Dec 22, 2015 the quatermass xperiment is a milestone, as hammers first horror film. Like its predecessor, it is based on the bbc television serial quatermass ii written by nigel kneale. Neale reportedly hated donlevys unwavering, singularly unbritish quatermass, but much of what seems to have bothered neale comes out of guest and richard. The 2005 remake of the quatermass experiment was also done live, as a gimmick, although it backfired slightly because the live footage was treated to look like film. The design of professor bernard quatermass brian donlevy, a forceful, misanthropic american scientist, the q1 had three astronauts aboard when it left earth, but only one of them, engineer victor caroon richard wordsworth, is on board upon landing, and he is in a nearcomatose. It wasnt until 1979 that screenwriter nigel kneale managed to get a fourth quatermass story on film, this time as a bbc miniseries in four parts featuring john mills as a by now aged protagonist. The quatermass xperiment and burn witch burn popmatters. The first manned spacecraft, fired from an english launchpad, is first lost from radar, then roars back to earth and crashes in a farmers field, and is found to contain only one of the three men who took off in it. Admittedly, it might not terrify modern audiences in the way that it surely did 65 years ago but it still possesses the power to send a shiver down the spine. The quatermass xperiment original theatrical trailer. The quatermass xperiment is a 1955 british science fiction horror film from hammer film. Bbc scores, so i think that john thought it would be better to see how i got on with these two sections before letting me loose with a full orchestra. Quatermass the collection dvd region 2 for sale online ebay. Then in 1955 exclusive films produced the movie version, starring brian donlevy as professor bernard quatermass.
The success of the quatermass xperiment in england and in the united states propelled hammer into specializing in lurid melodramatic horror and science fiction films, such as horror of dracula 1958 and the quatermass sequels. The third one, barely alive, undergoes an horrible metamorphosis turning into a monstrous thing. The quatermass xperiment is an interesting cross between hard scifi and lovecraftian horror. Scanned from a fine grain positive held by the british film institute, the video quality is excellent. Andrew keir took over for the 1967 quatermass and the pit, called five million years to earth for transatlantic audiences. Oct 30, 2011 in the quatermass xperiment, that optimism is gone replaced by a brutish asshole of a scientist named quatermass. I ve seen quite a few of the hammer films, and the quatermass xperiment is one. In the quatermass xperiment, that optimism is gone replaced by a brutish asshole of a scientist named quatermass. This isnt a violent film, certainly not by todays standards. Val guest is able to blend the tone of the film without it ever getting too lopsided. Quatermass 2 film andy whitfield, john hannah, peter mensah, and lucy lawless star in this 4 dvd series from executive producers rob tapert, sam raimi, steven s. The quatermass experiment, and to a lesser extent the second two serials broadcast live.
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. Well what an absolute bargain, included within the blu ray disc are two of my favourite films, quatermass 2 and x the unknown full movies, if you are in doubt. The quatermass xperiment page 6 classic horror film board. During the production of hammer films screen version of televisions the quatermass experiment bbc, 1953, nigel kneale, the writer of. Torn from his homeland and the woman he loves, spartacus is condemned to the brutal world of the arena where blood and death are prime time entertainment. The quatermass xperiment was based on the bbc television series. The three 1950s serials, as was usual in those days because the video recorder hadnt been invented yet. Britains first rocket has been successfully launched and returns to earth but.
The creeping unknown movie 1955 the quatermass xperiment. With jason flemyng, adrian dunbar, mark gatiss, david tennant. The quatermass xperiment 1955 full movie download full hd. 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 xperiment full frame, manufactured on demand. Buy the quatermass xperiment dvd full frame, manufactured on demand, mono sound at. In their eagerness to exploit the horror content, hammer even amended the film s title to the quatermass xperiment to highlight its x certificate and adult content. Much of this is a holdover from its source material the original quatermass experiment 1953 a sixepisode series broadcast by the bbc, which. 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.
The tactic worked, and audiences flocked to the films opening. The 1956 british science fiction horror film, x the unknown, made by hammer film productions, was originally intended to be sequel to the quatermass xperiment. 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 design of professor bernard quatermass brian donlevy, a forceful, misanthropic american scientist, the q1 had three astronauts aboard when it left earth, but only one of them, engineer victor caroon richard wordsworth, is on board upon landing, and he is in a nearcomatose state. In some ways this reminded me of cronenbergs the fly as it tells a.
The shock entertainment release of the quatermass xperiment was released on its own, but was also packaged inside of the hammer horror. Comparing the versions film critic glenn erickson comparing the 2 versions. The bluray collection box set that was released in australia and houses 14 hd films, 2 sd films, and the world of. The quatermass xperiment 1955 the movie database tmdb. With a screenplay based on a sixpart serial on the bbc, the quatermass xperiment 1956, aka the creeping unknown in the u. With brian donlevy, jack warner, margia dean, thora hird. Professor bernard quatermass manned rocket ship returns to earth but two of the astronauts are missing and the survivor seems ill and unable to communicate.
The man in charge of everything is the professor himself, played starchily by brian donlevy. Produced squarely in the middle of the 50s, its obviously a part of that bmonstermovie craze that populated theaters and driveins. It is the true beginning of hammer horror, and the movies plot about a space traveler returning to earth suffering from alien contamination has been borrowed by various films and tv shows ever since. Watch the quatermass xperiment full movie in hd visit the first manned spacecraft, fired from an english launchpa. The quatermass xperiment 1955 jane asher and richard wordsworth in the quatermass xperiment. Director val guest, who adapted it with richard landau from nigel kneales blockbuster bbctv serial of 1953, thought of it.
