Quatermass and the Pit

Starring:James Donald, Andrew Keir, Barbara Shelley, Julian Glover, Duncan Lamont, Bryan Marshall, Peter Copley, Edwin Richfield, Maurice Good, Grant Taylor, Robert Morris, Sheila Steafel, Hugh Futcher, Hugh Morton, Thomas Heathcote, Noel Howlett, Hugh Manning, June Ellis, Keith Marsh, James Culliford
Director: Roy Ward Baker
Studio: Anchor Bay
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

We have met the enemy, and it is us: when a Martian spacecraft with a terrifying link to the origins of humanity is unearthed beneath a London tube station, only the esteemed Professor Bernard Quatermass (a very British--and possibly mad--precursor to Mulder and Scully) can save London's suddenly murderous population from itself. One of the most intelligently paranoid science fiction films ever produced, this pessimistic masterpiece functions as a dark flip side to the relatively optimistic alien-induced evolution theory presented in the later 2001: A Space Odyssey. Nigel Kneale's brilliant script (which posits a surprisingly plausible, otherworldly rationale for the existence of the supernatural) was later appropriated by acknowledged fan John Carpenter for his underrated Prince of Darkness. In addition to boasting a flawless widescreen print, this marvelous tape also features a hilariously overdone original U.S. trailer ("Women will be defiled by the invaders from outer space!" it erroneously shrieks). A must-see for horror and science fiction aficionados. This film is also known as Five Million Years to Earth. --Andrew Wright

Customer Reviews:

An Invasion by Proxy! (Spoilers).......2007-03-28

THE ALIENS.
With the discovery of a Five Million year old "Human-like" Skull,a strange radioactive Alien craft,and three long dead Alien Arthropods(three legged ones too!)in the Sealed section of the craft.
So begins the third story in the Canon of Professor Bernard Quatermass.
(the only character that has ever come close to usurping Doctor Who,from his Number one spot in British Science Fiction)
The story is set during the time when the last of London's Blitzed areas were being rebuilt and renovated.
(Many Roman and Medieval remains were being rediscovered at this time.)
But in Nigel Kneale's story it's remains of Alien origin that are being discovered,and evidence that Man's Simian ancestor's had been altered and imbued with Non-Human instinct's and characteristic's.By a Race threatened with extinction on a dying Planet,but the Martian creatures themselves could not adjust to the Earth's atmosphere.
And as rational beings they wanted "something" of themselves to survive after their extinction,hence the reason for taking some members of the indigenous population of the Earth,and placing in them some of their own characteristics.
There is very little entomology seen being conducted on the alien Arthropods after their initial discovery.As the crux of the film changes to the people affected by the telekinetic abilities brought on them by the Martian influence.
~~~~
THE CRAFT.
The aliencraft is more then just a spacecraft,it is a self-thinking machine.And due to an accident on the building site gains sufficent power to (come on-line?)induce a change in it's structure,as it's Mass is converted into an large energy cloud,which resembles the Horned Devil in appearance.
Then through the Energy cloud the,"Martian Influence" begins to assert itself in People, after lying dormant for Five million Years.
People are affected by the Alien Influence to lesser or greater degrees.
Quatermass himself comes under the Thrall of the Influence,the real Hero in this film is Dr Matthew Roney, as his genetic make-up has, "outgrown" the Martian inheritance,and is therefore relatively unaffected.
It turns out that man's age old fear and Dread of the Devil,was an age old race memory first brought about by our ancestors first contact with these Martians.
The Film is full of lines that have stuck with me for years.
One character asks Quatermass, "You mean we owe our Human condition to the intervention of Insects"?
Another says, "We're the Martians now"!
~~~~
OPINION.
As any Fan of Science Fiction knows,Sci-Fi has very little to do with the Future,nor Alien Planets.
It's merely the taking of the problems of present-day Earth, and extrapolating them into a future/alternative Earth scenario.
This allegorically filled film is no exception as at the time Nigel Kneale wrote this,(1958)England was experiencing race riots.
