Must-Watch Sci Fi Movies: Quatermass and the Pit (aka 5 Million Years to Earth, 1967)

Must-Watch Sci Fi Movies: Ongoing series of posts looking at sci fi and fantasy films that best represent the genre and that should be on your must-watch list.

What Is It?

Based on the six-part BBC television serial from the 1950s by the same name, this movie follows Professor Quatermass of the British Experimental Rocket Group, who investigates a strange missile-like object found deep beneath London by a construction crew. At first the professor and his colleagues theorize that this might be an experimental, undetonated German weapon from World War II, but fossilized remains of primates are found very close to it and Quatermass ultimately surmises that it may have alien (and very ancient) origins. Continued investigation of the object unleashes dormant forces that take control of those nearby, sending them on violent rampages. When Quatermass discovers the carcasses of horned, insect-like creatures inside the missile, he theorizes that these may have been beings that came to Earth from a dying Mars millions of years ago and that they must have implanted memories of their civilization (including a final racial purge) in the minds of the early primates that provide the origins for much of the superstition surrounding devils and demons in human culture.

Cast: Andrew Keir, James Donald, Barbara Shelley

Crew: Roy Ward Baker (Director), Nigel Kneale (Writer), Tristram Cary (Music)

Original Release: November 9, 1967

Why Is It a Must-Watch Movie?

While not well remembered today, this film mixed a fascinating science fiction premise with elements of horror and delivered a riveting viewing experience that still holds up despite some subpar special effects.

A Closer Look:

This was the third movie (all from Hammer Films) to bring the Quatermass character to the big screen, and it adapted the third of the BBC serials. The story it was based on was by far the best of the television serials and the movies, though the other two are still quite enjoyable (you can read more about the TV serials at CancelledSciFi.com). Quatermass and the Pit (more commonly known as Five Million Years to Earth in the States) mixes supernatural elements with science fiction and does it by presenting a plausible scientific explanation for the paranormal events it depicts as well as for the latent superstitions that recur across many cultures. But it doesn’t go that route by giving a talky psycho-anthropological dissertation; it does it by delivering a film that stirs up the very fears it speculates upon. It should come as no surprise to those familiar with the output from Hammer, but this one delivers a truly scary film that still stirs up chills when viewed today. And even though it runs half as long as the television serial that it was based on, it stays true to its source (with series creator Nigel Kneale penning the script) and perhaps even improves upon it by delivering a tighter, more focused story than the somewhat slow-paced (though never boring) television version.

The only real knock on this film is that it has not aged well from a technical standpoint. The special effects showing the flashbacks to the aliens on Mars are crude at best and laughable at worst. Modern-day audiences may have some difficulty sitting through those scenes without laughing out loud. But then other scenes, especially when the invisible force starts to sweep through the city and make the ground tremble, still hit the mark and help to elevate this into a chilling and at times unsettling movie experience.

The main cast does help make up for some of the technical deficiencies, keeping the audience engaged throughout the film. Andrew Keir as Quatermass delivers a practical and proper scientist, though he is willing to consider possibilities beyond the normal rationale. Barbara Shelley stands out as more than just the typical damsel in distress often found in genre films, though she does get relegated to that role a few times. And James Donald nearly steals the show as the driven Dr. Matthew Roney, especially toward the movie’s climax. The other players do a stand-up job as well, helping to elevate this beyond the typical B-movie expected from the genre at that time.

Those who have never seen this film should definitely give it a look, just understand going in that visually it falls short at times. But the overall story is strong enough, and the dedication of the cast and crew is quite apparent throughout the film. This is an old-style science fiction film that can be rather talky, but it also manages to stir up our emotions while making us think; something that has become all too rare in the era of blockbusters and CGI overload.

The Story Continues:

As mentioned, this is the third Quatermass film, and it was preceded by The Quatermass Xperiment in 1955 and Quatermass 2 in 1957. Both of those are worth a look, though neither reaches the all-time classic level of this entry in the franchise. There was a fourth serial that came in 1979 titled Quatermass that was cut into the two-hour film The Quatermass Conclusion. Sadly that one does not deliver the ending that fans of the character may have hoped for, but it is still worth a look. There was also a radio serial in 1996 titled The Quatermass Memoirs, in which Andrew Keir returned to the character and delved into his backstory. Then, in 2005, the original serial was rebooted as a two-hour movie, though no additional films followed.

Should It Be Rebooted?

While sci-fi fans are generally averse to reboots, this is a property that could certainly benefit from a modern reworking. As mentioned above, the special effects tend to drag down Quatermass and the Pit at times, and modern technology could definitely do a better job with the scenes on Mars. The problem is that if the Hollywood machine gets its hands on this one, it would more than likely turn it into a CGI bloatfest and lose touch with the primal terror that this film evoked along with its genre-bending, penetrating story. If the proper creative talent got involved, and if they had support from their studio, a reboot of this film could be done in such a way that it could outshine the original (sort of like 1982’s The Thing). But it could also go the other direction and ruin the property. I go into more detail on rebooting the franchise over at CancelledSciFi.com.

Interesting Facts:

The original serials from the 1950s never aired in the United States, so audiences in this country were not familiar with the character. The name of Quatermass and the Pit was changed for the U.S. release, like the previous two film versions (The Quatermass Xperiment became The Creeping Unknown and Quatermass 2 became Enemy from Space), thus the reason it became known as Five Million Years to Earth.

Nigel Kneale was not involved with writing the scripts for the first two Quatermass movies, and he was not happy with those nor with Brian Donlevy’s portrayal of the central character. Hammer originally wanted to adapt Quatermass and the Pit in 1961, but Columbia Pictures was not interested in continuing the series at that time. Hammer revisited the project several years later and got the greenlight, allowing them to bring Kneale onboard to pen the script. He was much happier with how that one came out as well as Andrew Keir’s performance as Quatermass.

Where Can You Watch It?

This movie was released on DVD, which has gone out of print, but it has since received the Blu-ray treatment. It is not currently available to purchase VOD nor is it streaming on any of the major services.