The Quatermass Xperiment (1955) - full transcript
In the countryside of London, a rocket crashes on a farm and Professor Bernard Quatermass and Scotland Yard Inspector Lomax arrive in the spot. The rocket was launched by Prof. Quatermass with the astronauts Victor Carroon, Greene and Reichebheim; however only Carroon is found very sick in the cabin. He is transported to a private clinic to stay under observation despite the protests of his wife Mrs. Judith Carroon. She bribes a nurse to bring Carroon to her and she finds that he is transforming into a monster. Carroon escapes, killing people and animals during his metamorphosis while the Scotland Yard is hunting him down and Dr. Quatermass discovers that his process is an alien invasion.
What's that?
- Sounds like a jet, doesn't it?
- That's not jet.
Maggie! Look!
- What is it?
- Down! Get down.
Maggie!
Get inside, inside!
Inside!
Maggie!
I'm alright, Dad.
We saw it coming out of
the sky, it was brilliant...
You two stay over there, and
keep watch from the windows!
It's probably a meteor, isn't it?
I hope that's what it is.
Dad, don't go out there!
- You stay here, lad.
- Please, dad, don't go out!
Hang on now! Is the
telephone still on! Call the police.
Will you all please
return to your homes.
You're only hampering operations
by crowding the streets.
Please return to your homes.
Please get back out of the road,
on to the pavement please.
Come along now, please.
Please return to your homes.
Get back.
People in here.
Right back please.
Right back.
Keep clear!
Alright.
You'll be alright.
They'll take care of you.
Okay George, let's
have a look at you.
Oh, don't you start fussing too.
I've got singed, that's all.
It's still too hot to put water on.
It could do with another pump.
It should be heavily green now.
What's all this about, chief?
It could be practically anything.
The object was first sighted
at about 9:15 this evening.
And its approach was widely
observed over the southern counties.
A statement just issued by the home office,
stresses that there
is no general danger.
Members of the public however are
warned to stay away from the area.
I will repeat that.
The Home Office stresses that
there is no immediate danger.
Do you realize what
you'll have to face
if this turns out to be
a disaster, Quatermass.
- How much further?
- 150 miles, sir.
Quatermass, I'm talking to you!
For the last 20 miles I've
been painfully aware of that.
Well that answered that. How did
it happen? What went wrong?
For the first time in
the history of the world,
man has sent a rocket
1500 miles into space.
You can't expect such an
experiment to be perfect.
Well, you must have had some ideas.
I'm a scientist, not a fortune-teller
who predicts what will happen.
- Well you had instrument, radio contact.
- We lost it for over 57 hours. sir.
Poor old Glooseman don't
even know how far it's been.
It had no further contact even
when it return to the orbit.
Yet you brought it down
by your own control.
Well, that's something
to tell your ministry.
Create a mess, set it up
and he brought it back.
Please! Oh, please.
Couldn't you pick some
other time for this.
I'm sorry, Mrs. Carroon.
I happened to be concerned
with the Ministry of Defense.
And I'm not a civil
servant, I'm a doctor.
And I happened to be concerned with 3
men. The 3 men who are in that rocket.
Oakley, Green, this is it?
Certainly no secret.
Sorry, no one's allowed past this point.
Ministry of Defense.
Oh, yes, sir.
Alright there, open up.
Sorry Miss, you will have to keep back.
Hoi, Miss!
Hey, you have to get back, please!
Miss!
Hi Ike, chasing the girls again.
Aye, you'd think it bank holiday
the way they come flocking out.
I'd like to flock home.
You stay put, my lad,
until that thing cools off.
Or blows up.
Now don't start that story going
around. I said it's not a bomb.
- So why can't we put water on it?
- Listen, Charlie. We've had instructions.
Don't ask me why
because I didn't tell us.
Hey, hey. Just a minute!
- Mr Blake, Ministry of Defense!
- I'll get the inspector.
- Try and get through to them Marsh.
- Right, sir.
Get the temperature reading.
Why don't you go and
wait in the car, Judith?
It's funny.
It looks exactly the same.
Yet it's been, who knows how far.
There isn't a word.
Hello Q-1, hello.
Q-1, Q-1, This is Marsh.
Hello Carroon, Green, Reichenheim.
You receive me? Over.
Keep trying.
- Mr. Blake?
- I'm Quatermass.
I'll be in charge
from here on inspector.
Can't say I'm sorry about
that. What's the next move?
We can't do anything right now.
Not until that cools off.
- How long left is that?
- I would say 3 or 4 hours at least.
Q-1, Q-1, this is Marsh.
Can you hear me? Over.
You keeping them there for four hours?
I suppose you'd like me to
open it up right now, huh?
One blast of air in against
that heat will incinerate them.
Sir, reporters have arrived.
They'd like some facts.
- They'll get some later.
- They'll get some now. Bring them on Major.
Don't you think we ought to find
out a few more ourselves first?
Bring them on, Major.
Are you hearing me Q-1?
Are you hearing me?
This is Marsh calling Q-1.
Q-1, over.
You know, if I ever
gave them all the facts,
you'd find one or two
of them difficult to explain.
