'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/
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