Quatermass and the Pit – Five Million Years to Earth

The movie is really a mind bender on so many levels. It starts off with workers discovering strange skeletons (missing links?) while digging a new subway line, then what is thought to be an old German “missile” turns out to be a spaceship with fossilized Martians that look like giant locusts, and sightings of these creatures in spirit form….then the film really gets weird. The street above ground is named Hobbs End, but not for the philosopher, but for Hob as in devil or goblin due to the strange occurrences that have transpired there since at least the time of the Romans. The film manages to marry science fiction with the supernatural as we learn millions of years ago the Martians experimented on primates to increase their brain abilities, that the ship is still functional and sending out telepathic instructions for the humans that are still genetically "part of their hive" to kill and drive out those that are seen as outsiders.

Yes, the effects are cheesy at times (the Martian cleansing of the hive scene is comical as well as the military men taking orders from Quatermass) but the movie is so intelligent, original and disorienting that you can’t help but love it. It also has the feel of 1967 London that is authentic and nostalgic. Quatermass is actually a character from British TV and you can see how it influenced the later television series Dr. Who. The idea that intelligent life from another world instigated the leap from simian to Man (echoes of the monolith of 2001) is relevant to our course as the new Martian-simian (i.e. Man) is created by the Martian technology and therefore can be seen as a Cyborg. Man is not the center of the universe, but merely bits and pieces left over on a laboratory floor. All of our beliefs of God, man's uniqueness, and our place in the universe are completely turned upside down. We were not created by a divine anthropomorphic god, we are not the natural evolution of life on our planet, we are Cyborgs that, like the android Rock in Star Trek, have for a countless time been missing important information about our origins.

Also of interest is that the Martians use the primates from Earth to transmit their genetic code. The Martians are less interested it seems in just the survival of their own locust appearing species, but in keeping their genetic code or a piece of their make-up alive. They experiment on primates and give them greater mental capasity to insure that at least of part of who they are survives. This is reminiscent of the ideas we have kicked around that maybe humans are just one step on the evolutionary ladder - that someday, when we are perhaps extinct, the parts of ourselves we are implanting in our machines may live on.

The moving is disorienting and yes, uncanny, as it brings up supernatural beliefs that most people have moved beyond (ghosts and devils) and gives them a scientific explanations. Also, the idea that we were merely monkey-like creatures that were experimented with and are still under the control of the locust-like creatures is horrifying and humbling. Man comes off in this movie as a very small creature and all of our accomplishments, including our governments, science and military institutions appear childlike compared to the Martians. The final scene with the two main characters just staring in shock at this realization is also experienced by the audience. We have gone on a wild ride. The movie had some faults, but the images and disorientation of the film stays with you long after the lights have gone up.