Don't try and drag me
through the mud, Blake,
you might splash a little bit on
yourself, you and your committee.
You deliberately launched that rocket
without waiting for official sanction.
If the whole world waited
for official sanction,
it would be standing still.
You took too long.
- I made my own decision.
- To gamble with 3 men's lives!
Every experiment is a gamble.
The unknown is always a risk.
- They should know that.
- Did she know that?
That woman over there
waiting, hoping and praying?
It dropped another 100
degrees since we arrived.
We still got a long way to go.
Let's hope that insulation
lining doesn't crack up.
Yes, let's hope it didn't.
Because if it did, Quatermass and
those 3 men in there are dead...
Dead or alive they'll be heroes.
Let me tell you something, Blake.
They'll fire the imagination
so that there'll be a 100 men
begging for the same privilege
when we launch the second rocket.
- You can't stop it now.
- You mean I can't stop you now.
That's right.
This is Marsh calling Q-1.
Do you hear me? Over.
There's nothing, sir.
Nothing Quatermass.
You know what you've done.
I launched it and I brought it back,
that's quite an achievement, I think.
- And those 3 men ...
- Quiet!
- What is it, Marsh?
- Something came through.
Pull up. Brian pull up.
The tapping coming from inside.
By the hull, near the transmitter.
Q-1, Q-1.
Green, Reichenheim,
Carroon. This is Quatermass.
We can hear you, can you hear us?
Over.
Q-1, Q-1, can you hear me?
You've landed in England.
We are here not 50 yards from you.
Are you all right? Over.
Tapping has stopped.
We can't wait. We've got to
get them out of there now.
- Bring me the fire chief.
- Right away. sir.
- Set the remote control.
- Are you mad?
Do you know what will happen
if we have no rocket door now?
We've got to take that risk. We
know one of them is alive in there.
In an hour, he may not be.
But you said that would incinerate
them. You can't do a thing like that!
Don't tell me what I
can do, what I can't do.
That shell temperature
is still 300 degrees.
Alright. What would you suggest?
Wait till it's absolutely safe
and then bring him out dead?
- Door control set, sir.
- Hold it.
Where's that fire chief?
Get an ambulance move in.
You want me, sir?
Yes. Round up every man and
piece of machinery you've got.
Move it in there as close as possible.
We're gonna open the rocket door
from here by remote control.
When the door opens,
when I give you the signal.
I want every hose turned full
force around that entrance.
Now you got it?
Oh, that thing's still as hot
as the base, I don't know.
If you start pumping water ...
Don't argue with me.
I know what I'm doing.
I hope so, sir.
- Major.
- Sir.
I want this whole field cleared.
When they come out of the rocket,
I want absolutely no one on the field.
Do you understand?
No one.
Don't worry, sir.
There's someone alive in there.
We don't know what condition they'll be.
So you better get everything out.
Oxygen, morphine, glucose ...
Well, now it's up to you.
Keep your eye on me.
I'll give you the signal.
- All set?
- Set, sir.
Start it up.
Let me know when you're
minus 10 the pressure.
Right, sir.
Minus ten
Nine
Eight
Seven
Six
Five
Four
Three
Two
One
Zero.
Turn off the water.
- It's Mr Carroon.
- Victor!
- Victor, darling!
- Get them into the ambulance!
- What about the others?
- Darling.
Green! Reichenheim!
What happened son?
The access chamber, there's more inside.
Quick, the manual control.
Where are the others?
This thing works?
It's free, sir.
- They are not there.
- Not there. What do you mean not there?
I mean they're not in the
rocket, either one of them.
- Oh, that's impossible. They must be!
- He's right, sir. They're gone.
- The pressure suits?
- Empty.
Still linked. Helmets are still
attached but they're empty.
How the hell could they
possibly have gone out?
If I knew that I wouldn't be
wasting my time trying to find out.
Go bring the camera down.
Do you think the door opened
and they were swept away?
If the door had opened
it'd be registered here.
No, that door has not
been opened, till now.
What are you just trying to tell me?
I'm not trying to tell you anything.
Let the camera do that.
I'm afraid the camera
can't tell us anything.
Are they all right?
Something happened.
They're not there.
Victor!
Where is Green?
Where's Reichenheim?
- What happened?
- Please, not now.
Quatermass!
He is in no condition to talk.
He's in truth still in a state of shock!
He must be treated.
He's got to talk first. He's got
to tell me what happened!
Gordon!
What is it Victor?
What is it?
He said "help me".
That's all he said.
"Help me".
SPACE ROCKET :
SCIENTIFIC EXPERIMENT SUCCESSFUL
ROCKET LANDS AT NIGHT IN THE COUNTRYSIDE
WHY THE SECRECY?
QUATERMASS:
NO TO A POLICE INVESTIGATION
METROPOLITAN POLICE
FORENSIC LABORATORY
- You get it?
- Yes, sir.
Good.
Alright, so he's just making any ...
but he got a lump state with the wife.
Any special reason?
Uh huh, my favourite day of the month.
Payday.
Oh, I'm a big man on payday.
Yes, sir.
- See the papers?
- Quatermass?
