Quatermass II

May 08, 2020 11:37

 I've been watching Quatermass II--the original BBC serial, not the Hammer film remake.  And in spite of the fact it was made in 1955, and the production techniques are still primitive, it's a suspenseful little drama.  (It was originally broadcast live, but to prevent it becoming too studio-bound they filmed some outdoor scenes and inserted in the appropriate places in the script.) It's becoming clear as I watch that 1960s and 1970s Doctor Who owes a lot to Quatermass, as the plot involves aliens invading Britain and a clever scientist working out what is going on and stopping them.  The main difference is Dr Bernard Quatermass is not an alien and doesn't fly around in a police call box!

The people who released the DVD left the original audience advisory in--where we are told it's not suitable for children or "people of a nervous disposition"--which is rather fun!

But the thing that really amused me, and brought out all the Doctor Who comparisons, is Roger Delgado showed up in episode four.  The "Master" does not yet have his goatee and plays one of the good guys, which feels a bit weird.  He was about to be taken over by one of the aliens at the end of the episode, so this might change if we see him in the future.

quatermass, doctor who, roger delgado

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