I well remember this programme when first on the T.V. in 1953 on a Saturday evening. Ìts a pity the last 4 episodes are lost ,as this in its time was a heap better than today's drama with shooting stabbing and foul language. Thanks for having this on UA-cam 😂😂
This was the first British TV serial to make a big impression. An original story by an unknown young writer, it drew on sci-fi themes that were relatively unfamiliar in 1953: 'Destination Moon' on the big screen had been the first grown-up SF movie to score for 20 years. 'Quatermass' caught the takeup in TV viewing among Brits who bought sets to see Queen Elizabeth's coronation. The BBC deemed it 'not suitable for children', but next year Nigel Kneale's adaptation of 'Nineteen Eighty Four' frightened everyone.
I just bought a DVD set but it would not play on my American DVD player. Thank you very much for at least the two episodes please keep up the good work
There are reproductions of this script included with the DVD transfer of all three Quatermass series from the BBC, released in the 1990s. I have a copy. I also once had all 3 Penguin reprints of the scripts, but they disappeared... Brilliant stuff. 😊
First time I've ever seen this. Wasn't allowed to watch it on tv at age 6 as it was not suitable for children or persons of a nervous disposition. Pity only 2 episodes survive. I do know how it ends but would have loved to see the rest.
It's a shame they were lost. Apologies I could not upload one of the Quatermass and the Pit, either tv or film versions, have you seen them? I would recommend if not. Even scarier I feel!
@thammut1892 they weren't lost, the deficience in the very new Mechua film telerecording system weren't up to a dependable capturing method as can be seen especially in ep 2 therefore they abandoned recording the last 4 episodes. They simply went out live accompanied by any pre-recorded film inserts.
And compelling, no doubt, in Hemingford Grey too. But it was John Robinson looking through the porthole at some sort of alien gumbo soup (which looked hideous at the time) in Quatermass II that put the fear of god in me.
From the BBC it played over six weeks ,it was considered not suitable for children or those of nervous dispersion considered a very frightening program in its day
I have only just seen this unanswered question. Episode 1 screened on Saturday 18th July 1953, and it continued each Saturday for 6 episodes. The first two episodes were recorded by pointing a film camera at a B&W monitor. But the BBC bosses decided the result was of too poor quality for rebroadcast, so made them stop... (source: Andy Murray 's biography of Kneale, Into the Unknown).
I well remember this programme when first on the T.V. in 1953 on a Saturday evening. Ìts a pity the last 4 episodes are lost ,as this in its time was a heap better than today's drama with shooting stabbing and foul language. Thanks for having this on UA-cam 😂😂
Miss Wilde in Ep.1 was Katie Johnson, a bit part actress soon to win immortality as the elusive target of 'The Ladykillers'.
This was the first British TV serial to make a big impression. An original story by an unknown young writer, it drew on sci-fi themes that were relatively unfamiliar in 1953: 'Destination Moon' on the big screen had been the first grown-up SF movie to score for 20 years. 'Quatermass' caught the takeup in TV viewing among Brits who bought sets to see Queen Elizabeth's coronation. The BBC deemed it 'not suitable for children', but next year Nigel Kneale's adaptation of 'Nineteen Eighty Four' frightened everyone.
Nice one LOL :}
Thank you very much for at least two
I just bought a DVD set but it would not play on my American DVD player. Thank you very much for at least the two episodes please keep up the good work
A great shame that only two episodes survived. Now we'll never find out what happened.
There's always the 1955 movie version...
There's also the 2005 version with Jason Flemyng, David Tennant and Mark Gatiss.
There are reproductions of this script included with the DVD transfer of all three Quatermass series from the BBC, released in the 1990s. I have a copy. I also once had all 3 Penguin reprints of the scripts, but they disappeared... Brilliant stuff. 😊
First time I've ever seen this. Wasn't allowed to watch it on tv at age 6 as it was not suitable for children or persons of a nervous disposition. Pity only 2 episodes survive. I do know how it ends but would have loved to see the rest.
It's a shame they were lost. Apologies I could not upload one of the Quatermass and the Pit, either tv or film versions, have you seen them? I would recommend if not. Even scarier I feel!
@thammut1892 they weren't lost, the deficience in the very new Mechua film telerecording system weren't up to a dependable capturing method as can be seen especially in ep 2 therefore they abandoned recording the last 4 episodes. They simply went out live accompanied by any pre-recorded film inserts.
@@livinlifetothefullest2750 they weren't preserved and are therefore lost by definition
So good , what has happened to the bbc is an absolute horror
Thanks!
Unfortunate that only two episodes exist. This BBC TV serial has a more developed story, than the "Hammer" film.
The powder combined the three, that explains speaking Germain, the bones, and his face
Perhaps this should be redone in the original B&W format, using the original script?
An update on all the Quatermass stories could be amazing, or could go terribly as ever they seem to these days. It is a good idea though.
The surviver was also in the quatermass and the pit film
I noticed that too. He played the guy with the drill I think...
Leaping and hopping lol@@bloodgrss
1:06:38 That unfortunately didn't age well
Quaint now but compelling watching In St. Ives.....if you could find a tv!...followed by Quatermass and the Pit, a better series.
And compelling, no doubt, in Hemingford Grey too. But it was John Robinson looking through the porthole at some sort of alien gumbo soup (which looked hideous at the time) in Quatermass II that put the fear of god in me.
At seven me too lol@@marksonsparks698
When precisely was this broadcast?
From the BBC it played over six weeks ,it was considered not suitable for children or those of nervous dispersion considered a very frightening program in its day
I have only just seen this unanswered question. Episode 1 screened on Saturday 18th July 1953, and it continued each Saturday for 6 episodes. The first two episodes were recorded by pointing a film camera at a B&W monitor. But the BBC bosses decided the result was of too poor quality for rebroadcast, so made them stop... (source: Andy Murray 's biography of Kneale, Into the Unknown).