The Quatermass Xperiment (1955)

Wednesday 13 October 2010

The Quatermass Xperiment (US title: The Creeping Unknown) is a 1955 British science fiction horror film. Made by Hammer Film Productions, it was based on the 1953 BBC Television serial The Quatermass Experiment written by Nigel Kneale.

I didn’t understand this film. Don’t get me wrong, but this film was so annoying and terrible, I almost have fallen asleep. I don’t know was it a long day or just me. I don’t want to write anything bad about this film, because of me and my worldview, I know that there are some people who found this film interesting and cognitive. However, I tried to find information why this film has been shown to me and why he was\is so important for my educational program? Probably, I didn't find an answer.


Plot:

A rocket crashes in a field in England. Emergency arrives. Also at the scene is Professor Quatermass the scientist who built and launched this rocket finds that all the crew is missing except one - Carroon. Later Quatermass finds out that Carroon was possessed by some alien creature. They find him - fatality - monster is fried. World is safe. However the film ends brilliantly - with the words "start again" Quatermass sends another rocket to outer space.

Here are some facts about The Quatermass Xperiment.

#The Quatermass Experiment was a six part serial broadcast by BBC Television in 1953. Written by Manx author Nigel Kneale, it was an enormous success with critics and audiences alike.

#The film enjoyed a highly successful release in the United Kingdom, forming one half of the highest grossing double bill release of 1955. It was also the first Hammer production to attract the attention of a major distributor in the United States, in this case United Artists who distributed the film under the title The Creeping Unknown.

#Its success led to Hammer producing an increasing number of horror films, including two sequels Quatermass 2 (1957) and Quatermass and the Pit (1967), leading to them becoming synonymous with the genre. The Quatermass Xperiment is widely regarded as the first of these "Hammer Horrors".

#The original television version consisted of six forty-minute episodes whereas the film version runs to just 82 minutes.

#There are two different verison: in the television version, Quatermass makes an appeal to the last vestiges that remain of the three astronauts absorbed by the creature, convincing it to commit suicide before it can spore whereas in the film version Quatermass kills the creature by electrocution.

I have read all the information from the Wikipedia and decided that it is enough for me. I’m glad that I was able to watch this film to broaden my world view.

2 comments:

Alan Postings said...

Answer - Beacuse its an example of 1950's British Sci-fi (Good or Bad).

anewman said...

I'm confused. But thanks for the answer!

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