a.k.a. THE DAMNED
Hammer Film Productions [1961] 96′
country: United Kingdom
director: JOSEPH LOSEY
cast: ALEXANDER KNOX, MACDONALD CAREY,
cast: SHIRLEY ANNE FIELD, KENNETH COPE
THESE ARE THE DAMNED (or, as released in 1965 in the USA, THE DAMNED) is an oft overlooked genre outing from blacklisted director Joseph Losey that, thanks to a few recent theatrical screenings and at least one television broadcast via Turner Classic Movies, is beginning to receive some of the positive reception it so richly deserves. Originally produced in 1961, the film encountered some trouble in its attempts to be distributed, eventually appearing in the UK in 1963 and the United States two years after that, albeit parred down to 87′ (or less, in some cases). More recently, Sony has taken to restoring the film to its original 96 minute running time and playing it on a very small scale theatrically and, as already mentioned, on television.
the experience of seeing the film again – I watched it at around 3 in the morning, just before heading off to a rather early work shift – was certainly a good one. It had definitely been worth the wait.
