Doomwatch (Original title)
Dates: 1972 (Copyright), 24 October 1971 (Production), 02 July 1972 (Release)Country: United KingdomDirected by: Peter Sasdy
Synopsis: Horror/mystery. The government anti-pollution group Doomwatch send Doctor Del Shaw to visit the island of Balfe, off the Cornish coast, to investigate the effects of oil pollution on coastal wildlife. There Shaw is treated with suspicion and even hostility by the locals. Shaw finds a body in a shallow grave in the woods, and investigates a dilapidated barn where he is attacked by a man with distorted features. While checking the local sealife, Shaw learns of a Ministry of Defence prohibited area off the island. Discovering that the Ministry have been using the Navy to dump cannisters in the sea there, Shaw investigates further and discovers that a company called Doran Chemicals have been dumping other cannisters in the area illegally. Radio-active leaks from the Ministry's cannisters have reacted with the chemical contents of Doran's cannisters to release hormone content into the sea which has infected the fish in the area. The islanders have, as a result, been contracting the distorting disease acromegaly from eating the fish. Shaw struggles to persuade the islanders to receive treatment, as they fear that the island community will die out while they are away being treated, and finally Shaw calls in the Doomwatch team to help evacuate the area.
Genre: Science Fiction
Subjects: Hormones, Congenital abnormalities, Islands, Scientists, Pollution, Fish (animals), Royal Navy, Ministry of Defence
Releases
Date: 1972Country: United KingdomRelease type: unknownFormat: 35mm Film - Colour - SoundRuntime: 92 mins Length: 8272 FeetDialogue (original): English
Date: October 2014Country: United KingdomRelease type: InternetFormat: not specified - Colour - SoundRuntime: 92 mins Dialogue (original): EnglishDistributor: BFIPlayer
Title: [Cinema TV Today - n9972 18 Mar 1972: no known title]Language: English
In: Monthly Film Bulletin v39 n459 April 1972 Page: 70
Title: [Monthly Film Bulletin - v39 n459 April 1972: no known title]Language: English
In: Today's Cinema n9953 2 Nov 1971 Page: 8
Title: [Today's Cinema - n9953 2 Nov 1971: no known title]Article type: CreditsLanguage: English
Description: Credits.
Author: BAYMAN, Louis Pages: xiii, 249 pages
Dates: 1972 (Copyright), 24 October 1971 (Production), 02 July 1972 (Release)Country: United KingdomDirected by: Peter Sasdy
Synopsis: Horror/mystery. The government anti-pollution group Doomwatch send Doctor Del Shaw to visit the island of Balfe, off the Cornish coast, to investigate the effects of oil pollution on coastal wildlife. There Shaw is treated with suspicion and even hostility by the locals. Shaw finds a body in a shallow grave in the woods, and investigates a dilapidated barn where he is attacked by a man with distorted features. While checking the local sealife, Shaw learns of a Ministry of Defence prohibited area off the island. Discovering that the Ministry have been using the Navy to dump cannisters in the sea there, Shaw investigates further and discovers that a company called Doran Chemicals have been dumping other cannisters in the area illegally. Radio-active leaks from the Ministry's cannisters have reacted with the chemical contents of Doran's cannisters to release hormone content into the sea which has infected the fish in the area. The islanders have, as a result, been contracting the distorting disease acromegaly from eating the fish. Shaw struggles to persuade the islanders to receive treatment, as they fear that the island community will die out while they are away being treated, and finally Shaw calls in the Doomwatch team to help evacuate the area.
Genre: Science Fiction
Subjects: Hormones, Congenital abnormalities, Islands, Scientists, Pollution, Fish (animals), Royal Navy, Ministry of Defence
Releases
Date: 1972Country: United KingdomRelease type: unknownFormat: 35mm Film - Colour - SoundRuntime: 92 mins Length: 8272 FeetDialogue (original): English
Date: October 2014Country: United KingdomRelease type: InternetFormat: not specified - Colour - SoundRuntime: 92 mins Dialogue (original): EnglishDistributor: BFIPlayer
Articles held in BFI Reuben Library
(3)
In: Cinema TV Today n9972 18 Mar 1972 Page: 25Title: [Cinema TV Today - n9972 18 Mar 1972: no known title]Language: English
In: Monthly Film Bulletin v39 n459 April 1972 Page: 70
Title: [Monthly Film Bulletin - v39 n459 April 1972: no known title]Language: English
In: Today's Cinema n9953 2 Nov 1971 Page: 8
Title: [Today's Cinema - n9953 2 Nov 1971: no known title]Article type: CreditsLanguage: English
Description: Credits.
Books held in BFI Reuben Library
(1)
Title: Folk horror on film: return of the British repressedAuthor: BAYMAN, Louis Pages: xiii, 249 pages