Village of the Damned **** (1960, George Sanders, Barbara Shelley, Martin Stephens, Michael Gwynn, Laurence Naismith, John Phillips, Richard Vernon) – Classic Movie Review 3193

‘Beware the stare that will paralyse the will of the world.’ Co-writer/director Wolf Rilla’s 1960 British thriller Village of the Damned is securely based on John Wyndham’s classic sci-fi novel The Midwich Cuckoos about a rash of births in England of alien changelings. Director Rilla smoothly turns the material into a thoughtful and expertly chilling horror film.

George Sanders and Barbara Shelley star as Gordon and Anthea Zellaby, the upset parents of one creepy, too clever little boy, David Zellaby (Martin Stephens), in the English village of Midwich, where blond-haired, glowing-eyed children have frightening powers.

Rilla also delivers a spooky atmosphere and has a significant hand in the intelligent screenplay, along with Stirling Silliphant and Geoffrey Barclay. It was a hit, and successful enough for a sequel, Children of the Damned (1964), and a remake by John Carpenter in 1995, Village of the Damned, with Christopher Reeve and Kirstie Alley.

It co-stars Michael Gwynn, Laurence Naismith as Doctor Willers, John Phillips and Richard Vernon. Also in the cast are Jenny Laird, Richard Warner, Thomas Heathcote, Charlotte Mitchell, Peter Vaughan as P C Gobby, Alexander Archdale, Rosamund Greenwood, Bernard Archard as the Vicar, Susan Richards, Pamela Buck, John Stuart, Sarah Long, Robert Marks and Billy Lawrence.

Martin Stephens as creepy, too clever little boy David Zellaby in Village of the Damned (1960).

Village of the Damned is directed by Wolf Rilla, runs 78 minutes, is released by MGM, is written by Wolf Rilla, Stirling Silliphant and Geoffrey Barclay, based on John Wyndham’s novel The Midwich Cuckoos, is shot in black and white by Geoffrey Faithful, is produced by Ronald Kinnoch, and is scored by Ron Goodwin, with special effects by Tom Howard and production designs by Ivan King.

© Derek Winnert 2015 Classic Movie Review 3193

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Martin Stephens as blond-haired, glowing-eyed David Zellaby in Village of the Damned (1960).