The Damned

1962
Approved
1h 27m

IMDb RATING

6.6/10

4.2K

YOUR RATING

Oliver Reed and Shirley Anne Field in The Damned (1962)

Play trailer2:43

1 Video

44 Photos

Drama Fantasy Horror Romance Sci-Fi

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.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.6/10

4.2K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Videos1

Trailer 2:43

These Are the Damned

Photos44

+ 38

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
The 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.

Goofs
A 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 versions
Cut 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.

Connections
Featured in Son of Monsters on the March (1980)

Soundtracks
Black Leather Rock
(uncredited)
Music by James Bernard
Lyrics by Evan Jones
Arranged by Douglas Gamley

User reviews96

Review

Featured review

5/10

more interesting with the kids

Older Yank Simon Wells (Macdonald Carey) is vacationing on the south coast of England. He is lured by the lovely 20 year old Joan (Shirley Anne Field) into a mugging by her brother King (Oliver Reed) and his gang of black leather clad bikers. Wells is badly beaten. Meanwhile there is a top secret mysterious military plan going on. There is a group of nine children hidden away living in isolation. Wells takes to his boat. Joan jumps on board after getting tired of her domineering brother. They return to shore to find an empty cliff top house. They are chased by King and his gang to a military base. They escape with the kids' help to their underground hideout. Then the kids rescue King as well.

It takes way too long to get to the heart of the movie. The first part almost feels like a fake out on the audience. I don't really understand the need to take that long to set up the characters. It is excruciating to sit through. It picks up a little when the kids get on the screen. At least the mystery of the kids is interesting. It helps to keep the last half of the movie watchable. However that's all that could said about this movie.