This is a thoughtful science fiction/horror movie from the 1960s that doesn't insult the intelligence of the viewers. Instead of relying on CGI to enthrall a clueless audience, this movie relies on something rather novel – a real story. Filmed on a budget, this Hammer Film's special effects are good enough to advance the story. Some IMDb reviewers have criticized the film for its "corny" special effects or its "ridiculous" story. They simply don't appreciate the movie's effects in their context. Further, I would disagree that the story is ridiculous. The story unfolds as the characters and viewers discover the secret in Hobbs End. If you don't know what the movie is about, you will enjoy this bit of discovery. Instead of so many contemporary films where the viewer is simply told what happens, as if he or she is slack-jawed imbecile, in Five Million Years to Earth the viewer is part of the discovery process. Finally, the sense of horror builds from a vague sense of unease to a real sense of loathing and fear. I've seen this movie at least a half dozen times and continue to enjoy it as much as the first time.
182 Reviews
A British Quatermass!
AaronCapenBanner20 November 2013
Roy Ward Baker directed this belated(10 years later) third entry in the Quatermass saga, this time casting a proper British actor to play British rocket group scientist Bernard Quatermass, called in to investigate a skeleton found near a presumed undetonated German bomb in the London underground being excavated for a new subway line, that turns out to be an alien spacecraft with Martian insect-humanoids aboard. James Donald plays Professor Roney, in charge of the dig, and one of the few unaffected by the Martian attempt to use their human descendants to purge all those not part of the hive... Intelligent, ambitious, and audacious science fiction story may have some off-putting elements, and primitive model F/X, but remains a prime example of how to do this kind of story right. Based on the Nigel Kneale miniseries, this is by far the best of the trilogy.
Brilliant Sci-Fi horror that will mesmerise and get you thinking!
The_Void29 November 2004
Quatermass and the Pit is one of the finest of Hammer's vast and largely very fine oeuvre. Strangely, however, when you hear people speak of Hammer horror, this film rarely gets a mention, and that's a great injustice as it easily ranks up there with the best of them. The plot follows a group of construction workers that discover a plot of skeletons while extending London's subway station. This immediately attracts the attention of local scientists Mathew Roney and Barbara Judd, and later the man of the title; Dr Quatermass, who end up facing opposition from both the army and the press while trying to investigate the find. Where did the skeletons come from? How did they get there? And what's the meaning behind that bomb in the tunnel? All these questions and more are answered in Quatermass and the Pit.
As you might expect, the film is very camp. The effects are truly ridiculous and very easy to laugh at; but they add to the fun and charm of the movie. The reason why Hammer Horror films succeed is that, despite being unpleasant at times, it's obvious that they were made with a lot of heart, and the good nature that went into making them always shines through. Unlike many horror (or Sci-Fi) films, however, this one actually bothers to pose some interesting questions and really gets you thinking. The normal idea behind alien based Sci-Fi is completely turned on it's head, and it makes for both an enjoyable and interesting, not to mention original movie. It's quite ingenious, in fact; much more so than many recent 'thought-provoking' movies. There is also quite a lot of the trademark British humour in the film, which is always nice to see. It's obvious that the film is meant to be tongue in cheek anyway, but it's always nice to have a few moments of laughter in there. Quatermass and the Pit is directed by Hammer Horror supremo Roy Ward Baker. When people think of Hammer directors, it's often Terrence Fisher that comes out on top; but Baker is by far my favourite. He's delivered the lovely Asylum, the ingenious Dr Jekyll and Sister Hyde, not to mention The Vampire Lovers; and now this. And that's only the ones that I've seen!
Overall, this is an incredible movie. It's generous mix of horror, Sci-Fi and fantasy is truly refreshing and it makes for an interesting and enjoyable ride. I loved every minute of this film, and it easily ranks as one of the best Hammer Horror's that I've seen. Make sure you don't skip this one.
As you might expect, the film is very camp. The effects are truly ridiculous and very easy to laugh at; but they add to the fun and charm of the movie. The reason why Hammer Horror films succeed is that, despite being unpleasant at times, it's obvious that they were made with a lot of heart, and the good nature that went into making them always shines through. Unlike many horror (or Sci-Fi) films, however, this one actually bothers to pose some interesting questions and really gets you thinking. The normal idea behind alien based Sci-Fi is completely turned on it's head, and it makes for both an enjoyable and interesting, not to mention original movie. It's quite ingenious, in fact; much more so than many recent 'thought-provoking' movies. There is also quite a lot of the trademark British humour in the film, which is always nice to see. It's obvious that the film is meant to be tongue in cheek anyway, but it's always nice to have a few moments of laughter in there. Quatermass and the Pit is directed by Hammer Horror supremo Roy Ward Baker. When people think of Hammer directors, it's often Terrence Fisher that comes out on top; but Baker is by far my favourite. He's delivered the lovely Asylum, the ingenious Dr Jekyll and Sister Hyde, not to mention The Vampire Lovers; and now this. And that's only the ones that I've seen!
Overall, this is an incredible movie. It's generous mix of horror, Sci-Fi and fantasy is truly refreshing and it makes for an interesting and enjoyable ride. I loved every minute of this film, and it easily ranks as one of the best Hammer Horror's that I've seen. Make sure you don't skip this one.
One of the greatest science fiction films ever made - in fact my favorite.
grafspee14 May 2004
This film is not your usual sci-fi monster from the deep or outer space but a story based on comprehensible logic - the suggestion that the human mind and it's psychic and sixth sense qualities was the result of alien intervention with our ancestral primates millions of years ago. Andrew Keir plays a fine role as the tweedy dressed sometimes gruff gentleman professor, Bernard Quatermass who teams up with equally amiable James Donald as Dr.Mathew Roney and his attractive female assistant Barbara Shelley as Barbara Judd to solve the riddle of a strange craft and several ape like skeletons unearthed during the reconstruction of an underground London railway station. At first thought to be an unexploded second world war missile an Army demolition team is brought in to disarm it, led by the bombastic single minded military thinking Colonel Breen played by Julian Glover who scoffs at the theories of the two scientists that this could be anything more than a German V weapon. The finding of large insect like creatures preserved within the hull of the craft and an analysis of their physical attributes leads Quatermass and Roney to conclude that they are Martians who along with their ape like passengers were killed as a result of a crash landing five million years beforehand. Quatermass also speculates that the apes had been previously taken from Earth to Mars and altered in order to give them Martian thinking characteristics which were then inherited by their human descendants. Breen dismisses the insect creatures as fakes and convinces his government superiors that the missile is safe, against the advice of Quatermass, Roney and Judd who have already discovered sinister awakenings within the craft after a workman dismantling his drill therein is seized upon by an invisible propelling force along with terrifying mental images. When the public and press are admitted to the site the craft comes to life generating a ghostly devil looking apparition, along with the now mind affected local population banding into groups and unleashing a killing spree on their own kind. Quatermass and Roney must now pool their scientific expertise to neutralize the menace and restore order. Nigel Kneale's compelling screenplay is sheer brilliance and gives this film a distinct and special uniqueness in the world of science fiction. A must see for the serious minded movie watcher.
As complex and intellectual as 2001: A Space Odyssey
tomgillespie200217 January 2017
Hammer Films have a lot to thank writer Nigel Kneale and his most popular character Bernard Quatermass for. When the BBC originally broadcast The Quatermass Experiment to a terrified audience, Hammer producer Anthony Hinds saw the potential for a movie adaptation and quickly snapped up the rights. At the time, Hammer were enjoying modest success making low-budget second features, but 1955's The Quatermass Xperiment (named so to highlight the X rating dished out by the BBFC), known as The Creeping Unknown in the U.S., became a hit and put the company's name on the cinematic map. Quatermass 2 (a.k.a. Enemy From Space) followed shortly after, and the rest is history.
It seems like they were saving the best for last, and waited a whopping 10 years to deliver it. When skeletal remains are dug up during an extension to the London Underground, Palaeontologist Dr. Mathew Roney (James Donald) is called in, who concludes that the remains are that of an ancient race of 'apemen', possibly from 5 million years ago. Bernard Quatermass (Andrew Keir) disagrees however, and when further digging reveals a large metallic object, he believes it may be of alien origin. Colonel Breen (Game of Thrones' Julian Glover) insists that it is an unexploded bomb from World War II, and refutes Quatermass' claims. As the mystery unfolds, the discovery may lead to shocking revelations regarding man's evolution, and one that we are not ready to face.
