The Quatermass Xperiment (1955) Movie Review

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

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Final Thoughts – The Quatermass Xperiment is a perfect example of 1950s hysteria.