Still to get up for the police.
How dare he take
fingerprints from a sick man?
There's nothing else they could do?
He couldn't talk, couldn't
answer any questions.
Thought it would be might
as well get his prints.
You never know.
No, you never know.
He's a weird one, alright.
Skin it ...
just like shaking hands
with a piece of ice.
Sergeant, that's no way
to talk about a public hero.
Come in.
A Mr Quatermass to see you, sir.
Well, speaking of public heroes.
- Alright, bring him in..
- Yes, sir.
Quatermass, heh?
This is what's known as
penetrating into enemy territory.
- Inspector Lomax.
- I'm Lomax.
This is Sergeant Best.
Won't you sit down?
I'll come direct to
the point, Inspector.
I will not have your men
coming into my research center
and treating Victor Carroon as though
he were a pathological criminal.
- No, he ...
- He's a sick man, Inspector.
He's been through an ordeal
that very few man could survive.
Two men didn't survive it,
did they Mr Quatermass?
What exactly do you mean by that?
I wish you'd sit down.
If I sit and you stand, I'm being
rude. I'm longing to sit down.
You see, Mr Quatermass,
I'm an old-fashion sort of chap.
I don't know much about
rockets or travelling in space.
I don't read science fiction,
I'm a plain simple bible man.
I have a routine mind, and
I have to do routine things.
Such as fingerprinting
an unconscious man.
When 3 men take off in a
rocket and only one comes back
in our reckoning that leaves minus 2.
And minus 2 puts us in an embarrassing
position having to investigate plus 1.
Now whether he is conscious,
unconscious or a gibbering idiot.
Fine. I guess that can save
you a lot of time, Inspector
with your so called investigation.
I have here, the particulars
on all 3 members of the crew.
Charles Green, Ludwig
Reichenheim, Victor Carroon.
You'll find everything there, Inspector.
Medical histories, personal descriptions,
academic achievements, professional
activities, politics and even fingerprints.
Well, that is very thoughtful of you.
There is only one investigation
likely to serve any good purpose
in this situation, Inspector.
That's the scientific one.
I'm sure even you will
agree, that between us,
I am the best qualified
for that assignment.
Good day, Inspector, Sergeant.
Well, we might all well say
we've been given a ride.
Yes, sir.
It's absolutely unbelievable.
It just isn't clinically possible that
his heart should just pump like this.
Pulse, blood pressure the same.
Impossibly low.
He shouldn't be alive but he is.
Can't you do something to
increase the metabolic rate?
Tried everything.
No effect.
I never knew pressure
effects to last this long.
Well, these aren't
just pressure effects.
Take a look at his face,
take a look at the skin.
Anyway, here on the shoulder.
Feel it.
Swollen, coarsened.
Yes, and that's not all either.
Look at the contour of the face.
You mean the bone structure?
Yes, it could be rather limp, but
not about the shape of the bones.
There's been a change,
I'm convinced of that.
Is he any better?
He's coming along fine.
If only he'd say something.
Give us a sign that he's thinking,
that he knows we're here.
He knows, Judith.
He knows we're trying to help him.
What is happening to him?
Well, that's what
we're trying to find out.
Shouldn't he be in a hospital?
- That's exactly where he should be.
- Briscoe!
I can't take this
responsibility any longer.
I haven't got the proper
equipment here to do the right tests.
He belongs in a hospital.
Well, I suppose you're right.
I suppose you're both right.
He does belong in a hospital.
But can a hospital do
more than you can do?
Would a hospital know what
goes on out there in space?
On the other side of the earth,
it's a whole new would out there.
A wilderness, uncharted.
And he's been there and come back.
He's got the map.
Unlock his mind for me, Briscoe,
and find it. I know you can do it.
It isn't just the ...
I know the strain and
tension you've been under.
But to stop now, when we're so close.
On the brink of something tremendous.
The very fringe of
some great discovery.
We can't stop now, Briscoe.
Besides, it's our only chance to
learn what happened to the others.
At the hospital you have almost ...
Does the hospital know how to deal with a
man who's been exposed to rocket radiation?
- It is that she knows that ...
- Or the effects of pressure
at 1500 miles up?
During flight training it took 7 times the
force of gravity without even a headache.
We know that.
But would a hospital know it?
Well, I'll try another
transfusion, see if that will help.
Thanks.
You'll stay with him, won't you Judith?
He needs you.
Victor.
I am going to move him into the office.
We can make him more comfortable in there.
- Would you help me, please?
- Of course.
Thank you for all you're doing, Gordon.
Aye, I only wish I could do more.
The solution is elementary,
my dear Inspector.
Victor Carroon killed the two men,
removed their pressure suits,
pushed their bodies out into space and
then linked the suits together again.
- Now, what do you want?
- Two things.
Number 1, I want to return these files.
Green, Reichenheim, Carroon.
- Very interesting. Carroon ...
- Number 2?
Well, I want you to give
me your solemn word...
Well Inspector, I'm a very busy man.
Now look sir, nobody
ever wins a cold war.
One of us must come
over to the other side.
You don't want to come over to mine.
I'm not proud, I'll come over to yours.