(The 1958 BBC version at twice the lenght of this film goes into a lot more backstory.)
The underlying message's I got from watching it were, unless Man can shake off his superstitious beliefs from the past, we will never be able to advance in a peaceful fashion.
The advocating of tolerance of, "differences" was another underlying theme I perceived.
As the people under the Martian Thrall, attack and kill those they can sense as being, "different".
The Martian Arthropods have a tripedal leg arrangement and it's never brought up in the Film, but I have often thought that hopping on a low gravity Planet would be a very energy efficient way of travelling.
Alien evolution in action!(A lot of thoughtful ideas in this film.)
This was without doubt THE most cerebral science fiction film I have ever seen.
And thoroughly enjoyable to boot.
No self respecting Sci-fi fan should be without a bit of Quatermass on their shelves!
~~~~
RECOMMENDED VIEWING.
I prefer a Film with an Intelligent storyline to a macho posturing action Film anytime,
if you like intelligent Science Fiction Films,check out these Seven.They fit the bill admirably:~
"Soylent Green". (1973)-(Just too many people,and what to do about it)
"The Andromeda Strain". (1971)-(Connotations to the modern day aids virus?)
"Quatermass and the Pit". (1968)-(We're maybe not as Human as we think)
"2001:A Space Odyssey". (1968)-(From Simian ancestor, to Man, to ?)
"Planet of the Apes". (1968)-(From our Earth back to Simian)
"The Day the Earth caught Fire". (1961)-(Truly gripping story,almost filmed like a documentary)
"The Day the Earth stood Still".(1951)-(A warning from space)
Happy pensive viewing.

A classic that still holds up..........2007-02-02

I remember seeing this for the first time as an after-school movie back in the late 70's. Although I only caught the last half, the movie struck a chord and I waited years to see it again, this time from the beginning. Although the special effects are somewhat simple by today's standards, they hold up fairly well. (The graveyard scene, with the ground undulating, gave me the creeps - even years later). I won't bother you with the plotline - Amazon does an adequate job of that. Suffice to say that the story is 'believable' within it's own context, and that the characters are interesting, if somewhat predictable. If you are looking for flick with a Star Trek or Star Wars feel - this movie is not it. But, the premise is interesting, the concepts intriguing, and nothing is glaringly 'hokey' or horrendously outdated as in other 'invasion' movies. (A strange invasion this would be!) If it ever hits the shelves for $20-$30...it will be in my collection. For sure.

Excellent movie, stupid price.......2006-12-29

I remember this film from when I was a kid. Why the outrageous price?!?!? Dont be silly. It'll be on DVD soon, so be realistic.

Okay. We have another Lovecraftian tale. Not a true adaption by any means, mind you, but a close shave, all the same. It hints at a pre-human earth ruled by evil creatures, who have tried to control modern man with telepathy. That's sure HPL stuff I ever heard it.

Aside from having cheesy old-school effects, the story is very strong and most defintely worth a watch.

I'd wait until the pirce comes down before buying though.

Drive-in classic.......2006-12-14

When I saw this movie, it was called "Five Million Years to Earth" and I was around 6 at a drive in theater in Pasadena, Texas. My family would typically go to see double features and we kids would watch the kiddy feature early in the evening, and theoreticly, we were supposed to fall asleep before the adult movie came on. Well this is one that I managed to stay awake and quiet enough to watch when my parents thought I was asleep. This movie seriously warped my brain and I must have had nightmares for weeks afterwords. I was way too young to have seen it, probably why I am a Sci-Fi fan to this day.

Old Favorite Stands the Test of Time.......2006-07-28

One of my favorite old science fiction films still has impact. Haven't seen it in years and it's aged like fine wine. If you're the type who thinks comic book adaptations qualify as sci-fi, or groan idiotically at the occassional effects gaffe, or if you seldom read books without pictures, or have ADD... stay away.

