Abominable Snowman (1957)

Made the same year as the gory gothic hit The Curse of Frankenstein, this smartly written, philosophically grounded Hammer studios adventure written by Nigel Kneale (who also wrote the excellent science fiction thriller Quatermass and its two sequels) was lost in the flesh and blood of Hammer's new vein of horror. Peter Cushing, best known for his ruthless portrayals of Dr. Frankenstein and his more tempered rationalist skew on vampire hunter Van Helsing, plays another scientist driven to prove his unpopular theories. Against the advice of his wife and a kindly but firm Tibetan monk, he leads blustery American showman Forrest Tucker and his party of explorers up the frozen peaks (the Pyrenees standing in quite spectacularly for the Himalayas) to track the fabled Yeti. When he discovers that this is no scientific expedition but a hunting party he starts to have second thoughts, which are only reinforced by Tucker's mercenary behavior when he kills one of the creatures. Director Val Guest keeps the "monsters" hidden until the final showdown, where their hulking silhouettes loom over the cave entrance, but their mournful cries haunt the camp like wailing ghosts, slowly driving the party members mad. While it lacks the edgy desperation and inventiveness of Kneale's Quatermass features, The Abominable Snowman is a taut thriller that contrasts the gorgeous aerial mountain photography with the claustrophobic atmosphere of the tents and caves of the base camp. --Sean Axmaker Amazon.com

Drive-in movie

This predictable turkey is best viewed in a drive-in theater, where other Val Guest films regularly appear. Which is to say, watch the movie while you have other things in mind. Yes, this is sort of campy fun. The Buddhists dancing and hopping about, the Buddhist leader with a German accent, the monkey in a cage, etc. But it's still wise for one's mental health to be thinking of something else, as this film is geared to the 14-year-olds of 1957. Not a very sophisticated audience. December 14, 2008

You Must Forget That The Yeti Exist Or They Will Kill You

An expedition searches for the Yeti of Tibet. These creatures, they learn, are far more superior to men. Using their powers of telepathy, the Yeti begin killing the members of the expedition in order to keep their existence a secret.

"The Abominable Snowman" is a perfect blend of science fiction and horror and was created by those who brought us the highly successful Quatermass films. It stars Hammer horror icon Peter Cushing as a botanist and Forrest Tucker (Sergeant O'Rourke from the TV series "F Troop") as a trapper.

Released in 1957, "The Abominable Snowman" was filmed in black and white. Pity it couldn't have been shot in color as were the Hammer horror classics, "Horror of Dracula, "The Mummy," and "The Curse of Frankenstein." However, since the beautiful, snow covered Himalayans serve as the backdrop for most all of the film, I doubt if color would have helped. Black and white gave it more of a gothic feel.

Only one gruesome death occurred. A man falls from a steep cliff and strikes a large rock before being slung aside. A few more gruesome deaths would have been necessary to keep the attention span of a younger generation. However, the Yeti are not bent on mayhem and destruction. They merely wish to live in peace while keeping their existence a secret.

"The Abominable Snowman" is a unique creature feature from Hammer Film Productions. Some of the scientific theories that are offered seem very plausible. Perhaps the Yeti are waiting for mankind to become extinct in order to reclaim their rightful place on the earth. We are the savages, not the Yeti. We are the ones who declare war on each other simply because our beliefs are different. The Yeti may not have to wait much longer.

"The Abominable Snowman" is a must see for fans of classic science fiction horror. It is also highly recommended for fans of Hammer Film Productions and horror legend Peter Cushing.
September 9, 2008

CAUTION: no subtitles , no closed captions , NO dice

i'd honestly waited and read about this film for years . i know it's a very good picture , however , i'm so glad i rented this disc rather than spent the rediculus sums asked for it here and elsewhere . if you are deaf , if you have hearing loss (like myself) , if you're not british (like me) , if you must sometimes play the volume rather low in consideration of other people in your home , if you simply enjoy reading the screenplay as you watch a film (like me) , be WARNED . this film is not only not encoded with closed captions , nor does it have subtitles for the hearing impaired or deaf . know this when you buy this product , and you can make an informed decision . i tried to follow the first fifteen to twenty minutes of this beautifully shot and acted film . what on earth are they saying ? it actually matters ! August 11, 2008

Subtle and well crafted vintage horror

Nigel Kneale was arguably the most influential figure in UK science fiction during the 1950's and 1960's mostly because he was quick to see the potential in the relatively new medium of TV .The Quatermass serials became must see TV and arguably the first series to provoks animated playground discussion among schoolkids of that era.
This movie has its genesis in a TV series of the same name broadcast on the ITV network on a Saturday night and the movie companies as they did with Quatermass and another serial The Trollenberg Terror leaped on the bandwaggon by making it into a movie -and a decent job they made of it too.
Its core is the conflict between two men who represent opposing points of view.Tom Friend-well played by Forrest Tucker -is an entrepreneurial American who ,on capturing a Yeti in the Himalayas ,sees it as a commercial opportunity ,His opposite numaber ,a botanist Dr Rollason -the always admirable Peter Cushing -wants to learn more about the creature ,and subject it to scientific study .As it turns out the creature has a suprise in store for them both ,revealing unexpected gifts that throws a curve into both their plans.

The movie is studio bound with no attempt to utilise genuine locations and the movie thus looks artificial and the creature is glimpsed only sparingly .It is a talky piece of work and while the script is literate and intelligent this may limit the appeal of the movie to gorehounds out there
It is a gripping and intelligent little movie that has more subtlety than usual in horror pictures of the era and I recommend it to those who like a little cerebral exercise with their creature movies December 4, 2007

Pricey or a rip-off

$57.00 for a dvd? I would have to see this one(rental,TV) before buying this flick.The Blob didn't even cost this much! October 25, 2007

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