Quatermass and the Pit (1958– )

A team of scientists search for the origin and purpose of a mysterious capsule found on a building site.

Stars:

André Morell, Cec Linder, Anthony Bushell

Cast

Complete series cast summary:
André Morell	...	Professor Bernard Quatermass (6 episodes, 1958-1959)
Cec Linder	...	Dr. Matthew Roney (6 episodes, 1958-1959)
Anthony Bushell	...	Colonel James Breen (6 episodes, 1958-1959)
John Stratton	...	Captain Potter (6 episodes, 1958-1959)
Christine Finn	...	Barbara Judd (6 episodes, 1958-1959)
Michael Ripper	...	Sergeant (5 episodes, 1958-1959)
Harold Goodwin	...	Corporal Gibson (5 episodes, 1958-1959)
Clifford Cox	...	First Private (5 episodes, 1958-1959)
Brian Gilmar	...	Second Private (5 episodes, 1958-1959)
Brian Worth	...	James Fullalove (4 episodes, 1959)
Richard Shaw	...	Sladden (4 episodes, 1959)
Richard Dare	...	Private Secretary (4 episodes, 1958-1959)
Tony Quinn	...	News Editor (3 episodes, 1959)
John Walker	...	Private West (3 episodes, 1958-1959)
Robert Perceval	...	Minister (3 episodes, 1958-1959)
Ian Ainsley	...	Police Inspector (3 episodes, 1958-1959)
Noel Howlett	...	Vicar Gilpin (3 episodes, 1959)
Edward Burnham	...	Official (2 episodes, 1959)
Allan McClelland	...	1st Journalist (2 episodes, 1959)
Bill Shine	...	2nd Journalist (2 episodes, 1959)
Harold Siddons	...	Electrician (2 episodes, 1959)
Bernard Spear	...	First Customer (2 episodes, 1959)
Patrick Connor	...	Policeman (2 episodes, 1959)
Hilda Barry	...	Mrs. Anne Chilcot (2 episodes, 1958)
Victor Platt	...	P.C. Ellis (2 episodes, 1958)
Howell Davies	...	Mr. Chilcot (2 episodes, 1958)

Storyline

When a skull is found during building works at Knightsbridge, London, the work is halted in order that a full archaeological dig can proceed. The diggers delve deeper, finding more skulls, but also finding some form of tube-like shell made of a ceramic like material. The Ministry of Defence believe it to be an un-exploded bomb, but when they manage to dig inside the shell, dead insect-like creatures are found. The MOD continue with their story, but Professor Quatermass's theory that the insects are Martians who visited Earth over five million years ago is proved to be correct with drastic consequences.

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Plot Keywords:

martian | professor | colonel | live television | sequel | 

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Genres:

Drama | Sci-Fi | Horror | Thriller

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 December 1958 (UK)

Also Known As:

The Pit

Filming Locations:

BBC Ealing Studios, Ealing, London, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

£17,578 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min 30 min (6 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Paul Whitsun-Jones was asked to reprise his role as James Fullalove from the first Quatermass serial, but was busy on another project. He was replaced by Brian Worth.

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Goofs

During the cliffhanger of Episode Two ("The Ghosts") the interior of the capsule is still streaked with dirt and clay. When this scene is reprised at the start of Episode Three ("Imps and Demons") the capsule is completely clean, even though no time is supposed to have elapsed.

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Quotes

Dr. Roney: [speaking at a press conference about the fossil apemen] We need time to do our work properly and I'm afraid we're not going to get it. The owners of the site want to get on with their building - now that's natural enough - and they're pressing us to get out.
Museum Official: Uh, that was confidential.
Dr. Roney: Oh. All right, please keep it off the record gentlemen that they're trying to kick us out.

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Connections

Followed by The Quatermass Experiment (2005)

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Soundtracks

"Vastness of Space"
Written and Performed by Trevor Duncan
Courtesy of Boosey & Hawkes

User Reviews

Seeing the Quatermass through an Asimovian perspective. Sci-Fi: Seeing is Believing, Science: Seeing is Experiencing.

Long before mankind set a foot on the Moon, science was questioning the possibility of life in space. When the first rockets are launched by USSR, people have begun talking about different scenarios, utopias, jokes and ultimately ideas. Hence science-fiction gained a wide angle of view: After robots, now ALIENS. The Czechoslovakian pioneer production "R.U.R(1938)" is a first step of this post-war transitional period trend. The forthcoming year 2011, we'll see a remake of it; hopefully will be recognized.

Quatermass and the Pit is the second continuation of the original "The Quatermass Experiment(1953)" which was also a BBC TV-series. These series are followed by the groundbreaking feature film "The Creeping Unknown(1955)" which has the most successful visuals and mystery run of all versions. The 1958 series were primarily focusing on make the adult audience and the authorities believe what they see and what they experience. With this version, Quatermass had become a pioneer in sci-fi taking a stand for SEEING IS EXPERIENCING, whereas it used to be only seeing is believing.

What's to experience is that Space is being introduced as a non-habitable place due to the differentiation of a space engineer after he's rescued from a space rocket crashed into the ground. Saved by an extra-terrestrial power of a plant cell, his physical differentiations followed by endomorphism, allows him to live in a persistent vegetative state. Escaping from the hospital, by time he turns into an octopus-like creeper and terrorizes the public.

According to an article from Gavin Collinson of BFI(British Film Institute) the writer/creator Nigel Kneale is requested to pen a televisual drama from a one-off sci-fi play. Before Quatermass's exploits had become a national talking point, the fiction part has only been manipulating public's fears of extra-terrestrial menaces by means of the infancy of manned space programmes.

Quatermass and the Pit allows us to experience the impairments of space travel by a salient work in drama. Alexander Moyer's narration is taking the spirit away a little, but overall it's a well achievement. Prof.Bernard Quatermass character is dedicated to his goals on scientific operations, carrying no hesitation and no fear. That's how a belief becomes an experience. If you look at Isaac Asimov's "The Currents of Space(1952)" and "Breakthroughs in Science(1959)" science and fiction were coming closer to each other. Quatermass brings you to this same level.