The film tells the story of how a rocket had been sent up to space with three aboard and how it lands with seemingly two missing. Enemy from space in the united states and canada is a 1957 blackandwhite british science fiction horror film drama from hammer film productions, produced by anthony hinds, directed by val guest, that stars brian donlevy, and costars john longden, sid james, bryan forbes, vera day, and william franklyn. The quatermass experiment dvd, 2011 for sale online ebay. The quatermass xperiment doesnt quite live up to all the hype as the granddaddy of hammer horror.
Subscribe to hammer for all our latest releases and classic clips like on facebook. The quatermass xperiment 1955 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Brian donlevy reprises his role as the eponymous professor bernard quatermass, making him the only actor to play the character twice in a film. This new release from anolis entertainment is packed full of extra features and makes a compelling claim as the best release of the film thus far. The quatermass xperiment known as the creeping unknown in the u. Dec 11, 20 subscribe to hammer for all our latest releases and classic clips like on facebook. The quatermass xperiment s strengths are the vividness and intelligence of neales storytelling, and the sense of urgency given the film version by director and coscreenwriter val guest. The quatermass xperiment 1955 complete with a margia dean autograph.
Just a small slice of val guests filmmaking brilliance. 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. Of the three members of the crew, two have mysteriously disappeared. The quatermass xperiment is a milestone, as hammers first horror film.
The quatermass xperiment full frame, manufactured on. Though the latter two in that series were released on dvd years ago by anchor bay, the landmark first film, the quatermass xperiment, is only now bowing on the format thanks to mgms limited edition series. These are the only two surviving episodes of the quatermass experiment nigel kneales first quatermass series. The picture that helped to transform hammer films into an enduring fright factory, 1956s the quatermass xperiment earns its reputation as a legacyhoisting hit. Some parts were legitimately creepy the cockpit film was disturbing in a last 2 minutes of blair. The creeping unknown in the united states is a 1955 british science fiction horror film drama from hammer film productions, based on the 1953 bbc television serial the quatermass experiment written by nigel kneale. Sep 28, 2011 the quatermass xperiment 1955 posted on september 28, 2011 at 5. The quatermass xperiment is a slow procedural film, so if you are expecting some prime 1950s era kitsch, there isnt much of that here. The film achieved a degree of notoriety stateside when in 1956 the parents of stewart cohen attempted to. The quatermass xperiment 1955 full movie download full. Professor bernard quatermass is a heroic scientist character featured in four television serials the quatermass experiment bbc, 1953, quatermass ii bbc, 1955, quatermass and the pit bbc, 1958, and quatermass itv, 1979 and a radio serial the quatermass memoirs bbc, 1996 all written by nigel kneale.
The way carron wakes up to the blood is just petrifying, like a reptile or a venus flytrap. The quatermass xperiment is a creepy and entertaining little scifi thriller, and is worth checking out and forming an opinion on, even if you are not a hammer aficionado. There are a lot of lengthy talking scenes of scientists figuring out the mystery at hand. Quatermass 2 is a sequel to hammers earlier film the quatermass xperiment 1955. How i met your mother season 8 episode 12 the final page. This was to be the first in a series of quatermass many ways this sci fi classic is a movie of its time, made in black and white as was most british movies in. Professor bernard quatermass manned rocket ship returns to earth, but two of the astronauts are missing and the survivor seems ill and unable to communicate. Quatermass the collection dvd region 2 for sale online. Prior to making the film, hammer was a reliable producer of dispensable bpictures. The quatermass xperiment 1955 directed by val guest. Released in the united kingdom in 1955, it was named for its central character, a scientist who attempts to unravel the mystery behind a.
In the first series, reginald tate plays professor bernard quatermass, head of the british rocket group, an experimental research body. The quatermass xperiments strengths are the vividness and intelligence of neales storytelling, and the sense of urgency given the film version by director and coscreenwriter val guest. The quatermass xperiment bluray kino lorber home video. The quatermass xperiment aka the creeping unknown blu. The title would be changed to the quatermass xperiment, with the giantsized x dominating the posters. The quatermass xperiment is the first of the wellwritten british scifi films based on nigel kneales professor quatermass. But while kneale was displeased with such revisions, the greater share of his wrath was directed at the casting and portrayal of quatermass himself. The 1956 british science fiction horror film, x the unknown, made by hammer film productions, was originally intended to be sequel to the quatermass xperiment, but when kneale refused permission for quatermass to be used in the movie, the character was changed to atomic energy scientist, dr. The quatermass xperiment was directed by val guest, a former actor turned journalist who was active in the british film industry as a writer, director and producer since the thirties. Outside of expensive criterionstyle restorations few english movies of this. The quatermass xperiment original theatrical trailer 1955.
Guest when we met on the set of the 1976 television show space 1999. A rocket crashlands in england after a flight of more than 57 hours into deep space. The quatermass xperiment aka the creeping unknown bluray. In some ways this reminded me of cronenbergs the fly as it tells a similar story of the deterioration of humanity. This is quite a surprise given its extreme cult status and its importance as one of hammers first forays into the horror genre. The three original and groundbreaking 1950s bbc television series, one of the very first regular scifi programmes on british television. 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. As far as alien invasion movies go, the quatermass xperiment is a very well done scifihorror adventure. Some parts were legitimately creepy the cockpit film was disturbing in a. And scifi, such as the quatermass xperiment, which is one of the scariest movies ever produced by hammer. Aug, 2019 and the little girl in quatermass turned into jane asher, who nearly married paul mccartney.
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