IMDb RATING
6.6/10
4.2K
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An American tourist, a youth gang leader, and his troubled sister find themselves trapped in a top secret government facility experimenting on children.An American tourist, a youth gang leader, and his troubled sister find themselves trapped in a top secret government facility experimenting on children.An American tourist, a youth gang leader, and his troubled sister find themselves trapped in a top secret government facility experimenting on children.
Tom Kempinski
- Ted
- (as Thomas Kempinski)
Allan McClelland
- Mr. Stuart
- (as Alan McClelland)
Nicholas Clay
- Richard
- (as Nicolas Clay)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe film's release was delayed for two years and was not shown in Britain until the Spring of 1963, when it was released as the lower half of a Hammer Films double-bill with Maniac (1963). It had been cut by Hammer (against Joseph Losey's wishes) from a length of 96 minutes to 87 minutes and was cut further to 77 minutes when it was finally shown in America in 1965. However, the missing footage has been fully restored to the film for the DVD and Blu-ray versions and for 21st-century television showings.
- GoofsA shadow of a crew member can be seen moving after King shoots the soldier in the lab.
- Quotes
Freya Neilson: A public servant is the only servant who has secrets from his master.
- Crazy credits'sculpture Frink'. (Elisabeth Frink's surname/ signature in her own handwriting alone on right of screen) in opening credits.
- Alternate versionsCut prior to 1961 X rated cinema release over child concerns. It was further cut for US theatrical release. The cuts were restored in 2010 for UK 12 rated DVD and 2019 Blu-ray release.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Son of Monsters on the March (1980)
Featured review
I saw this recently on a late night "British Film Celebration" series, showing various odds and sods of yester-year. In some ways I wished I had videoed it now, as thinking about it afterwards (and thinking about it is certainly something you'll do)there's clearly something going on with the characterisation that was far more important than lets on at first. A second viewing was perhaps needed, certainly the characters don't seem quite fleshed out and when thinking about it I was wondering if that was the point. But here's what I mean by the characters:
While trying to follow some sort of standard narrative, there seems to be something else going on in this film that is talking about a far wider, human theme with actually makes it much more of a "pure" science fiction/philosophical film than it maybe gets credit for. Yes, you can look at it at face value and ultimately see it as nothing more than a curious English B movie, but...
The film moves very slowly, but its shift from what looks to be a critique on teenagers turns into a science fiction film with a very gritty message about human survival and with its grim ending its something you tend not to see much in films, either then or now.
Perhaps I am reading FAR too much into the film, but cold war polemic aside there seems to be something far more rhetorical being said about "radiation" and the death of humanity/culture/civility. There seems to be comments made on how the individual deals with a world that can face potential catastrophic change at any moment which will deny you your very humanity and dignity. I'm not saying the film does this successfully, but nonetheless it's a very interesting "attempt" and well worth a little look.
Oh...and as for the "Black Leather, Black Leather, Smash, Smash, Smash" song. Well, it's interesting... Maybe there's a comment being made there too...about inanity? Perhaps I need to get out more.
- The spiritually hurt "old/young" man played (and in fairness, perhaps miscast) by MacDonald Carey, desperate in some way to "complete" himself; the numerous old English establishment/power figures, feeling out of time and place, as if powerless to deal with the worlds changes, still "in" power but somehow no longer; the devout artist, passionate about her work, which in itself is a little dehumanising (there is a great, heart rending scene, where she cries in agony as Oliver Reed destroys some of her art work, that will stay with me for a while); the young girl unable to "become" what she wants, perhaps of her "possessive" brother, who really genuinely wants to protect her from the evils of the world; the emotionless children, full of potential but ultimately radioactive and poison, and most of all the "angry young men" lead masterfully by Oliver Reed, They represent the irrational human, simply wanting to "be" and nothing more.
While trying to follow some sort of standard narrative, there seems to be something else going on in this film that is talking about a far wider, human theme with actually makes it much more of a "pure" science fiction/philosophical film than it maybe gets credit for. Yes, you can look at it at face value and ultimately see it as nothing more than a curious English B movie, but...
The film moves very slowly, but its shift from what looks to be a critique on teenagers turns into a science fiction film with a very gritty message about human survival and with its grim ending its something you tend not to see much in films, either then or now.
Perhaps I am reading FAR too much into the film, but cold war polemic aside there seems to be something far more rhetorical being said about "radiation" and the death of humanity/culture/civility. There seems to be comments made on how the individual deals with a world that can face potential catastrophic change at any moment which will deny you your very humanity and dignity. I'm not saying the film does this successfully, but nonetheless it's a very interesting "attempt" and well worth a little look.
Oh...and as for the "Black Leather, Black Leather, Smash, Smash, Smash" song. Well, it's interesting... Maybe there's a comment being made there too...about inanity? Perhaps I need to get out more.
- How long is The Damned?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official site
- Language
- Also known as
- These Are the Damned
- Filming locations
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $500,000 (estimated)
- Runtime1 hour 27 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1
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