Reviews

Quatermass and the Pit is a truly remarkable piece of television. An excellent script, brilliant atmospheric direction and great performances from the cast. Anthony Bushell's Colonel Breen is an utterly unlikable character without being a clichéd hissable villain figure. The guy is so uptight you can almost feel his buttocks clenching! Cec Linder is a very likable character and his friendship with Quatermass is totally believable. As for Quatermass himself... whilst Brian Donlevy played a totally different character (let's be honest the character in the first two Hammer movies is Quatermass in name only, or should that be'Quittermuss'?) John Robinon was really good in the role, Reginald Tate, Andrew Keir and John Mills were all excellent but Andre Morell makes the role his own and completely outshines all the other very fine actors who played this part. He's a charismatic figure full of charm, authority and compassion (if I was a scientist I'd like to be this guy!). Morell is totally convincing in all aspects of the role, whether arguing with pompous ministers or fighting the Martian influence he carries the whole thing along with considerable style. Rudolph Cartier creates a truly chilling atmosphere, complimented by the sinister incidental music. The design is also magnificent. The Martians were an inspired design and Hammer's version of the creatures ten years later are very poor in comparison. A brilliant piece of television science fiction, rarely (if at all) equalled in nearly fifty years!

Although this version of the story differs from the original novel, there is much to recommend it for. The film is well paced and atmospheric but it's greatest strength is the excellent cast, particularly the three leads. It's nice to see Christopher Lee playing the romantic role as a change to his usual monsters and Peter Cushing is brilliant as Holmes, his performance being the definitive as he makes the character believable and interesting. This film also features the best ever casting of Dr Watson. Andre Morell moves away from the bumbling fool of other Holmes films and makes Watson intelligent, capable and even dashing. Morell's charismatic performance is all the more welcome as 'Hounds' is the story which puts Watson centre stage for most of the plot. It's a shame he never played the part again as he and Cushing make the perfect Holmes and Watson. If only Hammer had made a series of Holmes films.