Main Cast: Dean Jagger, Edward Chapman, Leo McKern, Marianne Brauns, William Lucas, Peter Hammond
Release Year: 1956
Country: US/UK
Run Time: 90 minutes
Plot
X the Unknown is a well-crafted imitation of the Quatermass British sci-fi pictures of the 1950s. A group of soldiers on maneuvers in Scotland stumble across a gravel pit which emanates an unusual amount of radiation. Several deaths occur before the radioactive material is mysteriously stolen. Researcher Dr. Adam Royston (Dean Jagger) speculates that the thief is some sort of inhuman monstrosity dwelling at the Earth's core. He points out that past radioactive disturbances have been occurring at 50-year intervals, each followed by sudden deaths and the disappearance of the material. Royston suggests that the unknown monster has been resuscitated by humankind's recent atomic experiments. Sure enough, the monster manifests itself as a huge slab of glowing radioactive mud (laugh now if you must -- you won't laugh when you see it). X the Unknown works well within its limited budget; unfortunately, many TV prints have been truncated, robbing some of the best horrific moments of their full impact. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
X the Unknown is a treat for fans of 1950s science fiction films. While it is not a classic of the genre, it's a very well-made and quite entertaining little flick. X lacks the high-cost special effects found in modern sci-fi movies (and even in many of those of the 1950s as well), but it really doesn't need them. Under Leslie Norman's efficient, effective direction, X delivers the requisite thrills and chills that many bigger-budget affairs fall short on. And what effects it does have, while modest, are more than serviceable. Jimmy Sangster's screenplay is similarly modest yet powerful. Sangster knows that the plot -- and the manner in which the details of the plot are revealed -- is paramount in this kind of film, yet he still manages to throw in small nuances that help to flesh out the characters, especially the minor roles. He even breaks a traditional rule for sci-fi-ers of the period by having an innocent child actually die from an encounter with the threat -- a seemingly small point, but actually rather shocking. The cast is fine throughout, with Dean Jagger and Leo McKern filling the lead roles with all the seriousness required. X the Unknown is hardly innovative, but it's a crackerjack piece of entertainment. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
John Harvey - Maj. Cartwright; Michael Ripper - Sgt. Grimsdyke; Anthony Newley - Pvt. Spider Webb; Kenneth Cope - Pvt. Lancing; Edwin Richfield - Old Soldier; Jameson Clark - Jack Harding; Jane Aird - Mrs. Harding; Michael Brooke - Ian Osborne; Frazer Hines - Ian; Neil Hallett - Unwin; Norman MacOwan - Old Tom; Neil Wilson - Russell; John Stone - Gerry; Archie Duncan - Sgt. Yeardye; Edward Judd - Soldier; Ian MacNaughton - Haggis; Michael Brook - Willie Harding
Credit
Leslie Norman - Director, James Needs - Editor, James Bernard - Composer (Music Score), John Hollingsworth - Musical Direction/Supervision, Phil Leakey - Makeup, Gerald Gibbs - Cinematographer, Anthony Hinds - Producer, Les Bowie - Special Effects, Jack Curtis - Special Effects, Jimmy Sangster - Screenwriter
