1. Village of the Damned (1960) Uncanny Child to (Evil) Other

2. “Fairly Faithful” Adaptation Based on John Wyndham’s popular novel The Midwich Cuckoos (1957)

3. Screenplay America Sterling Silliphant meant for Ronald Coleman England Wolf Rilla Ronald Kinnoch John Wyndham (Novel)

4. Sequel: Children of the Damned (1963)

5. Remake: John Carpenter directs in 1995

6. Crew Director – Wolf Rilla Music – Ron Goodwin Visual Effects – Tom Howard Budget – $200,000 Reception – “A Certificate”

7. Martin Stephens... David Zellaby

8. Barbara Shelley... Anthea Zellaby

9. George Sanders... Gordon Zellaby

10. Influences? Italo Cavino’s “Sleeping Beauty” as retold in Italian Folktales (1956)

11. Influences? The Bad Seed Novel and Play – 1954; Film – 1956

12. Influences? 1954

13. Concept of the Child Innocent

14. Concept of the Child Tabula Rasa –Blank Slate

15. Concept of the Child Rebel

16. Evil Children Subgenre Subgenre of Horror genre Started 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)

17. Fear of the Unknown

18. Appearance ≠ Reality

21. Uncanny

27. Other

29. Uncanny -> Marvelous Text? Us? Other!

30. Masculinity & Class

39. Faustian Figure?

40. Kiss that Tells

42. 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

43. What else is missing? “Good” children

44. Show—Don’t Tell Words like “pregnancy” and “virgin” Lower class males’ reaction to pregnancy news

45. Links & Connections The Omen (1976) Let Me In (2010) (1993) Who Can Kill a Child ? (1976)

46. Links & Connections The Happening (2008)

47. Forget the skies—watch the children!