The Abominable Snowman
This was Peter Cushing's first of 22 Hammer films. However, the second Hammer film that he made, The Curse of Frankenstein (1957), was released first.,It's day in the long shots, but then back to night in the close-ups of Forrest Tucker.,Dr. John Rollason: This creature may have an affinity for man, something in common with ourselves. Let's remember that before we start shooting.,Hammer shot this in an anamorphic widescreen process which they credited as "Hammerscope." When it was released in the United States, the promotional material credited it as "Regalscope.",This was released in the United States in an edited version as "The Abominable Snowman of the Himalayas" (1957) with a running time of 85 minutes.,Featured in The World of Hammer: Hammer Stars: Peter Cushing (1994),I absolutely LOVE the Hammer studios. Regardless what most people claim, this production company offers a lot of diversity and fables for all tastes. Take this for examplein the same year they personified evil through the face of Baron Frankenstein, the also presented a mythical tale of the Himalayan Yeti. Unlike you'd expect, this movie is filled with though-provoking theories, moral speeches and criticism towards typically human greed. Those who're setting their minds to seeing an exiting snowman-hunt with violent and aggressive creature make-up might feel cheated after watching this film. The `horror' is mainly reached through a slow and tense atmosphere and the unpredictable twists in the search for the bizarre species of the Himalayas. The Abominable Snowman is very effective horror! The story makes you think and sympathize, while the locations and photography stuns you. There's a terrific interaction between the two protagonists  Forrest Tucker and Hammer regular Peter Cushing  which automatically forces you to pick sides. The final sequences are a bit of a blotch, I reckonbut by then, you're already impressed more then enough by this film. Val Guest was a terrific choice to direct, his previous efforts for the Hammer studios (The Quartermass Experiments) both were suspenseful movies as well. Nigel Kneale re-wrote the story that was turned in a TV-movie already two years earlier and he succeeds in upholding the unique premise. Cushing is at the peak of his respectable career at this point. In a period of only 3 years after this, he appeared in multiple other Hammer milestones like The Curse of Frankenstein, The Mummy, the Hound of the Baskervillers and the Horror of Dracula. His entire career is highly recommended and the Abominable Snowman even receives and extra plus.,