Quatermass 2 Blu-ray - Brian Donlevy

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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r

(aka "Enemy From Space")

Directed by Val Guest
UK 1957

Professor Quatermass returns in this sequel to The Quatermass Xperiment!

Quatermass 2 is the second and most talked about of the three science fiction stories written by Nigel Kneale and based on his critically acclaimed 1955 BBC series.

Professor Quatermass, played by Hollywood veteran Brian Donlevy reprising his role from The Quatermass Xperiment, is Britain's most clever scientist. Investigating a series of bizarre incidents that have been reported from a deserted area, he finds a group of soldiers and government officials that appear to be controlled by aliens from another world. When a close friend is brutally murdered by these beings, Quatermass leads a mob of local workers to a showdown with the extraterrestrials. The film was retitled Enemy From Space for its U.S. theatrical release.

***

Originally titled Quatermass II, Enemy from Space was the sequel to The Quatermass Xperiment (US title: The Creeping Unknown). Based on the British TV serial by Nigel Kneale (who reportedly disliked the finished product), the film stars Brian Donlevy, repeating the role of Professor Quatermass. This time, the good professor must contend with a "meteor shower" which turns out to be a secret alien invasion. The extraterrestrials arrive on earth in rocklike vehicles, then take over the minds and nervous systems of earthlings, the better to go about their business undetected. Subliminally a cruel satire of British bureaucracy and obfuscation, Enemy from Space also works on a pure-horror level, building slowly and methodically to a powerhouse finale. For many years a "lost" film due to legal tangles, Enemy from Space has recently become available again on video and cable TV.

Excerpt from B+N located HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: May 10th, 1957

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Comparison:

Shock (part of The Quatermass Xperiment) - Region 'B' - Blu-ray vs. Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

Box Cover

Distribution	Shock - Region 'B' - Blu-ray	Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:21:08.040 (4% PAL speed-up)	1:24:47.123
Video	1.33:1 1080i Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 46,814,706,669 bytes Feature: 13,802,330,112 bytes Video Bitrate: 15.93 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video	1.75:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 36,967,828,388 bytes Feature: 24,968,890,368 bytes Video Bitrate: 35.00 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate Shock Blu-ray:
Bitrate Shout! Blu-ray:
Audio	LPCM Audio English 1536 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1536 kbps / 16-bit	DTS-HD Master Audio English 1566 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1566 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit) Commentaries: Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps
Subtitles	None	English, None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Shock 2.35:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 37,471,315,571 bytes Feature: 30,857,963,520 bytes Video Bitrate: 31.93 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • on a disc with X The Unknown (1956), in their The Quatermass Xperiment Blu-ray Release Date: December 4th, 2019 Standard Blu-ray Case Chapters 8	Release Information: Studio: Shout! Factory 1.75:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 36,967,828,388 bytes Feature: 24,968,890,368 bytes Video Bitrate: 35.00 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • NEW Audio Commentary With Filmmaker/Film Historian Ted Newsom • NEW Audio Commentary With Author/Film Historian Steve Haberman And Filmmaker/Film Historian Constantine Nasr • Audio Commentary With Director Val Guest And Writer Nigel Kneale • NEW Interview With Academy Award-Winning Special Effects Artist Brian Johnson (Alien) (3:11) • NEW Interview With Assistant Director Hugh Harlow (1:41) • Vintage Interview With Director Val Guest (20:56) • World Of Hammer – Sci-Fi (25:39) U.S. Theatrical Trailer – ENEMY OF SPACE (1:54) • Still Gallery (3:11) Blu-ray Release Date: July 30th, 2019 Standard Blu-ray Case Chapters 12

Comments:

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Shout! Factory Blu-ray (August 2019): Shout! Factory have transferred Quatermass 2 to Blu-ray. with the simultaneously released Quatermass and the Pit. This is described as a "2K Scan Of A Pristine Archival Film Print". It is in the, intended, 1.75:1 aspect ratio and you can see how it compares to the 1.33:1 framed, open matte?, Shock Blu-ray. The Shout! Factory has a significantly higher bitrate, dramatically superior contrast (deeper black levels) and, an overwhelmingly more film-like, thickly textured, image. It is not without some heaviness bordering on saturation but the majority of the 1080P presentation is a, comparatively, a real pleasure.

NOTE: Shock (Australia) released Quatermass 2 (1957) as an extra, along with X The Unknown (1956), in their The Quatermass Xperiment Blu-ray (compared to the Kino Blu-ray HERE.) All, unfortunately were interlaced in PAL timing.

On their Blu-ray, Shout! Factory use a DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel mono track (24-bit) in the original English language. It's imperfect but effective. The film features another wonderful score by James Bernard (Plague of the Zombies, Dracula Prince of Darkness, These Are the Damned, Across the Bridge, The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires, The Curse of Frankenstein) adding tension, mystery and intensity. Shout! Factory offer optional English subtitles on their Region 'A' Blu-ray. There are none on the Shock release.

Shout! Factory stack the disc with 3 commentaries. There are two 'NEW'. One with filmmaker/film historian Ted Newsom who seems to have some fun, supports Donlevy as Quatermass, and fills in many details of the film production. The next has author/film historian Steve Haberman and filmmaker/film historian Constantine Nasr who are also very informative extolling their joy of seeing the film, discussing Dr. Who and more. There is an older one with director Val Guest and writer Nigel Kneale. It has plenty of long gaps where the film runs, but it's always good to hear from the director (Donlevy's toupee blowing off in the wind) and a writer who were closely involved. There are two new, very brief, interviews with Academy award-winning special effects artist Brian Johnson and assistant director Hugh Harlow as well as a vintage 20-minute interview with Director Guest. Rounding out the supplements are another World Of Hammer – Sci-Fi episode, the U.S. theatrical trailer – Enemy of Space and an extensive stills gallery.

This is more of Hammer's addictive output. It effectively plays out a 'fear of Fascism' theme and the 'dated' sci-fi is still desirable beyond the obvious nostalgia factor. Shout! Factory's complete Blu-ray package isn't likely to ever be bested in this format and this is loaded with value. Absolutely recommended!