13 Nights of Shocktober: Village of the Damned (1960)

by A.J.

This is my favorite time of year, second only to Christmas. Autumn has arrived, the weather is cooling down, and October becomes the month-long celebration of scary movies called Shocktober. There are a lot of horror movies out there, but as a genre, horror is still looked down upon by some mainstream critics and moviegoers. It doesn’t help that, admittedly, there are so few quality horror movies made but, like comedy, it’s a very difficult and subjective genre. So, in the days leading up Halloween I’ll be posting some recommendations for scary movies to help you celebrate Shocktober.

Night 8: Sci-Fi Horror Night
Beware the Stare That Threatens All Mankind

Village of the Damned (1960)

Village of the Damned is a classic and still spooky British horror film famous for those creepy emotionless bleach blonde children with glowing eyes. This must rank among the most referenced images from classic horror films. If you’ve never seen the film you’ve likely seen a parody or are familiar with the image of the children with glowing eyes. These children are, of course, not exactly human.

Village of the Damned is very eerie and creepy right from the start. The film begins with a mysterious event occurring in a pastoral British village. Abruptly and inexplicably everyone in town loses consciousness at exactly the same moment. Shots of the villagers passed out and collapsed wherever they happened to be are quite unnerving. The military investigates and as far as militaries in science fiction/horror movies go, they are quite competent and rational. Just as the solders are starting to understand the event, it ends just as suddenly and inexplicably as it began.

Soon after the event, Anthea (Barbara Shelley) surprises her husband, Professor Gordon Zellaby (George Sanders), with the news that she is pregnant. Their joy turns to concern and suspicion, however, when they find out that every woman in the village capable of bearing a child has also become pregnant. All of the babies are born on the same day, have the same weight, and the same odd eyes. The children develop unnaturally fast and after three years have grown to look about 10 years old. All of the children have pale blonde hair and a detached and emotionless countenance. All of the people in the village, the parents of the children included, are nervous and frightened of them. They seem to have a collective consciousness, and, most troubling of all, they can read people minds and control other people’s actions.

This film is shot in black and white which only enhances its otherworldly and surreal atmosphere. Village of the Damned does not go for big scares, but the creepy children with their unnatural calm go a long way to making this a memorable and chilling film. Adding to the odd atmosphere of the film is the reserved nature of the British locals. No one breaks into hysterics at any point in the movie no matter what shocking and supernatural things happen. The Zellabys’ son, David, is the leader of the otherworldly children. Sanders and Shelley are more apprehensive than frightened of him. The incredible George Sanders turns in a good performance and helps anchor the serious and tense tone of the film. If there is one person that can keep his cool around possible alien children with mind control powers, it’s George Sanders.

Village of the Damned is a low budget film that shows little and finds horror through tension and one solid effect. The movie builds to the second half of the film featuring the children. The low key nature of this movie plants the premise in the realm of plausibility and sets the audience at unease. This still spooky classic is well worth watching this Shocktober.

Village of the Damned will air on TCM Saturday, October 29th at 2:15PM CT