This Movie Can Only Be Described With One Word.

An action-packed slog

Too much about the plot just didn't add up, the writing was bad, some of the scenes were cringey and awkward,

Watch something else. There are very few redeeming qualities to this film.

It's the late 1960's London, England. A group of construction workers are working in the Underground section of Hobbs End. One of the worker's finds a skull that's been buried for millions of years. While continuing to work, they discover a skeleton buried into the wall. The news of this causes a press conference to be called to explain the findings. Dr. Matt Roney( James Donald) explains to the press what the findings mean, and take the skeleton back to his institute for further study. A mold of the skeleton is made into clay; it is ape-like with human characteristics. The news halts construction until a further investigation is complete. Roney calls Professor Quartermass in he shows Quartermass the findings and explains the specimen is some 500 million years old.Another press conference is called, making big news. The public gets to see the actual mold of the creature and learn more about the age. When someone discovers a metal structure showing beneath a wall of clay, the military is called in. Quartermass is called into a meeting and there he is greeted, by a Col. Breen ( Julian Glover). Quartermass is told he will have to work with Breen and his men. He is not happy and feels the military will take of the operation. When they return to the Hobb's End location, more of the mysterious object is unearthed. At first, Breen thinks it could be a German V weapon left from World War 2. This creates alarm, and the block is closed. They continue to dig, and discover another skull close to the object. This is strange, because it looks similar to the other one. Once the entire object is unearth, they realize it isn't a bomb/weapon at all. It is a spaceship that has a very hard outer shell, and has a bug like shape.Quartermass then begins to work with Roney's assistant Barbara Judd( Barbara Shelley). The ship is unusual, and try to open the door to see if anything is inside. They take a blow torch to it, and realize they are getting no where. After several attemps they are able to finally get the door open. Once in Quartermass, along with Breen eventually discover Bug- like aliens. These aliens look like locust and appears to have been buried there for 500 million years. There is a connection between the ape and locust like creatures. These aliens are able to communicate by sending powerful signals. Once they contacted one of Breen's men. He described what they looked like, and Breen brushed it off, as nonsense. When Quartmass, Judd, and Roney hear this, they realize they have got to take the specimen's back for further Annalise. The aliens appear that they crash landed on earth 500 million years ago. Aboard there ship were the ape men. Quartermass and Judd what to know more about the area around Hobb's End. They discover that an evil presence & strange spirits surrounded the area a long time ago in the 1920's. They ask a Sgt. Ellis( Maurice Good) about the older area of Hobb's End. They both wonder if these aliens are using some evil like force. The Sgt. takes them to an older area of Hobb's End. He shows them these derelict apartments that have strange markings, and stories of apparitions appearing. These aliens can pick people who are sensitive to telekinetic communication. They have already communicated with the military worker, then they drive a 3 shift Underground worker mad. Barbara will become their main source of communication. On a night when Quartmass, Roney, and his assistant return to the Underground to do an experiment, Barbara is with them. A loud humming and shaking beginning. They realize the creatures are communicating though Barbara. She is able to receive one of their memories. When Breen hears of this he brushes it off as trickery. They are able to get it on film, it is a memory of the cleansing of the martian hive. Once they see it on video they can't believe what they are seeing. At this time reporters want more, so Quartermass, Barbara, and Breen return to the Hobb's End area. There the ship starts to come alive, becoming a powerful force. It starts to come alive. It is so powerful it kills an electrician and eventually Col. Breen. While this is going on transmission is lost and people become possessed. They group up and go after other individuals. It appears that an evil force is controlling individuals and trying to take over Earth. All of a sudden this devilish face appears. Quartermass and Dr. Roney come up with a plan to stop the evil. They will use an iron crane, to stop the madness; and return the area to normalcy. In conclusion, I really thought this movie was cool. It's a sci-fi movie movie that mixes good vs. evil, along with ancient aliens. I'm glad I caught this movie on TCM, because it's a must see.

Quatermass and the pit 1967 is a film which I've watched many times. Why? Because it's the type which you don't get bored with! No need to mention film plot as many user reviews do. It has quite a tad going for it too. The casting is indeed re principle characters fine. A thought provoking sci-fi horror which is memorable. In my opinion this one would come in top TEN re Hammer films! Yes I have it on DVD.