Quatermass and the Pit may feature some incredibly dated effects, but this is sci-fi as complex and intellectual as 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968); a film it is often compared to. Based on the six- part series, Pit's main issue is the difficulty in condensing hours' worth of material into a 98-minute movie, hitting the audience with one theory and revelation after another. But great sci-fi is primarily built on a singular great idea, and this is up there with the best. While the twists and turns are often a struggle to keep up with, the frantic pace created by the lack of running time means that we're kept on the edge of our seats for the duration. Keir is also an improvement on American Brian Donlevy (who played the professor in the previous two films), infusing Quatermass with warmth and a distinct Britishness.
It seems like they were saving the best for last, and waited a whopping 10 years to deliver it. When skeletal remains are dug up during an extension to the London Underground, Palaeontologist Dr. Mathew Roney (James Donald) is called in, who concludes that the remains are that of an ancient race of 'apemen', possibly from 5 million years ago. Bernard Quatermass (Andrew Keir) disagrees however, and when further digging reveals a large metallic object, he believes it may be of alien origin. Colonel Breen (Game of Thrones' Julian Glover) insists that it is an unexploded bomb from World War II, and refutes Quatermass' claims. As the mystery unfolds, the discovery may lead to shocking revelations regarding man's evolution, and one that we are not ready to face.
Quatermass and the Pit may feature some incredibly dated effects, but this is sci-fi as complex and intellectual as 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968); a film it is often compared to. Based on the six- part series, Pit's main issue is the difficulty in condensing hours' worth of material into a 98-minute movie, hitting the audience with one theory and revelation after another. But great sci-fi is primarily built on a singular great idea, and this is up there with the best. While the twists and turns are often a struggle to keep up with, the frantic pace created by the lack of running time means that we're kept on the edge of our seats for the duration. Keir is also an improvement on American Brian Donlevy (who played the professor in the previous two films), infusing Quatermass with warmth and a distinct Britishness.
Classic British Sci-Fi movie with an excellent Andrew Keir as Quatermass
ma-cortes4 May 2006
The picture concerns about the strange deeds into a London underground . There find a Martian aircraft which probes the humanity is created by a superior civilization . Then arrive Quatermass (Andrew Keir) , an official army (Julian Glover) and two obstinate scientists (James Donald and Barbara Shelley) , all of them discover fantastic events . The plot is developed for continuous discovery , leading a spooky and astounding finale.
The movie is an outstanding adaptation from a TV serial exhibited in BBC (1958-59) written by Nigel Kneagle . As protagonist turns up Andrew Keir substituting to Brian Donlevy starring in ¨The Quatermass experiment¨ and ¨Quatermass II¨ , both of them directed by Val Guest , besides John Mills starred the final chapter titled the ¨Conclusion Quatermass¨ directed by Piers Haggard . This 1967 film is one of the greatest British science fiction films and the best of Quatermass trilogy . The great climax film is , of course , the final confrontation between the starring and the weird entity . In the picture appears the usual Hammer technicians and artistic team as cameraman Arthur Grant creating a riveting and colorful cinematography , Bernard Robinson making an awesome production design and ordinary musical conductor Philip Martell . The film is well produced by Anthony Nelson and magnificently directed by Roy Ward Baker . The flick will appeal to science fiction movie enthusiasts and Hammer fans . Rating : Above average and well worth watching .
The movie is an outstanding adaptation from a TV serial exhibited in BBC (1958-59) written by Nigel Kneagle . As protagonist turns up Andrew Keir substituting to Brian Donlevy starring in ¨The Quatermass experiment¨ and ¨Quatermass II¨ , both of them directed by Val Guest , besides John Mills starred the final chapter titled the ¨Conclusion Quatermass¨ directed by Piers Haggard . This 1967 film is one of the greatest British science fiction films and the best of Quatermass trilogy . The great climax film is , of course , the final confrontation between the starring and the weird entity . In the picture appears the usual Hammer technicians and artistic team as cameraman Arthur Grant creating a riveting and colorful cinematography , Bernard Robinson making an awesome production design and ordinary musical conductor Philip Martell . The film is well produced by Anthony Nelson and magnificently directed by Roy Ward Baker . The flick will appeal to science fiction movie enthusiasts and Hammer fans . Rating : Above average and well worth watching .
The thinking person's horror/sf movie
TG-1514 June 2000
Quatermass & the pit is one of the best movies made by Hammer studios, who are more usually associated with 1960s English horror films. The screenplay is by Nigel Kneale and is based on his 1950s 6-episode television mini-series of the same name.
A mysterious object is unearthed during extension work on a London underground station, and although the authorities try to explain it away as an unexploded German weapon from WWII, the heroes (Professors Quatermass & Rowney) discover it is far more ancient and threatening.
A horror/sf film which will appeal to thoughtful viewers. The plot is intelligent and the film is quite different to the modern style of blitzkrieg-action style thrillers. The acting and direction are faultless. Highly recommended.
A mysterious object is unearthed during extension work on a London underground station, and although the authorities try to explain it away as an unexploded German weapon from WWII, the heroes (Professors Quatermass & Rowney) discover it is far more ancient and threatening.
A horror/sf film which will appeal to thoughtful viewers. The plot is intelligent and the film is quite different to the modern style of blitzkrieg-action style thrillers. The acting and direction are faultless. Highly recommended.
"So, as far as anybody is, we're the Martians now".
classicsoncall7 May 2016
Warning: Spoilers
I never knew Hammer Studios did this type of science fiction until running across this picture as "Five Million Years to Earth". The title was changed for American audiences since "Quatermass and the Pit", didn't seem to have commercial appeal on this side of the pond. Besides the sci-fi quotient, there's a bit of a horror element in the story as well, with intimations of a devil at work in the Hob's End section of London where an underground tunnel has revealed an object of perhaps other worldly origins.
Surprisingly, the story has a rather ambitious concept even if the execution seems rather hokey by today's standards. While the British government and military decide that the 'space ship' discovered during an underground dig is a holdover from the Nazi war machine, physics professor Bernard Quatermass (Andrew Keir) forms a theory that a centuries old, dormant faculty resides in the vehicle, and when awakened it displays eerie properties of telekinesis, second sight and poltergeist type movements. British scientist Barbara Judd (Barbara Shelley) experiences a 'stored memory' of the deceased creatures on board the ship, which are captured on film as depicting a Martian hive cleansing. It's the professor's considered opinion that centuries ago, Martians kidnapped ape-like creature from Earth to experiment on, in order to survive their own planet when it became inhospitable.
Given all the tampering around and within the space vehicle, the Martian energy within it eventually comes alive to protect itself while destroying parts of London in the process. However in a "War of the Worlds" style resolution, it becomes a relatively easy matter to stop the rampage when Dr. Matthew Roney (James Donald) theorizes that he might ground the force's destructive power by maneuvering a metal crane into it's energy field. For the dormant Martians, that's all she wrote.
When I got a look at that so called Martian energy field with it's horned apparition look, I was reminded of a Star Trek episode that had an intergalactic villain with a similar appearance. Thinking that maybe one work influenced the other I looked it up, and the episode I'm referring to was called "The Corbomite Maneuver", the tenth episode of Star Trek's first season in 1966. It's probably a stretch to suggest that one of Gene Roddenberry's creations had an influence on this Hammer flick, but the energy devil looked a whole lot like Balok without the horns.
Surprisingly, the story has a rather ambitious concept even if the execution seems rather hokey by today's standards. While the British government and military decide that the 'space ship' discovered during an underground dig is a holdover from the Nazi war machine, physics professor Bernard Quatermass (Andrew Keir) forms a theory that a centuries old, dormant faculty resides in the vehicle, and when awakened it displays eerie properties of telekinesis, second sight and poltergeist type movements. British scientist Barbara Judd (Barbara Shelley) experiences a 'stored memory' of the deceased creatures on board the ship, which are captured on film as depicting a Martian hive cleansing. It's the professor's considered opinion that centuries ago, Martians kidnapped ape-like creature from Earth to experiment on, in order to survive their own planet when it became inhospitable.
Given all the tampering around and within the space vehicle, the Martian energy within it eventually comes alive to protect itself while destroying parts of London in the process. However in a "War of the Worlds" style resolution, it becomes a relatively easy matter to stop the rampage when Dr. Matthew Roney (James Donald) theorizes that he might ground the force's destructive power by maneuvering a metal crane into it's energy field. For the dormant Martians, that's all she wrote.
When I got a look at that so called Martian energy field with it's horned apparition look, I was reminded of a Star Trek episode that had an intergalactic villain with a similar appearance. Thinking that maybe one work influenced the other I looked it up, and the episode I'm referring to was called "The Corbomite Maneuver", the tenth episode of Star Trek's first season in 1966. It's probably a stretch to suggest that one of Gene Roddenberry's creations had an influence on this Hammer flick, but the energy devil looked a whole lot like Balok without the horns.
