Abominable Snowman, The (1957)

The Abominable Snowman (1957), directed by Val Guest.

A scientist on an expedition to the Himalayas is supposed to be looking at plants and animals, but is actually seeking the Yeti. He unwisely teams up with American adventurers who want to capture a specimen for a circus act.

The Lhama at the monastery assures them there is no such thing and warns them not to go looking for it. At high elevations the hunters become the hunted and the intruders suffer from weird telepathic interference with their thoughts. Scientist Peter Cushing begins to suspect the awful truth: the Yeti are not lower animals, but something beyond the human race.

This shows Hammer Films usual seriousness and care for detail. The stage-built monastery is very good and the filmmakers had the assistance of local Buddhists in England to get it right. It's too bad it wasn't in color. Mountain locations were shot in the French Pyrenees.

It's a good concept but lacks the mystery and thrills I wanted. No subtitles, and I had a hard time understanding the Lhama.

The North American DVD seems to be long out of print. My thumbnails are from a PAL DVD import. My copy (from Icon) does not have the commentary track or extra found on other versions.