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Digitally restored and on blu-ray for the first time. Out on Double play: 10.10.11
Directed by Roy Ward Baker. Written by Nigel Kneale. Starring Andrew Keir, Julian Glover, Barbara Shelley
The third in the trilogy of films based on Nigel Kneale’s seminal Quatermass series, Quatermass & the Pit was made by Hammer Studios in 1967, directed by stalwart Roy Ward Baker and starring Andrew Keir as the titular scientist, battling evil alien forces that threaten to take over the world, and also stars James Donald, Barbara Shelley and Julian Glover. Nigel Kneale’s Quatermass series has been said to have influenced everyone from John Carpenter to Dr Who.
During excavations in London a large unidentified object is unearthed. It defies definition although the area has always been associated with diabolical evil. Within its walls Professor Quatermass (Keir) discovers the remains of intelligent alien creatures that attempted to conquer the Earth in prehistoric times and, through their experiments on early man, altered human evolution to its present state. Though dormant for many centuries, the excavations threaten to unleash the terrifying force of the aliens upon mankind once again…
Blu-ray only extras: New UK exclusive interviews with Julian Glover, Mark Gatiss, Judith Kerr, Kim Newman, Joe Dante and Marcus Hearne / Audio commentary with Nigel Kneale and Roy Ward Baker / World of Hammer – Sci-Fi Episode / UK and US trailers
DVD tech specs: Region 2 / Total Running Time: 94 mins approx / Colour PAL / Feature Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 / Feature Audio: Stereo 2.0 / English Language
Blu-ray tech specs: Region B / Total Running Time: 98 mins approx / Colour PAL / Feature Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 / Video: BD50 / AVC / 24p / Feature Audio: Stereo PCM 2.0 / Audio Codec: DTS HD / English Language
2010 saw the return to UK cinema screens of three iconic titles, following extensive digital restoration: The Railway Children, Breathless and Peeping Tom. We have also committed to restoring the following classics from the UK catalogue for potential cinema and blu-ray release in 2011: Don’t Look Now, The Man Who Fell to Earth, Ice Cold in Alex, The Cruel Sea, Whiskey Galore!, The Lavender Hill Mob, Quatermass & The Pit and Kind Hearts & Coronets. These releases herald an increased commitment from Optimum to preserving and restoring the vast library of classic titles that we manage on behalf of Studio Canal at a new state-of-the-art cold storage facility at Pinewood studios.
[...] And so Hammer’s Sci Fi output leaves behind the quaint for a far more psychologically terrifying arena of genuine fear and unease. Adapting the hit BBC drama series for a big screen, X-rated version, the first cinematic appearance of Professor Quatermass was a runaway success, leading to a sequel – Quatermass II – and the classic late 60s movie, Quatermass & The Pit (Read the full press release for the upcoming Bluray edition of HERE) [...]
[...] three, in my books. Check out the mini-forum right here or visit Sam@Cult Labs‘ brilliant blog entry for a bundle of [...]
[...] Check out this clip – Exclusive to CULT LABS – from the upcoming Bluray/DVD double play edition of Nigel Kneale’s Sci-Fi Horror classic QUATERMASS & THE PIT. [...]