Village of the Damned (1960): Cast, Ratings & Plot
Village of the Damned is a 1960 sci-fi horror film directed by Wolf Rilla, starring George Sanders, Michael Gwynn and Barbara Shelley. It is based on The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham and Kelly Link. It runs 1 hour 17 minutes. Critics gave it 77 on Metacritic.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 17m (77 min)
- Director
- Wolf Rilla
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Village of the Damned About?
The premise of Village of the Damned without spoilers, adapted from The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham and Kelly Link. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
A strange event leaves the residents of a quiet English village in a deep sleep. When they awaken, the women discover they are all pregnant, and soon give birth to a group of unsettling children with striking blonde hair and blue eyes. These children share a peculiar connection and possess an unsettling presence that troubles the community and suggests a sinister origin.
Village of the Damned Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- weird pregnancy
- animal senses evil
- alien invasion
- killer child
- evil child
- forced suicide
- extrasensory perception
- sunbeam car
- children
- village
- english
- mind reading
+38 more Show fewer
- discovering one is pregnant
- supernatural power
- self sacrifice
- telepathy
- psychic power
- small town
- first part
- child rearing
- psychotronic film
- motor vehicle
- car
- british car
- sunbeam motor vehicle
- sunbeam rapier
- call back
- flock of sheep
- farm tractor
- man faints
- tree knocked down
- sink overflow
- crank record player
- lying in a road
- church bell
- clothes burned with an iron
- mass fainting
- bicycle police
- canary
- soldier wears a gas mask
- bird in a cage
- downer cattle
- aerial surveillance
- landrover
- golden retriever
- mine detector
- motorcycle escort
- kiss hello
- pregnant virgin
- mass insemination
Village of the Damned Cast
George Sanders leads the cast, with Michael Gwynn and Barbara Shelley. Directed by Wolf Rilla; 10 actors are credited in all.
- Director Wolf Rilla
Also Starring in Village of the Damned
· 6 moreMore from Wolf Rilla
More films directed by Wolf Rilla: Secrets of a Door-to-Door Salesman, The World Ten Times Over, Cairo and Watch It, Sailor!.
Village of the Damned Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave Village of the Damned 77 on Metacritic.
-
Metacritic 77 Metascore
User score 7.4
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 72% User score
See on TMDB
Village of the Damned Plot Summary
What happens in Village of the Damned from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
As Professor Gordon Zellaby (George Sanders) speaks with his brother-in-law Major Alan Bernard (Michael Gwynn) over the phone, an unsettling event unfolds in the village of Midwich. Suddenly, both the inhabitants and every animal in the vicinity plunge into a mysterious unconsciousness. The military springs into action, quickly establishing a perimeter and sending a masked investigator to probe the strange phenomenon. However, even this individual succumbs to a sudden chill, collapsing into unresponsiveness. Authorities scramble to comprehend the situation, but when a reconnaissance pilot loses consciousness at 5,000 feet, resulting in a catastrophic crash, the village becomes even more enigmatic. Consequently, a five-mile exclusion zone is imposed, isolating Midwich from the outside world.
Full summary
The whole story of Village of the Damned, scene by scene
Village of the Damned Trailers & Videos
3 videos: 2 trailers and 1 featurette.
- Trailer VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED Original Trailer [1960] 4K
- Featurette Mary Lambert on VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED
How Well Do You Know Village of the Damned?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What mysterious event occurs in the village of Midwich?
Cars in Village of the Damned
22 cars on screen, including the 1959 Sunbeam Rapier Series III and the 1939 Bedford OYD.
-
1959 Sunbeam Rapier Series III Important role -
1939 Bedford OYD Minor role -
1955 Fordson Major Minor role -
1938 Hillman Minx Magnificent Minor role
Village of the Damned Also Known As
20 alternative titles, including “Het Dorp der Verdoemden” and “Het Dorp der Vervloekten”.
- Also known as
-
- Het Dorp der Verdoemden
- Het Dorp der Vervloekten
- El pueblo de los malditos
- Byen som stivnet av skrekk
- Das Dorf der Verdammten
- Il villaggio dei dannati
- Le Village des damnés
- 未知空間の恐怖／光る眼
- Elátkozottak faluja
- Lanetliler Kasabası
- Městečko prokletých
- 저주받은 도시
+8 more Show fewer
- Orașul celor blestemați
- Деревня проклятых
- Wioska przeklętych
- 魔童村
- A Aldeia dos Amaldiçoados
- Rædslen fra himmelrummet
- De fördömdas by
- Селище проклятих
Seen Village of the Damned?
Movies Like Village of the Damned
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Village of the Damned, The Village and The Midwich Cuckoos.
Village of the Damned FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date
Runtime, release date, director, cast, ratings, the book behind it and post-credit scenes of Village of the Damned, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Village of the Damned?
Village of the Damned runs 1 hour 17 minutes (77 minutes).
When was Village of the Damned released?
Village of the Damned was released on December 7, 1960.
Who directed Village of the Damned?
Village of the Damned was directed by Wolf Rilla.
More films by Wolf Rilla Who is in the cast of Village of the Damned?
Village of the Damned stars George Sanders, Michael Gwynn and Barbara Shelley, among 10 credited actors.
How is Village of the Damned rated?
Village of the Damned has 77 on Metacritic and 72% on TMDB.
Is Village of the Damned based on a book?
Yes. Village of the Damned is adapted from The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham and Kelly Link.
Does Village of the Damned have a post-credit scene?
No. Village of the Damned has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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