Based on the 1950's TV mini-series this Hammer film from 1967 is actually really good, it's the third outing for Quartermass under the Hammer studio banner. While I am reviewing it as "Quartermass and the Pit" it's been re-branded as "Five Million Years to Earth". This is directed by Roy Ward Baker and written by Nigel Kneale and runs for about 97 minutes and is well worth it. While digging to make an extension to an underground station in London human bones are unearthed, initially scientists believe these to be prehistoric bones. As well as bones, what looks like a German WW2 Missile is found. The military take over where the scientists leave off to find out of the missile is a threat. Along with the military experts Professor Bernard Quatermass (Andrew Keir) tags along for a look, he sees the 'missle' for what it really is, something unworldly. Quatermass teams up with Dr Roney (James Donald) and his assistant Barbara Judd (Barbara Shelley) to get to the bottom of the truth and what he uncovers helps solve the age old mystery of how humans came to being and how we work on a mental level. Of course the military don't believe him or want to so they stand in his way at every turn but their actions might make it too late for the human race to go on living. Can Quartermass and his colleagues save the world? This isn't your usual run of the mill Hammer House production, while it's branded as Horror it's definitely more Sci-Fi. Although dated now this film still has an eerie suspense to it and may even start you thinking about themes raised in the film. There is a brilliant finale and twist as the film climaxes which even by today's standard is risky but helps put the film on a pedestal as a great. I really like this film and have no issues awarding it 7 out of 10 by today's standards. If I'd have been writing reviews in the late 1960's to early 1970's I'd have probably rated this a 9 because I imagine at the time this was a cinematic masterpiece of a story and scared a lot of people. If you enjoy Hammer films then you have to watch this piece of excellence.

I would guess that most people who read this will be familiar with the plot of this film and be aware that the movie is an adaptation of a 1950s BBC serial of the same name. The film is scripted by Nigel Kneale - who created the Quatermass character- and directed by Roy Ward Baker who worked on a number of Hammer Production including The Vampire Lovers as well as TV shows of varying quality such as Minder and The Champions. The stars are James Donald( best known from The Bridge on The River Kwai), Hammer Stalwarts Andrew Keir (who plays Quatermass) and Barbara Shelley as well as Julian Glover who plays the bone- headed Colonel Breen. The plot concerns the aftermath of the discovery of what appears to be an unexploded Second World War bomb during building works extending the London Underground at the Hobbs End station. The story moves quickly as the penny drops - for Quatermass and his academic colleagues Roney and Barbara Judd (played by Donald and Shelley respectively) at least- that the 'bomb' is not a bomb at all but some sort of extraterrestrial craft that has been buried millennium before The Luftwaffe flew over London. Eventually the craft 'wakes up' to wreak havoc in the area surrounding it before Quatermass and Roney find a way to destroy it. The plot of Quatermass and the Pit has been extensively borrowed over the years - numerous Doctor Whos in the 'Classic' era of that show have elements of it - and seen these days it is hard to see that the story could ever have been something original but that does not stop this being an enjoyably tense film - it moves quickly enough to jump over some of the plot holes successfully and like most good science fiction tales it works because it is just about credible. There are some real faults- the characterisations are a bit two dimensional with Colonel Breen- the prototype of Doctor Who's Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart surely?- being just too stupid ( and possibly a fraction young)to be truly credible and though she looks nice and her character is allowed to think (unusual for female characters in many Hammer productions) Barbara Shelley's 'frightened doe' expression grates a bit at times. The special effects are kept to a minimum- mercifully as those which are deployed including the film's monster 'the Hob' itself are pretty rotten. The acting- the occasional grating moments of Barbara Shelley aside- is pretty good with fine work from the reliable Donald and Keir whilst there are worthwhile supporting spots for Duncan Lamont and Bryan Marshall too. Keir reputedly found this an unhappy production to work on as he believed that he was very much not Ward Baker's first choice for the role (though he is preferable to Brian Donleavy who played the same part in the two earlier Quatermass films) and he was only given second billing despite being the eponymous hero. The finale is a bit silly I suppose but this is one of the few films where the closing credit sequence are the best thing about the production. As the closing music plays and the credits roll Keir and Shelley sit in silence, in shock, whilst fires blaze and the emergency services kick into action in the background. It is rare in a science fiction ( or horror) film or TV show for the characters to demonstrate any emotional reaction to the cataclysmic acts that have taken place but in this final short sequence these two characters are allowed to do just that - and in the process turn a decent, flawed lowish budget British film into something rather better.