The Quatermass Experiment (partially found BBC sci-fi serials; 1953): Difference between revisions

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{{LMW
{{InfoboxLost
|title=The Quatermass Experiment
|title=<center>The Quatermass Experiment</center>
|description=partially lost BBC sci-fi serials
|image=Quatexp01.jpg
|startyear=1953
|imagecaption=Title card of the serial.
|timeframe=No
|status=<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Lost'''</span>
|image=Quatermass.JPG
}}  
|imagecaption=Opening titles
'''''The Quatermass Experiment''''' was a BBC television serial which was broadcasted between the 18th of July to the 22nd of August 1953. ''The Quatermass Experiment'' has been heavily influential on other works of Sci-Fi, such as ''Doctor Who'' and ''Alien''.
|status=Partially lost
|comment=First two episodes survive as low quality telerecordings, the rest is lost
|category=Lost TV
|tags=Historic
}}
The Quatermass Experiment was a series of 6 science fiction serials released on the bbc in 1953. It was created by Nigel Kneale and was enormously influential on British sci-fi, most notably Doctor Who.


==Plot==
==Plot==
The plot follows Professor Bernard Quatermass, leader of the British rocket group. Quatermass has launched the first human expedition into space, but contact has been lost with the rocket after it overshoots its planned orbit. They later regain contact with the rocket but it has crash landed in London. When they open the rocket they discover that only one of the three crew members is inside. The surviving astronaut 'Carroon' is taken into care by  rocket group's doctor 'Briscoe'. Upon further inspection of Carroon, it is revealed that he has absorbed the consciousness of the other two crew members. Also, he is slowly mutating into plant-like alien creature, who's spores could spell the end for humanity.
The Quatermass Experiments concerned the adventures of Professor Bernard Quatermass. It starts with him awaiting the return of the first humans to go into space. When the rocket crash lands, they find that two of the rocket crewmembers have gone missing despite sensors indicating the door was not opened. Carroon, the surviving crew-member is gravely ill, and is kidnapped by foreign agents who want information about travelling in space. It turns out that he has absorbed the consciousness of the remaining crew-members and is slowly mutating into a plant like alien organism. After analysing samples of the creature, Quatermass realises that it has to prevented from sporing or else all life on earth will be destroyed. Quatermass the convinces the three human consciousnesses to destroy the creature from the inside.
 
==Lost Episodes==
The BBC intended that all 6 episodes be telerecorded onto 35mm film. However the recordings were poor quality (notably with episode 2 having an insect on screen in the recording), and so the idea was scrapped. This makes it unlikely that episodes 3-6 will ever be recovered<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070806171559/http://www.purpleville.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/rtwebsite/quatermass-article.htm Articles on the lost episodes Retrieved 21 April '19]</ref>


==Availability==
==Availability==
All six parts of the serial were broadcasted live. The BBC had plans to record the serial onto 35MM prints for preservation and overseas sale. The Canadian Broadcasting Company was also interested in airing the serial. However, only the first two installments were recorded before the BBC abandoned the notion. Today, only poor-quality recordings of part one and two exist in BBC archives. An insect can be seen on the screen for several moments during the recording of part two. It is highly unlikely that the missing installments well ever be found due to them being broadcasted live. However, there is a Hammer horror movie adaptation known as the ''Quatermass Xperiment''. In 2005, BBC 4 produced a remake of the story starring Mark Gatiss and David Tennant.
The first two episodes are freely available online and on DVD. In addition, there are copies of the scripts of the missing episodes available on a DVD boxset. <ref>[http://www.thedigitalfix.com/film/content/59045/the-quatermass-collection/ Retrieved 21 April '19]</ref>
 
There are also two film adaptations, the first from 1955, <ref>[https://www.dvdtalk.com/dvdsavant/s3601xper.html Retrieved 21 April '19]</ref> the second from 2005 <ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/media/2005/apr/07/television.apprentice Retrieved 21 April '19]</ref>.


==Gallery==
==References==
{{Video|perrow  =1
{{reflist}}
  |service1    =youtube
  |id1          =N18c9n3xNlU
  |description1 =Part one of the serial.
}}


[[Category:Lost TV|Quatermass Experiment (partially lost BBC serial; 1953)]]
==External Links==
[[Category:Partially lost media|Quatermass Experiment (partially lost BBC serial; 1953]]
*[https://archive.org/details/TheQuatermassExperiment-Incomplete The Surviving Episodes] Retrieved 21 April '19.
*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Quatermass_Experiment Wikipedia page] Retrieved 21 April '19

Revision as of 18:28, 21 April 2019

Quatermass.JPG

Opening titles

Status: Partially lost

Comment: First two episodes survive as low quality telerecordings, the rest is lost

Tags: Historic


The Quatermass Experiment was a series of 6 science fiction serials released on the bbc in 1953. It was created by Nigel Kneale and was enormously influential on British sci-fi, most notably Doctor Who.

Plot

The Quatermass Experiments concerned the adventures of Professor Bernard Quatermass. It starts with him awaiting the return of the first humans to go into space. When the rocket crash lands, they find that two of the rocket crewmembers have gone missing despite sensors indicating the door was not opened. Carroon, the surviving crew-member is gravely ill, and is kidnapped by foreign agents who want information about travelling in space. It turns out that he has absorbed the consciousness of the remaining crew-members and is slowly mutating into a plant like alien organism. After analysing samples of the creature, Quatermass realises that it has to prevented from sporing or else all life on earth will be destroyed. Quatermass the convinces the three human consciousnesses to destroy the creature from the inside.

Lost Episodes

The BBC intended that all 6 episodes be telerecorded onto 35mm film. However the recordings were poor quality (notably with episode 2 having an insect on screen in the recording), and so the idea was scrapped. This makes it unlikely that episodes 3-6 will ever be recovered[1]

Availability

The first two episodes are freely available online and on DVD. In addition, there are copies of the scripts of the missing episodes available on a DVD boxset. [2]

There are also two film adaptations, the first from 1955, [3] the second from 2005 [4].

References

External Links