Nowadays I'm really surprised when a horror or sci-fi movie gets under my skin. Sure, some of them give me good scares here and there. But it's hard for me to find a film that's actually frightening and unsettling long after it's over.
This one did it to me.
"What I got don't need pearls." -- Linda Darnell (1923-65)
Why?
shareA combination of things. First, it caught me by surprise, since I'd never heard of it and didn't know anything about it. Second, I find H.P. Lovecraft's work very affecting, and the story was very Lovecraftian, even though it didn't borrow anything in particular from Lovecraft. Third, the believability of the performances, especially the intensity of Andrew Keir and Barbara Shelley, brought the terror home very effectively.
"What I got don't need pearls." -- Linda Darnell (1923-65)
I think this was probably the first movie I ever saw (at the age of 11 or 12 when I first saw it at the local drive-in circa 1968-'69) that really shook me up -- I mean shook up my overall belief system and general concept of the world and reality (such as it was at age 11 or 12). It really made me question everything pertaining to religion and history I had been taught up to that time.
I see what you mean about Lovecraft -- *now*, though I did not discover Lovecraft directly for about another two years or so after seeing this, at about age 14 (though I had been reading Robert E. Howard since age 10 or 11; Howard was part of the "Lovecraft [literary] Circle).
It doesn't scare or upset me anymore. But I still like and admire it a lot, and watch it every chance I get.
Ozy
And I stood where I did be; for there was no more use to run; And again I lookt with my hope gone.
This was a scary movie when I was a kid and disturbing now. Very thoughtful and compelling. Another movie of the same ilk was the Prince of Darkness by John Carpenter.
shareGood point about Prince of Darkness - totally agree.
shareI found it disturbing because of its perfect meld of supernatural horror with sci-fi, where the science fiction supported and explained the very roots of some of mankind's most ancient horror ... the horned god, the wild hunt, race war/race purges, poltergeists, Hobbs/Hobbes = old name for the Devil, the Martian "devil" brought down by ancient method (iron), ghostly sightings of a hideous dwarf, "occult" scratches on the inner panel of the Martian ship, the Martian ship itself, almost aquatic in its finned smoothness, humans "possessed" by the mass Martian mind, one of the possession victims finding "sanctuary" in a church ... it goes on and on. Scary, mind-blowing themes.
shareNigel Kneale was one of the great writers of TV sci fi and 'Quatermass and the Pit' is probably his tour de force, so many great ideas simply and deeply woven into this tale. It remain very potent even today - though you have to recall he wrote it inspired by the reconstruction of London after the War, when many a UXB was unearthed...much like Q2 which capitalised on the hysteria of the early 50's, witch hunts and all, he keyed into the prevailing ideas and fears and layered his own brilliance on top. Hammers production finally does him proud with a set of terrific perfomances and slick production (memory of the marian cull on Mars excepted ^^)
Its a much inderated Sci Fi film imo
I agree that it remains potent to this day. There's a real, sombre, eerie power to it (at least for those who can perceive it).
Ozy
And I stood where I did be; for there was no more use to run; And again I lookt with my hope gone.
I saw this as a kid and it may well be the scariest horror film I've ever seen.
I think this was probably the first movie I ever saw (at the age of 11 or 12 when I first saw it at the local drive-in circa 1968-'69) that really shook me up -- I mean shook up my overall belief system and general concept of the world and reality (such as it was at age 11 or 12). It really made me question everything pertaining to religion and history I had been taught up to that time.
The way the film depicts mass hysteria is absolutely chilling.
share