THE ABOMINABLE SNOWMAN

Scientist John Rollason finds himself in Tibet with his wife and a colleague to conduct some studies and research. But the man's true interest is the mystery of the Yeti, a legendary figure of the place for which there is no proof of existence. When the opportunity for a scientific expedition on the Himalayas presents itself, in search of the gigantic and monstrous being, the man does not think twice about immediately joining the mission. But once they arrive at the snowy peaks, terrible and mysterious incidents begin to gradually affect the protagonists... "The Abominable Snowman" is a fantasy-horror in classic 1950s style, with the charm that follows. Based on a teleplay by Nigel Keale and produced by Hammer in 1957, in the period just before what would be the golden years for the famous English production company, the years of the cycles of Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy and more. The first merit to attribute to the film is that it was one of the first, if not the first, to tell the story of the famous and mysterious Yeti, also known as the Abominable Snowman, an intriguing myth without a doubt. Even today, titles on this character are not many. We were talking about the typical charm of those years; we could start with the black and white, which gives the viewing a sort of "elegance", then move on to the splendid and suggestive sets and settings: from the reconstruction of the Tibetan village to that of the snowy peaks. How not to mention the actors, and the acting style of the time, among whom stands out the protagonist, the great Peter Cushing who, with Christopher Lee, would become little by little an immortal horror icon, thanks to the already mentioned golden Hammer years. A fantasy-horror yes, but in "adventurous sauce"; an additional reason for interest in the film are evident some characteristics of the typical adventure story: from the mystery to be discovered, to the mission to which the protagonists take part, to the vicissitudes they will encounter. That said, the film is not built primarily on action but more on the characters and their psychology, highlighting, in particular, the contrast between the personality of Cushing's character, Dr. Rollanson, with sound moral principles and that of Dr. Tom Friend, played by Forrest Tucker, greedy, deceitful and with shady dealings. Although it is essentially based on it, the "Monster" of the title almost never appears, but what superficially might seem like a flaw ends up being considered a merit of the film. The story is indeed built, and well, around the mystery surrounding this notorious figure, the tension that his presence causes in the protagonists and the suspense that characterizes the key scenes. The face of the Abominable Snowman is only shown at the end, while during the film the character is "present" in different ways, different and intelligent devices such as particular sounds or noises, shadows, silhouettes, footprints, partial framing of the limbs. The final message of the film emphasizes the weight that man's hand can have on the environment, on the existence of other races, seeking to emphasize the possibility that man has to avoid it. The film explores the negative consequences of man's greed on what surrounds him as well as on his relationships with his peers. Relationships between men that are easily compromised, as we were saying, in the presence of personal interests and in conditions of extreme difficulty like those in which the protagonists will find themselves. In conclusion, The Abominable Snowman is a fascinating, pleasant and interesting film to watch, especially if you appreciate the genre in question. The only Italian version currently available on the market is a transfer from the Italian film of the time, a film that, as was natural, shows the signs of time resulting a bit damaged in several points; on the other hand, without this version it would be difficult for us to imagine a new import for this title. Furthermore, the original dubbing, which would probably be lost with the import of a new version, gives it, if possible, an extra touch of charm: dubbing in Italy is an art, it is true acting, each era has its acting style and consequently its dubbing style. Curiosity: the film is also known by a second original title, namely "The Abominable Snowman of the Himalayas".