ebeckstr-1 Easily John Carpenter's weakest film, and arguably his only truly weak film. He can't seem to decide what tone to strike, blending, for instance, moments of intentional camp (as when villagers literally march down the streets with torches and pitchforks like a 1930s Universal horror film), bland moments of social or ideological commentary (as when the women are given the option to have abortions), a long and violent gun-oriented action sequence which would seem more at home in a gangster movie. Additionally, the makeup used with the kids is ridiculous, and substantially detracts from any creepiness they might exude. Furthermore, the editing is unimaginative and the score probably Carpenter's least interesting of all. As much as I hate to say it, being a true Carpenter fan, this movie is not on par with his other work, nor even in comparison to other low-budget horror films of the euro. I honestly can't think of a single redeeming quality that makes it worth recommending except to Carpenter completists.

Payback1016 Don't get me wrong, the original is a great classic and noting can really top that. However the Carpenter remake does take interesting steps that even the writer of the book. For example the stillborn. While much like the first movie, it's no surprise that there have been other Damned kids, whom have been swiftly eliminated. Neither side anticipated the complications that are seen in everyday child-birthing. Not only that but it's handled pretty realistically on all sides. With the mother, she wanted to have the kid in spite of the implications of the conception and the consequences the other parents faced and her denial of that pushed her over the edge. With David whom the child was to be his partner, he is the only one of the Damned that learned about pain and loss and is able to empathize with Reeve's character, who also suffered loss. This in turn caused him to at least try to reach out to the kids in hopes they could feel the same way David feels, which would give both humanity and the Damned a chance to live in peace. I can't help but praise Carpenter for trying to find a grey area, in his remake of a black and white classic.

Rainey Dawn Not a bad remake of the 1960 classic film. Carpenter did add some violence to this remake... 1995 people are wanting more on-screen, more blood, guts and violence in their films - so Carpenter gave them some but it's not overly violent or bloody. I don't think this film is violent or bloody enough to satisfy most teens of the 1990s.The story is a pretty good alien story to begin with and I think the cast and crew did a good job on this remake. No, it is not the original but it's still a pretty good sci-fi horror movie to kick back and enjoy.As far as the children, I think both the 1960 and 1995 films are very creepy kids! I would be very nervous with them around - and the longer I was with them, the more I learned about them the more frightened I would become - if this was real! lol.7/10

ersinkdotcom "Village of the Damned" doesn't have that John Carpenter quality we've come to expect from the director's more "personal" projects. The passion we see in his remake of "The Thing from Another World" is all but absent here. I don't get a sense of emotional attachment to the source material like I do for Howard Hawks' original 1951film. Maybe that's because I've read and seen interviews with Carpenter and his production partner where they admitted they were less than enthused to take on the movie and had ulterior motives. Since "Village of the Damned" was made before the CGI craze hit Hollywood, we get a lot of practical and traditional special effects. Director Carpenter features not just one, but two burned and charred bodies for horror enthusiasts to enjoy. The visual effects of the children's eyes are also a treat to look upon.John Carpenter shares the responsibility of the musical score for "Village of the Damned" with The Kinks' singer, songwriter and guitarist Dave Davies. The combination of these two talents makes for an eclectic soundtrack. Let's just say it's not quite as menacing as what we've come to expect when sitting down to watch Carpenter's productions. John Carpenter's "Village of the Damned" isn't necessarily a bad movie. It just feels like the iconic director was going through the motions. Almost like he really didn't have any personal stakes in creating something that would stand the test of time like his own "Halloween" or "The Fog." The acting isn't really bad and there are some chilling moments, but I couldn't shake the idea that I was being walked through an updated Reader's Digest condensed version of the original 1960 British film.