Quatermass and the Pit (Five Million Years to Earth)(The Mind Benders) (1967)

75% of critics liked it
(8 reviews)
73% of users liked it
(3,121 ratings)

Nigel Kneale's Quatermass TV series spawned a brief film series produced over an eleven-year period; 1967's Quatermass and the Pit, released in the US as Five Million Years to Earth, was the third and (until 1979's Quatermass Conclusion) last of the features. As with previous chapters in the Kneale… More Nigel Kneale's Quatermass TV series spawned a brief film series produced over an eleven-year period; 1967's Quatermass and the Pit, released in the US as Five Million Years to Earth, was the third and (until 1979's Quatermass Conclusion) last of the features. As with previous chapters in the Kneale saga, the film begins with a baffling scientific discovery. This time it's an alien ship, alive after 5,000,000 years, discovered during the excavation of a new subway line. The craft is able to cause psychic disturbances in individuals genetically connected to the machine; it also prompts them to see dead Martians as ghostly entitites nearby. In time, conclusions drawn from these events lead scientists to shocking conclusions about the origins of the human race. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 38 min.
Directed By: Roy Ward Baker
Written By: Nigel Kneale
Genres: Horror, Art House & International, Science Fiction & Fantasy

In Theaters: Jan 1, 1967 Wide
On DVD: Oct 20, 1998

Critic Reviews

Variety Staff, Variety
Routine, somewhat distended development blunts impact of this British-made programmer.
Renata Adler, New York Times
All of its pseudo-scientific talk seemed to short-circuit the audience's interest -- in it and in themselves.
Calvin Baxter, SFX Magazine
A taut retelling, which surrenders only a few fairly redundant subplots.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
The third and best of the Quatermass films.
, Film4
One of the high points of Hammer's film production, and a worthy addition to the cannon of films and TV realisations of the products of Nigel Kneale's probing, prescient imagination.
, Time Out
The brilliant pre-Von Daniken anthropological theme of Kneale's script still guarantees interest.
Bob Bloom, Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN)
Each disc includes extras, including trailers, (and) insightful and interesting commentaries by many of the actors, directors and writers . . .
James Rocchi, Netflix
This is a movie with, to be blunt, a twenty-dollar budget -- but billion-dollar ideas.
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
Methodical in its pacing, building a level of dread with a payoff that fully justifies that atmosphere.

Read all 9 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Stella D

the film i set out to watch was called five million years to earth and i was pleasantly surprised to discover that this was actually the famous quartermass and the pit of which i've been hearing for so many years. i know, i'm silly :p the effects look dated and somewhat… More
the film i set out to watch was called five million years to earth and i was pleasantly surprised to discover that this was actually the famous quartermass and the pit of which i've been hearing for so many years. i know, i'm silly :p the effects look dated and somewhat cheesy but the premise is frankly brilliant and quite bleak. it's too bad hammer didn't have a bit more cash to put into this one. i didn't realize that quartermass had a whole series of films either. he was like an early x-files investigator and even had a beautiful lady scientist helping him out here. good stuff
Greg S

A mystery arises when skeletons and a capsule made of almost indestructible metal are discovered in a subway excavation. Talky, sometimes intriguing horror masquerading as science fiction, with a memorably apocalyptic conclusion.
Cindy I

What a great movie! Scary sci-fi with a conscience.
Barry L

I loved these films and saw every one at an early age. They were so disturbing as a boy...brilliant.
alan j

An intellectual and deep sci-fi offering, this movie moves at a slower pace, building plot and theory, but ends fairly abruptly and disappointedly so because of the meticulous build-up....good acting and so-so effects, this movie will make you think more than entertain you..

Cast

            James Donald as Dr. Matthew Roney

            Andrew Keir as Prof. Bernard Quatermass

            Barbara Shelley as Barbara Judd

            Julian Glover as Col. Breen

            Maurice Good as Sgt. Cleghorn

            Bryan Marshall as Capt. Potter

            James Culliford as Cpl. Gibson

            Duncan Lamont as Sladden

            Peter Copley as Howell

            Bee Duffell as Miss Dobson

            June C. Ellis as Blonde

            Hugh Futcher as Sapper West

            Thomas Heathcote as Vicar

            Noel Howlett as Abbey Librarian

            Charles Lamb as Newsvendor

            Cec Linder
            
            Hugh Manning as Pub Customer

            Keith Marsh as Johnson

            André Morell
            
            Hugh Morton as Elderly Journalist

            Michael Ripper
            
            Sheila Steafel as Journalist

            Grant Taylor as Police Sergeant Ellis

            Anthony Bushell
            
            Robert Morris as Watson

            Brian Peck as Technical Officer

            Edwin Richfield as Minister

            Roger Avon as Electrician

            John Graham as Inspector
See full cast