In the small village English town Midwich a mysterious event has occurred. It seems that everyone has fallen unconscious within a five mile radius of the town. When everyone wakes up several hours later, ever thing seems fine. But nine months later a group of freaky children are born.
Based on the novel by John Wyndham, The Midwich Cuckoos, this 1960 film is a faithful adaptation. George Sanders stars as Gordon Zellaby, a physicist who is talking to his brother-in-law on the phone when Sanders and all the residents and animals in a five mile radius of Midwich fall unconsious. Sanders’ brother-in-law is in the army and becomes concerned when the phone call is cut short. Upon investigating they discover that the whole is under some sort of invisible shield and whoever walks into its radius also falls unconscious. A few hours later everyone wakes up and the incident is ruled as a time out.
Soon all the women discover that they are pregnant. Even the ones who couldn’t get pregnant for various reasons. At three months it’s discovered that the babies are at least five months along. When the time is right, everybody gives birth on the same day. Twelve children are born with pale skin, blond, almost white hair and freaky eyes. The children grow up quickly and tend to stick together. They learn at an incredible rate and it becomes apparent that the children are also telepathic. Sanders’ “son” David seems to be the leader of the group. Through the military Sanders discovers that Midwich wasn’t the only place that creepy pale children were born in. Australia, Canada and Russia also had freaky children born. The military wants to imprison the kids but Sanders is giving time to educate the children and try to figure out what the kids have planned for the Earth.
Apparently there are two versions of the film. One made for the U.K. without the creepy glowing eye effects and one for America with the creepy eye effects. Personally I’d take the creepy eye effects any day. The film is one of those cool creepy science-fiction horrors that seemed to pop up quite frequently during the late ’50s and ’60s. The film had a mediocre sequel and bad John Carpenter remake.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWQ0A8uOnzw
