Children of the Damned
Six extraordinarily intelligent psychic children turn a London church siege into a bleak test of whether humanity can meet the unknown without repeating its own violence.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- eerie
- foreboding
- oppressive
- classic horror night
- science fiction double feature
What critics said
Critics broadly find the film atmospheric and conceptually intriguing but uneven, derivative, and less effective than its predecessor.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The central conflict follows six globally sourced children whose intelligence and psychic abilities alarm scientists and authorities.
The children barricade themselves in a London church while the military surrounds and besieges the site.
The film is identified with black-and-white imagery, reinforcing its austere science fiction horror atmosphere.
Scientists, UNESCO, embassies, and military authorities frame extraordinary children as a potential civilization-level danger.
Films like Children of the Damned, and why
Village of the Damned
shared british science fiction horror, morally ambiguous superpowered children, and institutional fear
The Innocents
shared black-and-white science fiction horror, child-centered menace, and anxious social allegory
The Midwich Cuckoos
shared atmospheric british speculative horror, military confrontation, and moral questions about violence
The Deadly Spawn
shared cold-war-era paranoia, psychic powers, and scientists confronting an inscrutable threat
Movie Details
- Director
- Anton Leader
- Release Date
- 1964-01-10
- Runtime
- 90 min
- Rating
- 6.1 / 10 (112)
Cast
- Ian Hendry
- Alan Badel
- Barbara Ferris
- Alfred Burke
- Sheila Allen
- Ralph Michael
- Patrick Wymark
- Martin Miller
- Harold Goldblatt
- Patrick White
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Children of the Damned about?
- Six extraordinarily intelligent psychic children turn a London church siege into a bleak test of whether humanity can meet the unknown without repeating its own violence.
- What is Children of the Damned like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Children of the Damned as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Children of the Damned violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Children of the Damned as moderate.
- What did critics think of Children of the Damned?
- Critics broadly find the film atmospheric and conceptually intriguing but uneven, derivative, and less effective than its predecessor.
- Which films are like Children of the Damned?
- Films with a similar feel include Village of the Damned, The Innocents, The Midwich Cuckoos, and The Deadly Spawn.
- How long is Children of the Damned?
- Children of the Damned runs 90 minutes.
- Where can I watch Children of the Damned?
- In United States, Children of the Damned is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
