Children of the Damned
Encyclopedia
Children of the Damned is a 1963 science fiction
film, a thematic sequel to the 1960 version of Village of the Damned
. It is about a group of children, with similar psi-powers to the original seeding
, but without the obvious 'alien' differences in the earlier film.
research initiative into child development. The children have extraordinary powers of intellect and are all able to complete a difficult brick puzzle within the same amount of time.
British psychologist Tom Lewellin (Hendry) and geneticist David Neville (Badel) show an interest in Paul, a boy born in London, whose mother Diana (Allen) clearly hates him and claims never to have been touched by a man. This is put down to hysteria; it is implied she has 'loose' morals, but after a while, the two men realize that all six children were born without a father and are capable of telepathy
.
The six children from various countries — China
, India
, Nigeria
, the Soviet Union
, the USA and the UK — who share this advanced intelligence are gathered in London
and housed for collective study. However the children escape from their embassies and gather together in an abandoned church in Southwark
, London. They intermittently take control of the actions of Paul's aunt (Ferris) to help them survive in the derelict church while the military debates whether or not to destroy them. The children have demonstrated the capacity for telekinesis
and construct a machine which uses sound waves as a weapon to defend themselves, causing the deaths of several government officials and soldiers. It is noticeable, however, that they only fight back when attacked. After international and Cold War
tensions lead world governments to ask for their return to their respective embassies, the children murder their government's representatives and return to the church.
Lewellin urges the government to give the children a last chance. He and a few scientists observe the difference between an ordinary human blood cell and the body cells of one of the children, Rashid, who has apparently been killed. After a short while investigating the cells, a scientist postulates that they may be human cells — but more advanced by a million years.
When authorities try to take control of them, the children are compelled to protect themselves. The situation escalates into a final showdown between armed forces and the children. Rashid emerges from the church alive, but the church is destroyed and the children are killed when a field communications officer misunderstands a command. In both this story and in the original "Village of the Damned", the children are destroyed as a result of the adults' paranoia and fear. The powers that the children exhibit are beyond the adults control and largely ambiguous in its intent. It is the adults' fear of loss of control that eventually results in the children's death.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
film, a thematic sequel to the 1960 version of Village of the Damned
Village of the Damned (1960 film)
Village of the Damned is a 1960 British science fiction film by German director Wolf Rilla. The film is a fairly faithful adaptation of the novel The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham. The lead role of Professor Gordon Zellaby was played by George Sanders. This film was #92 on Bravo's 100 Scariest...
. It is about a group of children, with similar psi-powers to the original seeding
The Midwich Cuckoos
The Midwich Cuckoos is a science fiction novel written by English author John Wyndham, published in 1957. It has been filmed twice as Village of the Damned in 1960 and 1995.-Plot summary:...
, but without the obvious 'alien' differences in the earlier film.
Plot
Six children are identified by a UNESCOUNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
research initiative into child development. The children have extraordinary powers of intellect and are all able to complete a difficult brick puzzle within the same amount of time.
British psychologist Tom Lewellin (Hendry) and geneticist David Neville (Badel) show an interest in Paul, a boy born in London, whose mother Diana (Allen) clearly hates him and claims never to have been touched by a man. This is put down to hysteria; it is implied she has 'loose' morals, but after a while, the two men realize that all six children were born without a father and are capable of telepathy
Telepathy
Telepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...
.
The six children from various countries — China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, the USA and the UK — who share this advanced intelligence are gathered in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and housed for collective study. However the children escape from their embassies and gather together in an abandoned church in Southwark
Southwark
Southwark is a district of south London, England, and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Southwark. Situated east of Charing Cross, it forms one of the oldest parts of London and fronts the River Thames to the north...
, London. They intermittently take control of the actions of Paul's aunt (Ferris) to help them survive in the derelict church while the military debates whether or not to destroy them. The children have demonstrated the capacity for telekinesis
Psychokinesis
The term psychokinesis , also referred to as telekinesis with respect to strictly describing movement of matter, sometimes abbreviated PK and TK respectively, is a term...
and construct a machine which uses sound waves as a weapon to defend themselves, causing the deaths of several government officials and soldiers. It is noticeable, however, that they only fight back when attacked. After international and Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
tensions lead world governments to ask for their return to their respective embassies, the children murder their government's representatives and return to the church.
Lewellin urges the government to give the children a last chance. He and a few scientists observe the difference between an ordinary human blood cell and the body cells of one of the children, Rashid, who has apparently been killed. After a short while investigating the cells, a scientist postulates that they may be human cells — but more advanced by a million years.
When authorities try to take control of them, the children are compelled to protect themselves. The situation escalates into a final showdown between armed forces and the children. Rashid emerges from the church alive, but the church is destroyed and the children are killed when a field communications officer misunderstands a command. In both this story and in the original "Village of the Damned", the children are destroyed as a result of the adults' paranoia and fear. The powers that the children exhibit are beyond the adults control and largely ambiguous in its intent. It is the adults' fear of loss of control that eventually results in the children's death.
Cast
- Ian HendryIan HendryIan Hendry was an English film and television actor. He is best known for his work on several British TV series of the early 1960s such as The Avengers, and for his roles in 1970s films such as Get Carter .-Career:Hendry was born in Ipswich, Suffolk and educated at Culford School...
as Col. Tom Lewellin - Alan BadelAlan BadelAlan Fernand Badel was a distinguished English stage actor who also appeared frequently in the cinema, radio and television and was noted for his richly textured voice which was once described as "the sound of tears".-Early life:...
as Dr. David Neville - Barbara FerrisBarbara FerrisBarbara Gillian Ferris is an English actress and former fashion model.She appeared in a number of films and productions for television and is possibly best remembered as Dinah, the young woman who eloped with Dave Clark in the 1965 film Catch Us If You Can...
as Susan Eliot - Alfred BurkeAlfred BurkeAlfred Burke was a British actor, best known for his portrayal of Frank Marker in the drama series Public Eye, which ran on television for ten years.-Early life:...
as Colin Webster - Sheila AllenSheila Allen (English actress)Sheila Allen was an English actress, who was best known to the wider public for her role on television as Cassie Manson in Bouquet Of Barbed Wire and its sequel Another Bouquet...
as Diana Looran - Ralph MichaelRalph MichaelRalph Michael was an English actor. He was born in London, United Kingdom.His film appearances include: A Night to Remember, Children of the Damned, Khartoum, Grand Prix, The Assassination Bureau, and Empire of the Sun.Television credits include: The Adventures of Robin Hood, Dixon of Dock Green,...
as Defense Minister - Patrick WymarkPatrick WymarkPatrick Wymark , was a British, stage, film and television actor.-Early life:Born Patrick Carl Cheeseman in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, England...
as Commander - Martin Miller as Prof. Gruber
- Harold Goldblatt as Harib
- Patrick White as Mr. Davidson
- André Mikhelson as Russian official
- Bessie LoveBessie LoveBessie Love was an American motion picture actress who achieved prominence mainly in the silent films and early talkies. With a small frame and delicate features, she played innocent young girls, flappers, and wholesome leading ladies. Her role in The Broadway Melody earned her a nomination for...
as Mrs. Robbins, Mark's Grandmother - Clive Powell as Paul
- Yoke-Moon Lee as Mi Ling
- Roberta Rex as Nina