Sci-Fi Bulletin: Exploring the Universes of SF, Fantasy, Horror and Spy-fi!

Hammer has released details of their new restoration of The Abominable Snowman, written by Quatermass’ Nigel Kneale and starring Peter Cushing.

Re-teaming Quatermass creator Kneale and BAFTA-winning director Val Guest, this thrilling fantasy horror has been painstakingly restored by Hammer in 4K from the best available film elements.

Dr Rollason and his team, on a scientific expedition in the Himalayas, are guests at an isolated monastery. Then a second expedition turns up – intent on trapping the legendary Yeti in a money-making venture.

This Limited Edition comprises:

• Four discs in a stylish digipak: two UHDs and two Blu-rays, with the content duplicated on both UHD and Blu-ray.
• Two iterations of The Abominable Snowman: the widescreen 2.35:1 UK Theatrical Version and the widescreen 2.35:1 US Theatrical Version re-titled The Abominable Snowman of the Himalayas.
• Brand-new 5.1 mix for both versions of the film alongside the original mono film soundtrack.
• English, French, Italian, Spanish and German subtitles on each version of the film.
• Packaged in a high-end, leather-feel slipcase with debossed foil titling.
• Rigid inner box featuring new artwork by illustrator and artist Joe Avery.
• Double-sided poster of original one-sheets.
• Eight art cards featuring facsimiles of the original cinema lobby cards.
• 120-page book featuring new articles on the film, cast and crew.

Disk Features:

• New commentary on The Abominable Snowman with actor and comedian Toby Hadoke and Nigel Kneale’s biographer Andy Murray.
• New commentary on The Abominable Snowman of the Himalayas with cult movie expert Toby Roan and Cereal at Midnight podcaster Heath Holland.
• Archive 1999 commentary featuring writer Nigel Kneale, director Val Guest and Hammer expert Marcus Hearn.
• New audio essay on big monsters in film by celluloid cryptid expert Stephen R. Bissette.
• New documentary on the making of The Abominable Snowman, with contributions from Toby Hadoke, Andy Murray, Wayne Kinsey, Dick Klemensen, Richard Hollis and Jon Dear.
• New documentary on the making on long-since-lost TV play The Creature, on which The Abominable Snowman was based, with contributions from Toby Hadoke, Andy Murray, Gavin Collinson, Richard Holliss, Jon Dear and Hannah Cooper.
• New documentary on design maestro Bernard Robinson and the design and set-building carried out by Hammer on films such as this. With Hammer expert Wayne Kinsey.
• New documentary on cinema’s passion for rampaging cryptids, with contributions from director/producer/actor/writer Ted A. Bohus, writer/editor Mike Gingold, artist and film historian Stephen R. Bissette and writer/director/producer Casey Walker.
• New video essay by Heather Wixson on why less-is-more in films with big monsters – and how Val Guest put that theory into practice. • Sidebar: The Abominable Snowman. Film critic and writer Tim Lucas discusses this and similar films of the period with Stephen R. Bissette.
• Archive interview with Val Guest from 2002.
• Original trailer and censor card.
• Extensive image gallery of stills and publicity material.

Book Features:

• New article by Bruce Hallenbeck, who takes a look at the making of The Abominable Snowman.
• New article by Andrew Pixley, who examines the making of the original tv play on which the film is based.
• New article by Wayne Kinsey, who compares scripts for the original tv play against the film.
• New article by Andy Murray, who examines the potential influences working on Nigel Kneale during the creation of this story.
• New article by Sarah Morgan, who profiles actor Richard Wattis, star of several Hammer films and a mainstay of British film and tv.
• New article by Neil Sinyard, who profiles director Val Guest and his body of work.
• New article by Barry Forshaw, who assesses Hammer’s use of monster tropes and their playing against type.
• New article by Wayne Kinsey, who takes a top-down look at what was happening with Hammer in 1957.