X: The Unknown (1956)

"How do you kill mud?", 19 October 2007

While doing exercises on the using a Geiger counter and locating radiation, a group of British soldiers runs across "something" that leaves two of their members severely burned as if they had been exposed to high levels of radiation. In no time at all, citizens nearby begin suffering the same fate. What's behind these "attacks"? Based on the available evidence, Dr. Adam Royston (Dean Jagger) puts forth a theory that some kind of energy based creature from the depths of the earth has come to the surface in search of radiation that it uses as food. But how is he gong to stop something that seems so unstoppable?

Compared with some of the more cheesy sci-fi movies of the 50s or some of the big budget modern sci-fi spectacles, X: The Unknown seems like a very quaint little movie. It may not be quite as fun or exciting as those other movies, but it is an enjoyable, low-key experience. In the lead role, Dean Jagger gives what I would describe as a solid, but understated performance (much like the rest of the movie). I appreciate that for a change he plays a scientist who admits he doesn't have all the answers. My biggest problem with Jagger (and it really has nothing to do with him) is that I've seen White Christmas so many times that he will forever be General Waverly in my mind. I joked with a friend that throughout X: The Unknown, I kept waiting for Rosemary Clooney to come out and sing "Sisters". The rest of the cast gives similarly strong but mostly unmemorable performances. This being Hammer, Michael Ripper is quite naturally on board. There's something very comfortable about seeing Ripper in a movie. It's like knowing that for an hour and a half, you're in good hands.

Technically, the movie is very strong. The direction is what I would call very deliberate – nothing flashy, just telling a story. The cinematography is quite nice. Unlike some of Hammer's more famous films, X: The Unknown was filmed in beautiful black and white. And the B&W images look good to my untrained eye. James Bernard, who would go on to compose some wonderful scores for Hammer, created a very fitting musical track for the movie. Finally, the special effects are a real highlight for me. Sure, you could probably do more with CGI, but as I've said any number of times, there's something about the miniatures and other process shots like those in X: The Unknown that shows a real craftsmanship missing from today's movies.

6/10