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I was just watching this on DVD last night--I think I saw it on videotape a few decades ago, liked it, but hadn't revisited it. It was as good as I remembered--Mike Farrell and Robert Foxworth are both great in it, and it shows off the intelligence that seemed inherent in Gene Roddenberry's work during this period and which seemed entirely absent from all other TV sci-fi projects at the time.
I'd remembered that Melle's Kolchak - The Night Stalker theme music was derived from this score, although it's actually the music just AFTER the Questor main title music. The score has a lot of electronics in the Andromeda Strain vein, but at the climax Farrell and Questor get off a plane, board a jeep and then climb Mount Arrarat to find Questor's "creator" and MAN, does Melle unleash a barn buster of an action cue--it's like something out of Jonny Quest with drums and then low brass taking up this awesome rhythmic figure that just goes on and on. Wonder if those tapes are lying around anywhere...I'd love to do a release of Roddenberry's 70s pilots although they were probably all done through different companies.
Thanks for this post, Jeff. After reading it I was immediately inspired to order the DVD of "Questor" and it is indeed terrific - even better than I remembered. To me it was "distilled Roddenberry," in that all the themes buried within "Star Trek" were made explicit not only in the dialogue, but in the overall plot arc of the film itself. So many Roddenberry elements:
Humanity growing out of its childhood
The search for meaning and how that may or may not be tied to a search for a creator
The non-interference directive
The reduction of the "Data" / "Spock" character to its essential elements, as the one who can comment objectively on humanity's strengths and weaknesses
In fact, the final scene in "Questor" could almost be read as Roddenberry's prequel to "Star Trek." Questor is the last of his kind, with a 200 year mission to make sure humanity successfully evolves into its adulthood. The world of "Star Trek" could be seen as evidence that Questor was able to successfully complete his task.
Odd that I had read recent online reviews that were kind of down on "The Questor Tapes" calling it bland, overly cerebral, and judging it by modern moral and social standards. I agree with you, though, in that it actually stands up very well as an example of smart, thoughtful science fiction. I enjoyed every intriguing minute of it.
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one of my favorites.saw it when it first came on TV
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and judging it by modern moral and social standards.
Can you point me to the review, please? (written by an SJW wanker no doubt)
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and judging it by modern moral and social standards.
Can you point me to the review, please? (written by an SJW wanker no doubt)
The review is on TrekMovie.com. While I do think that the reviewer is being oversensitive, I can also understand where they are coming from. I just think it's a bit absurd to think that those writing SF in the early 70s to be SO prescient that they could predict the particular social concerns of the late 2010s.
While I do have my own problems with the SJW movement, I also think they are capable of pushing things forward at the same time. Keeping the hysteria and name calling down would be nice, however. But this applies to both sides.
More than anything else I wish they would realize that their own social concerns will also be seen as outdated in 35 years time - at such point the latest version of the SJW will be up on a soapbox pointing their finger at THEM.
It's all just evolution.
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I have to agree that the sacrifice was a little abrupt. However, I do think it worked to make the thematic point, even if it didn't work so well as a plot point. 
That said, I agree with Jeff that the character was much more thoughtfully conceived than the typical villain - he had a point of view, and was genuinely trying to do the right thing from his own point of view.
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