This is a surprisingly solid film for the genre & the time. There are some rather conspicuous flaws. I understand it was filmed in the Pyranees, which look nothing like the Himalyas; some of the technical details are questionable; some of the mountain sets and "avalanches" are unpardonably cheesy. It is artfully directed, maintains a nice ominous atmosphere, & has strong interesting characters; the dialogue is quite good--note especially a brilliant little speech delivered by the Lama to Rolloson about 20 minutes in. Cushing and Tucker are terrific, and it has an apocalyptic/ ecological message that was decades ahead of its time. I love movies with powerful endings, and this one delivers.

Despite the title this is really not a monster on the rampage horror movie that you might expect from Hammer. Writer Nigel Kneale goes for quirky science and director Val Guest adds atmospheric direction on a low budget in this spooky thriller.Peter Cushing is principled botanist John Rollason searching for evidence of the Yeti in the Himalayas with an expedition team that includes dodgy Forrest Tucker who is more like a sinister Barnum type showman looking for monetary gain by capturing a Yeti.The creature is very much kept off screen for a lot of the time as Kneale explores humanity's darker side as represented by the likes of Tucker. It is suggested that the Yeti are gentle, intelligent beings from a superior civilisation that one day will take over from humans and Rollason does not view them as monsters.The film has a moral message aimed at perils of human greed and its penchant for destruction.

Survival in the harsh environment of the Himalayas and the relationship between the characters is in the forefront giving the viewer a damned good drama. The search for the yeti brings in the sci-fi horror. This movie is well worth watching - if for nothing else the drama itself.This is definitely one of Peter Cushing's best films and performances. I quite enjoyed him as Dr. Rollason. If you are into Peter Cushing movies or just love older horror films then I highly recommend this film - it is one of the better horror films of the 50's.If you are looking for blood and guts type of horror you will want to look for another movie. But if you are looking for a great movie with an awesome script, character interaction, and a suspenseful horror then look no further than this film.9.5/10

I finally decided to write a small review of this movie because I truly believe it deserves higher than the 6.4 currently on IMDb. When the feeling of a movie sticks with you decades later - that means something. The eerie mournful monastery in the Himalaya's was terrifying to me when I first saw this film as a young teen. The bale of the Abominable Snowman was much more frightening than any special effects creature. And Peter Cushing was at his best in this film. Forrest Tucker also gave a great performance as the rugged, uncaring hunter. It had just that right element of unease and unfamiliarity (the Himalaya's) that made it all the more creepy. If you are looking for an entertaining 91 minutes of that special Hammer tingle - especially on a dark snowy night - check out The Abominable Snowman. It does not disappoint.