This is a very well acted, nicely directed, beautifully shot mannerly Brittish sci-fi yarn made in the 60's. Its literate script introduces some interesting concepts on its way to its surreal and exciting (if not a bit far-fetched) climax. Only flaws are a couple effects groaners, and it introduces many concepts that I would have like to seen more fully explored. However, there was an earlier TV miniseries made by the BBC that probably fleshes more of these concepts out. I would like to check that one out too.

Great fun.

Average customer rating:

OUTSTANDING double feature! GREAT British science fiction!
Absorbing Bristish Sci Fi....
Do Research Before Paying 150.00 For This!!!!!
Finally! Hammer Horror Classics Available...Two for One!!!!

Quatermass and the Pit/Quatermass 2
Starring: Brian Donlevy , John Longden , Sid James , Bryan Forbes , and William Franklyn
Director: Val Guest , and Roy Ward Baker
Manufacturer: Anchor Bay
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

( Q ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Quatermass (1979)
Four Sided Triangle/X The Unknown
Quatermass Xperiment
Forbidden Planet (Ultimate Collector's Edition)
The Lost Continent/The Reptile

ASIN: B0000W5H92
Release Date: 2004-07-27

Customer Reviews:

OUTSTANDING double feature! GREAT British science fiction!.......2005-04-01

Intelligent stories that really draw you in. Great acting, direction and cinematography. AND music! Science fiction is wonderful for being able to express ideas that would otherwise never see the light of day, and both of these movies feature sinister conspiracies or incredible contrasts and truths about life on our dear little rock. There's a terrific scene in "Five Million Years to Earth" aka "Quatermass and the Pit" with a bunch of "normal" guys using new-found psychic abilities to stone to death another guy who's not one of them -- no dialogue, but true horror. Both movies feature disquieting ideas. Quatermass is an impressive character, played by two different actors. There's another Quatermass movie out there called "The Creeping Unknown" but it's not on a par with these two movies. "Quatermass and the Pit" builds to a climax where an alien intelligence takes over London and -- well, you've got to see it. Both stories are complicated and if you're a science fiction fan you will find them *delectable* -- absolutely worth the money on their own and if you buy this set you'll be getting a real deal. Two of the best science fiction films in my modest-but-considered science fiction collection. Truly impressive films. And, like I wrote, science fiction allows creators to express ideas that couldn't even be broached otherwise.

Absorbing Bristish Sci Fi...........2004-08-10

Quatermass II is the real gem here and the director commentary adds an extra dimension to the understanding of the fimmaker's vision for a story that is imaginative and well written.

Brian Donlevy's performance as an American scientist in Britain is quite believable and noteworthy. I particularly like Val Guest's imaginative use of photography and specific sets (i.e. the Shell Refinery south of London) used as the enemy's secret lair. Not a horror film per se, but a disturbing one nonetheless. Although somewhat dated, the film keeps your interest throughout.

Do Research Before Paying 150.00 For This!!!!!.......2004-06-11

I've found info on-line stating that Quatermass and the pit / Quatermass 2 is coming back in print on July 27th 2004. Can't say for sure if this info is correct. But you might what to look around before you get taken advantage of.

Finally! Hammer Horror Classics Available...Two for One!!!!.......2004-01-25

I have been waiting for the re-release of these movies, especially the final movie in the trilogy, Quatermass and the Pit, for a long time. I saw both of these as second billed movies way, way back when I was young......Quatermass 2(called "Enemy From Space" in the U.S.A.), when I was really young, and Quatermass and the Pit (called Five Million Miles to Earth...) when I was a teen. Both movies are super creepy, in the old fashioned sense........not a lot of fantastic special effects, but enough to keep the stories moving along. The effects are certainly powerful though, and really well done considering.........they are a tribute to the incredible talent at work making these films, and they are great examples of Hammer Films at their best. Both are good, well written, original stories, with the emphasis on acting and great directing. It is great storytelling.....and unfortunately some of the last of the great films to come out of Hammer Studios. Standout acting from all involved, and that is the key to believing these stories.......pretty fantastic stories, played straight all the way through. Professor Quatermass is such a great character, with a long history in British film and TV..... and Brian Donlevy in Quatermass 2 and Andrew Kier in Quatermass and the Pit are standouts. Anchor Bay does such a good job with these old film releases.....if you are a Sci-Fi nut, this is certainly a double bill you would be proud to have in your collection. Great job, and thank you Anchor Bay!! Finally!!!