Solemn word about what?
That these were Carroon's fingerprints.
Of course they were.
Everybody in ... gets fingerprinted.
What are you getting at?
Ahh, to be quite honest,
I don't quite know, sir.
Nothing unusual about these.
These are the fingerprints
we took off Carroon last night.
What about them?
Compare them.
- Is this a joke?
- This is no joke, sir.
The man who took those had his
training in the fingerprint section,
second nature to him.
But these prints aren't even ...
human.
Yes. Yeah.
You found what?
I'll be right there.
Well, wherever you're going, I might
as well keep you company, mightn't I?
Thank you.
Very nice of you.
Mr Lionel has checked the
specification of the wiring.
Right there.
Can you get at it?
No.
It's right in a crevice.
Hand me the samples spoon in that box.
Any more of it?
Yes sir, lots.
On the left, by the rivet there.
Mind if we have a
sample for our people?
Sure, we'll give you a sample.
Briscoe, what do you think it is?
I do not know a thing, I'm not sure.
I've been in this thing all night.
I smell there's such thing
around the whole town.
Can I have that lamp?
You got the same bright
thoughts that I have?
Something happened in here.
Something beyond our
understanding at the moment.
If I only knew where to begin.
- Maybe the film will help?
- Film?
Guess the lab should
have developed it by now.
I thought you told me
the camera was smashed.
It was rather damaged but
I managed to get the film out.
Why didn't you tell me?
The lab said they didn't know
if they could develop it or not.
They've got to develop it.
You get right down to that laboratory
and tell them they've
got to develop that film!
- Yes, sir.
- And I'll have no delays or excuses!
Tell them to get the best
process man in the company!
Tell them to get anybody they want,
but I've got to have that film.
Right, sir.
This is one frankly
I don't want to miss.
Well?
It's harmless, it's organic, it's jelly.
End of analysis.
No definite identification?
It might conceivably represent
the dead remnants of cell tissue.
- What sort of cell tissue?
- Could be animal, could be human.
- Human?
- Could have been.
- Do you know what you're saying?
- I know what I'm thinking.
Are you sure it's not
some sort of plant cell?
Positive.
You mean to say that you're
asking me to believe that
that is the remains
of two human beings?
I'm not asking you to believe anything.
You asked a question, I answered it.
Does she know?
No, it's the best sleep
she's had in nights.
What about the police analyst?
What do they say?
No report through yet.
But I don't doubt it will be the same.
It's almost beyond human understanding.
Some fantastic invisible force ...
converted two men into ...
jelly.
- Is that the slide?
- That's the slide.
I'm about to call it a day, Quatermass.
- Beyond this I'm a ...
- Gordon!
Alright, get him up.
No, wait a minute.
His hand,
another change.
Get him back to bed.
Look what's happening to his skin
in just the last few moments.
I'll go and get him a sedative.
You've done it to him.
He'd been better off if he'd been
killed and stayed out there.
Judith!
You've destroyed him like you
destroyed everything else you've touched.
Destroyed him?
I've brought him back, I've saved him!
Saved him for what?
For further experiments?
I can help him more than
you or anyone else can.
There's no room for personal
feelings in science, Judith.
Some of us have a mission.
You should be very
proud to have a husband
who's willing to risk his life for the
betterment of the whole world.
What world? Your world?
The world of Quatermass!
I have sent for an ambulance.
He's going to the Central Clinic.
Alright Briscoe.
Send them to the clinic.
But I want them to have
complete isolation, you understand.
Complete isolation.
No one is to see them.
No one,
until I say so.
We've tried three
different grade of stock,
developed each one to its
higher gamma as possible
and still it's made no difference.
- Look at this. It's grainy and dark.
- All I want is a print!
Well, we don't like any print
that isn't up to standard.
Is there a picture of it?
Oh, there's a picture alright.
But you can see how dull and grainy ...
I don't care how dull and grainy
it is. I must have this now.
It could be altitude, or an
extreme change of temperature,
or penetration of cosmic rays.
Fine, fine.
I'll tell him that.
Well, I don't know what
the old man will say.
Listen, you tell your old
man that our old man says
if he didn't get this print
he'd dynamite the building.
I can't tell the Ministry this.
They'll think I lost my senses.
That's exactly why you
must tell them nothing.
Now you see why I must have
absolute authority to isolate Carroon.
But every newspaper in town has got a
story on him being admitted into the clinic.
They'll want to know why
and what's happened to him
on what's happened to the others.
- Alright, do you want to tell him?
- But not telling them won't stop the panic.
What they don't know
won't start a panic.
- Inspector, what about the police analysis?
- The same, Mr Blake.
Well, what's the next move?
Oh, we've agreed to isolation. There isn't
anything we can do until we know more.
Yeah?
The film is ready.
- See that Marsh, it works!
- Yes, sir.
- What works?
- Automatic prism.
It touch on the panel reading.
What? Is that all?
Once in the observation zone, the camera's
geared to cut out at regular intervals.
This will be at 0.160.
That must be where we lost them.
What the hell could have happened?
Look at that fantastic
temperature drop.
Run it again.
He's in surgery.
