The Quatermass Experiment is a seminal piece of science-fiction. Written by acclaimed screenwriter Nigel Kneale, this six-episode BBC serial was broadcast in 1953 to universal acclaim, inspiring decades of sci-fi film and television. It’s unfortunate then that only the first two episodes were recorded (each instalment was performed and broadcast live), leaving us with only 1/3 of the iconic series all these years later. Hammer Films immediately knew how terrific (and terrifying) Quatermass was, and in 1955 released The Quatermass Xperiment: a feature-length adaptation of the serial which has not only kept the flame alive for all these years but also helped to kick-start the era of Hammer horror.

For The Quatermass Xperiment‘s 70th anniversary, Hammer Films have released an immaculate 4K restoration of this classic film, alongside the surviving TV episodes and a wealth of special features. Dare you X-perience this sci-fi/horror classic…?

In this tense, suspenseful tale of scientific ambition gone awry, a space expedition takes a nightmarish turn when an astronaut crash-lands on Earth—only to begin mutating into something horrifyingly inhuman. As his transformation accelerates, his struggle to contain violent urges proves increasingly futile. Scientists and authorities race to understand the catastrophe unfolding before them, in a desperate attempt to prevent a monstrous disaster.

The Quatermass Xperiment feels very much like a product of its time: a sci-fi/horror tale from a post-war Britain still very much in the shadow of the Blitz. The story takes place in a heightened version of contemporary reality, portraying a British rocket group capable of launching a manned mission into space in a vessel that looks quintessentially ‘space rocket’. It may be a bit dated, but there’s a charm to be found in its distinctly ‘retro’ qualities which never detracts from the horror on show. Baring its ‘X’ certificate proudly in the title, The Quatermass Xperiment boasts some truly grisly moments alongside an atmosphere so thick you could cut it with a knife. Arriving at the end of the Universal Monsters horror cycle, it’s easy to see the influences from films across the pond, before The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) and Dracula (1958) really kick-started blood-soaked technicolour horror at the end of the decade.

The story starts in medias res, with the rocket arriving back to Earth and Professor Quatermass and his team rushing to the crash site to investigate what happened. The script forgoes a lot of the background details, dispensing as little exposition as it can to keep the plot moving in its brisk 82-minute running time. Watching it 70 years later, a bit more world-building and character development would be appreciated, but the premise is so strong and the tone so moody that it’s difficult not to get caught up in the story.

Brian Donlevy makes for a brusque, no-nonsense American incarnation of Professor Bernard Quatermass (a discrepancy from the TV serial designed to appeal to American audiences). Reportedly, Nigel Kneale wasn’t impressed with Donlevy’s version of the character (he certainly doesn’t resemble Reginald Tate‘s more gentle, careworn scientist), and it’s easy to understand why when watching the original series. Donlevy plays the part incredibly straight however, adding to the sense of terror and director Val Guest‘s grounded approach to the action. Jack Warner is undoubtedly the highlight of the cast as the beleaguered Inspector Lomax, who confesses to be a man of God rather than a man of science and yet finds himself facing a distinctly extra-terrestrial terror. Richard Wordsworth plays the slow-burn transformation of astronaut Victor Caroon with a great deal of subtlety, using his eyes to really communicate the conflict between the human and the alien parasite attached to him. Mid-way through the film, an increasingly monstrous-looking Victor encounters a little girl (an 8-year-old Jane Asher) by the river in a scene which feels evocative of James Whale‘s Frankenstein, cementing the Universal Monsters influence on this production.

There is a sense of familiarity with the story, even for a first-time viewer, having seen the countless films and shows influenced by Nigel Kneale‘s classic tale. The inclusion of news reports lends a sense of verisimilitude, as does the impressive location filming. The score by James Bernard (soon to become the sound of Hammer) is incredibly moody and effective, while Quatermass’ final line ends the film on a rather ominous note (and nicely teases a sequel, too). The Quatermass Xperiment is by no means a perfect film, but it’s essential viewing for science-fiction and horror fans, and it’s easy to see why this became Hammer’s most successful film up to this point.

