With reginald tate, isabel dean, hugh kelly, paul whitsunjones. 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 is perfect and x the. Drawing an average audience of 482,000, the quatermass experiment became bbc fours fourthhighestrated programme of all time, behind the curse of steptoe, the road to coronation street and the alan clark diaries. 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 quatermass experiment film the quatermass experiment is a 2005 live television film remake of the 1953 television series of the same name by nigel kneale. The quatermass experiment is a 2005 live television film remake of the 1953 television series of the same name by nigel kneale. Hammer made three theatrical quatermass films the quatermass. Its a tragedy that all but two of the episodes of the original quatermass experiment tv series have been lost. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. In truth, reginald tate, who died shortly before quatermass ii bbc, 1955, delivers a slightly lacklustre performance in the central role.
Bernard quatermass heads the futuristic experimental rocket group whose greatest voyage is coming to an end, but after a dramatic crash landing victor carroon begins to metamorphose into a strange, deadly alien, setting off a race against time to save humanity. Sep 03, 2015 quatermass reginald tate, left helps the dying astronaut carroon in the quatermass experiment. 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. The original 1955 quatermass xperiment print has the closing caption the end. Bbcs quatermass experiement 2005 live drama youtube. Outside of expensive criterionstyle restorations few english movies of this age have looked this. Scanned from a fine grain positive held by the british film institute, the video quality is excellent. The quatermass experiment was broadcast in six halfhour episodes during july and august of 1953. 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. Professor bernard quatermass manned rocket ship returns to earth but two of the. The three 1950s serials, as was usual in those days because the video recorder hadnt been invented yet.
James bernards musical score is loud and frenetic enough to supply the soundtracks to at least four roman epics. The quatermass xperiment is a 1955 british science fiction horror film drama from hammer. Well get a commonlyknown piece of trivia out of the way. This is a project to recreate the vision of the classic screenplay the quatermass experiment by the late nigel kneale. Its unfortunate because the original the quatermass experiment is. A malfunction sends the rocket and its three man crew thousands of miles off course. In the quatermass xperiment, that optimism is gone replaced by a brutish asshole of a scientist named quatermass. With a screenplay based on a sixpart serial on the bbc, the quatermass xperiment 1956, aka the creeping unknown in the u. 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. Like its predecessor, it is based on the bbc television serial quatermass ii written by nigel kneale.
During the production of hammer films screen version of televisions the quatermass experiment bbc, 1953. 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. 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. The quatermass experiment is a british science fiction serial broadcast by bbc television. Hammers breakthrough horror feature predated its famous monsters movies and was also a universebuilding property. Bernie sanders drops out of 2020 presidential race, clearing path for joe bidens democratic nomination. Back in those days it was the americans that were doing all the innovation in tv, spurred on by the fierce. Bbcs quatermass experiement 2005 live drama david tennant, brian donleavy, jack warner. The story set in the near future involves influences from outer space that are possessing people.
Jan 20, 2016 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. Comparing the versions film critic glenn erickson comparing the 2 versions. The quatermass experiment was filmed live, so the fly trapped inside the camera is still trapped in the prints today and the. Lukas graham looks back at the rolling stones concert. The first film from hammer studios, the quatermass experiment is a remake. 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. Unless youre only interested in the action in this film, wait until a copy is released with english subtitles. And the little girl in quatermass turned into jane asher, who nearly married paul mccartney. Professor bernard quatermass manned rocket ship returns to earth, but two of the astronauts. Subscribe to hammer for all our latest releases and classic clips like on facebook.
The quatermass xperiment bluray kino lorber home video. The popularity of the quatermass experiment gained the attention of the film industry, and hammer. In 1955, the film was given an x rating by british film authorities, hence xperiment. The quatermass xperiment was based on nigel kneales groundbreaking bbc serial, and was the first of hammer film productions legendary horror films.
Sep 06, 2016 the quatermass experiment was broadcast in six halfhour episodes during july and august of 1953. An astronaut returns to earth after an experimental space flight, afflicted by a strange fungus that transforms him into a murderous monster. Oncamera val guest interview by hammer films historian marcus hearn. Professor bernard quatermass, director general of the british experimental rocket group, launches the first manned space flight from australia.
Quatermass collection quatermass experiment quatermass. Critic nancy bankssmith in the guardian complimented the production, and noted that there were minor bumps in this production. When the rocket returns to earth, it crashes in wimbledon. Anthony bushell, john stratton, michael ripper, christopher rhodes, hugh griffith, austin trevor, rupert davies, andr morell, cec linder, christine finn, rudolph cartier, quatermass trilogy collection 1950s series 3dvd box set quatermass experiment quatermass ii, quatermass trilogy. The quatermass experiment by nigel kneale, a plain 1959 paperback with the classic penguin orange, cream, and black cover.
