The British science fiction television series Doctor Who premiered on the BBC in November 1963. Although it met with success from the start, it wasn't until the fifth episode that the show firmly captured the imagination of Great Britain. That installment featured the introduction of the Daleks, a race of cyborg aliens intent on "exterminating" all other creatures in the universe, and led to Dalekmania sweeping the British Isles at roughly the same time that Beatlemania was likewise conquering the United States.To take advantage of the sudden popularity of the Daleks, Amicus Productions produced two major motion pictures in the mid-1960s featuring the robotic-shell aliens, Dr. Who and the Daleks in 1965 and Daleks - Invasion Earth: 2150 A.D. in 1966. The Hollywood Theater in Dormont, meanwhile, celebrated the Fiftieth Anniversary release of the first film in 2015 with a special Doctor Who Party. The event proved to be such a success that a second Doctor Who Celebration is scheduled for Friday, April 1, 2016, featuring a screening of Daleks - Invasion Earth for what is likewise the Fiftieth Anniversary of the film.Although based on the second season "The Daleks Invasion of Earth" storyline from the television series, Daleks - Invasion Earth differs from the classic BBC television show in the same ways as the first film. On Doctor Who, for instance, the title character is a space and time-traveling humanoid alien who simply goes by the moniker of "The Doctor." In the two Daleks' films, however, the Doctor is a human whose last name is literally "Who." Despite such differences, both Dr. Who and the Daleks and Daleks - Invasion Earth: 2150 A.D. are entertaining in their own right, and feature veteran actor Peter Cushing in the title role as he attempts to thwart the evil plans of the Daleks.Like the first Doctor Who Party at the Hollywood Theater in 2015, the second Doctor Who Celebration on April 1, 2016, will feature goodies and a Doctor Who costume contest in addition to the screening of Daleks - Invasion Earth: 2150 A.D. This year's event is co-sponsored by Britsburgh-which organizes an annual "Festival of Britain in Pittsburgh" each September-and Steeltown Who Fans, a Pittsburgh-based Doctor Who fan group. While Pittsburgh is home to a number of fanclubs-including chapters of three Star Wars organizations (the Rebel Legion, 501st Legion and Mandalorian Mercs), the Star Trek USS Inferno and the Pittsburgh Browncoats-it has lacked a similar Doctor Who organization for years.That changed in 2015 with the arrival of Steeltown Who Fans, which has held regular monthly meet-ups at the Victory Pointe Gaming Lounge on the South Side. The organization plans on holding its next meet-up at the Hollywood Theater in conjunction with Daleks - Invasion Earth: 2150 A.D., and the second Doctor Who Party thus offers the opportunity for local Doctor Who fans to become acquainted with this relatively new fan group in addition to experiencing the film itself.The doors to the Hollywood Theater open at 7pm on Friday, April 1st, with Daleks - Invasion Earth: 2150 A.D. scheduled to begin at 8pm. Tickets are $10 for adults and $6 for children twelve and under, and can be purchased both online or at the door.Anthony Letizia (March 27, 2016)Follow Geek Pittsburgh: Facebook - Twitter - RSS Feed
