The story begins at the excavation sight of a London subway. The digging comes to an abrupt halt when workers unearth several prehistoric skulls and skeletal remains. Dr Roney (James Donald), an anthropologist and his assistant, Barbara Judd (Barbara Shelley) are called in to examine and study the unearthed remains.  As excavating continues, what is thought to be a missile-like object is uncovered.  Once this is discovered, Colonel Breen (Julian Glover) and Professor Quatermass (Andrew Keir) are called in and they quickly determine the object is an unexploded bomb leftover from the World War II.

As Professor Quatermass begins to look deeper into the origins of these remains he believes they are not of this Earth.  Dr Roney later  informs Quatermass that he feels the skeletal remains are approximately five million years old, much older than any previous discovery.  Further investigation into this specific neighborhood determines that for centuries it has been haunted by ghastly stories of beastly sightings, sounds and strange occurrences.

As Colonel Breen and his men completely unearth the "missile", it's discovered to be an alien craft, with a compartment inside that seems impenetrable to modern means to open it. The compartment suddenly opens and reveals occupants that appear to be large locust-like creatures. Quatermass, Roney and Judd quickly remove the creatures and take them back to Roney's lab for further study. What they discover in the lab will shake the very foundation of Earth's history. What secrets do these insectoid creatures hold to the very existence of man on Earth? Where did these creatures come from and why did they travel to this planet? 

Nigel Kneale's excellent story and screenplay make for one of the best films from the Quatermass series. This film is atmospheric and thought provoking and a much more pessimistic film than, 2001: A Space Odyssey, a film released the same year as, "Quatermass and the Pit". The direction of Roy Ward Baker keeps the film moving along at a wonderful pace and the overall atmosphere and acting only make this a film a must-see by sci-fi fans. Andrew Keir is perfectly cast in the role of Professor Quatermass, he combines the passion of the scientist with just the perfect touch of a man  learning much more about his history than possibly wanted. Julian Glover as Colonel Breen is a great antagonist to Quatermass, his unyielding views make his character much more interesting. James Donald and Barbara Shelley round out this top-notch cast with solid performances. Quatermass and the Pit or Five Million Years To Earth as it is also known is a fabulous combination of science fiction, horror and the occult. Hammer Studios did several science fiction films, but Quatermass and the Pit is one of the best and one film that all science fiction as well as Hammer fans should add to their list of "must-see" films