Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

The Quatermass Xperiment Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf December 7, 2014

The picture that helped to transform Hammer Films into an enduring fright factory, 1956’s “The Quatermass Xperiment” earns its reputation as a legacy-hoisting hit. Co-scripted and directed by Val Guest, the feature has a very clear idea for chills, working a monster mutation saga that plays up period paranoia and cartoon science, allowing the material to remain procedural while indulging an outlandish premise concerning evil from another world. It’s terrific fun, creepy in creative ways, and careful with pace, building a rhythm of reveals that pulls the audience in tightly, wondering how the production is going to visualize the ambitious evolution of ghoulishness they’ve cooked up.

A rocketship has crash landed at a remote English farm, causing panic in the area. Rushing to the scene is Professor Bernard Quatermass (Brian Donlevy), head of the British Rocket Group -- the team responsible for a secretive mission into the far reaches of space. Inside the rocket, two crew members are dead, with one survivor, Victor Caroon (Richard Wordsworth), barely conscious. Returning Victor to a lab for study, Quatermass is determined to understand what happened on the voyage, and why the other men were turned into a jelly-like substance. While inspecting clues and onboard film, Judith (Margia Dean), Victor’s concerned wife, begins to suspect that the men in charge aren’t looking to help her suffering spouse. As the cops get involved, led by Inspector Lomax (Jack Warner), the case of Victor grows more violent, with the mutating man unable to control himself any longer, leaving Quatermass desperate to contain the situation before hysteria breaks out.

The oddly titled “The Quatermass Xperiement” is an adaptation of a 1953 BBC serial, brought up to cinematic standards by Guest, who deftly balances the need for exposition and the forward momentum of the mutation, revealing the horror in blasts of violence and physical decay. It’s intelligent work from the helmer, who does away with suggestion, preferring to keep Victor’s nightmare out in the open, studying victims drained of blood and vital organs, carefully portioning out the man’s unraveling (or perhaps melting is a more appropriate description) with mystery, working towards a final form that’s entirely unexpected. Unlike many pictures from the same era, “The Quatermass Xperiment” isn’t afraid to lunge at the viewer on occasion, allowing them to be repulsed and intrigued, often in the same moment.

There’s a scientific angle to “The Quatermass Xperiment” as well, but it’s movie math, with professionals spending time transferring water into beakers and pinching skin, worked into the script to give the picture a tinge of plausibility. The expert advice does add to the suspense, giving Victor’s mutation a ticking clock to amplify Quatermass’s manhunt methods, while Judith is effective as a spoiler element, committed to rehabilitating her husband from home, unaware of the dangers he poses to the outside world. “The Quatermass Xperiment” is a mix of a detective story and a horror tale, finding both sides of the chase appreciated in full, with special emphasis on the scientists, who are determined to preserve Victor, not necessarily cure him, adding a dash of sinister business to compete with the monster mash.

Guest stages chases, ghastly discoveries (a post-rampage sequence inside a zoo is disturbing), and unsettling encounters, including a homage to “Frankenstein,” where a lumbering, unstable Victor encounters a young girl hosting a tea party with her doll out in a field. The highlights of “The Quatermass Xperiment” are found with the dissolving man, inhabited wonderfully by Wordsworth, who carries himself like a Universal Monster, with a mummified stomp that bringing legitimate eeriness to the picture, selling the transformation with righteous mix of agony and alien submission. Cast members such as Donlevy and Warner also carry weight, adding urgency to the feature as the men in charge storm out into the night to find their enigmatic target. Normally, acting is rarely a priority with genre efforts such as this, but Guest keeps dramatics in play, emphasizing a mood of discovery that aids chiller intent.

The Quatermass Xperiment Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.66:1 aspect ratio) presentation manages to support the dark vision for "The Quatermass Experiment" without losing its filmmaking textures and atmosphere. Detail is generous with facial close-ups and make-up effects, allowing a full study of Victor's transformation. Grain is handled with care. Contrast is secure, while black levels retain delineation and mood. Print showcases a few rough patches with scratches, speckling, and mild judder, while periodic flicker is present on the right side of the frame.

The Quatermass Xperiment Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix remains in step with visual elements, supporting the horror with a straightforward and secure blend of dramatics and scoring. Music retains a decent shape of instrumentation, displaying a proper amount of alarm with suspense sequences, never overpowering the rest of the track. Dialogue exchanges reach crispy highs on occasion, but mostly hold their levels, with emotions understood.

The Quatermass Xperiment Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features director Val Guest and film historian Marcus Hearn.

• Interview (9:17, HD) with John Carpenter (complete with introductory Carpenter font) finds the director recalling his first experience with "The Quatermass Xperiment," seeing the movie as a child, with its macabre events making a profound impact on his genre appreciation. Carpenter goes on to share some film history, commentary on performances, and hope that modern audiences will welcome the picture's period ways.

• "From Reality to Fiction" (11:30, SD) sits down with Guest, working through the history of the "Quatermass Xperiment" production, with emphasis on casting choices and locations. Talk of cinematographic style and make-up achievements also flow into the conversation, with Guest understandably proud of his work on the film.

• "Comparing the Versions" (6:57, SD) displays footage from the British cut of "The Quatermass Xperiment" with its Americanized version, "The Creeping Unknown," revealing edits that shaved down character introductions and violence.

• Interview (8:12, SD) with Guest is hosted by Hearn and conducted rather casually, with the pair sitting on enormous couches. Most of the information provided here is repeated elsewhere in the supplements, but Guest is an enjoyable fellow, excitedly discussing creative challenges.

• "Trailers from Hell" (2:26, HD) offers commentary from director Ernest Dickerson, who hurriedly highlights "The Quatermasss Xperiement" history, directorial style, and thespian achievements.

• Alternate Main Title (1:11, SD) provides a look at the opening of "The Creeping Unknown."

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:13, HD) for "The Creeping Unknown" is included.

The Quatermass Xperiment Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The climax takes the quest into Westminster Abbey, offering an unusual setting for a somewhat formulaic showdown. It's a forgivable indulgence for Guest, who wants to make sure viewers are left satisfied with bigness instead of trying to cut through with craftiness. Of course, such obviousness doesn't wound the picture's appeal, as "The Quatermass Xperiment" retains a secure hand on shadow play, gruesome make-up effects, steely performances, and a primary situation of panic that combines the mystery of sci-fi with the punch of horror. It's skilled work with a known franchise (which would go on to inspire two more movies and a 1995 adaptation), and its intimate appreciation of mounting fear is immensely enjoyable.