Doomwatch

Dr Del Shaw and the Doomwatch team investigate sinister effects of pollution on a small island in this big-screen spin-off from the cult BBC series.

Described by creators Kit Pedler and Gerry Davis as more 'science fact' than 'science fiction', the hit BBC TV series Doomwatch turned topical stories into eco-thrillers. Director Peter Sasdy maintains a tense atmosphere in this film spin-off, which takes the regular team and some new characters to examine mutations on the island of Balfe. George Sanders appears in one of his final roles.

'Kit' Pedler, or Dr Christopher Pedler, was a well-respected scientist and a consultant on Doctor Who from the mid-1960s. In partnership with Gerry Davis, he created one the series most enduring monsters, the Cybermen. The pair conceived Doomwatch as a way of focusing attention on what they saw as the environment risks of technological progress. A huge success, Doomwatch ran for three series from 1970-72, and has been cited as a precursor to The X-Files.