The Quatermass movies are definitely an acquired taste for most people, and one even for a lot of die-hard science fiction movie fans. British science fiction tends to be very wordy and as such can be lost on the typical American viewer who desired all those shiny special effects. Quite a few black and white British films of the fifties and sixties have a very murky, quasi-documentary feel to them...which the fans of the Terence Fisher and Val Guest oeuvres have learned to love.
The Quatermass Xperiment (a.k.a. The Creeping Unknown) is probably the least of the three big screen Quatermass efforts. Quatermass II (Enemy From Space) is the best of the "trilogy", and Five Million Years to Earth gets a lot more airplay because it is in color.
Quatermass is brought to the screen in this initial outing by American actor Brian Donlevy, known for being rather difficult and rather drunk most of the time during shooting. I personally wouldn't have picked him for the part, especially after viewing the two television serials and the portrayal of the Professor in those, but he does come across with that gruff arrogance that is needed for the part.
The effects aren't really that much to talk about...in fact most of the special effects are just make-up variations and fairly-well done scenery additions. There is a scene in which Quatermass and the powers that be watch a film from the crashed rocket that does give off a genuinely eerie feeling...the three astronauts are attacked by something seen, yet unseen to the viewer...all seen through the eyes of a single camera on the ship. It creeped me out the first time I saw it and still does sometimes.
The Quatermass Xperiment is definitely an interesting film...it may not be to all tastes, but I think it is an important part of early science fiction and shouldn't be forgotten...give it a try and try the other adventures of Bernard Quatermass.
The Quatermass Xperiment (a.k.a. The Creeping Unknown) is probably the least of the three big screen Quatermass efforts. Quatermass II (Enemy From Space) is the best of the "trilogy", and Five Million Years to Earth gets a lot more airplay because it is in color.
Quatermass is brought to the screen in this initial outing by American actor Brian Donlevy, known for being rather difficult and rather drunk most of the time during shooting. I personally wouldn't have picked him for the part, especially after viewing the two television serials and the portrayal of the Professor in those, but he does come across with that gruff arrogance that is needed for the part.
The effects aren't really that much to talk about...in fact most of the special effects are just make-up variations and fairly-well done scenery additions. There is a scene in which Quatermass and the powers that be watch a film from the crashed rocket that does give off a genuinely eerie feeling...the three astronauts are attacked by something seen, yet unseen to the viewer...all seen through the eyes of a single camera on the ship. It creeped me out the first time I saw it and still does sometimes.
The Quatermass Xperiment is definitely an interesting film...it may not be to all tastes, but I think it is an important part of early science fiction and shouldn't be forgotten...give it a try and try the other adventures of Bernard Quatermass.