ENJOY!!!!!

Average customer rating:

BUY FROM SINISTER VIDEO -ONLY $17
Seen "Five Million Years to Earth" - still must see this!

Quatermass and the Pit
Starring: André Morell , Cec Linder , Anthony Bushell , John Stratton , and Christine Finn
Director: Rudolph Cartier
Manufacturer: Revelation Films
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

Miniseries | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

( Q ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B00004VVRW

Customer Reviews:

BUY FROM SINISTER VIDEO -ONLY $17.......2007-06-21

This 1958 BBC production (3 hours long!) is available NTSC format DVD from Sinister Cinema for $17. The transfer quality is excellent. Please contact Sinister Cinema.

Seen "Five Million Years to Earth" - still must see this!.......2006-02-13

This is it, the original TV serial later adapted into 1967's "Five Million Years to Earth". You may have seen that movie, and you may know the story: construction crews in London uncover fossil human beings, five million years old, and a mysterious large object about as old. Col. Breen, the newly authorized military head of British Rocketry, believes the object is an unexploded German bomb from the war. Prof. Bernard Quatermass, a civilian spaceflight visionary, has a more exotic theory of the object and the mysterious hominid fossils found nearby. Joining Quatermass is Romney, an anthropologist who nurses Quatermass's theories of the object and constructs a fantastic device with which to prove it. With Romney, Quatermass links the fossils, the object and century's worth of phenomenon in that area of present-day London to dark theories of race memory and genetic conditioning.

This 6-part story appeared on British TV a decade before the feature film - it's rough alright but in many ways not only matches the later film, but surpasses it. The script makes allowances for the fact that memories of WWII were more recent, and the burgeoning fears of the cold war were more fresh. It's darker, edgier and taps a colder vein of our own race memories. Working through 6 parts, the serial has more leg-room with which to build its chills. The visuals are quite striking: the "object" is larger and more enigmatic than the one in the movie, and the serial's crowning moment is the "Wild Hunt", a look back through 5 million years of evolution to the origins of the object and its creators - which clearly outstrips the menace of the movie.

The serial also outdoes the flick with its characters - Quatermass has more range here, as does Breen, who alternates between being helpful and helpless. The real star of the show is Cec Lindford as Romney - the helpful assistant in the movie, his Romney is a combination of scientist and showman, the PT Barnum of Paleontology. In short, even if you've seen "Five Million Years to Earth", you must still get this video because it is indeed different.

Quatermass And The Pit [Region 2 Import]

Average customer rating:

Quatermass And The Pit [Region 2 Import]
Director: Roy Ward Baker
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Trailer
Anamorphic
English Audio

ASIN: B000PWGN22

Product Description

Workers excavating at an underground station in London discover the skeletal remains of ancient apes with large skulls. Further digging reveals what appears to be an unexploded German bomb from World War II. Missile expert Colonel Breen (Julian Glover - The Secret Garden. Troy) is brought in to investigate, accompanied by Professor Bernard Quartermass (Andrew Kier - Dracula Prince Of Darkness, Rob Roy). When the interior of the "missile" is exposed, a dead locust-like creature is discovered. It is determined by Quartermass that these "locusts" are in fact Martians who altered the brains of our simian ancestors in order to eventually lay claim to the Earth. But when the scientists realise their power to release the latent evil in human beings may just have been lying dormant, it may already be too late... With a story originally screened by BBC television in 1958, Quartermass and the Pit was the final entry in the original trilogy of Quartermass stories by legendary writer Nigel Kneale. The film represents the directorial debut of acclaimed director Roy Ward Baker (The Anniversary, Scars of Dracula) and is one of Hammer's most polished and thought provoking films.

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