X THE UNKNOWN (1956)

4 stars

Hammer Films. Limited collectors edition. 4K UHD/Blu Ray. 27th July.

Having had much success with THE QUATERMASS XPERIMENT Hammer were looking to follow up — hopefully with another tale involving Professor Q. But Nigel Kneale, creator of the character, was having none of it — especially as he didn’t approve of Brian Donlevy in the lead role.

Using the same thinking of tagging the X in the title — to emphasise the nature of the film and the fairly new adult rating at the cinema (no one under 16 admitted) — they had their production manager Jimmy Sangster pen a script in the Quatermass style, giving him his first feature writing credit. Of course he went on to write many films for both Hammer and others.

A bunch of young soldiers (including Anthony Newley and Kenneth Cope looking very fresh faced) and in a quarry in Scotland learning to use a Geiger counter. When Sapper Lansing (Cope) finds a reading where there shouldn’t be one – and then a great big fissure opens up in the ground. Before long you have troops suffering from radiation burns and poor old Lansing ends up dead!

They call in the expert from the Atomic Energy Establishment in the shape of our Quatermass ‘stand-in’ Dr Royston (Dean Jagger, the usual American actor imported to bolster the appeal to the US market). However, he finds no radiation emitting from the crack…

A couple of young boys Willy (Michael Brooks) and Ian (Frazer Hines of DOCTOR WHO fame) go to the tower in the marshes sneaking around. Willy ends up in hospital after being chased by something (as James Bernard’s score goes crazy) and sadly dies.

What is happening in this small community – the fracture in the ground d has brought forth an amorphous monster which feeds on energy, a couple of years before Steve McQueen battled a red gelatinous blob. The radiation helps it to grow – though the filmmakers wisely keep it off screen till late in the production, brought to life by fx man Les Bowie. There is a great featurette on his work and career as one of the extras, with my good friend (and Hammer expert) Wayne Kinsey, explaining how this and other effects were achieved.

As you would expect, this is an efficiently told sci fi thriller, directed by Leslie Norman, taking over from original helmer Joseph Losey. The splendid mono cinematography by Gerald Gibbs is well exhibited on this 4K presentation. As usual it is packed to the gills with extras and three versions of the film in different aspect ratios

Steve Kirkham

EXTRAS

A Man on the Beach: a rare, early Hammer short film, written by Jimmy Sangster and directed by Joseph Losey, includes commentary by film expert Neil Sinyard.

Several commentaries with actor and comedian Toby Hadoke and Nigel Kneale’s biographer Andy Murray; writer/producer Dr Steve Haberman and film-maker and film historian Constantine Nasr; with film historian David Kalat; archive one with writer Jimmy Sangster and Hammer expert Marcus Hearn.

A bunch of documentaries featuring numerous experts: A Making of X the Unknown; on special effects maestro Les Bowie; on the career of Joseph Losey

Sidebar: X the Unknown. Film critic and writer Tim Lucas discusses X and similar films of the period with artist and film historian Stephen R. Bissette.

Archive Jimmy Sangster interview from 2003.

Original trailers, censor card, Super 8 cut-down version and an extensive image gallery of stills and publicity material.

Plus a 120-page booklet featuring new articles on the film’s production, its relationship to the Quatermass films, cast and crew biographies, script comparisons, and more.