One of the most impressive things about "Quatermass" is that the creators involved with the concepts seem to be consistently good at making a modest budget go a very long way towards an impressive story.
I remember seeing the "Quatermass II" television serial a few months back and being completely pulled into the suspense and mystery of the story in spite of the tiny budget for special effects because the writing was intelligent, well thought out, and without a dull moment in the screenplay. The same is true here.
While the budget is obviously considerably higher, it's still a modest little thing compared to contemporaries like "This Island Earth" and "The Day The Earth Stood Still", but it doesn't matter, because this is a movie about ideas. It works well on many levels, from the underplayed makeup and transformation effects for the "returning" astronaut to the staging and execution of the final showdown in a local British landmark.
It's also pretty cool that the creators stayed with the idea of Quatermass as a gruff, headstrong and abrasive man. But the character always means what he says and has solid reasons for his actions; and when a character like Quatermass starts showing concern and anxiety, it's much more effective in enhancing the suspense than if he were usually a "warm fuzzy" kind of guy.
In short, this is a minor classic, well worth taking the time to see if you get the chance.
I remember seeing the "Quatermass II" television serial a few months back and being completely pulled into the suspense and mystery of the story in spite of the tiny budget for special effects because the writing was intelligent, well thought out, and without a dull moment in the screenplay. The same is true here.
While the budget is obviously considerably higher, it's still a modest little thing compared to contemporaries like "This Island Earth" and "The Day The Earth Stood Still", but it doesn't matter, because this is a movie about ideas. It works well on many levels, from the underplayed makeup and transformation effects for the "returning" astronaut to the staging and execution of the final showdown in a local British landmark.
It's also pretty cool that the creators stayed with the idea of Quatermass as a gruff, headstrong and abrasive man. But the character always means what he says and has solid reasons for his actions; and when a character like Quatermass starts showing concern and anxiety, it's much more effective in enhancing the suspense than if he were usually a "warm fuzzy" kind of guy.
In short, this is a minor classic, well worth taking the time to see if you get the chance.