A great Hammer film
henry-girling15 June 2004
A lot of nonsense is written about the significance and meaning and quality of Hammer Films, whereas mostly they were pedestrian and derivative. There were some gems in their output and this film is one of them. The science may be wayward but it unfolds plausibly from the initial discovery of the thing in the pit to mayhem and madness in the streets of London. The opening credits are sparse and it goes straight into the story and never lets up.
It has a clear narrative and each new discovery pushes the envelope of fear and amazement further out. There is no romantic interest (though I must declare the Miss Judd character is pretty darn attractive) to hold up the driving plot. If there is a fault it is that the story can scarcely contain the wealth of material that Nigel Kneale puts in the script. Presumably there isn't a longer director's cut in some film archive!
With limited resources at hand the director, Roy Ward Baker, directs some great scenes, weird and strange and scary. He is served well by the acting of James Donald, Andrew Keir and Barbara Shelley, which is perfect for their roles. As the alien presence become stronger you believe it when it affects the characters. The scene at the pit where Miss Judd has her visions recorded is excellent. The special effects are varied but the green arthropods and the space ship look quite malevolent. The ending is great and somehow disquieting as the closing credits slowly roll.
This is a good example of an interesting intelligent film, costing less than the catering budget of the elephantine mega-budget film we have these days, but much more effective and memorable.
It has a clear narrative and each new discovery pushes the envelope of fear and amazement further out. There is no romantic interest (though I must declare the Miss Judd character is pretty darn attractive) to hold up the driving plot. If there is a fault it is that the story can scarcely contain the wealth of material that Nigel Kneale puts in the script. Presumably there isn't a longer director's cut in some film archive!
With limited resources at hand the director, Roy Ward Baker, directs some great scenes, weird and strange and scary. He is served well by the acting of James Donald, Andrew Keir and Barbara Shelley, which is perfect for their roles. As the alien presence become stronger you believe it when it affects the characters. The scene at the pit where Miss Judd has her visions recorded is excellent. The special effects are varied but the green arthropods and the space ship look quite malevolent. The ending is great and somehow disquieting as the closing credits slowly roll.
This is a good example of an interesting intelligent film, costing less than the catering budget of the elephantine mega-budget film we have these days, but much more effective and memorable.
Good, cerebral Brit Sci-fi film
jamesrupert201430 July 2017
Warning: Spoilers
A 5-million year old Martian colony ship containing the remains of the original insectoidal crew is found buried beneath London. Disturbing the ship causes a release some kind of paranormal energy that causes visions of the horned Martians, violent compulsions, and psychokinetic disturbances, so the area (Hob's Lane, 'hob' as in 'hob'globin for example) is reputed to be cursed. Despite hero Quatermass' warnings, the army dismisses the ship as an unexploded experimental weapon from WW2 and allows the press to bring in generators. The ship, which was programmed to compel the original Martian crew to preserve the colony at all costs and to destroy any different life forms (apparently a continuation of the eugenic genocide that destroyed their home world), fully awakens and drives the local humans to embark on an orgy of destruction and murder. Earth is saved by an astute guess as to the nature of the Martian technology and a convenient crane. Overall an imaginative and intriguing set-up let down by a weak ending - the astute guess was not based on much data, so comes across as a bit of a Deus Ex Machina, and the crane was just tooooo convenient (and the heroic martyrdom of James Donald's character is a bit silly – what did he think he was going to do, perched on the edge of the massive construction crane – shift it with his weight?). Despite the limitations of the climax and some dodgy special effects, "Five Million Years to Earth" (aka "Quatermass and the Pit") is a great example of the cerebral (relative to most concurrent American releases) science fiction movies to come out of Britain in the 50s and 60s. Overall, a clever spin on the classic premise of aliens being the inspiration of our racial memories of devils and demons (for other examples, see A. C. Clarke's "Childhood's End" or the third doctor serial "The Dæmons" (1971)) and well worth watching for both the story and Andrew Keir's excellent portrayal of the iconic (in some circles) 'Bernard Quatermass' character
1967 film remake isn't as good as original late 50s BBC TV series
Turfseer8 November 2011
Warning: Spoilers
'Five Million Years to Earth' is the US title for the British film, 'Quartermass and the Pit'. It's based on a BBC six-part TV serial, broadcast in December 1958 and January 1959. There were two prior TV series, The Quartermass Experiment (1953) and Quartermass II (1955), followed by two films of the same name released in 1955 and 1957 respectively. The original BBC TV Series can be seen on Youtube in 21 separate segments (however, the year of release, 1955, is confused with the year Quartermass II, the TV series, and The Quartermass Experiment, the film, were released).
The advantage of the 1967 film over the 1958-59 TV serial, is that it's condensed, and the story moves along at a better, somewhat brisk pace. The main disadvantage of the 1967 film is that Quartermass is woodenly played by Andrew Keir, who hated acting in the film because he believed the director really wanted another actor (Kenneth More) to play the role. Keir plays Quartermass deadpan and bores us to tears. Contrast Keir's acting with Andre Morell in the original TV series. Morell reminds one of the wry Leo G. Carroll and one of the reasons why the TV series was so successful, was precisely due to Morrell's air of sophistication and dry wit.
Despite moving at a faster pace in the film version, 'Five Million Years to Earth' is still nothing more than what one critic at the time called a "wordy, blob of hokum". It takes an inordinate amount of time before the big reveal, which is when the creatures are discovered. In the TV series, the insect-like creatures actually look pretty realistic—this is probably due to the fact that the TV series was filmed in black and white. Now in crisp, 60s color, these so-called 'arthopods', which resemble really big grasshoppers, appear as too obvious, papier-maché models. There's all quite a bit of overacting here: probably the most guilty is Duncan Lamont who plays Sladden, the drill operator. Once the repressed memories from the aliens are unleashed, Sladden makes his way to a cemetery, looking more like a goofy, drunken reveler at a party, than someone with severe psychiatric problems. When the masses are possessed at film's end, none of it feels realistic or scary. Contrast that again with the TV series, which manages to convey a heady verisimilitude. I should also mention that the music is vastly superior in the original series than the paltry, clichéd, 60s score, written for the film.
The characterizations of the principals also fail to draw one in. Colonel Breen is your basic military martinet, opposed by Quartermass, who represents the triumphant voice of pacifism. Breen is the one who comes up with the idiotic idea that the alien ship is basically a Nazi missile dressed up as a propaganda tool and the defense minister immediately announces that it's safe for the press to examine the spaceship inside the subway station. As it turns out, no one heeds the 'brilliant' Quartermass, who has warned everyone of the alien danger; it's only when Dr. Roney, Quartermass' paleontologist colleague/comrade at the site, crashes a crane into the alien spectral image, that the repressed memories of the crazed mob are 'shut off' at the scene, thus preventing mass havoc from becoming a garish reality, all over Britain.
Julian Glover matches Anthony Bushell, who plays Breen in the TV series; both manage to convey the character's lack of flexibility and unbending attitude as an authority figure. It should be noted that the scenarist, Nigel Kneale, who wrote the original script, has Breen basically hypnotized by the aliens before being done in by them. Kneale is suggesting here that authoritarian types are inherently passive and paints Breen as one who too easily acquiesces to voices in authority during a time of crisis.
In the BBC series, Dr. Roney is played by a rather blasé, Cec Linder, a Canadian actor; James Donald, who reminds me of a little like Michael York, seems more right for the part in the film, as he has more of an aura of sophistication than Linder. The more plain-looking Christine Finn as Barbara Judd in the original TV series, seems to work better than Barbara Shelley in the film, as there's more of a contrast when the Judd character suddenly becomes possessed.
For all those film goers who view 'Five Million Years to Earth', as a cult classic, I can only once again recommend that you watch some of the original BBC TV series on Youtube. It's a shame that the 1967 film wasn't shot in black and white, as the film needed much more of a documentary feel to it (which was accomplished in the TV series). It's surprising that Roy Ward Baker, the director of the most excellent, 'A Night to Remember', the 1958 film about the Titanic, was unable to successfully handle the special effects here in 'Five Million Years to Earth'. Had he been successful, it still wouldn't have mattered that much—'Five Million Years to Earth', is still a film that surprisingly lacks (in the words of a film critic writing at the time the film was released), "imagination".
The advantage of the 1967 film over the 1958-59 TV serial, is that it's condensed, and the story moves along at a better, somewhat brisk pace. The main disadvantage of the 1967 film is that Quartermass is woodenly played by Andrew Keir, who hated acting in the film because he believed the director really wanted another actor (Kenneth More) to play the role. Keir plays Quartermass deadpan and bores us to tears. Contrast Keir's acting with Andre Morell in the original TV series. Morell reminds one of the wry Leo G. Carroll and one of the reasons why the TV series was so successful, was precisely due to Morrell's air of sophistication and dry wit.
