(I'm sorry for the lateness of this. I had other matters to pertain to)
Last year, I discussed the Quartermass franchise, and the third film in the franchise from Hammer (If you want the full history, go read the Quatermass and the Pit review from last year). Anyway, Nigel Kneale, the creator of the character, really disliked the first film, and when Hammer Films adapted the second serial (having gotten the rights before it was broadcast), he opted to write this sequel himself, albeit only the first draft. Subsequent draft were rewritten by director Val Guest, who directed the first film, and returned to direct this film. Unfortunately for Kneale, Brian Donlevy, one of his most hated aspects of the first film also returned. During filming, Kneale claimed Donlevy was intoxicated, and could barely read through his lines (a claim denied by the director). The budget of the film, at around £92,000 (around 70% of which was contributed by American studio United Artists), was higher than the first one. It was originally filmed in Ansco Color, but the finished film is in black and white. Released in the UK on May 24th, 1957, and later in the US under the title Enemy from Space, it received mixed reviews and moderate commercial success. However, the larger success of Castle of Frankenstein caused Hammer to shift its focus towards Gothic Horror, and the third serial (which was released about a year later,) would not get adapted for another 10 years. Notably, it is one of the first films to use "2" in its title to indicate that it's a sequel to a previous film.
The film opens with a couple franatically driving through the countryside. The man had apparently been struck by a mysterious object. They literally run into Professor Quatermass (Brian Donlevy), who retrieves the meteorite from the couple. He heads to Winnerden Flats, where he is examining a recent downpour of meteors. In his downtime, he is also detailing his plans for moon colonization, which hasn't had much support from the government. When he and one of his colleagues Marsh (Bryan Forbes), locate one region of high meteor activity, they run into a complex much like the one Quatermass had conceived of for the moon. Forbes picks up a rock, and is knocked out by a gas. Guards arrive, and Quatermass is kicked out. Quatermass then goes to his old friend Inspector Lomax (John Longden) (he played a supporting role in the first film), who gets him in contact with MP Vincent Broadbent (Tom Chatto), who arranges a tour of the complex. However, when Broadbent tries to investigate further, he disappears. Quatermass attempts to find him, only to see him tarred in a strange black substance. Quatermass also learns that people are being infected with a certain V, leading him to a terrifying conspiracy, involving beings not of this Earth.
This is better than the first Quatermass movie, which could be chalked up to Kneale actually writing this film. The mystery is handled in a far more interesting manner, and the problems have more intellectual solutions than the first film. The conspiracy is actually reminiscent of Invasion of the Body Snatchers from several years earlier, and this handles that theme well. The cerebral science fiction elements are usually very good in these, and this is no exception, with the concept of aliens trying to survive on Earth, much as humans might survive on the moon, is an interesting parallel.
Brian Donlevy was ill-suited for this role. Granted, he wasn't terrible in the first movie, or in this one for that matter. It's just his gruff, American action man demeanor is very out-of-place in the English countryside setting. An English actor would've probably been better for the role, as he would've fit. Donlevy's American accent is never commented on in the film, which is bizarre. Maybe he's doing a British accent and I didn't notice. Also, it had some pacing issues, like the other two films did, though this one is a bit faster. Finally, the special effects are not great, but given the era, they are serviceable.
I've seen all three movies now, as well as the final Quatermass TV serial from 1974 (I need to watch the other three serials. I think Quatermass II and Quatermass and the Pit are mostly intact from their original runs, and they remade The Quatermass Experiment a few years ago). In that context, it isn't as good as Quatermass and the Pit or the 1974 serial, but it is a significant improvement on the first film. Really, none of these are "scary" per se by today's standards. They work better as good science fiction mysteries, and intellectual musings. If you want something like that, I highly recommend checking this film (and really the other two as well) out.
Next week, we return to the films of Ray Harryhausen with a more appropriate feature: 20 Million Miles to Earth
Last year, I discussed the Quartermass franchise, and the third film in the franchise from Hammer (If you want the full history, go read the Quatermass and the Pit review from last year). Anyway, Nigel Kneale, the creator of the character, really disliked the first film, and when Hammer Films adapted the second serial (having gotten the rights before it was broadcast), he opted to write this sequel himself, albeit only the first draft. Subsequent draft were rewritten by director Val Guest, who directed the first film, and returned to direct this film. Unfortunately for Kneale, Brian Donlevy, one of his most hated aspects of the first film also returned. During filming, Kneale claimed Donlevy was intoxicated, and could barely read through his lines (a claim denied by the director). The budget of the film, at around £92,000 (around 70% of which was contributed by American studio United Artists), was higher than the first one. It was originally filmed in Ansco Color, but the finished film is in black and white. Released in the UK on May 24th, 1957, and later in the US under the title Enemy from Space, it received mixed reviews and moderate commercial success. However, the larger success of Castle of Frankenstein caused Hammer to shift its focus towards Gothic Horror, and the third serial (which was released about a year later,) would not get adapted for another 10 years. Notably, it is one of the first films to use "2" in its title to indicate that it's a sequel to a previous film.
The film opens with a couple franatically driving through the countryside. The man had apparently been struck by a mysterious object. They literally run into Professor Quatermass (Brian Donlevy), who retrieves the meteorite from the couple. He heads to Winnerden Flats, where he is examining a recent downpour of meteors. In his downtime, he is also detailing his plans for moon colonization, which hasn't had much support from the government. When he and one of his colleagues Marsh (Bryan Forbes), locate one region of high meteor activity, they run into a complex much like the one Quatermass had conceived of for the moon. Forbes picks up a rock, and is knocked out by a gas. Guards arrive, and Quatermass is kicked out. Quatermass then goes to his old friend Inspector Lomax (John Longden) (he played a supporting role in the first film), who gets him in contact with MP Vincent Broadbent (Tom Chatto), who arranges a tour of the complex. However, when Broadbent tries to investigate further, he disappears. Quatermass attempts to find him, only to see him tarred in a strange black substance. Quatermass also learns that people are being infected with a certain V, leading him to a terrifying conspiracy, involving beings not of this Earth.
This is better than the first Quatermass movie, which could be chalked up to Kneale actually writing this film. The mystery is handled in a far more interesting manner, and the problems have more intellectual solutions than the first film. The conspiracy is actually reminiscent of Invasion of the Body Snatchers from several years earlier, and this handles that theme well. The cerebral science fiction elements are usually very good in these, and this is no exception, with the concept of aliens trying to survive on Earth, much as humans might survive on the moon, is an interesting parallel.
Brian Donlevy was ill-suited for this role. Granted, he wasn't terrible in the first movie, or in this one for that matter. It's just his gruff, American action man demeanor is very out-of-place in the English countryside setting. An English actor would've probably been better for the role, as he would've fit. Donlevy's American accent is never commented on in the film, which is bizarre. Maybe he's doing a British accent and I didn't notice. Also, it had some pacing issues, like the other two films did, though this one is a bit faster. Finally, the special effects are not great, but given the era, they are serviceable.
I've seen all three movies now, as well as the final Quatermass TV serial from 1974 (I need to watch the other three serials. I think Quatermass II and Quatermass and the Pit are mostly intact from their original runs, and they remade The Quatermass Experiment a few years ago). In that context, it isn't as good as Quatermass and the Pit or the 1974 serial, but it is a significant improvement on the first film. Really, none of these are "scary" per se by today's standards. They work better as good science fiction mysteries, and intellectual musings. If you want something like that, I highly recommend checking this film (and really the other two as well) out.
Next week, we return to the films of Ray Harryhausen with a more appropriate feature: 20 Million Miles to Earth
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