Village of the Damned (1960)

[spacemonkey]

[img]http://rds.yahoo.com/S=96062883/K=village+of+the+damned/v=2/SID=e/l=IVS/SIG=1246rrk1r/EXP=1118155175/*-http%3A//members.ozemail.com.au/~demon9/damned.jpg[/img]

Titulo: Village of the Damned (1960)

Director: Wolf Rilla

Cast: George Sanders, Barbara Shelly, Martin Stephens

Review:

I was always curious about this flick, I dont know I think it was something about those kids with those weird eyes that always called my attention so when this double feature DVD came out I thought it was the perfect opportunity to visit this old classic. I had seen John Carpenters 1990 version of this flick and wanted to compare them.

The story is about this small town in England called Midwich. Suddenly and without warning everyone in town faints for a few hours. Anyone trying to go into the town faints as well. After a few hours pass everyone wakes up, and apparently everything is back to normal. But, a few months down the line the towns folk find out that all the women capable of having babies were impregnated on that very day. 9 months down the line The Children of the Damn are born, and havok ensues.

I have to admit I was very impressed with this movie. Specially for the time it was made. I really think that this movie was waaaay ahead of its time, not only was the movie very well directed and acted but the story itself and the idea behind it is just too intriguing to ignore. Little kids with psychic powers and freaky eyes? Sign me up! That idea that young kids could somehow take over the world and anyone who opposes them is erradicated is scary. So much power in the hands of these small children. Of course they are ultra intelligent alien children, but they are children non the less.

What I liked most about this film was the way it was executed. Theres some scenes in this movie that once you see em are indelable. For example those scenes with the kids eyes lighting up as they kill some of the towns people. Awesome stuff. The director had some really interesting shots in there that surprised me. For example theres a scene in which the kids where trying to read George Sanders mind and he was trying to block them out by thinking of a brick wall. That was awesome! Great stuff like that made me think that this film was ahead of its time.

The movie doesnt explain everything but I think that that was a good thing because it added to the whole ominuos feeling the movie has. Why did everyone faint? What are the kids really? What is their purpose? Non of this is really explained, the offer a lot of possibilities to these questions but never give a definitive answer and I thought that was cool. We fear what we dont understand and that was the case here. Not knowing was better. John Carpenters version answered all these questions and I really liked his version, but I think not knowing added a whole other level of freakiness.

A good classic with great direction and performances that should not be missed by any real horror fan. Now Im up for watching the sequel Children of the Damned Ill post up a review soon.

Rating: 4 out of 5

[countchocula]

(double post)

[countchocula]

Rated on a scale from 0-5 Chocula’s...



SPOILER-FREE

A rare instance where the original is better than the remake. Ha! I slay me. All humorless humor aside, 1960’s Village of the Damned is an esthetic effectuation that chalks up another victory for hushed, reverential horror. It does the body good to visit a placatory film after sitting through a passel of pealing monster movies. It took awhile for my eyes to adjust to the absence of stop-motion and rubber suits, but this is a virtuosic chiller to tipple if you’re in dire need of sensory deprivation. The opening sequence is manfully grim. Everyone in the small town of Midwich blacks out only to wake up hours later with a gelid, shooting chill temporarily numbing their bodies. What transpires should be common knowledge amongst those with a casual interest in prevenient horror films. As a result of the inexplicable syncope, every woman of childbearing age discovers that they are rather pregnant, and that their posterity is rather irritable.

I glossed over the plot in a few sentences, but Village takes its precious time uncreasing the exposition. The build-up is perfect. While 1963’s Children of the Damned focused on the aftermath of the children’s arrival, this film places emphasis on the calm before the storm. We see how the synchronous births weigh heavy on the tousled townspeople. Can you imagine how news of a pregnancy would affect a virgin? Or a husband who has returned home after serving in the armed forces to learn that his wife is expecting? Talk about marital strain! This is just as much a commiserative drama as it is a moody fright flick. Luckily, we care about the people involved, even if a few of them are peculated of adequate screen time.