Despite moving at a faster pace in the film version, 'Five Million Years to Earth' is still nothing more than what one critic at the time called a "wordy, blob of hokum". It takes an inordinate amount of time before the big reveal, which is when the creatures are discovered. In the TV series, the insect-like creatures actually look pretty realistic—this is probably due to the fact that the TV series was filmed in black and white. Now in crisp, 60s color, these so-called 'arthopods', which resemble really big grasshoppers, appear as too obvious, papier-maché models. There's all quite a bit of overacting here: probably the most guilty is Duncan Lamont who plays Sladden, the drill operator. Once the repressed memories from the aliens are unleashed, Sladden makes his way to a cemetery, looking more like a goofy, drunken reveler at a party, than someone with severe psychiatric problems. When the masses are possessed at film's end, none of it feels realistic or scary. Contrast that again with the TV series, which manages to convey a heady verisimilitude. I should also mention that the music is vastly superior in the original series than the paltry, clichéd, 60s score, written for the film.
The characterizations of the principals also fail to draw one in. Colonel Breen is your basic military martinet, opposed by Quartermass, who represents the triumphant voice of pacifism. Breen is the one who comes up with the idiotic idea that the alien ship is basically a Nazi missile dressed up as a propaganda tool and the defense minister immediately announces that it's safe for the press to examine the spaceship inside the subway station. As it turns out, no one heeds the 'brilliant' Quartermass, who has warned everyone of the alien danger; it's only when Dr. Roney, Quartermass' paleontologist colleague/comrade at the site, crashes a crane into the alien spectral image, that the repressed memories of the crazed mob are 'shut off' at the scene, thus preventing mass havoc from becoming a garish reality, all over Britain.
Julian Glover matches Anthony Bushell, who plays Breen in the TV series; both manage to convey the character's lack of flexibility and unbending attitude as an authority figure. It should be noted that the scenarist, Nigel Kneale, who wrote the original script, has Breen basically hypnotized by the aliens before being done in by them. Kneale is suggesting here that authoritarian types are inherently passive and paints Breen as one who too easily acquiesces to voices in authority during a time of crisis.
In the BBC series, Dr. Roney is played by a rather blasé, Cec Linder, a Canadian actor; James Donald, who reminds me of a little like Michael York, seems more right for the part in the film, as he has more of an aura of sophistication than Linder. The more plain-looking Christine Finn as Barbara Judd in the original TV series, seems to work better than Barbara Shelley in the film, as there's more of a contrast when the Judd character suddenly becomes possessed.
For all those film goers who view 'Five Million Years to Earth', as a cult classic, I can only once again recommend that you watch some of the original BBC TV series on Youtube. It's a shame that the 1967 film wasn't shot in black and white, as the film needed much more of a documentary feel to it (which was accomplished in the TV series). It's surprising that Roy Ward Baker, the director of the most excellent, 'A Night to Remember', the 1958 film about the Titanic, was unable to successfully handle the special effects here in 'Five Million Years to Earth'. Had he been successful, it still wouldn't have mattered that much—'Five Million Years to Earth', is still a film that surprisingly lacks (in the words of a film critic writing at the time the film was released), "imagination".
Creepy, interesting, above all else.....intelligent.
hitchcockthelegend9 November 2008
Whilst excavating at the site of a new underground tube station, workers unearth a mysterious object. On to the case comes Professor Quatermass who deduces that the object is Martian in origin. Initially viewed with scorn and disbelief, it becomes apparent that the Martian race have been involved in the human race before, and now they have been awoken again.
This was the third Hammer film adaptation of Nigel Kneale's BBC-TV Quatermass serial, with previous entries being The Quatermass Experiment & Quatermass 2. This to me, tho, is undoubtedly the shining light of the bunch. Chiefly what works the best in this one is the wonderful fusion of mystery and intelligence, the eerie sense of dread only off set by a yearning to find out just what has happened? And more crucially, what will happen? Building up perfectly, courtesy of Roy Ward Baker's astutely paced direction, Quatermass And The Pit is a film that just begs you to pay attention to every little detail, each conversation is fully fleshing out this most intriguing story. Then there is the finale that pays off handsomely, to hint at what is involved would result in a spoiler of sorts, and really it would be stupid of me to prepare you for the film's closure.
See it because it's one of the best genre entries of the 60s, a must for sci-fi enthusiasts that like a bit of brains to go with their genre persuasion. 8.5/10
This was the third Hammer film adaptation of Nigel Kneale's BBC-TV Quatermass serial, with previous entries being The Quatermass Experiment & Quatermass 2. This to me, tho, is undoubtedly the shining light of the bunch. Chiefly what works the best in this one is the wonderful fusion of mystery and intelligence, the eerie sense of dread only off set by a yearning to find out just what has happened? And more crucially, what will happen? Building up perfectly, courtesy of Roy Ward Baker's astutely paced direction, Quatermass And The Pit is a film that just begs you to pay attention to every little detail, each conversation is fully fleshing out this most intriguing story. Then there is the finale that pays off handsomely, to hint at what is involved would result in a spoiler of sorts, and really it would be stupid of me to prepare you for the film's closure.
See it because it's one of the best genre entries of the 60s, a must for sci-fi enthusiasts that like a bit of brains to go with their genre persuasion. 8.5/10
Underground London provides a mind bending mystery.
michaelRokeefe21 June 2002
Workers unearth a mysterious object while digging in a London underground station. At first the object is believed to be an unexploded bomb dropped on the city by the Germans during WWII. Upon further examination what has been discovered is an alien spacecraft and the remains of its occupants. More Sci-Fi than horror, Hammer studios comes through with one of its best directed and acted films. Also known as FIVE MILLION YEARS to EARTH, this movie is based on a TV mini-series than ran in the 1950s. Cast members of note: Andrew Keir, James Donald, Julian Glover and Barbara Shelley.
Thousands of tiny puppet alien insects used to inhabit Mars.
BA_Harrison21 April 2008
Professor Quatermass is convinced that a strange indestructible object, discovered buried beneath a London tube station, is a spacecraft, and that the dead arthropods found within are the remains of an ancient Martian civilisation that intended to colonise Earth. His theories are scoffed at by the military (when will they ever learn?), who claim that the whole thing is a wartime hoax perpetrated by the Nazis. But when the object begins to have strange psychic effects on the people in its vicinity, it becomes apparent that the Professor was right all alongand the Martian colonisation of Earth is finally about to begin.
A slight departure for Hammer studios, who are better known for their Gothic horror films, Quatermass and the Pit is an 'intelligent' piece of sci-fi (no laser guns or droids in this one, folks) that raises several interesting questions about the origins of mankind and religion.
Unfortunately, it is also a rather flawed effort which suffers from a dreadfully slow pace, a couple of very chuckle-some moments (including one memorably silly scene in which scientists use a daft piece of hardware to record a person's thoughtswith hilarious results), and a protagonist who is able to make some amazingly astute deductions based on the flimsiest of evidence.
Director Roy Ward Baker admittedly manages to create quite a bit of atmosphere at times, his sets are fairly impressive, and the cast does a fine job keeping a straight face during some of the more ridiculous moments, but Quatermass and the Pit is a long way from being the unmissable classic that many claim it to be.
A slight departure for Hammer studios, who are better known for their Gothic horror films, Quatermass and the Pit is an 'intelligent' piece of sci-fi (no laser guns or droids in this one, folks) that raises several interesting questions about the origins of mankind and religion.
Unfortunately, it is also a rather flawed effort which suffers from a dreadfully slow pace, a couple of very chuckle-some moments (including one memorably silly scene in which scientists use a daft piece of hardware to record a person's thoughtswith hilarious results), and a protagonist who is able to make some amazingly astute deductions based on the flimsiest of evidence.
Director Roy Ward Baker admittedly manages to create quite a bit of atmosphere at times, his sets are fairly impressive, and the cast does a fine job keeping a straight face during some of the more ridiculous moments, but Quatermass and the Pit is a long way from being the unmissable classic that many claim it to be.
Truly Thought-Provoking, Frightening Stuff...
herzogv31 March 2007
I remember seeing this movie as a kid in Compton on my small black and white TV. The eerie holographic image of the Martian Devil's Head floating over the wreckage of London stayed in my mind, and led to more than a few nightmares. Still, I can't deny this film's pull after the decades, and it is a Guilty Pleasure that I often pull from the DVD cabinet. And no, I'm not a Quatermass Fan.