But I'll get word to
him as soon as possible.
Yes, what's the name, please?
That's two T's?
Yes, I'll see that he gets it.
Yes.
Sorry, miss, the
visiting hours are over.
I just wanted to know
how my husband is.
I'll try and find out for you, miss.
- What would the name be?
- Carroon, Victor Carroon.
- Oh.
- He's alright, isn't he?
Mrs Carroon, I wish I could let
you go up, but we have strict
- orders about your husband.
- All I want to know is how is he?
Is there any change?
Just a minute.
Hello Mabel?
Listen, how is 4B?
I know about the orders, but
I only want you to think out loud.
Thank you, Mabel.
Thank you.
Still about the same, Mrs Carroon,
no change but no worse.
If I could see him,
just for a few minutes.
I should be shot at dawn.
- But don't you worry. He's in good hands.
- They don't leave him alone, do they?
Ooh, not for a moment.
Tucker, his night
nurse is with him now
and Perkins comes on
in about half an hour.
- The fella is good as any doctor.
- Could I wait for the night nurse
when he comes off duty.
If only to talk to someone who
has been with him. Please.
Tucker comes off in about half an hour.
He usually dips out
through the staff entrance.
Turn left through the doors
and it's on the right.
- Thank you.
- Wait for him outside.
And if the ask me,
I never told you nothing.
There's only the nurse with
him. His name's Tucker.
His name? You mean
I got to plan for the "he"?
Please hurry. You've only got half and
hour before the relief nurse comes on duty.
- Another one in pants?
- His name's Perkins.
Have you got any money?
Cash before delivery, it always
gives me more confidence.
Especially when I'm
investigating is this type ...
- Room 4B.
- 4B.
Give me 15 minutes.
I'll put him in the lift and
standing by. Then he's all yours.
- I never saw you in my ...
- Please hurry. He's very sick.
Don't worry I'll
murder him like a baby.
You've got to get it.
Relax lady, you're
shaking the building.
- Good evening.
- Yes.
Evening. I'm from casualty.
Perkins is sick.
They sent me to take
over his night shift.
Fine, I don't know in two hours, but
you're not until for another half hour!
Who cares? Night shift is night shift.
What's a half an hour you got there.
You know you go to heaven for this.
With our rate of pay, we
should get some fun out of life.
- What's his trouble?
- Doesn't seem to know.
He's the star patient.
He just lies and stares.
Never opens his mouth. But if
he does, press that bell and quick.
Well, happy nightmare.
- Any special instructions?
- It's all on the chart.
- Goodnight.
- Goodnight.
News my friend.
Your wife is waiting
for you downstairs.
I'm the man who's
gonna get you out of here.
Does that make you happy?
It does.
Good!
Now we don't have too
much time, so up we get.
- Hello.
- Hello.
- What time are you off?
- Ask him whether he's going to live or not.
- Operating?
- About three and a half hours at least.
- You too?
- Me too.
Chinese restaurants
open until midnight.
Take your vote.
Beautiful sweet and sour pork,
- roast duck, fried shrimps.
- You talked us into it.
Here we are, now the jacket.
That's a good boy.
Can't meet the lady looking sloppy.
You know it's funny, wives usually employ
me to get them away from their husbands.
Oh, you're a sad one!
Well, to each his own.
Hey, steady, steady.
Now you stay here while Christie goes
and get the lift. Won't be a minute.
All clear.
Hey, come on, hurry.
That's the boy. Christie's got you.
What have you got there?
What are you hiding?
What is it?
Victor.
Oh Victor, darling.
I've got the car outside.
Please try and be quick.
You can make it dear.
Everything's going
to be alright, Victor.
I'll get you the best treatment,
the finest doctors.
I'll get you well and strong.
We'll make a new life for ourselves.
Away from all this.
Away from him.
Our life will be our own.
Would you like one?
Victor, I ...
Victor.
Your hand.
Are you in pain?
Well, this is one case I don't think
we'll find listed in forensic medicine.
It looks as though the life
was drawn right out of him.
Have the body examined
by a head pathologist.
I'd like a report as soon as possible.
The headlines ... pathologist
also took a little beep.
I don't care if he dumps
his head into a ring.
They picked up Mrs Carroon the
other side of town. Car full of luggage.
- And Carroon?
- No sign of him.
Stupid idiot. Trying to take the
whole thing in her own hands.
- What did he go? What did she say?
- She didn't say anything.
Anything about him. She's in
a pretty bad state of shock.
If not about him, then about what?
The doctor said she may
even go out of her mind.
Out of her mind about what? What
did she say? Come on, talk man.
Well, when they found her, she was
just sitting at the wheel of a car.
And moaning, something
about a hand being all grey
with thorns like a ...
like a cactus.
I remember there was a
cactus in this room, in this pot.
- Can I get a line to this?
- Yes
Hello?
Hello.
Henry's coming down.
Car-three-nine
Proceed immediately
to 34 Main Elm Street ...
and investigate a
complaint by resident
maybe Carroon.
Proceed with caution car-three-nine.
Cars ....
join river police at Hayes Wharf
to search area bounded
by .... and Tilly street.
