Once again I have come across a bit of British TV history that I was unfamiliar with, but found quite compelling. Last week I had the opportunity to sit down and watch a series called “Quatermass.” When the set first arrived, I took a look at the title, and the name was slightly familiar. It took me a few minutes and I remembered an old Hammer film called “Quatermass and the Pit” and wondered if there was any connection. Turns out there was. I did a little research and found out that the character of Quatermass (often misspelled as Quartermass) has been popular since the 50’s over in the U.K. First dreamed up by science fiction author Nigel Kneale, Quatermass was a government scientist who had a tendency to disagree with the status quo. He was so popular that a series of BBC teleplays were produced, then a few years later Hammer films churned out three motion pictures. “The Quatermass Experiment”, “Quartermass II”, and the best remembered title of the series, “Quatermass and the Pit.”

Then in 1979, British Independent Television produced a four part series, which pitted the now reclusive Dr. Quatermass against an alien race with a horrible agenda… harvesting the Earth’s young for food. This series was later re-cut into a theatrical feature and released as “The Quatermass Conclusion.”

A&E recently released this series (and included the re-cut film) in a 2-disc set, giving me my first taste of the Quatermass experience. While I cannot compare it to any of the shows or films that came before, I can say it was incredibly bleak and depressing, but also quite good. I’ll have to admit that not everyone will get into the series, if for no other reason than the fact that it is a bit dated in its view of the ‘future.’ However, if you are able to put yourself into the mind set that was prevalent during he 1970’s (ie; use your imagination), there is a lot to like about the series.

The story is set during a time when society is in the middle of a breakdown, a time where it is often not safe to spend too much time outside. Many viewers may think it’s a bit preposterous that we would ever be living as bad as is presented in this series, but truth I feel it is a fairly accurate representation of where we are heading. I almost consider the story of the aliens to be secondary to the background reality that has been created. We are already living in a time where technology is rapidly outgrowing our ability to control it, and there is little doubt that a good portion of our population is living in their own little bubbles in spite of the amazing amount of communication at our disposal. Being anti-social is de rigueur of more and more people and violence is on the rise. That is the reality.

That said, I very much enjoyed the series, on an intellectual level. It left me a bit sad and depressed, but I though considering the restraints of 1970’s television, it was quite well made. As for the overall quality of the discs, they are a bit questionable. I don’t know what format was used to make the transfer to DVD, but it does not offer an extremely clear video. The audio is off at times as well, with the music being a bit louder than the dialogue. These are minor nits, however.

The 2-disc set also includes the re-cut theatrical version, which cuts out a major part of the story. I recommend watching the full series. There is also a History Channel Documentary about the mysteries of Stonehenge. It doesn’t have a lot to do with the series directly, but it was still an interesting watch.

Episodes:
Ringstone Round
Lovely Lighting
What Lies Beneath
An Endangered Species

Film Version – The Quatermass Conclusion

Starring: John Mills, Simon MacCorkindale
Extras: The History Channel’s “The Enduring Mystery of Stonehenge”
Specifications: Full Screen
Studio: A&E
Release Date: 4/26/2005
Region 1
MPAA Rating: NR
Website

We'll give Quatermass a B-.