The Abominable Snowman (The Thinking Man's Horror Film)

'The Abominable Snowman' is a classic British horror film from the much celebrated Hammer Film Studio filmed at Bray and Pinewood Studios in 1957. It was notably the first Hammer film to feature legendary English actor Peter Cushing, who would go on to star in a further 21 films for the production company, including many flicks with his close friend Christopher Lee, as well as an appearance in the Hammer television series ‘Hammer House of Horror’ when the company enjoyed its first renaissance in 1980. It was also the first and only Hammer film to be produced by Aubrey Baring, who was a family member of Barings Banking, a merchant bank based in London, now defunct. It was also the second and last Hammer film to feature American actor Forrest Tucker in the lead role (to ensure Hammer films made it into the American market), and the last collaboration between Nigel Kneale as screenplay writer and Val Guest as director.

The Abominable Snowman title card with footage filmed at La Mongie

Some spoilers follow!

This production is in fact a film version of Nigel Kneale’s original BBC play ‘The Creature’ remade by Hammer in much the same way they remade his original three famous ‘Quatermass’ serials, and even features some of the original cast members including Peter Cushing, Wolfe Morris and the excellent Arnold Marle. The rest of the roles were recast, including that of Tucker’s (the role having originally been played by Stanley Baker). The story concerns, oddly enough the legend of the ‘Abominable Snowman’ or ‘Yeti’ if you prefer, as they are referred to in the film. Sadly apart from a few ‘tele-snaps’ nothing from the original TV version of the story exists in the BBC archives.  ‘The Abominable Snowman’ begins with Cushing as Dr. John Rollason and his assistant Peter Fox, played by veteran actor Richard Wattis (who notably wears a series of unflattering jumpers in this particular picture) on a botanical expedition in the Himalayas as a guest of the Lama (played by Arnold Marle). Soon enough Dr. John Rollason’s wife arrives, Helen (played by Maureen Connell) as well as a second expedition led by Tucker but also featuring Ed Shelley (played by future M actor in the Bond films, Robert Brown), photographer Andrew McNee (played by Michael Brill) and the Sherpa guide Kusang (played by Wolfe Morris). Their expedition is interested in one thing, capturing a live Yeti, and whilst Rollason and Tucker’s character Tom Friend are instantly at loggerheads both have a mutual intrigue in the potential existence of Yeti, much to the chagrin of Rollason’s wife and the Lama whose people clearly believe and fear in the Yeti and dislike the meddling of both Friend and Rollason as the latter joins the second expedition.

Forrest Tucker as trigger happy Tom Friend

For a reasonably early Hammer production ‘The Abominable Snowman’ has an impressive scale and effective location filming standing in for the Himalayan mountains was filmed at La Mongie in the French Pyrenees in January 1957. Whilst the Monastery set and the Lama’s village were built and utilised at Hammer productions then home at Bray Studios in Bray, Berkshire it was quickly realised that for the snowy landscapes of the Himalayas more studio space would be required so in an unusual move these were staged at Pinewood Studios at Iver Heath in Buckinghamshire. The film’s score by classical composer (but a frequent experimenter in the ‘serialist’ music form) Humphrey Searle is very effective and is reminiscent of Max Steiner’s score for ‘King Kong’ from 1933 and was reputedly based on Ralph Vaughan Williams score for the 1948 epic ‘Scott of the Antarctic’ starring Sir John Mills. Searle would later compose the unsettling score for the 1963 classic horror film ‘The Haunting’. Although Forrest Tucker has come under some criticism for his performance in this film (even from director Val Guest) I consider his interpretation of Tom Friend, as an abrasive loud mouthed bully, throwing his weight around and blowing hot and cold to Peter Cushing’s character Dr. John Rollason to be very effective and as the film comes to a close and much of the action is based around these two characters, Tucker and Cushing play off each other very well. Tucker doesn’t give a subtle performance, but to me that is kind of the point. Fortunately for Tucker, writer Nigel Kneale was impressed with his take on the role. Peter Cushing as ever is wonderful as Rollason, playing him as a kindly, cautious and articulate man, the polar opposite of the gung ho and bluster of Tom Friend. All the supporting cast are good, with note going to the mystical performance given by German actor Arnold Marle as the Lama and Richard Wattis’s humorous performance as Rollason’s assistant Peter Fox.  The only thing that really dates the film and lets it down slightly is the representation of women, particularly in regards to Rollason’s wife Helen. We learn during the film that she is very cautionary, a bit of a moaner and is great at making hot food and drinks. Oh dear!

