The Quatermass Xperiment – Movie Review
ABC Film Challenge – Set in the UK – Q
Director: Val Guest
Writer: Richard H Landau, Val Guest (Screenplay)
Cast
- Brian Donlevy (Beau Geste)
- Jack Warner (Boys in Brown)
- Richard Wordsworth
- Margia Dean
- Thora Hird (Lost for Words)
Plot: Professor Bernard Quatermass’ manned rocket ship returns to Earth, but two of the astronauts are missing and the survivor seems ill and unable to communicate.
Runtime: 1 Hour 22 Minutes
There may be spoilers in the rest of the review
Story: The Quatermass Xperiment starts when a British rocket crashes back to Earth. Professor Bernard Quatermass (Donlevy) plans to save the astronauts, however, Victor (Wordsworth) is the only survivor. He has been infected by something and discovers a violent side.
Bernard leads the chase to find him before he kills again. However, the bodies are piling up and he is becoming a threat to the local area.
Verdict on The Quatermass Xperiment
The Quatermass Xperiment is a sci-fi horror following a scientist trying to understand what happened with his rocket. However, the lone survivor from the mission is showing a darker side and leaving a pile of bodies in his path. It becomes a rush to understand what happened before things spiral out of control.
This movie dives into the hysteria behind what could be in space. We all know the 1950s was a prime time for this side of cinema and this movie jumps on that. It has the creepy idea and the unknown of what has happened. There is a great horror sequence when the recording is watched, and the final reveal pays off well. It is a film which fits the era perfectly and gets everything it needs out of the story.
Where to Watch
a JustWatch
Final Thoughts – The Quatermass Xperiment is a perfect example of 1950s hysteria.
