Mary Lambert on

Village of the Damned

Released 1960
Distributor MGM

A “sleeper” is a box office success that comes out of nowhere. And no one expected this modest 1960 British import, based on John Wyndham’s “The Midwich Cuckoos”, to catch the attention of a worldwide audience and inspire its own (some think even better) sequel. The glowing eyes effect on the alien children was not present in British prints, having been added via freeze frame by MGM for US release.  Ronald Colman was to play the lead when the studio shelved the film over worries about controversy regarding its virgin birth plot. Once the project was reactivated Colman had passed away and George Sanders took the role. Remade in 1995.

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About Mary Lambert

Mary Lambert,  a member of the Music Video Hall of Fame, first made her mark directing groundbreaking music videos for Madonna and Talking Heads, as well as the Stephen King adaptations, Pet Sematary and Pet Sematary II. Her feature film credits include SiestaGrand IsleThe In CrowdUrban Legends:  Bloody Mary and the documentary 14 Women.  She ventured into the new media arena with the VOD/webisode series titled The Dark Path Chronicles which premiered on FEARnet in 2008.  (See www.darkpathchronicles.com)  Her TV directing work ranges from the Syfy movie, Mega Python vs. Gataroid, to Return to Halloweentown for ABC Family and the reality series On the Road in America.  

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