Quatermass and the Pit (1967)

Director:

Roy Ward Baker

Writer:

Nigel Kneale (original story and screenplay)

Release Date:

16 February 1968 (USA)

Genre:

Sci-Fi | Horror

Tagline:

All Earth Stands Helpless! Spawned in the depths of outer space -- a monster so horrible, so vicious, so incredible -- even when you see it you won't believe it could be! (U.S. poster)

Plot:

An ancient Martian spaceship is unearthed in London, and proves to have powerful psychic effects on the people around.

Plot Keywords:

Church | London England | British Army | London | News Reporter

Cast

James Donald	...	Dr. Mathew Roney
Andrew Keir	...	Prof. Bernard Quatermass
Barbara Shelley	...	Barbara Judd
Julian Glover	...	Colonel Breen
Duncan Lamont	...	Sladden
Bryan Marshall	...	Captain Potter
Peter Copley	...	Howell
Edwin Richfield	...	Minister
Grant Taylor	...	Police Sergeant Ellis
Maurice Good	...	Sergeant Cleghorn
Robert Morris	...	Jerry Watson
Sheila Steafel	...	Journalist
Hugh Futcher	...	Sapper West
Hugh Morton	...	Elderly Journalist
Thomas Heathcote	...	Vicar
Noel Howlett	...	Abbey Librarian
Hugh Manning	...	Pub Customer
June Ellis	...	Blonde
Keith Marsh	...	Johnson
James Culliford	...	Corporal Gibson
Bee Duffell	...	Miss Dobson
Roger Avon	...	Electrician
Brian Peck	...	Technical Officer
John Graham	...	Inspector
Charles Lamb	...	Newsvendor
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Peter Bennett	...	London Transport Official (uncredited)
Peter Bourne	...	Second Electrician (uncredited)
John Bown	...	TV Interviewer (uncredited)
Simon Brent	...	Orderly Officer (uncredited)
David Crane	...	Institute Attendant (uncredited)
William Ellis	...	Journalist (uncredited)
Mark Elwes	...	Second Technician (uncredited)
Harry Fielder	...	Possessed man (uncredited)
Joseph Greig	...	Pub Customer (uncredited)
Walter Horsbrugh	...	Messenger (uncredited)
Alastair Hunter	...	Institute Doorkeeper (uncredited)
Elroy Josephs	...	Black Workman (uncredited)
Michael Poole	...	Older Workman (uncredited)
John Rutland	...	Second London Transport Official (uncredited)
David Savile	...	Army officer (uncredited)
Albert Shepherd	...	Loader (uncredited)
Leslie Southwick	...	Journalist (uncredited)
Gareth Thomas	...	Other Workman (uncredited)
Brian Walton	...	Journalist (uncredited)
Ian White	...	TV Announcer (uncredited)

Directed by
Roy Ward Baker

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Nigel Kneale		original story and screenplay

Produced by
Anthony Nelson Keys	....	producer

Original Music by
Tristram Cary

Cinematography by
Arthur Grant		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Spencer Reeve

Casting by
Irene Lamb

Art Direction by
Bernard Robinson		(supervising art director)
Kenneth Ryan		(as Ken Ryan)

Makeup Department
Michael Morris	....	makeup artist
Pearl Tipaldi	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Ian Lewis	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Bert Batt	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Sash Fisher	....	sound recordist
Roy Hyde	....	sound editor

Camera and Electrical Department
Moray Grant	....	camera operator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Rosemary Burrows	....	wardrobe mistress

Editorial Department
James Needs	....	supervising editor

Music Department
Philip Martell	....	music supervisor
Frederic Curzon	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)

Other crew
Doreen Dearnaley	....	continuity

Production Companies

• Associated British-Pathé (presents)
• Hammer Film Productions (as A Hammer Film Production) (as A Seven Arts-Hammer Film Production)

Distributors

• CBS Television (1972) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1968) (USA) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (USA) (VHS)
• Elite Entertainment (USA) (laserdisc)
• Optimum Releasing (2006) (UK) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Bowie Films Ltd. (special effects)

Also Known As:

Five Million Years to Earth (USA)
The Mind Benders

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

Italy:T | UK:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #21860) | West Germany:16 | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Company:

Associated British-Pathé

Trivia:

Noel Howlett played the role of the vicar in the original BBC TV serial.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: A minute or so before the end credits roll, as Quatermass is walking away from the devastation, a crew member's hand swings into the right-hand side of the frame and back out again.

Quotes:

Minister of Defense: You realise what you're implying? That we owe our human condition here to the intervention of insects?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Torchwood: End of Days (#1.13)" (2007)

A great Hammer film

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.