George Sanders gives a nuanced performance as Gordon Zellaby, a scientist interested in studying the puckish jackanapes. Classy, well-read, and affectionate. The role requires scopious range, and Sanders never falters. Even his comedic timing is heedful (his reaction to the news of his wife’s pregnancy is cute...now there’s a word I wasn’t expecting to use to describe Village of the Damned). Depressing trivia ~ Sanders committed suicide in 1972 shortly after wrapping the “fish man” opus, Doomwatch. Barbara Shelley is more than capable as Anthea, Gordon’s lovely matron. Michael Gwynn tends to underact as Alan, Anthea’s brother. 80% of acting is reacting, and simply put, Gwynn doesn’t react convincingly to the horrific velitations around him. Okay, I pulled that statistic out of my ass, but I believe it to be true.

And the wee ones? Naturally, they’re quite the dismaying tussock of knee-high neo-nestlings. They have considerably more dialogue than in Children, which is a definite pro (“You must be taught to leave us alone. LEAVE US ALONE!!!”). I couldn’t wait for the climax. Not because I was bored, but because I just knew that it would be the perfect payoff to such a perfect set-up. I regret to inform you that I was dreadfully wrong. This is one aspect of the film that the remake idealized (!). The ending is void of tension, logic, and a viperous sense of danger. Like many cult appurtenances from years past, it draws to a close with an abrupt impasse. No closure, no character follow-ups, no nothing. Still, this is a distinguished billet of British horror. The atmosphere is stark, the cast is refined, the dramatic elements are supraliminal, and the production values are first-rate. I prefer its successor by three-fourths of a smidgen, but I wouldn’t hesitate to label Village of the Damned as a bonafide classic.



Great minds think alike!

[spacemonkey]

Originally posted by countchocula
The ending is void of tension, logic, and a viperous sense of danger. Like many cult appurtenances from years past, it draws to a close with an abrupt impasse. No closure, no character follow-ups, no nothing.

Hey count, yet another review in which we give the same rating to the same movie! Cool. I forgot to mention that point about the ending, I too gave it a four because of the abrupt ending. I was expecting the film to really shift into gear in those last 15 minutes, alas it didnt. It just sort of ended and thats it. It kind of reminded me of a Hammer film in that way. You know, once the monster dies the film is automatically over.

I guess a feeling of closure is really necesarry in movies, those last 5 minutes where they show how everybody ends up are important. But its a small glitch in an otherwise great great sci/fi horror flick.

Was it just me or did those first minutes with the military closing down the town of Midwich and the cows and birds fainting have a Close Encounters feel to them? I kind of got the idea that Spielberg might have been moderately inspired by Village of the Damned.

[countchocula]

I haven't seen Close Encounters of the Third Kind since I was little. Village has certainly influenced a number of genre films, though.

[countchocula]

Guess what I watched on TV last night? Village of the Damned! I also caught Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (one of my favorite "alien invasion" flicks), and since both films aired on TCM, they were commercial-free. I lucked out.

[spacemonkey]

Originally posted by countchocula
Guess what I watched on TV last night? Village of the Damned! I also caught Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (one of my favorite "alien invasion" flicks), and since both films aired on TCM, they were commercial-free. I lucked out.

Looks like the horror gods where looking favorably upon you last night!

Yeah, this flick is extremely well directed, I started seeing the second one last night but didnt get to finish it. Still, it actually looks like it might be even better! I was seeing it and going, damn this ones actually a good sequel. Ill let you know my full on opinion on "Children" soon.

[countchocula]

Yeah, Children of the Damned is surprisingly well-rounded. I reviewed it ages ago, and gave it...I don't even remember what my rating was. I know that I loved the movie, though.

[Gluttony]

Ooh, we almost had a Twilight Zone moment there. I have to admit, this movie is excellent. Very taute and atmospheric and what have you.

3.5/5

Almost...