bava- esque" approach toward lighting that the first Cushing film does, but even so primaries in particular can almost burst off the screen at times. Also as with the first Cushing film, one potential minus in the 4K version is the increased visibility or at least perception of an at times rather heavy grain field, and here, unlike the first Cushing outing, there are quite a few old school composited effects where that heaviness is only increased. Kind of hilariously, the superior resolution of this format only points out some of the "special effects" blandishments like wires holding up spaceships. Detail levels are typically excellent, and there are some noticeable if admittedly minor upticks in fine detail on things like costume fabrics or props (including as with the first film the kind of hilarious ability to see finger smudges on Daleks) when comparing this presentation to Severin's excellent 1080 disc.

Daleks' Invasion Earth: 2150 A.D. 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. is very similar in its sonic presentation to the first film, with a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono track that is inherently narrow, but which delivers the often goofy sound effects and scoring choices without any issues. The score is mentioned in some supplements and as with the first film will certainly strike those used only to the television series as distinctly different, perhaps even more so with regard to this film since there's little to none of the electronic music effects of the first Cushing film which would seem to be at least a bit of a tether to the television scoring choices. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.

Daleks' Invasion Earth: 2150 A.D. 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

4K UHD Disc

• Audio Commentary with Whovians Barry Forshaw, Stephen Jones and Kim Newman


• Audio Commentary with Critic Kim Newman, Screenwriter/Writer Robert Shearman and Actor/Writer Mark Gatiss


• Trailer (HD; 2:43)

1080 Disc

• Audio Commentary with Whovians Barry Forshaw, Stephen Jones and Kim Newman


• Audio Commentary with Critic Kim Newman, Screenwriter/Writer Robert Shearman and Actor/Writer Mark Gatiss


• Dalek's Invastion BBC, 1963 to 1969 A.D. (HD; 35:28) is a fun interview with Whovian Stephen Thrower, who recounts the "history" of the Daleks on Doctor Who, but also somewhat hilariously is evidently having none of the affable acceptance of the Cushing films displayed by some of the commentary tracks.


• Subotsky and the Daleks - Part 2 (HD; 8:19) is an audio interview from 1985 with producer Milton Subotsky.


• Interview with Actor Bernard Cribbins (HD; 4:12)


• Interview with Gareth Owen, Author of The Shepperton Story (HD; 4:18)


• The Dalek Legacy: Invasion Earth (HD; 15:44) is an enjoyable retrospective with Nicholas Briggs (voice of the the Daleks), screenwriter Robert Shearman, VFX designer Mike Tucker, editorial assistant Emily Cook and writer/3D artist Gavin Rymill.


• Restoring Dr. Who in 4K (HD; 10:54) offers brief but fun interviews with the gang at Silver Salt Restoration (see the video section above for more information).


• Trailer (HD; 2:43)


• Still Gallery (HD; 1:28)

Daleks' Invasion Earth: 2150 A.D. 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The general consensus among the many Whovians assembled for various supplements is that this second film is inarguably the stronger of the two, which may be damning with faint praise for other Whovians (maybe like Stephen Thrower). Technical merits are solid and the supplements very enjoyable. Recommended.