Even today, despite the film's fair degree of dating, I am impressed and staggered by the conceptual genius of Nigel Kneale's script, and Roy Ward Baker's ability to mesh sci-fi and "Spiritual Evil" (as a disturbed Parson notes) in a product that is well removed from the standard Hammer fare. There is a real subversive pull to this little film, which piles on concepts such as Race Memory, Evolution, Conformity, Alien Colonization, Belief in "The Devil" and the occult, Ethnic Cleansing, Human Supremacy, and the arrogance, stupidity and mendacity of politicians and the military. On some level, it's hard not to be awed by the film's ambitions..
(****SOME PLOT SPOILERS BELOW****)
The plot: progress on The Hobb's End Underground Transport comes to a halt when the subway workers unearth what appear to be primitive apelike skeletons and a mysterious "craft" which is initially believed to be an unexploded bomb left over from The War. Professor Bernard Quatermass (Andrew Keir), at odds with the government over the planned military use of his "rocket group" investigates, with the assistance of two paleontologists, Dr. Mathew Roney (James Donald), and Dr. Barbara Judd (Barbara Shelley). Disturbed and intrigued that the skeletons were found IN the ship and appear to date nearly 5 millions years, and that the largely vacated Hobb's End Lane area has been a site for of "demoniac activity," for centuries.
Given the film's rather meager resources, it is hard not be impressed by the story, acting, and general mood of growing apocalyptic. In the usual Hammer film, the nemesis is clearly the supernatural: in these movies, we fear violent death at the hands of vampires, werewolves, ghouls, etc. The horror on hand in this movie, which doesn't show itself in all its preening glory until the end, is far more insidious and devastating. The Evil that threatens human civilization itself, questions our Evolution, Intellect, and Spiritual Beliefs. Because The Evil in Quatermass is, in essence, Dead from the get-go, it can't be easily faced, conquered, disputed with and laid to rest. The evil is, in fact, rooted firmly in the collective Mind of Man, and given the right "trigger", is able to manifest itself on a staggering, all-encompassing level. It shows itself in small clues: the scratches on the walls in the houses on Hobb's Lane, old local newspaper pieces and local history tomes, skulls, pentagrams on spaceship hulls, etc.: but when it finally does arrive, it upends Mankind's very identity, and the damage that is done, doesn't look like it can be repaired or explained away. Even when the "Pit's" alien ghosts are defeated, the victory seems pretty hollow.
Keir, whom I remember from such films as "Fall of The Roman Empire," and "Dracula Has Risen From The Grave", plays his role with gruff conviction ("I never had a career, I just had work!" He grouses to his unwanted colleague Colonel Breen), and I have always liked the amiable Donald, who was terrific as the most sane character in one of my favorite movies, "Bridge on The River Kwai.". The two are well-matched by the excellent Barbara Shelley, who brings a fair degree of wild sensuality to her role when she's possessed by an alien race memory. Still, I have to give some major plaudits to Glover, whose character is such a smug and supercilious ass, that it's fitting when you do see him kneel in lethal supplication to The Truth he has been dismissing throughout the movie. The occasional moments of dry as well as bumptious British humor are truly appreciated, offering occasional respite from the overall sense of rising darkness.
Many have pointed out that "Quatermass and The Pit", in its theme of alien intervention in human evolution is the dark flip-side to "2001," and that is certainly true. I also saw echoes of this film in Tobe Hooper's Lifeforce (1985), especially in the climactic scenes of London's devastation at the hands of its "space vampires.". You could also throw in Stephen King's novel, "The Tommyknockers". Even so, I was and still am, spellbound by the movie's novelty, its thought-intriguing meld of science-fiction and horror, the juxtaposition of skulls and sleek extraterrestrial metal, the Martian spaceship standing in quite nicely for the proverbial Haunted House. The movie does have its share of gaffes: the "alien locust" carcasses should have been seen as little as possible, and a scene where a soldier goes bonkers after seeing an "apparition of a small, hideous dwarf" inside the ship, lacks the timing to pull it off.
Still, given its execution and drive, the movie's coda of Keir and Shelley leaning wearily against the rubble of London as the city burns in the background, nicely sums up what horror films should be about: Things Are Not Okay, and may never be Okay anytime in the near future.
Even today, despite the film's fair degree of dating, I am impressed and staggered by the conceptual genius of Nigel Kneale's script, and Roy Ward Baker's ability to mesh sci-fi and "Spiritual Evil" (as a disturbed Parson notes) in a product that is well removed from the standard Hammer fare. There is a real subversive pull to this little film, which piles on concepts such as Race Memory, Evolution, Conformity, Alien Colonization, Belief in "The Devil" and the occult, Ethnic Cleansing, Human Supremacy, and the arrogance, stupidity and mendacity of politicians and the military. On some level, it's hard not to be awed by the film's ambitions..
(****SOME PLOT SPOILERS BELOW****)
The plot: progress on The Hobb's End Underground Transport comes to a halt when the subway workers unearth what appear to be primitive apelike skeletons and a mysterious "craft" which is initially believed to be an unexploded bomb left over from The War. Professor Bernard Quatermass (Andrew Keir), at odds with the government over the planned military use of his "rocket group" investigates, with the assistance of two paleontologists, Dr. Mathew Roney (James Donald), and Dr. Barbara Judd (Barbara Shelley). Disturbed and intrigued that the skeletons were found IN the ship and appear to date nearly 5 millions years, and that the largely vacated Hobb's End Lane area has been a site for of "demoniac activity," for centuries.
Given the film's rather meager resources, it is hard not be impressed by the story, acting, and general mood of growing apocalyptic. In the usual Hammer film, the nemesis is clearly the supernatural: in these movies, we fear violent death at the hands of vampires, werewolves, ghouls, etc. The horror on hand in this movie, which doesn't show itself in all its preening glory until the end, is far more insidious and devastating. The Evil that threatens human civilization itself, questions our Evolution, Intellect, and Spiritual Beliefs. Because The Evil in Quatermass is, in essence, Dead from the get-go, it can't be easily faced, conquered, disputed with and laid to rest. The evil is, in fact, rooted firmly in the collective Mind of Man, and given the right "trigger", is able to manifest itself on a staggering, all-encompassing level. It shows itself in small clues: the scratches on the walls in the houses on Hobb's Lane, old local newspaper pieces and local history tomes, skulls, pentagrams on spaceship hulls, etc.: but when it finally does arrive, it upends Mankind's very identity, and the damage that is done, doesn't look like it can be repaired or explained away. Even when the "Pit's" alien ghosts are defeated, the victory seems pretty hollow.
Keir, whom I remember from such films as "Fall of The Roman Empire," and "Dracula Has Risen From The Grave", plays his role with gruff conviction ("I never had a career, I just had work!" He grouses to his unwanted colleague Colonel Breen), and I have always liked the amiable Donald, who was terrific as the most sane character in one of my favorite movies, "Bridge on The River Kwai.". The two are well-matched by the excellent Barbara Shelley, who brings a fair degree of wild sensuality to her role when she's possessed by an alien race memory. Still, I have to give some major plaudits to Glover, whose character is such a smug and supercilious ass, that it's fitting when you do see him kneel in lethal supplication to The Truth he has been dismissing throughout the movie. The occasional moments of dry as well as bumptious British humor are truly appreciated, offering occasional respite from the overall sense of rising darkness.
Many have pointed out that "Quatermass and The Pit", in its theme of alien intervention in human evolution is the dark flip-side to "2001," and that is certainly true. I also saw echoes of this film in Tobe Hooper's Lifeforce (1985), especially in the climactic scenes of London's devastation at the hands of its "space vampires.". You could also throw in Stephen King's novel, "The Tommyknockers". Even so, I was and still am, spellbound by the movie's novelty, its thought-intriguing meld of science-fiction and horror, the juxtaposition of skulls and sleek extraterrestrial metal, the Martian spaceship standing in quite nicely for the proverbial Haunted House. The movie does have its share of gaffes: the "alien locust" carcasses should have been seen as little as possible, and a scene where a soldier goes bonkers after seeing an "apparition of a small, hideous dwarf" inside the ship, lacks the timing to pull it off.
Still, given its execution and drive, the movie's coda of Keir and Shelley leaning wearily against the rubble of London as the city burns in the background, nicely sums up what horror films should be about: Things Are Not Okay, and may never be Okay anytime in the near future.
I'm strangely driven to watch repeatedly
jaketest7 December 2012
Warning: Spoilers
I should give it a higher rating, simply because I've gotten so much pleasure out of it. It's just that I can't put my finger on why I enjoy it. I believe that most people might not like it, so I don't give it an 8, since it is a personal avarice.
The set coloring is one of my favorite styles, similar to that of the Star Trek series, but darker and grittier. The sound of the mental telekinesis effect is spine-tingling for me, in a childish horror way. The shape of the alien vessel is strange and intriguing. I like 60's spaceship design.
