doomwatch

A big-screen spin-off of the little-known BBC TV series, Doomwatch (1972) ditches most of the original cast and proceeds with a new environmental thriller involving the residents of a Scottish Isle undergoing a strange transformation. An unexpected combination of Nigel Kneale (Quatermass) conspiracies with an anti-pollution agenda, the film is an odd duck to be sure, but one that curious genre fans will likely enjoy for that very reason.

The titular Doomwatch organization is charged with investigating environmental threats to the realm, and it seems that Dr. Del Shaw (Ian Bannen) has sniffed one out on the island of Balfe. Visiting to check-up on the aftereffects of a recent oil spill, he finds the residents a cold and unwelcoming bunch, even the visiting schoolteacher (Judy Geeson) who refuses to risk losing their trust by helping Shaw investigate their odd behavior. But a pair of dead bodies and two or three death threats later, the pair team up to prove there's something deadly going on, turning ordinary people into deformed, raving maniacs.

A few tweaks here and there and Doomwatch would make a damn good episode of The X-Files. And that familiar format, with elements of science fiction and government cover-ups, works very well for the first half of the film as Bannen and Geeson try to locate the source of the contamination. The isolated community with something to hide isn't exactly new, but director Peter Sasdy (Taste the Blood of Dracula) keeps the audience guessing with just enough juice saved for the make-up heavy finale. George Sanders pops up as a rigid British Navy official who warms to the Doomwatch cause, along with cameos from other members of the TV show back in the "home office."

Every time the film cuts away from Bannen and Geeson, however, things come to a screeching halt. Luckily, that's not very often. In the audio commentary, Sasdy said his priority was making an exciting film, not a continuation of the TV show. And his instincts seem to be right. However, the horror and hard science elements aren't always a good match. Doomwatch tries to capture the best of both and winds up only getting half of either. The result is far from a classic, but it is a fascinating genre detour nonetheless.

Kino Lorber's Blu-ray special edition isn't exactly going to knock anyone's socks off transfer-wise. Pulled from some obviously rough materials, the dirt and debris is rarely distracting, but it's certainly there. That said, it's still a country mile better than previous editions and adds a nice slate of extras, including the aforementioned commentary track (plus on-camera intro) from director Peter Sasdy and another short sit-down interview with Judy Geeson, plus a trailer gallery.