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 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 quatermass experiment mcgill university school of. The quatermass xperiment doesnt quite live up to all the hype as the granddaddy of hammer horror. Hammer films first dabble in horror was actually way back in 1955 with the quatermass xperiment. Dec 11, 20 subscribe to hammer for all our latest releases and classic clips like on facebook. 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. It was released in 1955, and starred the american actor brian donlevy, supported by the english actor jack warner, with val guest directing and cowriting the screenplay. For the 1955 film adaptation, see the quatermass xperiment.
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 is perfect and x. The quatermass experiment aka the creeping unknown quad. Shortly after finishing the quatermass xperiment, he made his first appearance on television in the role he is most associated with. In fact, the quatermass xperiment is in some ways closer to the original story who goes there by john w. When one thinks of hammer films, images of christopher lee and peter cushing stalking gothic hallways leaps to mind. The quatermass experiment aka the creeping unknown. Quatermass collection quatermass experiment quatermass ii quatermass and the pit. Aug, 2019 and the little girl in quatermass turned into jane asher, who nearly married paul mccartney.
Back in 1979 author nigel kneale revised his script for the 1953 bbc series the quatermass experiment. Sep 18, 2016 the quatermass xperiment scifi classic. Bbc a n eccentric genius protects earth from space monsters and, every two to three. Quatermass returned to british screens in 2005 with a remake of the quatermass experiment, a 120minute production broadcast live on bbc four. In 1955, hammer films remade the story as a feature film the quatermass xperiment, featuring a brilliant performance by richard wordsowrth as the doomed astronaut, but otherwise completely. For the 2005 remake, see the quatermass experiment film. With jason flemyng, adrian dunbar, mark gatiss, david tennant. Only one of the three spacemen wordsworth remains on board whose physical and mental health has been severely damaged. Released in the united kingdom in 1955, it was named for its central character, a scientist who attempts to unravel the mystery behind a failed space mission and why its. Drawing on director val guests former expertise as a hollywood publicist, the producers actually exploited rather than resisted the stigma that such a rating usually implied by changing the spelling of the british title, the quatermass experiment, to reiterate its adult nature and.
The quatermass xperiment original theatrical trailer 1955. 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. One of the most influential series in early television has actually made its way into science fiction history as a book. Strange metallic meteorites rain down over winnerden flats, an eerie new town in the vicinity of a highly guarded chemical plant. Britains first rocket has been successfully launched and returns to earth but communication has been severed. Britains first rocket has been successfully launched and returns to earth but. Brian donlevy reprises his role as the eponymous professor bernard quatermass, making him the only actor to play the character twice in a film.
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 xperiment 1955 brian donlevy in the quatermass. 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. 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 screenplay, first broadcast by bbc television in july and august 1953, tells the story of a disastrous space flight by three european astronauts. 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 quatermass experiment, and to a lesser extent the second two serials broadcast live. Filmed live with a fantastic ensemble cast, the quatermass experiment takes a scifi cult classic into the 21st century. 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. An experimental rocket crashes back to earth and what is inside the capsule may threaten the entire planet. Instead of the over the top acting and silly special effects, this is a more cerebral style film and the monster doesn t even.
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. 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. Professor quatermass must save his granddaughter from the clutches of a popular and sinister cult planet people that performs raptures. Coming attractions for you 2020s most anticipated movies. 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. The quatermass experiment is a british sciencefiction serial broadcast by bbc television in the summer of 1953 and restaged by bbc four in 2005. Set in the near future against the background of a british space programme. These are the only two surviving episodes of the quatermass experiment nigel kneales first quatermass series. A separate screenplay by nigel kneale for theaters, parallel to the 1979 quatermass four part miniseries. 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. 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 qu, but that was all with the first name.
The popularity of the quatermass experiment gained the attention of the film industry, and hammer film productions quickly purchased the rights to make an adaptation. 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 qu, but that was all with the first. Bbc a n eccentric genius protects earth from space monsters and, every two to. Also sign me up for fanmail to get updates on all things movies. The quatermass xperiment 1955 click for hubrisween central, here for our letterboxd page. Its quite feasible that hammer wouldnt have been what it was without this film. The quatermass experiment letterboxd your life in film. The quatermass experiment aka the creeping unknown 1955.
Back in 1979, at the age of 15, i first encountered professor bernard quatermass in the new television production starring john mills. 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. Quatermass ii is a british sciencefiction serial, originally broadcast by bbc television in the autumn of 1955. As the hammer film and its subsequent sequels reached audiences, the impact of kneales creation began to manifest itself in the work of others. Audio commentary by director val guest and marcus hearn trailers from hell with ernest dickerson. The primary film the quatermass experiment is not as problematic as the film extras especially x the unknown.
Jul 07, 2015 bbcs quatermass experiement 2005 live drama david tennant, brian donleavy, jack warner. Quatermass collection quatermass experiment quatermass ii. Originally comprising six halfhour episodes, it was the first sciencefiction production to be written especially for an adult television audience. Though quatermasss vast intellect may have seemed intangible to some audience members, his humanity was universal. Quatermass 2 is a sequel to hammers earlier film the quatermass xperiment 1955. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing the quatermass experiment near you. Quatermass reginald tate, left helps the dying astronaut carroon in the quatermass experiment.
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