The sudden appearance of a deep fissure in the middle of a military range starts a series of strange and sinister events. Soldiers are coming down with sickness, and soon a small boy playing in the woods dies from what appear to be radiation burns. Dr Adam Royston (Dean Jagger) teams up with the investigator Magill (Leo McKern) to put a stop to the strange oozing organism responsible for the reign of terror. The solution though, will put everyone at risk...
X: The Unknown is widely regarded as an unofficial sequel to The Quatermass Xperiment, with Dean Jagger's character a thinly veiled substitute. Jimmy Sangster had already penned the script under instructions from Hammer before they were told by Nigel Kneale (who had by now left his job at the BBC) they could not use the character. Comparing the feel of the two films is worthwhile, and Jagger's mellow Dr is preferable to the clinical resonance of Brian Donlevy. Despite being stripped of its instant appeal, Hammer still played up the "X" certificate being granted to the film with the title. Exploitation flicks were fast becoming the little English company's specialty. The concerns with nuclear power betray a social awareness ahead of its time, though like Mr Sangster, I find hard to swallow the critic who likened the fissure to the female genitals, after comparing Quatermass's rocket to the phallus. The film is fairly fast paced, moving from the military ground in the Scottish Highlands through the woods, action at the hospital (similar settings to the Xperiment tale), before heading back to the nuclear power station and the climactic battle. Special effects are well used, including a fantastic melting face far ahead of similar effects in Raiders of the Lost Ark. Intelligent and provoking, one feels genuinely threatened by th foe - with its ability to move into any space it so desires (how do you kill mud?) The cast is littered with familiar British faces. Dean Jagger himself would be seen as Elvis Presley's father in King Creole (1958). Jagger was also responsible for having the original director, American exile, Joseph Losey, kicked off the project due to Losey's perceived communist sympathies. Losey would return to make The Damned for Hammer in 1962. Leslie Norman (father of film critic Barry) was drafted in as replacement, and whilst doing a competant job, was apparantly hated on set. Leo McKern would become one of Val Guest's regulars, appearing in Day the Earth Caught Fire, and on tv in The Prisoner and Rumpole of the Bailey before his death last year. His performance here is as rich as ever. Also in the cast is little Frasier Hines, long before his days on Doctor Who. Constantly comparing Hammer's sci-fi efforts to American efforts of the same period, shows a more inventive, authentic feel to the British pictures. The fantasy is alwasy grounded in reality, considering threats which seem as if they could happen. The standards of acting are unanimously better - the productions themselves embellished with care. This is one great film, guarenteed to please. DD continue to outdo the rivals with this edition. Anchor Bay's edition is reduced to second place. DD give a first rate package, with plenty of supplementals. The interview again suffers in that it covers some of the same materail as the commentary, and is appalingly shot, but the commenbtary itself is new, and we shouldn't complain. Jimmy Sangster is very listenable to this time. And of course, the 24 page booklet by Marcus Hearn and Jonathan Rigby is essential reading. transfer Design extras Viewing Notes Booklet Certainly an extra at 24 pages, this is a beautifully researched and laid-out booklet detailing the background to the production, and some critical analysis of the feature. Marcus Hearn and Jonathan Rigby throw down the gauntlet for future Hammer releases from other labels. Director Commentary A brand-new solo commentary from screenwriter Jimmy Sangster, aided by Hammer historian Marcus Hearn (who published two of Sangster's books including Inside Hammer). Does its job of enhancing the viewing. Jimmy Sangster Interview ( mins secs). Newly shot video interview between Marcus Hearn and Jimmy Sangster. Suffers a little from covering the same material as the commentary. Poorly lit, and looking very ropey and evidence of video-based nature. Quality of picture and sound is sub-standard, but a nice extra all the same. Fullscreen. The World of Hammer : Sci-fi Clips-based program of Hammer's sci-fi films, made in 1990, and narrated by Oliver Reed. Can spoil the films featured on occasion. Fullscreen tranfer, made on video so sufferes in picture. Also featured on Anchor Bay's edition. Subtitles None. Trailers SUMMARY RJES |
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DISC: Feature length: 76
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