The Quatermass serials have left us with a vague sense of superiority, without prompting us to question their meaning. And it's a poor sort of television that only inspires mistrust. Kneale's vision is an insular, mean-spirited one, in which everything unfamiliar is a threat; all human endeavour is worthless, if not actively dangerous; and anything which goes against the principles of old-school Britishness must be destroyed.Intrigued? Irritated? Go read.
Whilst I'm plugging Lawrence, I will also point out that the updates to his bizarre new fictional blog seem to have started flowing again, too. Hurrah!
1 comment:
I'm afraid Mr.Miles comes off as naive rather than daring or refreshing in this rant about Knleale. Nigel Kneale used the concerns and images of news media in the same way that he used themes and imagery from SF, Horror and mythology, simply as bricks to build his tales from. The real theme of Quatermass and the Pit is not of panic about the end of the world nor a brutal message of conformity.
Quatermass and the Pit suggests that hope for the future lies with those who have outgrown their primitive destructive urges. It is ultimately a message of hope which has the wisdom to champion a civilised, humane, mature and tolerant perspective.
Post a Comment