The quatermass xperiment bluray kino lorber home video. Oncamera val guest interview by hammer films historian marcus hearn. In 2000, he received the lifetime achievement award from the horror writers association. Though substantially shorter than the original over three hours was compressed into a hundred minutes it is based so closely on the original script that whole sections of dialogue are copied. The quatermass experiment letterboxd your life in film. In their eagerness to exploit the horror content, hammer even amended the films title to the quatermass xperiment to highlight its x certificate and adult content.
Scanned from a fine grain positive held by the british film institute, the video quality is excellent. It performed extremely well during its west end run, taking. By this point, however, quatermasss exploits had become a national talking point, and even before episode six, hammer film productions ltd were moving to secure the movie rights. The quatermass experiment is a british science fiction serial broadcast by bbc television during the summer of 1953 and restaged by bbc four in 2005. The quatermass experiment 2005 part three david tennant doctor who torchwood. The quatermass experiment 1955, directed by val guest. The quatermass xperiment was based on nigel kneales groundbreaking bbc serial, and was the first of hammer film productions legendary horror films. Released in the united kingdom in 1955, it was named for its central character, a scientist who attempts to unravel the mystery behind a. Thomas nigel kneale 18 april 1922 29 october 2006 was a british screenwriter. Returning from space, astronaut victor caroon crash lands his rocket back on earth.
There is no music on the soundtrackjust the sound of footfalls from brian donlevy. Britains first rocket has been successfully launched and returns to earth but communication has been severed. The quatermass xperiment 1955 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. The quatermass xperiment original theatrical trailer 1955. Hammer films first dabble in horror was actually way back in 1955 with the quatermass xperiment. Quatermass and the pit in the united states, five million years to earth is a 1967 british science fiction horror film from hammer film productions, a sequel to the earlier hammer films the quatermass xperiment and quatermass 2. This casting was not announced to the public until april 16, 2005, two weeks after the broadcast, but his fellow castmembers, and crew, became aware of the speculation surrounding tennant. Made by hammer film productions, it is based on the 1953 bbc television serial the quatermass experiment written by nigel kneale. The quatermass xperiment 1955 the original ending not seen in decades with a different ending. Not only do the problems of the film seem to be caused by quatermass rushing ahead and performing his experiment or xperiment without authorization but he never truly takes any responsibility for his actions. The three 1950s serials, as was usual in those days because the video recorder hadnt been invented yet. Originally comprising six halfhour episodes, it was the first sciencefiction production to be written especially for an adult television audience. These are the only two surviving episodes of the quatermass experiment nigel kneales first quatermass series.
When one thinks of hammer films, images of christopher lee and peter cushing stalking gothic hallways leaps to mind. Back in those days it was the americans that were doing all the innovation in tv, spurred on by the fierce competition on the market. No one knows what happened to his two fellow astronauts who began the journey with him or why caroon is going. Like its predecessors, it is based on a bbc television serial quatermass and the pit, written by nigel kneale. One of the most influential series in early television has actually made its way into science fiction history as a book. Back in 1979, at the age of 15, i first encountered professor bernard quatermass in the new television production starring john mills. The quatermass xperiment doesnt quite live up to all the hype as the granddaddy of hammer horror. The quatermass experiment 2005 part3 video dailymotion.
Professor bernard quatermass is a fictional scientist, originally created by the writer nigel kneale for bbc television. The quatermass experiment is a 2005 live television film remake of the 1953 television series of the same name by nigel kneale. Quatermass ii is a british sciencefiction serial, originally broadcast by bbc television in the autumn of 1955. A few years later i first saw hammers film adaptation of the third quatermass series, quatermass and the pit, and had to redefine just what the term scary meant. The quatermass experiment by nigel kneale, a plain 1959 paperback with the classic penguin orange, cream, and black cover. It is the second in the quatermass series by writer nigel kneale, and the oldest of those serials to survive in its entirety in the bbc archives. Quatermass xperiment is the best transfer of the three as its a full hd transfer but quatermass 2 with the exception of the appalling opening sequence filmed at night which is very dark and grainy on several dvd releases and looks dreadful on this blu ray although the bbc have a fabulous transfer where the picture. The story of the quatermass experiment begins in 1952 when former actor and short story writer nigel kneale was hired as head of the bbc drama writing department, along with austrian immigrant director rudolph rudy cartier. Set in the very near future, it revolves around, well, an experiment being conducted by a scientist named bernard quatermass, a name nigel kneale came up with by pairing a name randomly chosen from a telephone book he knew he wanted it to begin with.
