Daleks: Invasion Earth 2150 A.D.

This was the second of two theatrically released films featuring Peter Cushing as The Doctor. I saw it during the first run in 1966. It left me feeling vaguely cheated. The presence of Cushing confused me. He wasn't The Doctor I saw on TV. I kept waiting for the real one to appear. None of the actors from the TV show were  in the film. Nor was the theme song.  In fact, the film didn’t resemble the Doctor Who TV show at all, except for the presence of the TARDIS and the Daleks. This was disturbing. It seemed that a parallel Doctor Who universe existed alongside the one I was familiar with.  

Later, over dinner, I tried to explain these issues to my parents. It was akin to the disappointment I experienced years earlier, when I complained that The Mickey Mouse Club was devoting too much time to the "Boys of the Western Sea," and not enough to the Mousketeers (especially Darlene). 

The ABC Cinema in Kingston-upon-Thames (see links below), where I saw this film, has a long history -- much longer than I realized at the time I saw this film. Built in 1932, it took a direct hit from a German bomb during the Blitz. This reportedly damaged only the roof. Perhaps the bomb just crashed through the ceiling, but didn't explode. 

The building remained a cinema until 1976, when it became a bingo hall. By 2011, it was in near-derelict condition. The links below include photos showing the sad state of the place today. A few of these photos show the fine Art Deco features still in place inside the theater. Even at age 12, it seemed more comfortable and welcoming than the nearby Granada, and definitely more upscale than the tacky Kingston Kinema, which was located directly next to the old bus station.

Links:

• Wikipedia article on the film 
• ABC Cinema History 
• More ABC Cinema history
• Sad 2011 photos: the ABC Cinema in recent years