Quatermass 

In the near future, civilization has broken down to the barest fragment of recognizable life. Young people are forming gangs and dominating the wrecks of cities like London. But the ... See full summary »

Stars:

John Mills, Simon MacCorkindale, Ralph Arliss

Cast

Complete series cast summary:
John Mills	...	Prof. Bernard Quatermass 4 episodes, 1979
Simon MacCorkindale	...	Joe Kapp 4 episodes, 1979
Ralph Arliss	...	Kickalong 4 episodes, 1979
Paul Rosebury	...	Caraway 4 episodes, 1979
Jane Bertish	...	Bee 4 episodes, 1979
Rebecca Saire	...	Hettie Carlson 3 episodes, 1979
Toyah Willcox	...	Sal 3 episodes, 1979
Tony Sibbald	...	Chuck Marshall 3 episodes, 1979
Barbara Kellerman	...	Clare Kapp 2 episodes, 1979
Brewster Mason	...	Gurov 2 episodes, 1979
Margaret Tyzack	...	Annie Morgan 2 episodes, 1979
Bruce Purchase	...	Tommy Roach 2 episodes, 1979
Annabelle Lanyon	...	Isabel 2 episodes, 1979
David Yip	...	Frank Chen 2 episodes, 1979
Neil Stacy	...	Toby Gough 2 episodes, 1979
Brenda Fricker	...	Alison Thorpe 2 episodes, 1979
Elsie Randolph	...	Woman Minister 2 episodes, 1979
Larry Noble	...	Jack 2 episodes, 1979
Gretchen Franklin	...	Edna 2 episodes, 1979
James Ottaway	...	Arthur 2 episodes, 1979
Clare Ruane	...	Jane 2 episodes, 1979
Donald Eccles	...	Chisholm 2 episodes, 1979
Sophie Kind	...	Kapp Child / ... 2 episodes, 1979
Joanna Joseph	...	Debbie, Kapp Child / ... 2 episodes, 1979
Declan Mulholland	...	Security Guard 2 episodes, 1979

Storyline

In the near future, civilization has broken down to the barest fragment of recognizable life. Young people are forming gangs and dominating the wrecks of cities like London. But the strangest Earth children are the "Planet People", following plumb-bobs to sacred sites, waiting to be "taken up". Professor Quatermass (Sir John Mills), seeking his granddaughter, teams up with Joe Kapp (Simon MacCorkindale), who is trying to analyze strange signals from space using the last working pieces of electronic equipment. They find the "Planet People" at a nearby stone circle, a light appears, the signal appears, and the hippy children are gone. Russian plot? Nirvana? Or something altogether more sinister?

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Plot Keywords:

character name as title | bernard quartermass character | surname as title | one word title | alien | 

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Genres:

Drama | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 October 1979 (UK)

Also Known As:

The Quatermass Conclusion

Filming Locations:

England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Euston Films, Thames Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min (4 episodes) 204 min (4 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Nigel Kneale has said in interviews he based the character of Kickalong on Charles Manson.

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Alternate Versions

This has been made available in the United States in two versions. It was first released edited down to a 105 minute feature film under the title _Quatermass Conclusion, The (1979)_. In 2003 the complete program was released on home video under the title "Quatermass" (1978) with a listed running time of 240 minutes.

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Connections

Featured in Screenwipe: Episode #1.3 (2006)

User Reviews

Most Chilling Quatermass yet

The Quatermass Conclusion deals with an alien machine returning to the Earth after five thousand years to 'harvest' and stir-up the glandular secretions of humans which it then uses for it's own ends. Set in a near-future (in the 70s when it was released), the scene is an anarchistic, broken-down and violent vision of Britain, but none of the little touches are over the top enough to be classed as impossible. Prince Charles is on the throne, cars have number plates with 'v' on them and the Metropolitain Police are now privately contracted. Street crime, muggings and overall disorder are all the people know (oh no, it's all coming true!!) When the alien presence is identified as a threat rather than a religious saviour in a chilling Nigel Kneale trademark 'revelation of terror': the body parts in the ashes at Ringstone Round, Quatermass is employed in his quite usual role of leading science against politicians and the military machine to engage the menace. This seems to perk him up a little, when we see him first he is an old man broken down by the anarchy of society, depressed also that his work with the rocket group ended up being misused only for military ends. This is a very bleak piece which would depress viewers if it wasn't so busy chilling and terrifying the hell out if them with trademark Nigel Kneale 'terror revelations' and extremely succinct scientific concepts and valid predictions. Not only that, but it lays claim to having the most chilling and atmospherically terrifying aspect of all of the Quatermass films and serials, the spine-tingling refrain of 'huffity-puffity Ringstone Round'. I always only ever thought there were three Quatermass serials, Xperiment, II and Pit, up until about 4 years ago, when a conversation in a pub about there being another where 'people were being drawn to Stonehenge to be eaten' put me on the trail of this, and the first time I managed to get to see it after this revelation my blood ran cold at that nursery rhyme. I had a shudder just then recalling it.