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Presentation

For this release, Hammer Films have undertaken a brand-new 4K restoration of an original fine-grain 35mm print from the BFI, providing fans with a full 2160p presentation complete with a new Dolby Vision HDR colour grade. Three versions of The Quatermass Xperiment are included: the 1.66:1 UK theatrical version, the 1.37:1 full-frame (open matte) version and the 1.85:1 US theatrical version, retitled The Creeping Unknown — all derived from this new 4K master. It’s a very impressive remaster, retaining the film’s slightly soft and grainy look whilst still being incredibly detailed. If you’re looking for an impeccably sharp and clean image, this isn’t it, but it appears to be a very faithful restoration, and the best the film has ever looked. Even if you don’t have a 4K set-up, it’s well worth checking out the 4K remaster on the included Blu-ray discs. Two sound mixes are included: the original mono track, alongside a 5.1 surround sound option, which nicely opens up the soundscape without being too revisionist with its remixing. I imagine many fans will opt for the former track, but the 5.1 is a nice alternative option.

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Special Features

This five-disc collector’s set includes two UHD discs and two Blu-ray discs with all three versions of the film and special features duplicated across both formats, alongside a bonus Blu-ray disc.

Disc 1 (UHD) contains the widescreen 1.66:1 UK Theatrical Version of The Quatermass Xperiment (with a 2024 audio commentary featuring Toby Hadoke, Nigel Kneale’s biographer Andy Murray and Wayne Kinsey, writer of numerous books on Hammer), alongside the fullscreen 1.37:1 As-Filmed Version (with a 2024 audio commentary featuring artist and film historian Stephen R. Bissette, and a 2003 audio commentary featuring director Val Guest and Hammer expert Marcus Hearn). Monstrous! features an extended section from Stephen R. Bissette‘s commentary talking about Phil Leakey and the make-up effects used in the film. A particular curiosity for some fans will be The Eric Winstone Bandshow: musical short from Hammer that played alongside The Quatermass Xperiment at the August 1955 UK premiere. This has been fully restored in 4K and HDR is available to watch on its own or alongside the 1.66:1 version of The Quatermass Xperiment for the full ‘premiere’ experience, and a restored trailer is also available to watch. UK Censor Cards for both films feature on this first disc, as well as Super 8 cutdowns and the German titles.

Also included on Disc 1 is The Legend of Nigel Kneale: Part One (HD), a brand-new, 42-minute documentary presented by Toby Hadoke delving into the life and career of Quatermass creator Nigel Kneale. It’s a great overview of the writer’s career, featuring interviews with Kneale biographer Andy Murray and actor Jane Asher (who starred in The Quatermass Xperiment and The Stone Tape) alongside a variety of other contributors. A lot is talked about the ‘aura’ of Quatermass, and just how intelligent and scary the series (in its various incarnations) was for generations.

Disc 2 (UHD) contains the widescreen 1.85:1 US Theatrical Version re-titled The Creeping Unknown (with a 2025 audio commentary featuring filmmaker and Hammer expert Constantine Nasr and writer/producer Dr Steve Haberman). This US version runs slightly shorter, with cuts for violence, a new opening title sequence and a re-edited version of the eerie zoo sequence. Additional extras include Unstoppable: Unleashing The Quatermass Xperiment (HD), a 37-minute retrospective making-of documentary which may not feature anyone from the original production but is very well-researched nonetheless, including interviews with Stephen Gallagher, Stephen Volk, Jon Dear, Wayne Kinsey as well as Toby Hadoke and Andy Murray once again. Exhuming The Quatermass Xperiment (HD) is a 4-minute featurette taking a look at the new 4K restoration process for the film. It’s an interesting, if brief watch. Also included are trailers for The Creeping Unknown; alternate titles; interviews with director Val Guest (one recorded in 2000 from the Festival of Fantastic Films archive, and the other recorded in 2003 for the original UK DVD release of The Quatermass Xperiment); an image gallery; and Patient Zero, which sees award-winning actor and writer James Swanton — who played Carroon in the live, 70th anniversary production of The Quatermass Experiment — examining the life and career of Richard Wordsworth (who played Carroon in the 1955 film).

