I have known about this movie for so long, and have read and heard so much about it, I’m surprised it took me so long to see it.

Quatermass (quay-ter-mass) is a very popular character in the world of UK science fiction.  Nowhere near as popular of Doctor Who, but still enough of a draw to have appeared in radio serials, print and TV and movies from the 1950s through to this century.

As portrayed in this Hammer film from 1955, and played by Brian Donlevy, he’s a bit of a dick.  I was surprised to see he is, at least as portrayed here, an anti-hero more than anything.  He is a strong-willed character that will steadfastly pursue what he defends as “science”, regardless of whether the lives of others are at stake.

The plot concerns a rocket that disappeared for a long time before crash landing in a field.  Three men were aboard that rocket but, when Quatermass has the rocket opened, there is only one survivor and two empty spacesuits.

This is a solid sci-fi/horror film that this era.  I like the original The Blob and The Thing From Another World, and Quatermass has aspects of each, without feeling like either movie is being ripped off. 

I wasn’t surprised to learn this is one of John Carpenter’s favorite films. There’s an especially intriguing scene where we see film taken inside the rocket at time of an incident, and it reminded me of the films we see of Norwegians discovering the alien craft in Carpenter’s remake of The Thing.

It’s too soon for me to say if Quatermass has the potential to become one of my favorite films of this genre and era, but it is solid and enjoyable.  And, yet, I have the nagging feeling the movie might fare somewhat better if the title character wasn’t such a jerk.

Dir: Val Guest

Starring Brian Donlevy, Jack Warner, Margia Dean

Watched on Kino Lorber blu-ray