The dialogue is realistic and simple. The tracing of Hobb's Corner back to Roman times is quickly and tastefully done, and there's no annoying background music to try and force an ominous attitude. I get more spooked when there's not a soundtrack telegraphing what I'm supposed to feel. It allows you the viewer to feel as if you uniquely detected an issue. It's purely a subconscious response. I mean, who would watch a detective story if at every clue there was a "Dun-dun- dun!"
The set coloring is one of my favorite styles, similar to that of the Star Trek series, but darker and grittier. The sound of the mental telekinesis effect is spine-tingling for me, in a childish horror way. The shape of the alien vessel is strange and intriguing. I like 60's spaceship design.
The dialogue is realistic and simple. The tracing of Hobb's Corner back to Roman times is quickly and tastefully done, and there's no annoying background music to try and force an ominous attitude. I get more spooked when there's not a soundtrack telegraphing what I'm supposed to feel. It allows you the viewer to feel as if you uniquely detected an issue. It's purely a subconscious response. I mean, who would watch a detective story if at every clue there was a "Dun-dun- dun!"
Vintage sci-fi, matures rather than ages.
hgallon17 December 1999
This is a science fiction film which should be watched by those grown weary of watching the world destroyed by asteroids. For a film thirty-two years old, very little about it can be said to be dated or anachronistic.
The plot holds together very well. An earlier (black and white) version of this film had some post-disaster moralising by Quatermass, which is omitted in this one. The viewer is left to recover and reflect.
The acting by the main characters is superb. Andrew Keir and James Donald, as the physicist and zoologist thrown together by a crisis, make an excellent double act. The authoritarian figures (such as Julian Glover's army officer and Peter Copley's civil servant) manage to be the bad guys without being one-dimensional. Thanks to some very good and natural dialogue, there is good acting lower down the credit list.
Best feature is the special effects. These were good for their day, and appear far more realistic now than the thermonuclear pyrotechnics indulged in at the least excuse by too many modern film makers.
The bad points ? Well, the music grates a little and tries too hard to emphasise the menace of the situation. Some of the costumes, such as Quatermass's tweeds, are starting to look a trifle "conservative".
This is a reflective film, although there is plenty of action. Any fan of Doctor Who will identify instantly with it.
The plot holds together very well. An earlier (black and white) version of this film had some post-disaster moralising by Quatermass, which is omitted in this one. The viewer is left to recover and reflect.
The acting by the main characters is superb. Andrew Keir and James Donald, as the physicist and zoologist thrown together by a crisis, make an excellent double act. The authoritarian figures (such as Julian Glover's army officer and Peter Copley's civil servant) manage to be the bad guys without being one-dimensional. Thanks to some very good and natural dialogue, there is good acting lower down the credit list.
Best feature is the special effects. These were good for their day, and appear far more realistic now than the thermonuclear pyrotechnics indulged in at the least excuse by too many modern film makers.
The bad points ? Well, the music grates a little and tries too hard to emphasise the menace of the situation. Some of the costumes, such as Quatermass's tweeds, are starting to look a trifle "conservative".
This is a reflective film, although there is plenty of action. Any fan of Doctor Who will identify instantly with it.
More Monsters From The Id
bkoganbing20 December 2008
I remember reading at one time that the BBC ever so briefly contemplated making a new Doctor Who an American. As much as I would have liked it, that idea never flew thank the Deity. Doctor Who is so British, the character never would have worked with another nationality. The same is true with Dr. Bernard Quatermass.
Although Brian Donlevy did two Quatermass films, for me the essential Quatermass has to be Scottish actor Andrew Keir. He stars in this film, one of the best of the Quatermass series, in fact one of my favorite science fiction films. If it were done today with computer graphics, it would really be something.
While digging for a new extension of the London Underground, workmen find some unusual skulls and then a most unusual metallic object that is originally thought to be a calling card from Mr. Hitler during the last war. Even today those things are still found in real life.
The skulls bring archaeologist James Donald and the calling card brings Andrew Keir. It's a calling card all right, but from some folks a good deal further away than Germany.
The place where these things are found is named Hob's Lane and it has a history of strange and evil happenings over history. That object wreaks havoc with the mind and it brings about an unforgettable climax where Donald and Keir have to save nothing less than the human race.
What are the two saving Earth from? The best answer I can give is that the theme of Quatermass And The Pit is an expansion of Forbidden Planet's monsters from the Id.
Quatermass And The Pit is one of the best films that Hammer Films in its history ever put out. It's imaginative and intellectual at the same time and makes you ask some disturbing questions about the very origin of man. Don't miss it ever broadcast.
Although Brian Donlevy did two Quatermass films, for me the essential Quatermass has to be Scottish actor Andrew Keir. He stars in this film, one of the best of the Quatermass series, in fact one of my favorite science fiction films. If it were done today with computer graphics, it would really be something.
While digging for a new extension of the London Underground, workmen find some unusual skulls and then a most unusual metallic object that is originally thought to be a calling card from Mr. Hitler during the last war. Even today those things are still found in real life.
The skulls bring archaeologist James Donald and the calling card brings Andrew Keir. It's a calling card all right, but from some folks a good deal further away than Germany.
The place where these things are found is named Hob's Lane and it has a history of strange and evil happenings over history. That object wreaks havoc with the mind and it brings about an unforgettable climax where Donald and Keir have to save nothing less than the human race.
What are the two saving Earth from? The best answer I can give is that the theme of Quatermass And The Pit is an expansion of Forbidden Planet's monsters from the Id.
Quatermass And The Pit is one of the best films that Hammer Films in its history ever put out. It's imaginative and intellectual at the same time and makes you ask some disturbing questions about the very origin of man. Don't miss it ever broadcast.
Just as good as the earlier movies.
Boba_Fett113820 March 2010
The Quatermass movies from the Hammer studio's are quite special ones. They are unlike what Hammer used to produce normally and they are unlike any other science-fiction and horror productions from that period in general as well.
The movies always had a more realistic approach to them, in which everything tends to get scientifically explained till an extend that it gets somewhat plausible as well in terms of something that could really happen one day. The movies because of this are also somewhat lack-lusters because they don't feature any destructive aliens or monsters that need to be fought by force and stopped before they destroy the Earth.
This is the third movie about the Quatermass character from the Hammer studio's. It's not like the movies are being very consistent with each other and often feature a different cast and a different director at the helm. All of the stories are also independent from each other, so all of the movies can be watched as separate individual ones.
I really like this movie for being different and taking the more realistic approach of things. It keeps the movie interesting at all times and also gives it a special sort of mysterious tension. It even doesn't matter much that the movie its effects are really dodgy and cheap looking, like you would expect from an Hammer production.
A real good and unexpected original watch, just like the earlier Quatermass movies from the Hammer studio's series.
7/10
http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/
The movies always had a more realistic approach to them, in which everything tends to get scientifically explained till an extend that it gets somewhat plausible as well in terms of something that could really happen one day. The movies because of this are also somewhat lack-lusters because they don't feature any destructive aliens or monsters that need to be fought by force and stopped before they destroy the Earth.
This is the third movie about the Quatermass character from the Hammer studio's. It's not like the movies are being very consistent with each other and often feature a different cast and a different director at the helm. All of the stories are also independent from each other, so all of the movies can be watched as separate individual ones.
I really like this movie for being different and taking the more realistic approach of things. It keeps the movie interesting at all times and also gives it a special sort of mysterious tension. It even doesn't matter much that the movie its effects are really dodgy and cheap looking, like you would expect from an Hammer production.
A real good and unexpected original watch, just like the earlier Quatermass movies from the Hammer studio's series.
7/10
http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/
One of Hammer's most creative films
Leofwine_draca21 October 2016
Warning: Spoilers
Hammer's decision to return to the formula of their Quatermass films of the 1950s was a good one, resulting in this exciting, intriguing and intellectually stimulating film, which is a classic example of the science fiction and horror genres intertwining wonderfully. The story of aliens being discovered in a pit and opening up latent psychic energies within their ancestors (i.e. us) is an excellent one, much more thought out and far-reaching than other typical sci-fi fodder. No doubt this is due to Nigel Kneale's involvement in the film. While I thoroughly enjoyed the Blob-style aliens of the 1950s films in the series, this one tries something new and original and it really works.
Andrew Keir takes over the role of Professor Quatermass from Brian Donlevy here, and does a good impression of a kindly, middle aged scientist. I admit I wasn't taken with him at first but his bluff character quickly grows on you. Barbara Shelley is once again impressive in her role as the screaming heroine, and at least she isn't as drippy as some of her counterparts in other Hammer films. She's as attractive as ever and has an intriguing role. James Donald is on hand as a dedicated scientist and is a very likable actor, while Julian Glover perhaps deserves the greatest award for being one of the most slimy and plain stupid army officers that I've ever seen.
