Daleks
The Daleks are a fictional extraterrestrial race of mutants principally portrayed in the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who. The Daleks were conceived by science-fiction writer Terry Nation and first appeared in the 1963 Doctor Who serial The Daleks, in the shells designed by Raymond Cusick.
Within the programme narrative, Daleks are an extraterrestrial race of cyborgs created by the scientist Davros during the final years of a thousand-year war against the Thals. He genetically modified his race (known as the Kaleds), and integrated them with a tank-like, robotic shell. His final modification was to remove their ability to feel pity, compassion, or remorse. The Daleks soon came to view themselves as the supreme race in the universe and began a conquest of universal domination and extermination. Various storylines portray them as having had every emotion removed except hate, leaving them with a desire to purge the universe of all non-Dalek life. Collectively they are the greatest enemies of the series' protagonist, the Time Lord known as the Doctor. During a conflict with the Time Lords, the Daleks were almost completely killed off. This took place off-screen between the 1996 television movie and the 2005 revived series, and was depicted in the 50th anniversary special "The Day of the Doctor". Their defeat was a plot point in several episodes. They are popularly known for their catchphrase "Exterminate!" and are a well-recognised reference in British popular culture.
The non-humanoid shape of the Dalek did much to enhance the creatures' sense of menace. A lack of familiar reference points differentiated them from the traditional "bug-eyed monster" of science fiction, which Doctor Who creator Sydney Newman had wanted the show to avoid. The unsettling Dalek form, coupled with their alien voices, made many believe that the props were wholly mechanical and operated by remote control.
The Daleks were actually controlled from inside by short operators who had to manipulate their eyestalks, domes, and arms, as well as flashing the lights on their heads in sync with the actors supplying their voices. The Dalek cases were built in two pieces; an operator would step into the lower section, and then the top would be secured. The operators looked out between the cylindrical louvres just beneath the dome, which were lined with mesh to conceal their faces.
In addition to being hot and cramped the Dalek casings also muffled external sounds, making it difficult for operators to hear the director's commands or studio dialogue. John Scott Martin, a Dalek operator from the original series, said that Dalek operation was a challenge: "You had to have about six hands: one to do the eyestalk, one to do the lights, one for the gun, another for the smoke canister underneath, yet another for the sink plunger. If you were related to an octopus then it helped."
These props are exhibited at the Doctor Who Experiance in Cardiff. The original exhibition titled Doctor Who Experience, was complete with a new interactive Doctor Who episode with the Eleventh Doctor, opened in London on 20 February 2011. The exhibition moved to Cardiff in July 2012, opening on 20 July and will remain there until 2017. The immersive exhibition was designed and installed by the UK-based theme park design and installation company Sarner Ltd.
The exhibition begins with a short film and a walk-through adventure inside the TARDIS and in various locations. The group are lead through the experience by a guide and the Twelfth Doctor. Initially the Eleventh Doctor featured in the experience, but was replaced after he regenerated.
Following the adventure portion guests are free to roam two floors of exhibitions including original costumes from nine of the eleven Doctors (the first two being replicas as the originals were lost). Alien prosthetics, Daleks over history, Sonic devices, the interiors of the Fifth Doctor's and Ninth Doctor's/ Tenth Doctor's TARDIS and other show memorabilia and artifacts are also on display. There are also costumes from the companions since 2005 including: Rose Tyler, Martha Jones, Donna Noble, Captain Jack Harkness, Amy Pond, and Rory Williams. In 2013, props, such as Porridge's costume and the deactivated chess-playing Cyberman, from Nightmare in Silver have been added. The costumes of the Eleventh Doctor and Clara Oswald, along with the giant snow globe, from the Christmas episode entitled The Snowmen were also added to the collection in 2013. In late 2014 props and costumes from Last Christmas were added.
The Experience is located in Cardiff Bay, home to the BBC Roath Lock production studios, as well as locations from the Torchwood series.
