Village of the Damned

Starring: George Sanders, Barbara Shelley, Michael Gwynn, Laurence Naismith, John Phillips, Richard Vernon, Jenny Laird, Richard Warner
Directed by: Wolf Rilla
Rating: Not rated
Genre: Horror, Science Fiction
1960

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: All the residents of a small village black out at the same time. They awake with seemingly no side effects. However, they soon discover that all the women in the town are pregnant.

Review:

Tim: Village of the Damned is a worthwhile British horror movie. It is helped by what is obviously a great source material- I haven't read "The Midwich Cuckoos", but the story is just so compelling. That is what strikes me most about this movie and it's a big reason why it's a good film. The story is so memorable, thought-provoking, and powerful.

The set up for the film is fantastic. The residents of Midwich all suddenly fall unconscious, and anyone who enters a specific area around the town falls victim to the same phenomenon. This is an incredible introduction- what caused the strange event? How long will it last? What would happen if everyone in a location suddenly lost consciousness and anyone entering that space did the same? I was transfixed by this idea. It was so meaty, so mysterious. The movie does a fantastic job of setting this all up. The scenes depicting the strange occurrence, from the ground and from the air were memorable and powerful. The movie kicks off with a bang.

As the residents eventually wake up, a strange effect occurs- all the women in town are pregnant. Now the sinister impact of the event begins to be revealed. This was likewise just a fascinating event. The story continues to be strong with the birth of the strange children and the impact they have on the town and the villagers living there. The script was so good and it contained so many solid ideas that this movie was set up for success from the very beginning.

The film feels a little dated by today's standards, but I thought the visual effects were worthwhile. It is very clear how they performed the effects and while the freeze frame is a little disruptive due to its obviousness, it still has a chilling result. The look of the children's eyes is certainly frightening and disturbing. Anything like this involving children is amplified, which adds to the atmosphere of the film. The story, the effects, the actors all combine to make a legitimately unnerving film.

I thought the cast was fine, albeit a bit forgettable. George Sanders gives a fairly strong performance and the rest of the supporting cast is solid, but I didn't really love any of the performances. They work in the context of the film and are appropriately restrained in a British sense, but none of the cast really stood out to me.

I have to say the ending of the film was quite strong. The brick wall imagery is excellent and one of the most memorable aspects of the film. I enjoyed Village of the Damned and consider it a very worthwhile horror film.

Rating 1-10

Tim's Rating: 7



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Children of the Damned, Village of the Damned (1995)