QUATERMASS AND THE PIT is an example of Hammer at its finest. The early scenes with the alien aircraft in the pit are very good and the film holds the attention throughout. The scientific jargon used is realistic and considerably adds to the film. I would say that the beginning and ending of the film are brilliant but that halfway through the film does become very leisurely paced, only a minor niggle though. There's a level of suspense and eerie atmosphere that is sustained up until the devastating climax.
My one criticism would be the special effects, which are not up to Hammer's usual calibre, due no doubt to the low budget. While adequate, they could have been so much more. The decaying insects are good but I hated the glowing space ship, the effects were really sub par here. As for the 'flashback' of the alien wars...well, it's basically a bunch of miniature creatures on a stick being waved up and down... you'd see better on Blue Peter. As for the giant devil in the sky at the end, it was pretty mediocre. Good enough to make you think "that looks cool" but bad enough to make you think "that could have been a lot better". However, lots of action, suspense, and typical science fiction elements help to make this cross-genre film a lot better than it might have been. Once again, Hammer deliver the goods!
Andrew Keir takes over the role of Professor Quatermass from Brian Donlevy here, and does a good impression of a kindly, middle aged scientist. I admit I wasn't taken with him at first but his bluff character quickly grows on you. Barbara Shelley is once again impressive in her role as the screaming heroine, and at least she isn't as drippy as some of her counterparts in other Hammer films. She's as attractive as ever and has an intriguing role. James Donald is on hand as a dedicated scientist and is a very likable actor, while Julian Glover perhaps deserves the greatest award for being one of the most slimy and plain stupid army officers that I've ever seen.
QUATERMASS AND THE PIT is an example of Hammer at its finest. The early scenes with the alien aircraft in the pit are very good and the film holds the attention throughout. The scientific jargon used is realistic and considerably adds to the film. I would say that the beginning and ending of the film are brilliant but that halfway through the film does become very leisurely paced, only a minor niggle though. There's a level of suspense and eerie atmosphere that is sustained up until the devastating climax.
My one criticism would be the special effects, which are not up to Hammer's usual calibre, due no doubt to the low budget. While adequate, they could have been so much more. The decaying insects are good but I hated the glowing space ship, the effects were really sub par here. As for the 'flashback' of the alien wars...well, it's basically a bunch of miniature creatures on a stick being waved up and down... you'd see better on Blue Peter. As for the giant devil in the sky at the end, it was pretty mediocre. Good enough to make you think "that looks cool" but bad enough to make you think "that could have been a lot better". However, lots of action, suspense, and typical science fiction elements help to make this cross-genre film a lot better than it might have been. Once again, Hammer deliver the goods!
Brilliant Conclusion To Hammer's Quatermass Franchise
Witchfinder-General-66629 October 2009
Warning: Spoilers
"The Quatermass Xperiment" (1955) and "Quatermass 2" (1957) doubtlessly are excellent films and true classics that helped the great Hammer Studios become the legendary British Horror entity we love them as. The third and final installment to the series, "Quatermass And The Pit" (1967), however, is a masterpiece that even surpasses its predecessors in almost all aspects. Directed by Roy Ward Baker, who challenges Terence Fisher for the title of Hammer's greatest director, "Quatermass and the Pit" clearly hat greater production values and technical possibilities than its predecessors - there is no doubt that special effects went a long way between 1957 and 1967. The great look of this film is not the reason for me to deem it superior to its, already great, predecessors, however. This film, which was scripted by Sci-Fi legend Nigel Kneale (the inventor of the "Quatermass" franchise and writer of the original BBC TV-Show) simply has an incredibly fascinating story to tell - and does so brilliantly. The two predecessors were both exciting and creepy; this third part is genuinely scary and simply sublime however, as it magnificently combines a macabre premise and a variety of ingenious elements including evolution to lead to an utterly breathtaking conclusion.
When trying to extend the London Underground, workers uncover the mortal remains of prehistoric simian apes. Anthropologist Dr. Matthew Roney (James Donald) is convinced that the skeletons are of an unknown race of primates, older than any primate species known to contemporary science. His research is halted when an unidentified bomb is discovered near the primates, and the military develops interest in the discovery. When Professor Allan Quatermass (Andrew Keir) steps in the body, which was at first supposed to be a WW2 bomb, turns out not to be from this world...
As stated above, the two predecessors were great films, but they had their minor flaws and plot holes. This concluding entry to the "Quatermass" saga is far more elaborate in its storyline. The film, which is full of interesting, intelligently-drawn characters, has an increasingly tense atmosphere of doom from the beginning onward. The foreboding mood is intensely creepy, and the dark presentiment soon builds up to a truly captivating suspense level. Andrew Keir replaces Brian Donlevy as Professor Quatermass. Most people seem to regard this change as a good thing, whereas I am not quite sure. Both Keir and Donlevy are great actors, and both are truly great in the role. Personally, I really liked how the former film-noir tough guy Donlevy was a rough-and-ready Quatermass, resembling a tough private detective rather than a scientist in "The Quatermass Xperiment" and "Quatermass 2". In comparison to that, character mime Andrew Keir, who also enriched the Hammer-world when starring as a priest in "Dracula: Prince of Darkness" (1966), seems quite typically Professor-like (in spite of a thick Scottish accent and relatively rowdy behavior for scientist-standards). James Donald is very good as the anthropologist, Julian Glover is great as an obnoxious military Colonel, and beautifully Barbara Shelley finally brings an interesting female character into the Quatermass franchise. Some fellow Hammer fans regard this film as the great Production Company's finest offering. My personal favorites are still some of their magnificent Gothic tales, such as their Frankenstein and Dracula film series, "The Vampire Lovers", "Twins of Evil" or "Vampire Circus" (my personal No. 1 Hammer film), but there is no denying that "Quatermass and The Pit" ranges among their truly great films. Brilliant stuff, and a must-see for all Horror/Sci-Fi fans!
When trying to extend the London Underground, workers uncover the mortal remains of prehistoric simian apes. Anthropologist Dr. Matthew Roney (James Donald) is convinced that the skeletons are of an unknown race of primates, older than any primate species known to contemporary science. His research is halted when an unidentified bomb is discovered near the primates, and the military develops interest in the discovery. When Professor Allan Quatermass (Andrew Keir) steps in the body, which was at first supposed to be a WW2 bomb, turns out not to be from this world...
As stated above, the two predecessors were great films, but they had their minor flaws and plot holes. This concluding entry to the "Quatermass" saga is far more elaborate in its storyline. The film, which is full of interesting, intelligently-drawn characters, has an increasingly tense atmosphere of doom from the beginning onward. The foreboding mood is intensely creepy, and the dark presentiment soon builds up to a truly captivating suspense level. Andrew Keir replaces Brian Donlevy as Professor Quatermass. Most people seem to regard this change as a good thing, whereas I am not quite sure. Both Keir and Donlevy are great actors, and both are truly great in the role. Personally, I really liked how the former film-noir tough guy Donlevy was a rough-and-ready Quatermass, resembling a tough private detective rather than a scientist in "The Quatermass Xperiment" and "Quatermass 2". In comparison to that, character mime Andrew Keir, who also enriched the Hammer-world when starring as a priest in "Dracula: Prince of Darkness" (1966), seems quite typically Professor-like (in spite of a thick Scottish accent and relatively rowdy behavior for scientist-standards). James Donald is very good as the anthropologist, Julian Glover is great as an obnoxious military Colonel, and beautifully Barbara Shelley finally brings an interesting female character into the Quatermass franchise. Some fellow Hammer fans regard this film as the great Production Company's finest offering. My personal favorites are still some of their magnificent Gothic tales, such as their Frankenstein and Dracula film series, "The Vampire Lovers", "Twins of Evil" or "Vampire Circus" (my personal No. 1 Hammer film), but there is no denying that "Quatermass and The Pit" ranges among their truly great films. Brilliant stuff, and a must-see for all Horror/Sci-Fi fans!
Hammer sci-fi
SnoopyStyle15 July 2017
A construction crew at a London subway dig discovers strange skeletons. Later, a suspected bomb is found but it's unlike anything seen before. Professor Bernard Quatermass joins Colonel Breen to investigate. Soon, it's obvious that there is nothing earthly about the finds. Quatermass has a theory on the origins of the spacecraft and humanity itself.
Hammer Film is more known for its B-horrors. They stretched out to make B-sci-fi. The first half is relatively pedestrian until they dig up the slightly-comical creepy insects. They are some creepy rubber insectoids. When the movie finally gets to the action, it's obviously missing an insect invasion. It becomes a convoluted sci-fi theory of an insect invasion of another kind. This is good drive-in fodder.
