Question 1

What alternate title was used for the U.S. release of this film and why?

Accepted Answer

Twentieth Century Fox released it in the United States as "Five Million Years to Earth" (1967) because the name "Quatermass" was unknown to American audiences from the original BBC serials.

Question 2

What hidden details appear on the London Underground station walls in the film?

Accepted Answer

Posters from other Hammer projects like The Reptile (1966) and Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966), plus films like My Fair Lady (1964) and a partially-ripped Sex and the Single Girl (1964) poster adorn the station walls.

Question 3

How did director Roy Ward Baker remember working on this film?

Accepted Answer

Director Roy Ward Baker subsequently looked back on the film as one of the happiest shoots of his career.

Question 4

What distinctive feature does the Martian creature's eye have, and what does it reference?

Accepted Answer

The pupils of the compound eye are rectangular slot shapes rather than round, reminiscent of a goat's eye—a creature historically associated with witchcraft and sorcery.

Question 5

Which actor's performance as Quatermass did creator Nigel Kneale prefer compared to previous film versions?

Accepted Answer

Nigel Kneale was much happier with Andrew Keir's performance as Quatermass than Brian Donlevy's in earlier films, describing Donlevy as "a former Hollywood heavy gone to seed."

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