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The Quatermass Memoirs

Classic Radio Sci-Fi

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The Quatermass Memoirs

By: Nigel Kneale
Narrated by: Andrew Keir
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About this listen

 Launching a new range of Classic Radio Sci-Fi releases, the renowned Quatermass Memoirs was first broadcast on BBC Radio 3 in 1996. It is a mix of original TV soundtrack and drama-documentary, in which Nigel Kneale reflects on the 1950s fearful atmosphere in which he wrote the classic Quatermass TV serials. The programme mixes the factual story with a dramatic narrative, in which the now-retired Professor Quatermass (played by Nigel Kneale) reluctantly recounts his past exploits to a female journalist. This in turn is interweaved with soundtrack footage from the Quatermass TV dramas. The final touch is a stirring music soundtrack.©2006 BBC Audiobooks Ltd (P)2006 BBC Audiobooks Ltd Science Fiction

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Was always a fan if the first Quatermass story, and movie. This is a nice little self congratulatory piece you would expect from classic sci fi originators.

Was always a little disappointed that the BBC lost the original series episodes with Reginald Tate (easily the best quatermass)

But this is decent. If forgettable.

Cool historical piece

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Loved the narration and how it brought the characters and scenes to life. Very vividly.

Great radio play

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This BBC radio production takes an interesting approach to adapting old TV sci fi. For the 'lost' Dr Who TV stories the Beeb took the original sound tracks (mostly recorded by fans) and produced new scene naration by original cast members. In practise what we got was a lot of old people doing dull audio description in the present tense. Certainly an accquired taste!
For Quatermass we have a mix of the original sound tracks, character naration and writer Nigel Kneales commentary on world events at the time of the TV broadcasts. This appraoch generally works very well. Occassionally the naration has to gloss over vast chunks of the story. This is frustrating and had the effect of throwing me out of the story.
By far the best part of the whole thing are Nigel Kneales fascinating 'real world' contributions, particulalry on the racial elements of 'Quatermass and the Pit'.
This is an very interesting production but I felt that it lacked something overall. There is certainly plenty to enjoy, but some of the story telling doesn't totaly work, at least it didn't for me. If you are a fan of BBC sci fi or old telly then add an extra star.

An interesting approach

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If you are expecting a story, this is not it.It is more like a commentary track with a odd melding of original story, a new 'retrospective' from Quatermass, and the original writers historical commentary on the origins of the ideas.

Oh, and if I hear Holst's "Bringer of War" one more time...

hmmm

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Nigel Kneale himself narrates the bulk of the cast, with Andrew Keir blustering his way through the performance. It doesnt really say much more than is already known about the 3 famous stories and Kneales referencing of actual events via news footage only serves to cloud and pad out the material. With music and intervals included, Keirs new material is actually minimal and doesnt give us any real insight into the career of Quatermass, only that his is dogged by nightmares. A shame, as it could have been the ideal vehicle to provide new story material to link the 3 films together, rather than just functioning as an extended advert. Very disappointing.

A missed opportunity

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If you like 1950s BBC snobbery, precise stiff uppah lip commentary and posh cockneys this is for you!
For me, I prefer realistic characters I can refer to, not a bunch of well-to-do Hooray Henrys just out of some Knightsbridge drama school that mumsy and dadsy paid for along with a hefty annual allowance!!!
Pathetic, Weak and Out-dated.
NEXT!!!!

Lucky to get 1 star

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