Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #11062 in DVD
• Released on: 2005-10-31
• Rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 146 minutes

Synopsis
The British Experimental Rocket Group launches a manned space ship and Professor Bernard Quatermass and his collegues track the rocket's journey. All contact is lost and the rocket crash lands leaving the only survivor with a debilitating illness.

Customer Reviews

Useful But Not Essential.
I am not a lover of classic television programmes being remade for the modern audience, they are never as good as the originals and more often than not the original drama's reputation suffers. Take for instance the remake of A For Andromeda, it isn't a patch on the single episode and the extracts that exist from the 1962 version starring Peter Halliday and Julie Christie. This remake of The Quatermass Experiment on the other hand is generally OK, the reason is probably because this edition allows us to see a fully complete version based on what Nigel Kneale originally wanted at last, the TV original of course sees only the first two episodes survive and the less said about the Brian Donlevy film version the better. The fact that this allows us to see that full version does not automatically mean that it is any good however as per the previously mentioned remake of A For Andromeda, it all comes down to the actors ability to reenact old material in a convincing way and to present that material as new and fresh, this is almost impossible as no matter how good a remake is or how brilliant the acting the spectre of the original production always rears it's head. I challenge anyone to come up with a remake of a film or a TV series that is as good or better than first one, I honestly cannot think of any.

This Quatermass Experiment is a polished production that is well acted and well directed and will allow fans to achive a sense of what the story was all about, but if the truth be told even though I like the production I would rather watch the two episodes that starred the great Reginald Tate and read the script of episodes 3-6. This version will only really be used by myself when I feel lazy and don't want to read scripts. At the end of the day this remake is an inferior cousin to a lost classic and will be used as a substitute for the fans that are secretly wishing that, nice though it is they would rather a remake wasn't needed. It is useful but by no means essential even to huge Quatermass fans like myself.

Quatermass Returns
Hmm, not sure about Mr Wombey's review. How on earth are we supposed to not bother with this version, and watch the original when only 2 episodes are in exsistence? Me I will settle for this very well put together update. So there is no monster at the end, big deal, what it loses in the 'Rubber Glove' department it makes up for in spades with performance and atmospherics. This is pre- 'Doctor Who' David Tennant at his best (The 'Doctor' playing a Doctor?). I adore the original 'Quatermass' serials and films, but like one reviewer has already said, this is a worthy addition to those stories.

Oh Dear!
*Contains Spoilers*

A pointless remake of a classic TV series, with none of the dramatic impact of the original. Coming over like a listless episode of Dr Who, it was difficult to believe in the main characters (with the honorable exception of Andrew Tiernan as Carroon) - Jason Flemyng at no point gave the impression of a driven, talented scientist.

The fact that it went out live was no excuse for the lack of tension and poor realisation of the script - after all, the 50's original was also a live broadcast and used comparatively primitive resources to produce a show that kept the viewing public glued to their sets for weeks. Little hope of that reaction with this version. The laughable resolution was just the dog dirt on top of the cake - I can only assume that the "let's all hold hands and make the nasty monster go away" ending was chosen because it was easier than having a proper special effect. Nigel Kneale's wiggly rubber glove may have been cheap but at least it was effective.

Bluntly, if you've seen the original don't bother with this.