Cast and Crew: Roy Ward Baker (Director); Nigel Kneale (Writer); James Donald, Barbara Shelley, Julian Glover
What It’s About: Excavations in a section of the London Underground reputed to be haunted uncover fossils of prehistoric apes, then what the authorities believe is an unexploded German bomb or missile, but which has some very strange properties. Can Dr. Quatermass (Andrew Keir) discover the secret that lies buried under London before it’s too late?
Why Watch it Today?: The City and South London Railway, London’s first subway, opened today in 1890. Quatermass and the Pit, known in the U.S. as Five Million Years to Earth, straddles the line between science fiction and horror, mixing the two as Quatermass uncovers the truth behind many of man’s myths and horror stories, but always succeeding in both.
Where to Get It: Currently the film is unavailable legitimately online or from Netflix. A few libraries own it; you can also watch it at Google Videos
Mo Rating for Movember: Julian Glover’s twerpy military officer has a solid villain moustache, almost long enough for proper twirling. 3 out of 5 Mos.