In truth, reginald tate, who died shortly before quatermass ii bbc, 1955, delivers a slightly lacklustre performance in the central role. The quatermass experiment was broadcast in six halfhour episodes during july and august of 1953. If you want to know how it ends you will have to buy the bbc dvd which includes the original script, or see hammers 1955 movie version or the 2005 remake. But, in the absence of the final four original episodes, all we. Poster for the quatermass experiment designed by somebody who clearly hadnt seen the film. Hammers breakthrough horror feature predated its famous monsters movies and was also a universebuilding property. He continually finds himself confronting sinister alien forces that threaten to destroy humanity. Strange metallic meteorites rain down over winnerden flats, an eerie new town in. In fact, the quatermass xperiment is in some ways closer to the original story who goes there by john w.
The supporting feature was the eric winstone band show. Britains first scifi serial, the quatermass experiment brought fear to living rooms across britain on its broadcast in 1953. The quatermass xperiment the creeping unknown trailer. The creeping unknown is a 1955 british science fiction horror film. Some parts were legitimately creepy the cockpit film was disturbing in a.
Back in 1979 author nigel kneale revised his script for the 1953 bbc series the quatermass experiment. Its a tragedy that all but two of the episodes of the original quatermass experiment tv series have been lost. Only one of the three spacemen wordsworth remains on board whose physical and mental health has been severely damaged. Professor bernard quatermass, director general of the british experimental rocket group, launches the first manned space flight from australia. In the times, sarah vine wrote that the quatermass experiment, despite not always succeeding dramatically, did however serve as a reminder of how a clever story, a good script and some decent acting can be just as effective as millions of pounds worth of special effects.
There can be little doubt that had the bbc continued with their recordings of the original quatermass experiment in the 1950s, nobody would be talking about this production very much. Subscribe to hammer for all our latest releases and classic clips like on facebook. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards. The quatermass conclusion was released on vhs videotape in 1985 while the complete fourpart quatermass serial was released in 1994. The quatermass experiment aka the creeping unknown.
The quatermass experiment, and to a lesser extent the second two serials broadcast live. This nailbiting film is well produced by anthony hinds and compellingly directed by val guest. Trivia during the rehearsals for the film, david tennant was offered the role of the tenth doctor in doctor who 2005. The mgm limited edition dvdr of the quatermass xperiment is derived from a beautiful hd master made in 2008 savant wrote about the transfer and screened frequently on the mgm hd cable channel. When the spaceship that carried the first successful crew returns to earth, two of the three astronauts are missing, and the. It was the enormous success of this hammer version of nigel kneales tv series. With a screenplay based on a sixpart serial on the bbc, the quatermass xperiment 1956, aka the creeping unknown in the u. James bernards musical score is loud and frenetic enough to supply the soundtracks to at least four roman epics. The quatermass experiment is a british television sciencefiction serial, transmitted by bbc television in the summer of 1953, and restaged by bbc four in 2005. The primary film the quatermass experiment is not as problematic as the film extras especially x the unknown. He wrote professionally for more than 50 years, was a winner of the somerset maugham award, and was twice nominated for the bafta award for best british screenplay. Comparing the versions film critic glenn erickson comparing the 2 versions. Set in the near future against the background of a british space programme, it tells the story of the first manned flight into space, supervised by professor bernard quatermass of the british experimental rocket group.
But while kneale was displeased with such revisions, the greater share of his wrath was directed at the casting and portrayal of quatermass himself. Gaga, mccartney, elton john and more offer hope at allstar event fighting covid19. On subsequent rereleases, the film reverted to the title the quatermass experiment. Quatermass xperiment original ending not seen in years. Audio commentary by director val guest and marcus hearn trailers from hell with ernest dickerson. Most importantly, however, quatermass xperiment was the first film to garner major american distribution from united artists who released it as the creeping unknown, which no doubt made later productions possible. Quatermass, along with the quatermass conclusion was released on region 2 dvd in 2003 by clearvision in a three disc boxset. The quatermass xperiment premiered on 26 august 1955 at the london pavilion on piccadilly circus. Isla blair was cast as home secretary margaret blaker, a combination of parts of lomaxs character and two officials from the original serial, and she brought to rehearsals a photograph of her husband julian glover on the set of the 1967 film version of quatermass and the pit. In the quatermass xperiment, that optimism is gone replaced by a brutish asshole of a scientist named quatermass. The quatermass experiment is a british sciencefiction serial broadcast by bbc television in the summer of 1953 and restaged by bbc four in 2005. The story of the first manned flight into space, supervised by professor bernard quatermass of the british experimental rocket group. An experimental rocket crashes back to earth and what is inside the capsule may threaten the entire planet.