MovieChat Forums > Children of the Damned (1964) Discussion > I Just Watched this on TCM

I Just Watched this on TCM

posted 19 years ago by Citizen_Braaaains
13 replies | jump to latest

. . . and that douche that says stuff about the movie said the dumbest thing ever after the movie was over. He said something along the lines of, "Children of the Damned is certainly not as good as the original. They made the big mistake when someone thought that there needed to be a message, which is always a bad idea."

What??? First off, they tell you that the movie they've just played, that you've just watched isn't very good. Then they say that films should always be pointless and meaningless. Sure this is a flawed film, but the fact that it has a "message" is what makes the movie a good sci-fi film. Although, it would be stupid to call what the film says a "message" since nothing really concrete is given. The film doesn't go out and say something direct like, "Don't do drugs!" it asks more than it says.

[–] Woodyanders 17 years ago

I consider "Children of the Damned" to be a rare instance of a follow-up film that's almost as good as the original. It's an excellent and intelligent movie which tackles the bold theme of prejudice in a poignant and provocative manner. The fact that the film doesn't flat-out state that prejudice is wrong is a testament to how solid and up to snuff it is. I'm a big fan of both this film and the original "Village of the Damned;" they are both superior smart'n'spooky British sci-fi/horror classics.

"Warren Oates died for our sins"

[–] nomad-46 17 years ago

I took the "message" of the film as: Do not be too quick to fear, or destroy, that which you do not understand.

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[–] Heavyweight86 17 years ago

I believe it's supposed to be an alternate universe version of Village. Here, the kids aren't aliens, but they do have cobalted eyes, but they're actually man evolved in a million years, and they actually came here to help mankind, not necessarily destroy them. I wander if there will be a remake of this film.

[–] nomad-46 17 years ago

Well, considering that the remake of "Village..." basically tanked, the likelihood of a remake of this semi-sequel is pretty much nil divided by squat. Which is a pity, because I'd have liked to have seen a remake of this, too...

But then, it sorta sounded like they were aiming to go in a different direction with any sequels, judging by the way they ended "Village..." here.

Mind you, if they ever did another remake of "Village..." then maybe it could lead to a remake of "Children..."

As for the notion that "Children..." was an alternate universe version of "Village...", my take on it was that this was a case of the aliens that had created the children in the first movie thinking, "Gee, that approach didn't quite work out, let's be a little more subtle about it this time: Make the kids less obtrusive, and make them be individual kids scattered around the world within major metropolises instead of groups of identical-looking kids in selected small towns and villages. Maybe this time they won't all get themselves killed..."

The idea some scientist spouted about this being some sort of evolutionary leap for Mankind was probably just shear speculation on his part... since clearly there was no way to scientifically confirm such a hypothesis. Also, he probably didn't KNOW about those boys and girls in Midwich and the like, since that matter was probably stamped "Top Secret" and quietly buried.

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[–] Heavyweight86 17 years ago

Or it maybe a companion, not so sure.

[–] msilva7-1 16 years ago

UH, SORRY, ROBERT OSBOURNE WOULDN'T KNOW A DOUCHE FROM YOUR MOTHER. YOU COULD NEVER CONCEIVE HOW MUCH THIS GUY KNOWS ABOUT QUALITY FILMMAKING. I WATCH TCM ALWAYS SO THIS I KNOW. I ONLY FEAR THAT HE MAY RETIRE SOON, ETC... AS FOR YOU, YOU NEED TO STOP TUNING IN TO TCM.

[–] Zipper69 15 years ago

Nomad 46 says:

"my take on it was that this was a case of the aliens that had created the children in the first movie thinking, "Gee, that approach didn't quite work out, let's be a little more subtle about it this time: Make the kids less obtrusive, and make them be individual kids scattered around the world within major metropolises instead of groups of identical-looking kids in selected small towns and villages. Maybe this time they won't all get themselves killed..."

And that actually makes complete sense. Remember they were born on the same day around the world, no father is ever indicated and the English "mother" says she was a virgin and yet got pregnant.

Note also that she was an "artist's model" (on her door label) which was common London slang for a prostitute, and the American grandmother said her formerly respectable daughter "suddenly" became a party girl, staying out all night.

I'd say the back story was that these girls were selected around the world, and had to be virgins to ensure a successful insemination by the aliens who used the same mind control to erase the memory of their (probable) abduction and insemination.

Just imagine a remake with DNA testing included, Internet communications and an X-file style gathering together of UFO sightings recorded in the varied locations on the historic night....cool!

Don't touch that!
Why Not?
It does very bad things...

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] dwieselq 15 years ago

I rarely reply to any threads on IMDB but am after just seeing this movie.

I hadn't seen "Village..." so had no expectations of "Children...". This movie was exceptionally good: it raised both moral and scientific issues which added to an already good premise. It was a puzzle and that made it entertaining --we don't know why they were there or what they were. But that wasn't the point of the movie.

The movie created and brought you into its moral dilemma. In the real world, children are the hope of mankind, we treasure their innocence and ability to love, little else feels worse than harm to a child, their vulnerability makes us want to protect them...but in this movie, they are ice cold without any emotion, controlling people, and killing. How can we not initially think them evil?

Were they alien? Hard not to think so as they were all born on the same day by immaculate conception. Still, the speculation that they are mankind's future puts a whole new spin on it...if this is ourselves in a million years, how can we not fear what we will become...and how can we not have some fear and loathing at ourselves now for being the seed of this evolution? And if we destroy these people, these CHILDREN, aren't we bascially damning ourselves, morally and maybe as a species?

As for the screwdriver close-up at the end, like one person said, it was to make the point that something so random could lead to such a tragedy. I think it also by comparison made you relect, consciously or subconsciouly, on our own tragic intent.

Alien or human, the best aspect of the movie for me was how humanity --of which I am part of-- reacted.

[–] intexor 12 years ago

Also saw it on TCM, I guess it's a good thing they don't do these kind of intros and outros for movies on my local TCM.

[–] Clemencedane 10 years ago

I agree and I think I am likely speaking absolute heresy when I say I like this much better than the original VotD because they weren't evil and because there was a message.

[–] OnlyRocknRoll 10 years ago

I guess the host forgot what station he was on. The 'C' in TCM stands for "classic". Films become classics for various reasons, but I guess he was out sick the day that was covered in his film class. There have been a lot of more recent sci fi that have a "message" as well as CGI.

Besides being eerie, it does make the viewer think a bit.

_______________________________________
"ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED??!!"

Maximus Decimus Meridius

[–] ElectricWarlock 10 years ago

I prefer the original but I think it's a little silly to malign a film just for daring to make you think just a bit. As a matter of fact, I think it's kind of insulting to the first film as well because it is implies it's just mindless, shallow fluff without any meaning at all.

Death lives in the Vault of Horror!