Hammer Film is more known for its B-horrors. They stretched out to make B-sci-fi. The first half is relatively pedestrian until they dig up the slightly-comical creepy insects. They are some creepy rubber insectoids. When the movie finally gets to the action, it's obviously missing an insect invasion. It becomes a convoluted sci-fi theory of an insect invasion of another kind. This is good drive-in fodder.
One of the best British films of the Sixties - genuinely
burrobaggy6 March 2005
Warning: Spoilers
Quatermass and the Pit is a genuinely great screenplay, one of the smartest sci-fi films ever written because it deals with interesting ideas rather than stock effects. There are a few of them, some good, some bad, and the budget isn't always enough for the ambition, but the ideas are what carry this one - tying in colonisation, evolution, race memories, the Devil, hauntings and other theories alongside military and government closed-mindedness into a cohesive intelligent whole by not going for the sensational but sitting to down to think, "Now where could that belief in so many people have really come from?" The conclusions may be outlandish, but the logic is rational and the treatment straightfaced, and once it builds up its head of steam, it's not just compelling but also a little bit worrying - particularly when civilisation starts to break down in an extremely violent way. Andrew Keir and James Donald are excellent and Barbara Shelley manages to be a convincing strong female lead in a genre that doesn't usually allow them and also to look really good in red jumper and Wellie boots! Powerful stuff and highly recommended - there really is a lot going on here, and it has a strong story sense to back it up. Just remember: "We're the Martians now!"
Interesting if confusing
lordzedd-331 March 2007
Warning: Spoilers
Okay, now there is allot to like about this movie. The cast does a fantastic job, the wire work for flying objects is done well and the demons what you see of them is impressive. But dumb question, is it the ghosts of the dead alien crew possessing people or is it the ship's computer causing the mass insanity and if so why? What would be the point of causing the human race to kill themselves, the bugs are long dead, so they can't repopulate the Earth. Plus, I for a party of one would like to have seen more the bugs in motion other in in flashback form. I saw this when I was a kid and was not impressed. But seeing it through the eyes of an adult I can see how some might like it and I think it's okay, not great, just okay. Plus, it also drags at points. 6 STARS.
Quatermass's Pits
screenman30 November 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Originally screened live as a mini-serial in 1958, when I was just an uninformed and impressionable young kid, Nigel Kneale's atmospheric horror drama scared the pants off me.
Many, many years on, I got the abridged and edited 3-hour BBC video. To my much more informed, and sceptical mind, there was little to offer. It was long, hammy, contrived, a strings-and-things special-effects package, and in many ways implausible. Some of the set pieces were pretty good for the vintage and evidently limited budget. And that classic 'Quatermass Oscillation' still knocks socks off any other sound effect in the business. But it's strictly for collectors.
Remember; by 1953 we'd already had 'War Of The Worlds', an Oscar-winning strings-and-things fest. We'd had the highly-charged and equally atmospheric bug-buster 'Them' in 1954. And of course, there had been the incomparably superior ghost-in-the-machine movie 'Forbidden Planet', from 1956. Admittedly; these were better-financed Hollywood efforts, but they set the effects standard, and should at least have offered some inspiration to the BBC.
In 1967, a misguided Hammer attempted to update the mini-serial into this pukka movie on an equally negligible budget. And to say that they failed would be an understatement. To a generation by then watching 'Doctor Who' (1962), 'Thunderbirds' (1965) and 'Star Trek' (1966) on television, any made-for-cinema work that was underfunded, was destined to be stuffed, roasted, and served up for Christmas.
I hadn't seen this wretched effort for ages and couldn't quite remember how bad it was (though I had been bitterly disappointed at the time). However, the opportunity came at 02:15 am this morning, and so I compromised my sleep to watch.
What can I say? It was actually worse than the abridged video. In 9 years, Hammer had learnt nothing. This effort was a drastically foreshortened version of the original, with sets and excerpts of dialogue lifted en-bloc. No bad thing if they were good enough to transfer, but they barely passed muster in the 1950's. Kneale's original story is long and complex; it just doesn't comfortably reduce to 90mins. And this is evident from the clumsy, hurried editing. As to plot details: a copper almost too scared to enter a 'haunted' house? Gimme a break! An army colonel claiming that ancient artifacts were Nazi propaganda? Even by 1967, forensic science was sufficiently sophisticated as to blow that claim to atoms. Breen would have been a laughing-stock and any politician who supported him would have been an electoral busted-flush. There was no place for a 'Piltdown Martian' in 1967.
The subway is a wonderfully atmospheric environment to place a horror and suspense movie. With it's lonely stations tailing abruptly into deep, dark caverns, its endless, echoing labyrinths and the obscure roaring rumble of trains in nearby galleries; it's a creep-fest gold mine. Check out 'Mimic' and several others. Who could possibly make a lash-up of it? Hammer - that's who.
The decent original cast led by Andre Morell was replaced by a bunch of largely unknowns. The 'animated apparatus' was even 'stringier' than before. And that blood-curdling 'oscillation' had been abandoned altogether. Now there was a baby thrown out with the bath water.
I cannot recommend this movie on any other pretext than as a guide to bad film-making. There is no doubt in my mind that I could do better. This is proof positive that Hammer really was composed largely of Ham. And looking at some of the other comments, praising this twaddle as 'classic', or 'one of the best...' simply convinces me that there are people out there so deluded, they would award 10 stars to a blank screen.
Check-out the abridged BBC video. It's long, slow, implausible and stagy, but all the best elements have still been retained. At least it's better than this. Come to that; so is a blank screen.
Pleasant dreams.
Many, many years on, I got the abridged and edited 3-hour BBC video. To my much more informed, and sceptical mind, there was little to offer. It was long, hammy, contrived, a strings-and-things special-effects package, and in many ways implausible. Some of the set pieces were pretty good for the vintage and evidently limited budget. And that classic 'Quatermass Oscillation' still knocks socks off any other sound effect in the business. But it's strictly for collectors.
Remember; by 1953 we'd already had 'War Of The Worlds', an Oscar-winning strings-and-things fest. We'd had the highly-charged and equally atmospheric bug-buster 'Them' in 1954. And of course, there had been the incomparably superior ghost-in-the-machine movie 'Forbidden Planet', from 1956. Admittedly; these were better-financed Hollywood efforts, but they set the effects standard, and should at least have offered some inspiration to the BBC.
In 1967, a misguided Hammer attempted to update the mini-serial into this pukka movie on an equally negligible budget. And to say that they failed would be an understatement. To a generation by then watching 'Doctor Who' (1962), 'Thunderbirds' (1965) and 'Star Trek' (1966) on television, any made-for-cinema work that was underfunded, was destined to be stuffed, roasted, and served up for Christmas.
I hadn't seen this wretched effort for ages and couldn't quite remember how bad it was (though I had been bitterly disappointed at the time). However, the opportunity came at 02:15 am this morning, and so I compromised my sleep to watch.
What can I say? It was actually worse than the abridged video. In 9 years, Hammer had learnt nothing. This effort was a drastically foreshortened version of the original, with sets and excerpts of dialogue lifted en-bloc. No bad thing if they were good enough to transfer, but they barely passed muster in the 1950's. Kneale's original story is long and complex; it just doesn't comfortably reduce to 90mins. And this is evident from the clumsy, hurried editing. As to plot details: a copper almost too scared to enter a 'haunted' house? Gimme a break! An army colonel claiming that ancient artifacts were Nazi propaganda? Even by 1967, forensic science was sufficiently sophisticated as to blow that claim to atoms. Breen would have been a laughing-stock and any politician who supported him would have been an electoral busted-flush. There was no place for a 'Piltdown Martian' in 1967.
The subway is a wonderfully atmospheric environment to place a horror and suspense movie. With it's lonely stations tailing abruptly into deep, dark caverns, its endless, echoing labyrinths and the obscure roaring rumble of trains in nearby galleries; it's a creep-fest gold mine. Check out 'Mimic' and several others. Who could possibly make a lash-up of it? Hammer - that's who.
The decent original cast led by Andre Morell was replaced by a bunch of largely unknowns. The 'animated apparatus' was even 'stringier' than before. And that blood-curdling 'oscillation' had been abandoned altogether. Now there was a baby thrown out with the bath water.
I cannot recommend this movie on any other pretext than as a guide to bad film-making. There is no doubt in my mind that I could do better. This is proof positive that Hammer really was composed largely of Ham. And looking at some of the other comments, praising this twaddle as 'classic', or 'one of the best...' simply convinces me that there are people out there so deluded, they would award 10 stars to a blank screen.
Check-out the abridged BBC video. It's long, slow, implausible and stagy, but all the best elements have still been retained. At least it's better than this. Come to that; so is a blank screen.
Pleasant dreams.
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