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Doctor Who: The Daleks in Colour

Doctor Who: The Daleks in Colour

Representation Score

3.6/10

Limited

2023

Director

Richard Martin, Christopher Barry

Runtime

75 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

This restoration project brings 1963 footage to life through colorization and updated sound. By preserving the original narrative structure, it retains the social hierarchies and lack of diverse representation typical of early British television. The film serves more as a historical artifact than a contemporary progressive narrative. While the technical enhancements offer a fresh visual experience, the underlying character dynamics and casting remain rooted in the mid-century era. Ultimately, the production's diversity is constrained by its source material. It captures a specific moment in television history marked by narrow representation focused on traditional Western heroic structures.

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Category Breakdown

Does Doctor Who: The Daleks in Colour have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film reflects the social norms of the early 1960s, with no depiction of LGBTQ+ identities or non-conforming gender expressions. Character dynamics center around traditional heterosexual relationships.

How does Doctor Who: The Daleks in Colour portray gender?

Fair

Gender roles follow the hierarchical structures of the time, with female characters often providing emotional support. However, women play key roles in high-stakes situations, showing more ability to act than typical domestic dramas of the era.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Doctor Who: The Daleks in Colour?

Limited

The cast is primarily made up of actors from similar backgrounds, reflecting the casting practices of the early 1960s. The story focuses on a Western-centric perspective of space exploration, lacking intentional racial diversity.

How does Doctor Who: The Daleks in Colour represent religion and culture?

Limited

The film adheres to traditional mid-century Western storytelling, emphasizing scientific optimism. Morality is portrayed through a binary lens of good versus evil, with the Daleks representing a mechanical threat.

Does Doctor Who: The Daleks in Colour include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no significant focus on neurodivergence or physical disabilities. Characters are defined by their physical competence needed to survive in an alien environment.

Present on Screen

  • The colorization technology offers a vibrant, modern visual update for historical footage.
  • The enhanced soundscape and new score by Mark Ayres improve the original's tension.
  • Female characters show ability to act by navigating high-stakes, existential threats in alien environments.

Limited or Absent

  • The cast lacks racial and ethnic diversity, reflecting outdated 1960s casting practices.
  • There is no meaningful representation of neurodivergence or physical disabilities.
  • The narrative lacks LGBTQ+ identities or non-conforming gender expressions.

Official Synopsis

The very first crew of the TARDIS land in a petrified forest on an alien planet. Determined to explore, the Doctor leads his companions into the metal city, where they discover danger at every corner and what will become his deadliest enemy... the mutant Daleks. It's time to encounter the Daleks once again, but this time in a way you've never seen them before. Originally transmitted in December 1963 to February 1964, the seven original episodes of the first Dalek story have received a cosmic makeover, dazzlingly colourised and woven together into a 75-minute blockbuster with brand-new sound and a brand-new score created by Mark Ayres. The Daleks has been gloriously updated, whilst ensuring the original story remains as thrilling as it was in 1963.

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