The celebration will include a month in the company of a different Doctor, from William Hartnell to Matt Smith, with a screening of a classic story followed by Q&As with those who have been involved in the show both on and off the screen.
The highlight of the season is set to be March’s exclusive first look screening of the colour restored story The Mind of Evil tarring the third Doctor Jon Pertwee.
The celebrations will end with a special preview of An Adventure In Space And Time, the new drama written by Mark Gatiss to celebrate the anniversary.
Caroline Skinner, Executive Producer of Doctor Who, said: “To be doing this enormous and exciting project with the BFI is just a dream come true. We’re delighted that in this 50th year for the show we have such brilliant support from the BFI for our celebration of Doctor Who’s cultural heritage. Some of the stories we’re going to show are thrilling, surprising, funny and just plain classic TV. Enjoy, everyone!”
Justin Johnson, BFI Programmer added: “The BFI is very proud of our long relationship with both the BBC and the Doctor Who production team. We are delighted to be playing complete stories featuring each incarnation of The Doctor, supported by Q&As with special guests.
“As well as the TV work, we also plan to play newly digitally restored versions of the Peter Cushing films, courtesy of Studio Canal. This is the perfect opportunity for old fans and new to come and learn about the genesis of the show and its continuing journey”.
Confirmed screenings:
William Hartnell
The First Doctor: An Unearthly Child
BBC 1963. Dir Waris Hussein. With William Hartnell, Carole Ann Ford, Jacqueline Hill, William Russell. 100min.
William Hartnell created the role of the time-travelling adventurer known only as The Doctor when the show first materialised in 1963. In this opening story we are introduced to the fantastic time machine – The TARDIS – and to the first of the Doctor’s human companions, Ian and Barbara, as they unwittingly find themselves whisked out of their time period and stranded in the far-distant Earth past.
Guest to be confirmed: please check on bfi.org.uk nearer the time of the event
Sat 12 Jan 15:30 NFT1
Patrick Troughton
Doctor Who: Tomb of the Cybermen
BBC 1967. Dir Morris Barry. With Patrick Troughton, Frazer Hines, Deborah Watling. 100min
The huge success of the Daleks had altered the fortunes and thinking behind Doctor Who, propelling writers and producers to unleash all manner of alien creatures in an attempt to create other fearful but hugely popular monsters. The Cybermen were the most successful of the pursuing pack and appeared over ten times in the classic series but it is this story, Tomb of the Cybermen, that most fans would cite as their high point. Truly atmospheric, it features elements within its plot which haunted many of the Cybermen stories to come, and it delivers some key strands within the over-arching mythology. It also of course features the second Doctor, Patrick Troughton, who had successfully taken over the reins and reinvented the character as a mischievous and witty soul with unexpected steel beneath the surface bonhomie.
Guest to be confirmed: please check on bfi.org.uk nearer the time of the event
Sat 9 Feb 14.30 NFT1
Jon Pertwee
Dr Who: The Mind of Evil (Part One)
BBC 1971 Dir Timothy Combe. With Jon Pertwee, Katy Manning, John Levene
Eps 1-4 (Ep 1 colourised, Eps 2-4 colour restored)
Don Houghton’s script combines a machine that (allegedly) sucks the evil from criminal minds, a World peace conference, a mind parasite, a nerve gas missile and the Doctor’s nemesis The Master in a complex but enjoyable story from the Dr Who/UNIT period.
Dr Who: The Mind of Evil (Part Two)
BBC 1971 Dir Timothy Combe. With Roger Delgado, Nicholas Courtney, Richard Franklin
Eps 5-6 (colour restored) + on-stage discussion
Following the final two episodes from this adventure we will mount an on-stage event looking at the Pertwee period and in particular at the fantastic ‘colour recovery’ process that means we will be screening this adventure in its original colour format – unseen in this state for many years.
Date and Time TBC