John Wyndham was the pen name of John Wyndham Harris, a successful science fiction writer. His famous book was The Day of the Triffids(1951) which became a sci-fi movie classic. His other very successful book was The Midwich Cuckoos, a story about an English village where everyone falls asleep for several hours one afternoon and the women of childbearing age are found to be pregnant, conception dating from that day, several months later. The phenomenon is found to have been duplicated in several other areas in the world and the children, at birth, reveal extraordinary powers. The movie called Village of the Damned was very good. The lead role of Professor Gordon Zellaby was played by George Sanders.
A sequel, Children of the Damned, followed in 1963, and a remake--not as good--starring Christopher Reeve was released in 1995, also called Village of the Damned.
Interestingly, the first Village of the Damned, a very British-looking creation, had been originally developed as an American film but, when the plot was publicized, it was opposed by the very Catholic Legion of Decency on the principle that the story line was reminiscent of the of Mary's virgin conception. For some reason the film being done in Britain made them more comfortable.
A sequel, Children of the Damned, followed in 1963, and a remake--not as good--starring Christopher Reeve was released in 1995, also called Village of the Damned.
Interestingly, the first Village of the Damned, a very British-looking creation, had been originally developed as an American film but, when the plot was publicized, it was opposed by the very Catholic Legion of Decency on the principle that the story line was reminiscent of the of Mary's virgin conception. For some reason the film being done in Britain made them more comfortable.
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