village of the damned (1960) uncanny child to (evil) other
TRANSCRIPT
Village of the Damned (1960)
Uncanny Child to (Evil) Other
“Fairly Faithful” Adaptation
• Based on John Wyndham’s popular novelThe Midwich Cuckoos (1957)
Screenplay
AmericaSterling Silliphant
meant for Ronald Coleman
EnglandWolf RillaRonald KinnochJohn Wyndham (Novel)
Sequel:Children of the Damned (1963)
Remake:John Carpenter directs in 1995
Crew
Director – Wolf RillaMusic – Ron Goodwin
Visual Effects – Tom HowardBudget – $200,000
Reception – “A Certificate”
Martin Stephens ... David Zellaby
Barbara Shelley ... Anthea Zellaby
George Sanders ... Gordon Zellaby
Influences?
Italo Cavino’s “Sleeping Beauty” as retold in Italian Folktales (1956)
Influences?
The Bad Seed Novel and Play – 1954; Film – 1956
Influences?
1954
Concept of the Child
Innocent
Concept of the Child
Tabula Rasa –Blank Slate
Concept of the Child
Rebel
Evil Children Subgenre Subgenre of Horror genreStarted with The Bad Seed (1956)Spread by Village of the Damned (1960)
Films“It’s a Good Life” Twilight Zone episode (1961)Who Can Kill a Child? (1976, U. S. title, “Island of the Damned”)The Omen (1976)Children of the Corn (1984)The Good Son (1993)Let Me In (2010)
Fear of the Unknown
Appearance ≠ Reality
Appearance ≠ Reality
Appearance ≠ Reality
Uncanny
Uncanny
Uncanny
Uncanny
Uncanny
Uncanny
Other
Other
Uncanny -> Marvelous Text?
Us? Other!
Masculinity & Class
Masculinity & Class
Masculinity & Class
Masculinity & Class
Masculinity & Class
Masculinity & Class
Masculinity & Class
Masculinity & Class
Masculinity & Class
Faustian Figure?
Kiss that Tells
Kiss that Tells
What SF motifs are missing?
• Spacecraft• The word “alien”• Don’t “watch the skies”• The media response• Big military action• Change in view of universe
What else is missing?
• “Good” children
Show—Don’t Tell
• Words like “pregnancy” and “virgin”• Lower class males’ reaction to
pregnancy news
Links & Connections
The Omen (1976)
Let Me In(2010)
(1993)
Who Can Kill a Child ? (1976)
Links & ConnectionsThe Happening (2008)
Forget the skies—watch the children!