River Patrol 4.
join mobile police...
to search area boarded by Toddy
Street, Hayes Lane and Strat Temps
River Patrol 4.
Roger. Out.
This growth on the face.
Half plant, half ...
Look at this.
Look what it's done. The whole
tissue structure's eaten away.
The bones, powder.
Well, that takes care
of my supper tonight.
Briscoe, what if there is
a form of life in space?
Not on some planet, but just drifting.
I don't know.
Not life, as we know it.
With intelligence, yes, but pure
energy, with no organic structure.
- Invisible.
- Invisible?
Now the rocket past through its path.
It entered the rocket. It found
living specimens of our form of life.
- Cell organisms. Human.
- Green and Reichenheim.
And Carroon.
Exactly.
Now, if even by accident it could
enter one of those structures.
What a way to invade the Earth.
Now look sir, I'm not over
intelligent, but when you ...
You saw the film, you
know what happened.
Only God knows where and
how far that rocket traveled.
- But only two of them died.
- Something got into that rocket!
Took the blood out of the other
two and now it's using Carroon.
And it's found other
forms of life, the cactus.
- Good grief. You mean Carroon's ...
- a carrier.
He is now another shell
of a man being transformed.
If all these cactus plants were
subject to the same mutation
there could be an affinity, a
union between plant and animal
with the ability to destroy,
and possess
and multiply...
at will.
Multiply?
Yes, but to multiply,
first it has to live.
And like any living thing,
to live, it must have food.
I'm sorry, we're closed.
Alright, just a minute.
We only open until ...
Hey, wait a minute!
You can't come into a place like this!
Leave those things alone!
What do you think you're doing?
Are you in pain?
Is it something to do with your arm?
Look, I'll just take a look.
I won't hurt it, I promise.
No!
Alright love, I'll get it.
Hello?
Yes, Best.
What?
When?
Right. Cordon off the whole area.
Tell Quatermass and
Briscoe to meet us there.
Love!
- Now what?
- I've got to go back.
- But you just come in.
- They just can't do without me, love.
I don't know why you
don't move into the office.
You'd never believe I was there.
What makes you think I do now?
- Have your tea at least.
- Haven't got time, love.
The thing that you do to
that poor stomach of yours.
I ought to get you a picnic basket.
What I'm going on is no picnic.
- What about dinner?
- Cook and keep your fingers crossed.
Bye love.
- What do you think he was trying to do?
- I'd like to think, kill himself.
You see if mix the normal of that,
it will be death in 5 minutes.
What? What is it?
I have a bit of sick
feeling it was something
to speed up the change
going on inside him.
But Carroon was an engineer, he
doesn't know anything about chemistry.
Carroon didn't know.
There is a kettle still on and there's
no sign of the chemist anywhere.
What do you think he was doing here?
- Well, one thing he was doing ...
- We're not certain.
Not certain about
anything with this customer.
Well?
Nobody in the street heard anything.
They're all in church or in the local.
He must have ...
Evans, come in quick,
and quiet.
Here we are.
And it's just the two of us today.
We'll have our own tea-party.
I don't like those other girls anyway.
All they do is talk about
their new clothes and dolls.
You don't care about
those things, do you?
You don't care about
new clothes or anything.
We're friends.
Now you sit down and be a
good girl while I make the tea.
There's a teapot,
there's a cup.
And I brought the most
delicious cakes and biscuits.
The others never serve
anything, but we do.
Look, I'm pretty yummy.
Don't be frightened,
that's only the old rats
living in this old boat.
Now, tea is ready.
Sugar? One?
Two, alright.
Now you may have a cake.
This one is filled with cherries.
But anyway, I like that one
cause it's full of chocolate.
Ooh, we thought you were a rat.
Won't you stay and
have tea with us?
We'd very much like you to stay.
You look so tired.
There's plenty, if that's
what you're worried about.
And cakes too.
Go on dolly, you ask him.
Please, won't you have
tea and cakes with us?
Don't be frightened,
we would like you to stay very much.
And you may have the cake
that has all the chocolate inside.
Tell him, dolly.
Yes.
What time was this?
Was it an eye-witness?
I see.
Well, he's been doing fine.
He's been positively seen in Liverpool,
Margate, Ostend and the Orkneys.
Yes.
- Yes. Deptford area.
- What?
A kid told her mother ...
Yes?
About two hours ago?
Hold it please.
The kid got a doll broken by a man down
by some derelict boat near Deptford.
Oh, so it had to be Carroon?
No, the mother's complaining
about molesting kids.
Deptford said the
description could fit Carroon.
All right. Well, that's why
there's a police station at Deptford.
Thank you Deptford.
Keep us informed.
Bye bye.
A Deptford alert on Carroon.
Yes, I know it is, so your boys
can have another little drive.
Cover derelict boats,
warehouses and bomb shelters.
Alright, so do it again.
Where is he getting food,
that's what I'd like to know?
Now, now shut up, Simba!
Time to go to bed.
Go on. Off you go. Go on.
Don't stand there gaping at me.
Off you go to bed!
Goodnight fellas.
Sleep well.
Hello, Joey.
You know something?
