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Quatermass 2 and The Shining


In Quatermass 2, Lomax enters the Commissioner's office where theCommissioner is sat intently perusing some documents. When Lomax notices the mark on his wrist, we see what the Commissioner is studying: "Now Is The Time For All Good Men..." written over and over again.

This had an equally chilling effect as when, in The Shining, Wendy reads what Jack has written over and over again: "All Work And No Play.......etc". Just wondering if Stephen King ever acknowledged this in Quatermass 2 as an influence at all?

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Stephen King has mentioned that he was a huge fan of the Quatermass Films, having grown up on them. He also had great admiration for writer Nigel Kneale, and director Val Guest.

I'm assuming that this was a film that Kubrick would have liked, being that it has dehumanization as its central theme, and is quite cold, cynical (especially for its time) and grim.


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Hm... the good old "Kubrick makes films about dehumanization" cliche. Not even sure what this "dehumanization" is supposed to be referring to in concrete instances. In many cases, the term seems to be quite blatantly misused.



"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan

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In the case of Quatermass, 'dehumanization' refers to social conditioning, brainwashing, the follower instinct. A race of obedient zombies.

Much like the media brainwashed society today. Like Education today that teaches and preaches what to think, instead of how to think. Quatermass was the lone wolf who went against the grain.








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