Scripted by Nigel Kneale, based on his earlier BBCtv series, and directed by Hammer films' stalwart Roy Ward Baker, what I really like about the film is its sense of Englishness and the hear and now (albeit 1967).
The characters, the location; the way the supernatural element is subtly interwove into the storyline (the sweaty copper looking increasingly distraught inside a ruined house is still far scarier than any CGI monstrosity).
Also, the music: Tristram Cary's electronics brings the same errie quality that Delia Derbyshire and the Radiophonic Workshop brought to Dr Who - what perfect way to highlight the otherworldlyness than by using something totally alien to the then viewers? The synthesiser of course.
There are no huge award-winning honours to bestow upon the cast - given such far-fetched material, they just did the necessary job - but Andrew Keir as the headstrong eponymous Professor just looks perfect, and James Donald also deserves some praise as Dr Roney (the acheologist/palentologist/whatever - it's never truly explained). Despite no great acting performances, my favourites though are Julian Glover as Colonel Breen and the civilian driller who descends into madness ("leaping, leaping everywhere!")
The true honours for this film, though, goes to Kneale and Baker: a highly literate, intelligent script, handled with care by a director who doesn't allow his cast and the story to descend into daftness.
As for the story? As if you didn't know... what, you mean you haven't seen it? Dear god, man (or woman) where have you been! Rush over to play, amazon or whatever your preferred dvd stockist is and buy it now.
Trust me, if you like sf or horror then you won't be disappointed - though being Hammer and the 60s, some things have dated a little.
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