31 of 33 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Beware, this is NOT an Original Anchor Bay!, May 14, 2009
The movie itself is great, but please be aware that this is NOT the original Anchor Bay edition of this dvd. I ordered this dvd, thinking that this rare dvd had finally been re-released by Anchor Bay, only to find out it's only a DVD-R copy of the original. Amazon needs to be much clearer in their description of this dvd & let buyers know that it is not a factory pressed DVD. I'm not sure how the licensing for such a DVD-R was worked out with Amazon & Anchor Bay (presumably it was or it would not be for sale on Amazon) but Amazon should not list it like the original Anchor Bay edition which is obviously still out of print and rare. I sent mine back for a refund since as a collector I want the real thing.
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19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A lost treasure rediscovered, February 8, 2002
I first saw "Quatermas II" (it's original Hammer release title) almost 40 years ago and even today it maintains much of its original power and impact. The combination of talents (Nigel Kneale's script, Val Guest directing, even the high, tense string musical score blend together to make this a true classic, regardless of the fact that it was done on a pittance of a budget.
Val Guest's direction is almost flawless, blending overlapping dialogue and camerawork designed to draw the viewer into the moment by allowing them to observe from a "non-God" viewpoint, rather than throw the action into the face (as is common in most films today.) One example of this would be a scene, early on, when Quatermass and his assistant travel to a remote English village to investigate a report of strange goings-on at a secret plant of some kind. They drive down a clean, modern road that ends abruptly in the middle of nowhere. Confused and a bit unnerved we stand beside them on the road, watching them climb back into their car and pull away. A few moments later, distant, shadowy figures step out of the forest, stopping to watch them depart. It is the fact that we do not know who or even what these individuals are and are not drawn into a close-up of them that makes the moment especially unnerving and creepy. The entire film is rife with such suggestive, effective touches.
The dialogue, while witty and crisp, is still to the point and drives the story along in a sudden rush. The entire tale takes place over the space of only a few days, but the distance travelled is lightyears in terms of mood and power.
Even the musical score, a combination of rolling, threatening timpini and screeching violins, merely heightens the already anxious mood of the story.
The performances are competent, in come cases journeyman in caliber, but the real power of the piece is the barely suppressed hint of menace that flows through it, like a half formed nightmare.
If there is a flaw in the film it is one of budgetary constraints, particularly in the eventual appearance of "the monster" at the very end of the film. Even with modern special effects it is difficult to imagine that moment carried out with complete success, though it is clearly expected by the viewer to be presented eventually. But the scenes leading up to it drive ahead into a chasm of disturbing images that are difficult to ignore. (The scenes of the heros trapped in the control room at the plant alone are a tidal wave of paranoia, claustrophobia and horror without ever having to resort to trickery or special effects.)
By all means every student of film or science fiction fan should at least see this picture. And it is well worth adding to a collection. I view it at least annually.
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18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
This is a DVD-R, March 26, 2009
This is not so much a review, but rather some information about this DVD. The movie itself is a great black & white British Sci-Fi thriller and I recommend it. I used to own the Anchor Bay release of this movie that went Out-Of-Production several years ago and started fetching big bucks on Amazon Marketplace and "that other auction site". As much as I liked the film, I sold original copy for a tidy profit and was hoping this film had been Re-released on DVD when I ordered this. After receiving it, I found out this was a DVD-R copy of the original. What that means is it is "burned" onto a writable DVD rather than being "pressed" or manufactured in a factory. DVD-Rs are pretty much the same as DVDs, but they don't play in some very old dvd players (1998 and earlier) there is some question as to their longevity. I sent it back for a refund, so I am not sure if it has the exact same features as the original Anchor Bay disc. If you are dying to see this movie, this is the only way to legally do it right now, but I think the asking price is too high for a DVD-R.
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