The main cast, left to right Peter Cushing, Michael Brill, Wolfe Morris, Robert Brown and Forrest Tucker

This aside, it’s a great story and the realisation of the Yeti (who are barely seen until the penultimate sequence) are quite impressive. They have an intimidating look, but the use of human eyes behind their unusual beak like masks give them both an endearing and wise look, as noted by Dr. John Rollason “they are creatures of wisdom”. The actions of man are not to be celebrated here and Kneale presents the Yeti as mystical, intelligent and almost spiritual beings. The films ends on an uncertain note as we ponder as viewers whether Rollason, in the icy conditions of the Himalayas hallucinated his encounters with the Yeti or whether they have purposely erased his mind of the events....or another consideration, the final line “There is no such thing” referring to the Yeti could be Rollason’s understanding that man must never try to interfere with the great creatures ever again, hence the denial that he has come into contact with them. Val Guest’s direction is superb throughout with effective use of handheld camera shots and overlapping dialogue in an almost documentary style, a technique used in Howard Hawks’s earlier films.

A Yeti hand rummages around the second expedition's tent. The creatures are only fleetingly seen in the film

‘The Abominable Snowman’ in my view is an overlooked gem, ignored during its release largely because of the hubbub surrounding the premiere of Hammer’s first colour Horror film ‘The Curse of Frankenstein’ (coincidentally also starring Peter Cushing) and no doubt also because of the critical failure of both the original television adaptation. The subtle and esoteric nature of the story probably didn't help much either. Put simply, it lacked the same gory mass appeal as the aforementioned Frankenstein film. Enjoy it with the lights dimmed and with a glass of whisky in your hand, ‘The Abominable Snowman’ is to be savoured and remembered as a production from a time when British filmmaking was arguably at its peak, and Hammer’s contribution to that period is unrivalled.

A fearful Ed Shelley as portrayed by Robert Brown 

I finish this blog review on an unusual and sad note. Below is a link to an iPetition to save Bray Studios (where ‘The Abominable Snowman’ and many other classic British films and television series have been made, not to mention a decent handful of more recent output) which is perhaps unsurprisingly under threat of closure and demolition to be turned into that old chestnut ‘luxury housing’. It makes me sick to the stomach to think that we might lose this wonderful studio with so much history and so much more to give. Its use in recent pictures is a testament to that (including Terry Gilliam’s ‘The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus’) and we have already lost so much studio and backlot space over the last twenty years or so. The thought of that wonderful building being turned into a load of synthetic riverside flats is just too much to bear. Also, money has been spent on some minor restorations to the studio in the last four years that would be money gone to waste if these proposed plans go ahead. Let's protect this wonderful facility and strive to make more films in this country, the support and promotion of Bray could help achieve a huge boost for our considerably depleted film industry. It takes a second to sign up to an iPetition and once you have joined there are many other causes you could support via the same website. Alternatively check out Bray Studios Facebook page and like it to follow the progress of this ugly situation.

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/savebraystudiospetition/ 

The wonderful but now purposely neglected Bray Studios, at risk of redevelopment into luxury apartments. Filming location of 'The Abominable Snowman' and all of the Hammer pictures from 1953 - 1966.

NOTE: All production stills and photographs used in this review are copyrighted to Hammer Film Productions and Icon Home Entertainment. The next review will focus on the third series of the classic BBC science fiction series 'Blake's 7'. This review has been put on hold for weeks but will definitely be next!