While Discs 3 and 4 are effectively Blu-ray duplicates of the first two UHD discs, Disc 5 is centred around The Quatermass Experiment TV serial. The two surviving episodes are included in standard definition, and it’s easy to see why given the poor picture quality of the recording. The episodes sound good however, making for a decent viewing experience of both Episode One: Contact Has Been Established and Episode Two: Persons Reported Missing. The 1953 TV version has a very different feel, limited to a handful of studio sets and offering a distinctly theatrical quality seen in TV drama of the time. In this original version, more of the backstory behind the eponymous experiment is elaborated in a narrated prologue and longer opening act. There’s a distinctly urban approach, with the rocket crashing in South London in a sequence evocative of the London Blitz. It’s a far moodier version of the story, and I have to say that I prefer Reginald Tate‘s incarnation of Quatermass to his American counterpart. For Doctor Who fans, the differences between the TV and film versions of Quatermass are not unlike those between the early Doctor Who TV serials and their feature-film counterparts starring Peter Cushing. Given the unique historical status of The Quatermass Experiment, this is a must-watch alongside the film version.

Disc 5 also contains The Kneale Tapes: a 2003 BBC documentary that explores the career of Nigel Kneale; Cartier and Kneale in Conversation: writer Nigel Kneale and producer Rudolph Cartier reminisce about their work on the seminal Quatermass series; Making Demons: an interview with Jack Kine and Bernard Wilkie, visual effects pioneers at the BBC; Quatermass and the Pit Omnibus Titles; and a TV Series Photo Gallery.

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Packaging

This collector’s edition is packaged in a high-end, leather-feel slipcase with debossed red titling for the Hammer logo and debossed silver titling for The Quatermass Xperiment logo. It’s a striking first impression when opening the set up, immediately feeling like a premium release. The rigid inner box features striking new artwork from artist Graham Humphreys, while the digipack containing the discs features brilliant wrap-around artwork showcasing the main cast and locations from the film, with this artwork featured across each disc as well. A double-sided poster of the original one-sheets is also contained in the inner box, alongside eight art cards featuring facsimiles of the original UK cinema lobby cards, an incredibly impressive 176-page booklet titled The Quatermass Papers: Volume One, featuring new and reprint articles and reproductions of original publicity and a wonderfully retro 56-page comic featuring a reprint of the comic strip from legendary 1970s magazine The House of Hammer. For physical media fans who love their box sets (like me), it doesn’t get much better than this.

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Conclusion

To say that Hammer Films’ collector’s edition of The Quatermass Xperiment is impressive would be something of an understatement. With five discs jam-packed with content, premium-quality packaging and a wealth of supplemental materials, this is about as comprehensive a release as any fan could hope for. The film is undoubtedly a classic, the restoration is fantastic (with not only a new 4K scan on all three versions but a Dolby Vision presentation and 5.1 surround sound option as well), and there are plenty of special features. Given the age of the film, it’s amazing what the Hammer team have managed to come up with for the selection of extras, even if it’s disappointing to not have more contributors from the original production featured (as unrealistic as that would be). Having already been wowed by Hammer Films’ fantastic 4K release of Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter earlier this year, it’s great to see the house of horror continue this trend of terrific 4K collector’s editions with The Quatermass Xperiment, and I can’t wait to dive into Quatermass 2.

The Quatermass Xperiment is available now from Hammer Films: https://hammerfilms.com/the-quatermass-xperiment-ltde or Amazon: https://amzn.to/4k2KQpJ