Village of the Damned (1960)

Director:

Wolf Rilla

Writers:

John Wyndham (novel)
Stirling Silliphant (writer) ...
(more)

Release Date:

7 December 1960 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

What Demonic Force Lurks Behind Those Eyes?

Plot:

In the English village of Midwich, the blond-haired, glowing-eyed children of uncertain paternity prove to have frightening powers.

Plot Keywords:

Eccentric | Evil Child | Wife | Pregnant | Officer

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

George Sanders	...	Gordon Zellaby
Barbara Shelley	...	Anthea Zellaby
Martin Stephens	...	David Zellaby
Michael Gwynn	...	Alan Bernard
Laurence Naismith	...	Doctor Willers
Richard Warner	...	Harrington
Jenny Laird	...	Mrs. Harrington
Sarah Long	...	Evelyn Harrington
Thomas Heathcote	...	James Pawle
Charlotte Mitchell	...	Janet Pawle
Pamela Buck	...	Milly Hughes
Rosamund Greenwood	...	Miss Ogle
Susan Richards	...	Mrs. Plumpton
Bernard Archard	...	Vicar
Peter Vaughan	...	P.C. Gobby
John Phillips	...	General Leighton
Richard Vernon	...	Sir Edgar Hargraves
John Stuart	...	Professor Smith
Keith Pyott	...	Dr. Carlisle
Alexander Archdale	...	The Coroner
Sheila Robins	...	Nurse
Tom Bowman	...	Pilot
Anthony Harrison	...	Lieutenant
Diane Aubrey	...	W.R.A.C. secretary
Gerald Paris	...	Sapper
Bruno	...	The Dog
June Cowell	...	The Children
Linda Bateson	...	The Children
John Kelly	...	The Children
Carlo Cura	...	The Children
Lesley Scoble	...	The Children
Mark Milleham	...	The Children (as Mark Mileham)
Roger Malik	...	The Children
Elizabeth Munden	...	The Children
Teri Scoble	...	The Children (as Theresa Scoble)
Peter Preidel	...	The Children
Peter Taylor	...	The Children
Howard Knight	...	The Children
Brian Smith	...	The Village Children
Janice Howley	...	The Village Children
Paul Norman	...	The Village Children
Robert Marks	...	The Village Children
John Bush	...	The Village Children
Billy Lawrence	...	The Village Children
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ian Cullen	...	Extra (uncredited)

Directed by
Wolf Rilla

Writing credits
John Wyndham		(novel "The Midwich Cuckoos")
Stirling Silliphant		(writer) and
Wolf Rilla		(writer) and
Ronald Kinnoch		(writer) (as George Barclay)

Produced by
Ronald Kinnoch	....	producer

Original Music by
Ron Goodwin

Cinematography by
Geoffrey Faithfull		(photographed by)

Film Editing by
Gordon Hales

Casting by
Irene Howard		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Ivan King

Makeup Department
Eric Aylott	....	makeup artist
Joan Johnstone	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Denis Johnson	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
David Middlemas	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Gordon Daniel	....	dubbing editor
J.B. Smith	....	dubbing mixer
Cyril Swern	....	sound recordist
A.W. Watkins	....	recording supervisor

Special Effects by
Tom Howard	....	photographic effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Frank Drake	....	camera operator
Gerald Moss	....	photographer: second unit
Dennis Fraser	....	grip (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Eileen Sullivan	....	wardrobe supervisor

Music Department
Ron Goodwin	....	conductor

Transportation Department
Eddie Frewin	....	driver: generator (uncredited)

Other crew
Lee Turner	....	continuity

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer British Studios

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1960) (UK) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1960) (USA) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1960) (France) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1961) (Finland) (theatrical)
• CBS Television (1972) (USA) (TV) (network premiere)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1992) (USA) (VHS)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (2004) (Finland) (TV)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (laserdisc)

Other Companies

• R.G.B.  subtitles: French version

Runtime:

77 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

UK:A (original rating) | West Germany:16 | UK:12 (re-rating) (2005) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

Letchmore Heath, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer British Studios

Trivia:

The eerie effect of the children's glowing eyes was created by matting a negative (reversed) image of their eyes over the pupils when they used their powers.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Just before the credits, there's a long crane shot which ends in the trees. It's obvious that the crane snagged a branch on its way up, because a branch suddenly snaps into the frame. They follow the shot with a brief view of other branches waving around, as though to cover the mistake...but the first branch was *not* blowing in the wind.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Prof. Gordon Zellaby: [on telephone] Good morning. Uh, would you get me Major Bernard at his Whitehall number? Thank you.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Silent Hill (2006)

a fantastic and minimalistic thriller

I am giving this film a 10 based on the "bang for the buck" it provides. Despite having a small budget, few special effects and an unknown cast (aside from George Sanders), it is an engrossing and terrifying sci-fi adventure.

The movie begins with a VERY STRANGE occurrence--a small village just STOPS. All people life within the village stops--machinery, animals and people. And, when the military tries to enter the town, the soldiers just STOP as well--falling into comas. Then, just as suddenly, everyone awakens--none the worse for wear. Or so it would seem, for later, many women in this small hamlet are found to be pregnant! Once these little bundles of joy are born, the fun begins as these brilliant but disturbingly freaky kids slowly scare the crap out of everyone--especially as they walk, talk and look alike and speak as one (sort of like an evil version of Huey, Dewey and Louie)! And, it turns out, they are apparently unstoppable and up to some sort of evil (though exactly what they intend is uncertain--but it MUST be bad considering their evil proclivities)!

NOTE: Do NOT see the supposed sequel, Children of the Damned. It's terrible. Instead of the kids harassing people (such as making them crash their cars into walls or blow their heads off), the kids are misunderstood and only want to live in peace!! What crap--I want murder and global domination!

Another NOTE: Do NOT see the recent remake of Village of the Damned. It lacks the subtlety of the original and just does NOTHING to improve an already great film.