Daleks
The Daleks are a fictional extraterrestrial race of mutants principally portrayed in the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who. The Daleks were conceived by science-fiction writer Terry Nation and first appeared in the 1963 Doctor Who serial The Daleks, in the shells designed by Raymond Cusick.
Within the programme narrative, Daleks are an extraterrestrial race of cyborgs created by the scientist Davros during the final years of a thousand-year war against the Thals. He genetically modified his race (known as the Kaleds), and integrated them with a tank-like, robotic shell. His final modification was to remove their ability to feel pity, compassion, or remorse. The Daleks soon came to view themselves as the supreme race in the universe and began a conquest of universal domination and extermination. Various storylines portray them as having had every emotion removed except hate, leaving them with a desire to purge the universe of all non-Dalek life. Collectively they are the greatest enemies of the series' protagonist, the Time Lord known as the Doctor. During a conflict with the Time Lords, the Daleks were almost completely killed off. This took place off-screen between the 1996 television movie and the 2005 revived series, and was depicted in the 50th anniversary special "The Day of the Doctor". Their defeat was a plot point in several episodes. They are popularly known for their catchphrase "Exterminate!" and are a well-recognised reference in British popular culture.
The non-humanoid shape of the Dalek did much to enhance the creatures' sense of menace. A lack of familiar reference points differentiated them from the traditional "bug-eyed monster" of science fiction, which Doctor Who creator Sydney Newman had wanted the show to avoid. The unsettling Dalek form, coupled with their alien voices, made many believe that the props were wholly mechanical and operated by remote control.
The Daleks were actually controlled from inside by short operators who had to manipulate their eyestalks, domes, and arms, as well as flashing the lights on their heads in sync with the actors supplying their voices. The Dalek cases were built in two pieces; an operator would step into the lower section, and then the top would be secured. The operators looked out between the cylindrical louvres just beneath the dome, which were lined with mesh to conceal their faces.
In addition to being hot and cramped the Dalek casings also muffled external sounds, making it difficult for operators to hear the director's commands or studio dialogue. John Scott Martin, a Dalek operator from the original series, said that Dalek operation was a challenge: "You had to have about six hands: one to do the eyestalk, one to do the lights, one for the gun, another for the smoke canister underneath, yet another for the sink plunger. If you were related to an octopus then it helped."
These props are exhibited at the Doctor Who Experiance in Cardiff. The original exhibition titled Doctor Who Experience, was complete with a new interactive Doctor Who episode with the Eleventh Doctor, opened in London on 20 February 2011. The exhibition moved to Cardiff in July 2012, opening on 20 July and will remain there until 2017. The immersive exhibition was designed and installed by the UK-based theme park design and installation company Sarner Ltd.
The exhibition begins with a short film and a walk-through adventure inside the TARDIS and in various locations. The group are lead through the experience by a guide and the Twelfth Doctor. Initially the Eleventh Doctor featured in the experience, but was replaced after he regenerated.
Following the adventure portion guests are free to roam two floors of exhibitions including original costumes from nine of the eleven Doctors (the first two being replicas as the originals were lost). Alien prosthetics, Daleks over history, Sonic devices, the interiors of the Fifth Doctor's and Ninth Doctor's/ Tenth Doctor's TARDIS and other show memorabilia and artifacts are also on display. There are also costumes from the companions since 2005 including: Rose Tyler, Martha Jones, Donna Noble, Captain Jack Harkness, Amy Pond, and Rory Williams. In 2013, props, such as Porridge's costume and the deactivated chess-playing Cyberman, from Nightmare in Silver have been added. The costumes of the Eleventh Doctor and Clara Oswald, along with the giant snow globe, from the Christmas episode entitled The Snowmen were also added to the collection in 2013. In late 2014 props and costumes from Last Christmas were added.
The Experience is located in Cardiff Bay, home to the BBC Roath Lock production studios, as well as locations from the Torchwood series.