Village of the Damned
A quiet English village becomes the testing ground for a terrifying generation of unnaturally gifted children.
Overview
A chilling tale of a village where the children are not what they seem.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- eerie
- oppressive
- restrained
- classic horror night
- double feature
What critics said
Critics broadly regard it as a tightly made, original, and chilling British science fiction horror film whose restrained direction and unnerving child performances create sustained tension.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The mysterious sleep, pregnancies, and threatening children unfold against the calm routines of Midwich village.
The children grow rapidly, share identical features, read minds, and manipulate adults against their will.
The children's penetrating eyes and mental abilities compel people to perform actions they resist.
The film presents mass sleep, anomalous pregnancies, and psychic domination through a laconic village setting and controlled direction.
Films like Village of the Damned, and why
The Children of the Damned
restrained science fiction horror, uncanny children, and a community confronting an unknown threat
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
quiet rural setting, alien intrusion, and escalating paranoia beneath an ordinary social surface
The Day the Earth Stood Still
classic science fiction horror built around mysterious outsiders and fear of mental domination
The Innocents
eerie atmosphere, psychologically coercive supernatural forces, and domestic horror
Movie Details
- Director
- Wolf Rilla
- Release Date
- 1960-06-16
- Runtime
- 77 min
- Rating
- 7.2 / 10 (523)
Cast
- George Sanders
- Barbara Shelley
- Martin Stephens
- Michael Gwynn
- Laurence Naismith
- Richard Warner
- Jenny Laird
- Sarah Long
- Thomas Heathcote
- Charlotte Mitchell
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 Village of the Damned about?
- A quiet English village becomes the testing ground for a terrifying generation of unnaturally gifted children.
- What is Village of the Damned like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Village of the Damned as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Village of the Damned violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Village of the Damned as mild.
- What did critics think of Village of the Damned?
- Critics broadly regard it as a tightly made, original, and chilling British science fiction horror film whose restrained direction and unnerving child performances create sustained tension.
- Which films are like Village of the Damned?
- Films with a similar feel include The Children of the Damned, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Day the Earth Stood Still, and The Innocents.
- How long is Village of the Damned?
- Village of the Damned runs 77 minutes.
- Where can I watch Village of the Damned?
- In United States, Village of the Damned is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
