MovieChat Forums > The Quatermass Experiment (1953) Discussion > X-Files inspiration?

X-Files inspiration?

posted 19 years ago by DarrenDirt
6 replies | jump to latest

I remember reading something somewhere - and it could just as easily have been on an IMDB thread for the X-Files - but it claimed, with extensive justification, that many of the key ideas in the ongoing story arc for The X-Files was very similar to the Quatermass series...

I'm talking about the black liquid virus thingie, the mutated corn crops, the white domes, etc. so maybe it was just the visual components, or maybe it was more (i.e. the plot elements) but I can't remember (it was more than 5 years ago I recall reading this).

Does this ring a bell for anyone?

- - -

Chipping away at a mountain of pop culture trivia,
Darren Dirt.

[–] frank-270 19 years ago

No idea, that sounds more like Quatermass II anyway, not Quatermass Experiment.

Quatermass Experiment and its successors definitely 'inspired' Doctor Who stories (or rather, such stories seemed to rip off its ideas wholesale!) - Spearhead From Space (the sentience coming in hollow meteorites, replacing authority figures), The Daemons (archaeological dig uncovers spaceship of psychic aliens who influenced mankind's prehistoric development, and came to be enshrined in superstitious legend as the Devil), Seeds of Doom (basically the entire Victor Caroon plot with similar ending as mutated monster drapes itself over large building), The Invisible Enemy (dormant organism floats as cloud in space, breaches space shuttle hull to infect 3 astronauts, decides to spawn using vats), "Image of the Fendahl" (ancient human-influencing alien manifests through pentacle, ancient skull too old for accepted human paleontology, programmes genetic lines in human race to activate later when its gestalt being forms in the final episode, etc etc...)

"Homage", no doubt ;o)

[–] ddraig_goch 18 years ago

Sorry to be so late... you forgot "The Ark In Space", which is essentially "The Quatermass Experiment, Part Two", complete with arm-growth and glass bursting.

[–] pdmh48 18 years ago

Yeah, I agree. Aren't homages great? Most Americans wouldn't get these
references to Kneale then or ever. I love all the writers, innovators,etc. don't you?

[–] richard-III 18 years ago

In a way, yes. And much earlier American sci-fi films, like THE BLOB (1958), in which an alien ooze eats/devours other, earthly life forms. I think the Quatermass stories, starting with the 1953 television series and the Hammer films inspired lots of other filmmakers because of its thoughtfulness and its great ideas. QUATERMASS AND THE PIT (BBC, 1958) might even have inspired Kubrick while working on 2001.

"When there is no more room in the Oven,
the Bread will walk the Earth."

[–] Pharaoh-in-de-Nile 16 years ago

Yes, it is a big influence. In fact Nigel Kneale was asked to write an episode of 'The X-Files' but declined (for what reason, I do not know), and though I suppose 'The X-Files' is at times closer to 'Quatermass 2' and 'Quatermass And The Pit' all of them feature various things that 'The X-Files' uses, such as the possiblility of life on other planets (not unique obviously), government conspiracies and also a lot of the atmosphere.

"Nothings gonna change my world!"

[–] stever65 15 years ago

Yes, the story you are looking for is Quatermass II. The film version is called Quatermass 2. Here is a link to a site outside of IMDB:

http://www.the11thhour.com/archives/091999/features/muldermass1.html