I vividly remember the 1955 production - the first time ever I was frightened by something on TV (we got our first set that year!) Very scary!! But it did spark a certain interest in science and science fiction. After that I began to seek out second-hand cheap sci-fi paperbacks like Argus - short stories. Fascinating! Thanks so much for posting!
Thank you for posting this! I remember relatives referring to Quatermass when I was a child in the 70s, so it's great to be able to see it for myself. Very eerie.
THANKS FOR POSTING I REMEMBER THE OLD SERIES AS A YOUNG LAD WE USED TO WATCH IT ON A BROW AND WHITE TV I HAD WHILE MUM AND DAD WATCHED ON BLACK N WHITE
The wonderful Katie Johnson born in 1878 is the most wonderful actress and, of course, famous for The Ladykillers a film anyone who sees this must see. She is just magnificent
The Quatermass Experiment (1953) Professor Bernard Quatermass, Director General of the British Experimental Rocket Group, launches the first manned space flight from Australia. A malfunction sends the rocket and its three man crew thousands of miles off course. When the rocket returns to Earth, it crashes in Wimbledon. To the shock of Quatermass, his team, and the spectators who gather around the crash site, only one of the three crewmen, Victor Carroon, is still aboard. Carroon seems unwell, barely able to talk. Examinations of the rocket by both Quatermass and Scotland Yard's Inspector Lomax reveal that something attacked the crew of the rocket as they were on course back to Earth. Even more alarming is that Carroon seems to be undergoing some sort of metamorphosis, which is accelerated by a botched kidnapping attempt by foreign agents. - from imdb
just a note - the project wasn't abandoned, 6 episodes were made and aired, but the BBC lost/recycled the last 4 episodes so no recordings of them exist anymore
maybe you should tell the BBC that because they seem to think "The Quatermass Experiment consisted of six half-hour parts, broadcast live from Alexandra Palace." www.bbc.co.uk/cult/quatermass/intro.shtml "The BBC wanted all 6 episodes to be telerecorded onto 35mm film. However, the recordings were poor quality" lostmediawiki.com/The_Quatermass_Experiment_(partially_found_BBC_sci-fi_serials;_1953)
@@erinsaxton83 Not surprising. The first Quatermass serial was made at Alexandra Palace when Lime Grove was about to take over as the BBC's main production centre. There was therefore little reason to replace the pre-war cameras still in use at Ally Pally but the original image quality from those, plus the degradation inherent in film recording, accounts for the BBC deciding the picture quality of their film recordings of the first two episodes was reason enough not to record the other four.
No, we didn't. You're making a far bigger deal out of the gender of the scientist (no need to put it in quotes) than the show itself is. There's no need to "lol."
A large number of highly qualified scientists are women. An older example is the underpaid assistant to Fleming, who actually discovered penicillin and saved millions of lives. The one in this story, as you will find if you watch them, is an example of Nigel Kneale's tendency to use reality to underpin science fiction. Quatermass II and Quatermass and the Pit, and Quatermass Conclusion, all have a woman scientist or two, all of whom are pivotal to the story, and all are diminished by being given secondary positions, while usually being the one to spot the solution. - another excellent example is the main female scientist in 'The Stone Tape' also by Nigel IKneale, who figures out what is really happening, is ridiculed, dies discovering the truth, then is traduced and ignored by the men.
Crude childish rubbish. The BBC never did understand science fiction. Forbidden Planet and Quatermass and the Pit (by Hammer Films) were vastly superior.
This was made 10 years before I was born, but taking into account the era, I think it was good for it's time. It was a pioneering attempt to bring SF to the TV in the UK, and the Beeb deserve credit for that. Especially as it was performed live.
This is far from "Crude childish rubbish." This was the first science fiction production to be written especially for a British adult television audience, and it seems to take itself pretty seriously. The Quatermass Experiment inspired much of the television science fiction that succeeded it, particularly in the United Kingdom, where it influenced successful series such as Doctor Who (even more proof that the BBC did understand science fiction, making your claim rubbish in and of itself) and Sapphire and Steel. It also influenced successful Hollywood films such as 2001: A Space Odyssey and Alien. Forbidden Planet and Quatermass and the Pit weren't "vastly superior," just different. Besides, Quatermass and the Pit wouldn't exist if not for the success of this classic, so I'd say it deserves a bit more respect.
I vividly remember the 1955 production - the first time ever I was frightened by something on TV (we got our first set that year!) Very scary!! But it did spark a certain interest in science and science fiction. After that I began to seek out second-hand cheap sci-fi paperbacks like Argus - short stories. Fascinating!
Thanks so much for posting!
Dito
far ahead of its time... terrific
That was quite dramatic and well written. It's amazing what they were able to do with what they had.
Thank you for posting this! I remember relatives referring to Quatermass when I was a child in the 70s, so it's great to be able to see it for myself. Very eerie.
THANKS FOR POSTING I REMEMBER THE OLD SERIES AS A YOUNG LAD WE USED TO WATCH IT ON A BROW AND WHITE TV I HAD WHILE MUM AND DAD WATCHED ON BLACK N WHITE
Thanks this is one of the best Quatermass for me.