Could have sworn I saw you having
tea in a cafe this afternoon.
Turns out to be a customer though.
TO LION HOUSE
This is exactly as the keeper
found him when he came on duty.
- Are the others the same?
- Yes, over here.
They found three more still
outside the antelope house,
or what was left of them.
Look.
Look at that.
- Complete absorption this time.
- That's what I've been afraid of.
Inspector, get this place closed,
get everybody out of here.
- Right.
- Quickly and quietly as possible.
No panic, no charging.
Close the whole place up?
As we already ...
Listen, sir, you've got to take it
from us. We know what we are doing.
Just tell your men
to cooperate, please.
Well, I don't understand
what's happening, anyway.
What killed these animals?
- You better say natural causes for now.
- What?
Sorry, ma'am we're
closed this morning.
Closed, but we've come
all the way from Epping.
Sorry ma'am. We're not to
open to the public this morning.
- Will it be opened this afternoon?
- Oh, I wish I could tell you, sir.
Sorry folks, still closed.
I'm very sorry now, but
we're closed this morning.
I'm very sorry, sir.
Quatermass!
Inspector!
What is it?
He was here .
Look at this.
It's alive.
- Looks pretty horrible doesn't it?
- Quick, the sample box!
Well, what manner or a shape
of thing do we look for now?
You'll know it when you see it.
Just send your men out with
a prayer that we find it in time.
It's almost too
terrifying to think about it.
In less than 12 minutes every
animal completely absorbed
pray except one.
Gone like quicksand.
But this quicksand
knows what it's doing.
It's trebled it's size in an hour.
Do you know what this means?
This is only a fragment
of the main organism.
If the same thing is happening to
him at the same rate or speed,
if absorbing those
mice could do this ...
I know.
There is no living thing on earth
that stands a chance against it.
How do we fight it, how do we stop it?
Hands off, you young man!
Fix him and then I come
here on my own accord.
Yes, yes.
I come here to complain
about something which I saw.
Okay Rosie, you keep saying now ...
I refuse to talk about it
to any common constable ...
who has nothing comes to do all
day but show me big flat fleet.
Only big fat fleet.
Now, come on, Rosie old girl.
Don't you ... call me!
I mean I'm enough to be your mother.
What respectable woman in
London would be ... now?
I come in here of my own free will.
I come come here on
my own volich ... volition.
Very glad we all to see you, Rosie.
- What can we do for you this time?
- I wish to make a report.
Miss Rosemary...
Elizabeth Wrigley.
- What address this week?
- I'm temporarily visiting.
- Bow Street?
- With friends.
Salvation Army.
The embankment.
What did you see this time, Rosie?
Oh, it was terrible.
Shocking.
It always is, Rosie.
Just tell me what you saw?
Of course it's been of a thing of a young
woman can't walk the streets in London
with that creepy crawly
thing up in around that place.
What is the police for, if not for
protect us from the likes of that?
Go on. Tell me. Tell me
what's the police force for?
- Rosie!
- Yes?
Rosie, just tell me what you saw,
and we at the London Metropolitan
Police will do all in our power
to see that it doesn't occur again.
You were with voice wreck so drunk,
that I couldn't
even yell for a copper.
I still got this sore of this.
Why is it aren't to remember.
And water makes me as sick as a baby.
It better be worthwhile, Rosie.
After you tell me.
I was sitting in a door right here.
I wasn't feeling too well.
And the doctor says that too
much walking is bad for my legs.
- It's my legs you see.
- You were sitting in the door way.
Yeah, just for a minute or two.
When suddenly I heard a ...
kind of rustling it was.
Rustling?
So I looked.
And there, at the end of the
street, I saw something moved.
Something enormous!
What moved Rosie?
Well, I couldn't make
out the shape properly.
I usually might get the
shapes of these things.
Think carefully, Rosie.
Was it ...?
This something, was it
walking quickly or slowly?
Walking?
It was kind of
crawling, up on the wall.
Not like any of the things that
I'll see on a Saturday nights.
No Rosie, I think this
time you really saw it.
Get me the Yard.
Well cancel it. This is priority.
Really saw it? You mean
this time it's not hallu... ?
- It's not a gin goblin?
- No, Rosie. This time it was real.
Real?
It's my legs!
Hello, Scotland Yard.
Yes. Inspector Lomax, please.
Lomax here.
Yes.
Say that again.
Contact the Commissioner right away.
Hello?
Yes.
Yes.
We'll be right there.
Lomax.
Said it climbed a
brick wall 30 feet high.
Yes, no doubt at all he was here.
Quite recently too.
The trail ends on the wall.
Let me have that case up here!
Get him his case, Sergeant.
Send the car in please.
Use the car radio.
I want to cordon off the entire
area and evacuate all public.
Tell Evan and Mason to
check on every movement
that is likely to take place
inside this radius tonight.
Yes sir.
Warn everyone not to
touch anything unusual
they may find in the
streets or their gardens.
Warn the children, especially.
It got out?
Look at the size of it now!
Without food except mice.
Is it dead?
Yes, but don't touch it.
Look at these phalanges,
spore producing patches.
