The Quatermass Xperiment

Release date(s) 26 August 1955

Running time 	82 minutes

Distributed by 	Exclusive Films (UK), United Artists (USA)

Directed by 	Val Guest

Produced by 	Anthony Hinds

Written by 	Richard Landau
                Val Guest​

Starring 	Brian Donlevy
                Jack Warner
                Richard Wordsworth
                Margia Dean


The Quatermass Xperiment (US title: The Creeping Unknown​) is a 1955 British science fiction horror film. Made by Hammer Film Productions, it was based on the 1953 BBC Television serial The Quatermass Experiment written by Nigel Kneale. It was directed by Val Guest and stars Brian Donlevy as the eponymous Professor Bernard Quatermass. Jack Warner, Richard Wordsworth and Margia Dean appear in supporting roles.

The plot of the film involves the return to Earth of astronaut Victor Carroon (Wordsworth), who has become the first man in space in a rocket ship of Quatermass's design. However, it becomes very clear that something infected Carroon during the flight, and he rapidly begins mutating into an alien organism which, if it spores, will destroy humanity. Quatermass and his associates have just a few hours to track the creature down and prevent an apocalypse.

The film presents a heavily compressed version of the events of the original television serial. The most significant plot change occurs at the climax of the film. In the television version, Quatermass appeals to the last vestiges of Carroon's humanity and convinces him to commit suicide in order to save the world. In the film, Quatermass kills the creature by electrocution. This change, along with Donlevy's brusque interpretation of the title role, upset Nigel Kneale​ who frequently criticised the film. In his approach to making the fantastic nature of the film's plot convincing to audiences, Val Guest aimed to employ a high degree of realism, directing the film in the manner more akin to that of a newsreel.

The film enjoyed a highly successful release in the United Kingdom, forming one half of the highest grossing double bill release of 1955. It was also the first Hammer production to attract the attention of a major distributor in the United States, in this case United Artists who distributed the film under the title The Creeping Unknown. The film received a mixed critical reception on its initial release but in the intervening years has come to be viewed as a classic of the genre. Particular praise is reserved for the tortured performance of Richard Wordsworth​ as the possessed Victor Carroon.

A rocket crashes in a field in England, and the emergency services soon arrive. Also at the scene is Professor Bernard Quatermass​ (Brian Donlevy), the scientist who built and launched the rocket, along with his assistant Briscoe (David King-Wood). Shortly after the launch, all contact with the rocket and its three occupants – Carroon, Reichenheim and Greene – was lost. Opening the rocket's hatch, they find only Carroon (Richard Wordsworth); there is no sign of the other two crew members. Carroon appears to be in shock, unable to speak except to mouth the words "Help me". While Quatermass and Briscoe try to learn what has happened to the rocket and its crew, Carroon's wife Judith (Margia Dean) breaks her husband out of the hospital where he is being kept. But Carroon has been changed by something the rocket encountered on its journey: he is now able to absorb any living thing he comes into contact with. Having already absorbed a cactus and killed the private investigator hired by Judith to get him out of hospital, he flees from his horrified wife (who is driven insane by the experience). A manhunt, conducted by Inspector Lomax (Jack Warner), gets under way. Hiding out at the London docks, Carroon encounters a little girl (Jane Asher) but through sheer willpower leaves her unharmed, making instead for a zoo where he absorbs many of the animals. By now, Carroon has lost any appearance of humanity. Quatermass and Briscoe track the creature to Westminster Abbey. Examination of tissue samples taken from Carroon has led Quatermass to conclude that the alien creature that has taken him over will eventually cause him to spore, endangering all of humanity as the organisms spread. With the assistance of a television crew working at the Abbey, Quatermass succeeds in killing the creature by electrocution. He leaves the scene, determined to start again.