The wonderful Katie Johnson born in 1878 is the most wonderful actress and, of course, famous for The Ladykillers a film anyone who sees this must see. She is just magnificent
1878? People from that year would be over 70 years in 1953
@@davidbanan. Yes, she was indeed in her 70s when she filmed this and the wonderful The Ladykillers.
One of the true greats.
Relax Quatermass, you are among fronds here.
Many thanks for the videos is your chanel.
Yes you are right :) Only two were ever recorded, the one's I have on here. It's a shame the BBC abandoned recording of the remaining four episodes.
There will be a reason...
@@xmaseveeve5259 basically the quality of the two recorded was bad as you can tell so they basically said fuck it to recording the rest
I still find it interesting that this and Quatermass 2 and the pit was live broadcasts
So was the third serial: Quatermass and the Pit.
More than 65 years ago! And yet it sounds so current....
Very sorry not to see Katie Johnson on the cast list . Soon to become Mrs Wilberforce in the Lady Killers.
70 Years ago today.
In spite of the fact that 4 episodes from this first serial are missing, I didn't really the ones that do exist.
The Quatermass Experiment (1953)
Professor Bernard Quatermass, Director General of the British Experimental Rocket Group, launches the first manned space flight from Australia. A malfunction sends the rocket and its three man crew thousands of miles off course. When the rocket returns to Earth, it crashes in Wimbledon. To the shock of Quatermass, his team, and the spectators who gather around the crash site, only one of the three crewmen, Victor Carroon, is still aboard. Carroon seems unwell, barely able to talk. Examinations of the rocket by both Quatermass and Scotland Yard's Inspector Lomax reveal that something attacked the crew of the rocket as they were on course back to Earth. Even more alarming is that Carroon seems to be undergoing some sort of metamorphosis, which is accelerated by a botched kidnapping attempt by foreign agents. - from imdb
Starman David Bowie The definitive biography, by Paul Trynka p.11
just a note - the project wasn't abandoned, 6 episodes were made and aired, but the BBC lost/recycled the last 4 episodes so no recordings of them exist anymore
No, It's been well documented that the B.B.C. abandoned the project to record... A Big Mistake
maybe you should tell the BBC that because they seem to think "The Quatermass Experiment consisted of six half-hour parts, broadcast live from Alexandra Palace." www.bbc.co.uk/cult/quatermass/intro.shtml
"The BBC wanted all 6 episodes to be telerecorded onto 35mm film. However, the recordings were poor quality" lostmediawiki.com/The_Quatermass_Experiment_(partially_found_BBC_sci-fi_serials;_1953)
@@erinsaxton83 Not surprising. The first Quatermass serial was made at Alexandra Palace when Lime Grove was about to take over as the BBC's main production centre. There was therefore little reason to replace the pre-war cameras still in use at Ally Pally but the original image quality from those, plus the degradation inherent in film recording, accounts for the BBC deciding the picture quality of their film recordings of the first two episodes was reason enough not to record the other four.
Is that a Aerospace Scientist wearing a Cravat?
Is that a Female Aerospace Scientist in 1953? Really? BBC...woke since the start!
@@charlesnelson5187 There's nothing "woke" about that. That could very well be purely incidental. There's no need for such disbelief.
The Blob. United Irland.
We even had 'wokeness' back then...the first rocket 'scientist' of the team to be shown is a female! lol
No, we didn't. You're making a far bigger deal out of the gender of the scientist (no need to put it in quotes) than the show itself is. There's no need to "lol."
How Very Dare They..OOOH! CHEEKY BUM-BUM... 😱
A large number of highly qualified scientists are women.
An older example is the underpaid assistant to Fleming, who actually discovered penicillin and saved millions of lives.
The one in this story, as you will find if you watch them, is an example of Nigel Kneale's tendency to use reality to underpin science fiction.
Quatermass II and Quatermass and the Pit, and Quatermass Conclusion, all have a woman scientist or two, all of whom are pivotal to the story, and all are diminished by being given secondary positions, while usually being the one to spot the solution.
- another excellent example is the main female scientist in 'The Stone Tape' also by Nigel IKneale, who figures out what is really happening, is ridiculed, dies discovering the truth, then is traduced and ignored by the men.
Crude childish rubbish. The BBC never did understand science fiction. Forbidden Planet and Quatermass and the Pit (by Hammer Films) were vastly superior.
This was made 10 years before I was born, but taking into account the era, I think it was good for it's time. It was a pioneering attempt to bring SF to the TV in the UK, and the Beeb deserve credit for that. Especially as it was performed live.
This is far from "Crude childish rubbish." This was the first science fiction production to be written especially for a British adult television audience, and it seems to take itself pretty seriously. The Quatermass Experiment inspired much of the television science fiction that succeeded it, particularly in the United Kingdom, where it influenced successful series such as Doctor Who (even more proof that the BBC did understand science fiction, making your claim rubbish in and of itself) and Sapphire and Steel. It also influenced successful Hollywood films such as 2001: A Space Odyssey and Alien. Forbidden Planet and Quatermass and the Pit weren't "vastly superior," just different. Besides, Quatermass and the Pit wouldn't exist if not for the success of this classic, so I'd say it deserves a bit more respect.
bigger budgets. bbc's scum was better than the film, methinks you don't like the bbc. without their early efforts, you'd have nothing today.