If the limbs complete
this reproductive cycle,
this would have been
a jungle of living tendrils.
How many more of these things
are there around London?
I think you better call Lomax.
It's not a question of how
many but where are they?
If they can reproduce at this rate,
another 24 hours, a few days...
Get me Scotland Yard quickly.
What's project ...
Project had reached the mice.
Yes
Yes, of course.
The Commissioner.
- They're getting him, sir.
- Right.
Get hold of Evans.
I want him to get out
an anti-panic statement.
I want it broadcast, televised
and fill in all the nationals.
Yes, sir.
I want every available man
on search of the area.
Immediate search of parks,
fields, undergrounds and subways.
Yes sir, it's the
Quatermass Experiment.
I am please enough to
take advance top level sir.
I need troops and the civil defense.
Yes sir, I'll be right out.
Now this is all we need to start
the program with a swing.
What's he talking about?
Oh, no one must touch anything
unusual we find on the streets.
Don't panic. Just inform
the nearest police station.
They've been putting that
out all day on the radio.
Westminster Abbey.
Yes
Standing by.
Opening announcement coming up.
Okay, standby cameras.
Alright Camera 1, titles are in.
We will be on you in five seconds.
four, three,
two, one.
Oh, you Camera 1, where are you?
Alright quick, take over Camera 2.
On you instead.
What is that?
- What's happened?
- Looks like a body.
Kill transmission.
Landrow, fill in will you?
I'll get back as soon as possible.
Tell presentations.
Hello?
What's going on here?
- He fell from the scaffold.
- Slipped?
- Dead before he fell.
- Dead before he fell?
Sir, I should believe you
have a strong stomach.
- He is ... practically a skull.
- I think we better get the police.
Yes, get the police.
Well, do we go on with the program?
- It's up to you sir.
- I'm alright.
I think we better carry on
in another part of the abbey.
Pull that dolly over here, will you?
Get a blanket or
something to cover him up.
Come on. Quickly.
- Mr Quatermass.
- Right.
Alright, I want the whole abbey cleared.
Public, clergy, everyone and quick.
Please, not so loud.
There's a transmission going on.
Well, the transmission's coming off.
I want you all out of this place.
Every second may count.
... spend time for the cameras only.
This is highly out of range.
Well, son, it's is an emergency.
Get this stopped.
Stop? I can't stop it!
- Where's your producers?
- They're in the truck.
These murals were hidden under layers of
painting and aged by the dust of time.
Where the other reinforcements!
Steve on Camera 2 standby
on stained glass window.
Camera 3 on scaffolding hold it.
I'm Inspector Lomax. You got to
get your people out of the abbey!
Please.
Coming on to you Camera 3.
Everyone in that building
maybe in deadly danger!
We're on transmission!
Back on to you Camera 1.
Pan up as high as you can and ...
What's in the name of it?
It must be 20 feet across.
Kill transmission.
Camera 1, hold that shot and
log off and everybody out!
Hello, hello, listen.
Jessica, you'll just have to
carry on as best you can,
we can't go on here.
Yes, just fill in will you?
Quatermass, quick, in the front.
It's now in the abbey.
We have to strike it now, uh?
At the abbey.
There is an emergency.
You saw it?
We don't know what it is.
Same pattern as the one in the lab.
And it was 20 times
the power of reproduction.
Its nodules if it get to spore
this time, nothing will stop them.
It'll break up, they'll spread by the
million wherever there's having wind.
How long before
it starts reproducing?
It's on the last cycle,
80 or 90 minutes.
And within the hours,
everyone will be a million.
He's coming lower!
- We've got to stop him!
- You need a miracle to stop it now.
- We've got flame throwers.
- Well, it managed to escape,
the whole of it is to kill.
- Dynamite.
- That would only spread it further.
Stopped moving!
It's barely pulsating now.
That time it was out,
it's its last dormant stage
just before it reproduces.
It's changing again.
The beginning of new
spore producing hands, dusting.
Well, it's hanging there,
grabbed on the scaffolding.
Briscoe, I think we can stop it.
What now, Professor?
That scaffold inside,
I want to run cables to it.
Then tap the main power line.
I want to send enough current
into that steel to burn it up.
We've got to keep
pouring current into it.
We have to melt it right
down to the ground.
It's our only chance. I want every set
of current in London diverted to here.
This will bring the city to a standstill.
If that thing spores before we kill it,
you won't have any city!
I just hope you're right, that's
alright. Just hope you're right!
Attention everybody.
There is no cause for alarm.
I repeat.
There is no cause for alarm.
Please do not crowd.
Unless you have official
business in this vicinity,
Please listeners,
go back to your homes.
There is nothing to see,
go back to your homes.
Hello Battlesea. Standby.
Switch on.
Well, this time you won.
In my simple bible way,
I did a lot of praying.
One world at a time
is good enough for me.
Can we ease it all up now, sir?
Is it all right, sir?
Quatermass, why wasn't
I informed about all this?
I only just heard, sir.
Could have been here sooner.
Is there anything I can do?
- Yes, Marsh. Gonna need some help.
- Help, sir? What are you gonna do?
I'm gonna start again.