Christopher Reeve, Karen Kahn, Kirstie Alley

The original 1960 version of Village of the Damned is regarded as a classic of science-fiction and horror, and it remains one of the creepiest movies of its kind. Directed with occasional flair...( read more  read more... ) by John Carpenter, this 1995 remake trades subtlety for more explicit chills and violence, but the basic premise remains effectively eerie. In the tiny, idyllic town of Midwich, a strange mist causes the entire population to fall asleep, and when everyone awakes the town physician (Christopher Reeve) discovers that 10 women--including his wife and a local teenaged virgin--have mysteriously become pregnant. Their children are all born on the same day, with matching white hair and strange, glowing eyes, growing at an accelerated rate and raising Reeve's suspicion that they're not of Earthly origin. These demonic brats can control minds and wreak havoc with the power of their thoughts--so of course, they must be destroyed! Only Reeve knows how to get the job done, and his performance (the actor's last big-screen role before his paralyzing accident in 1995) grounds this otherwise superfluous remake with enough credibility to hold the viewer's attention. But for the real chills, definitely check out the original version--it's 20 minutes shorter but twice as spooky. --Jeff Shannon

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38% liked it

31,451 ratings

R, 99 min.

Directed by: John Carpenter

Release Date: April 28, 1995

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DVD Release Date: December 15, 1998

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Flixster Reviews (878)


  • September 8, 2009
    Unfortunately this Carpenter remake of a classic wasn't as good as The Thing and marks the beginning of his decline. Shame as it has a brilliant cast!
  • July 11, 2008
    These kids still scare the shit outta me...
  • September 24, 2007
    It has Luke Skywalker in it.
  • August 18, 2007
    A remake of the 1960 alien children movie, is semi-enjoyable. They've upped the horror effects when some of the adults are killed. The kids are genuinely creepy; the child actors put on chilling performances. It's nice seeing Christopher Reeve as their school teacher. John Carpen...( read more)ter's direction adds flavor to the story. His synth-score is great. It feels a bit unbalanced; probably because it's been done before better. It's less convincing that these kids could take over a whole town in the 90's. Not one of Carpenter's classics.
  • August 3, 2007
    Actually a lot creepier than I expected, worth the watch
  • October 31, 2009
    !Comercial or Stupid! :|
  • September 23, 2009
    Probably the my least favorite John Carpenter film that i have seen to date. The plot seemed interesting at first but in the end , the kids were more annoying than scary, it just seemed kind of lame.
  • September 11, 2009
    As far as cheap horror remakes go this is actually quite a good one. The kids are creepy and there are some really gruesome parts, worth a watch!
  • August 27, 2009
    These children are truly posessed.
  • August 3, 2009
    Pretty average scifi horror. It does have 80s horror feel to it. Cheesy dialogue and subpar acting. Not Carpenter's best nor his worst but a forgettable film

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  • scorpioox
    March 19, 2007
    I'm sorry, but evil children with psychic powers just don't scare me. Tacky, at best.

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Village of the Damned Trivia


  • What is the name of the village in 1960s "Village of the Damned"?  Answer »
  • Which book is the movie "Village of the Damned" based upon?  Answer »
  • What colour is the children's hair in "Village of the Damned"?  Answer »
  • Who starred as the main male actor in the 1995 remake of Village of the Damned?  Answer »

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