FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION
Describing the spoilt young protagonist of The Childhood of a Leader as a “rotten kid” seems a fair enough value judgement. Your choices, then, for what we’ll be screening in 2026 after our Christmas break are out of three more films that feature decidedly Rotten Kids! Up for the vote are…
The Innocents (Jack Clayton, UK, 1961)
"Oozing ambiguity, Jack Clayton's shimmering gem is a masterclass in suggestion, a flawless evocation of the uncanny which pits the subconscious against the supernatural to genuinely hair-raising effect." Mark Kermode, Observer
Deborah Kerr stars as Miss Giddens, a naive young governess who accepts job looking after two orphans in an old country house. But when Miss Giddens begins to see what she believes are ghosts, she suspects that the children's bizarre behaviour is the result of malign supernatural influence... With brilliant support from the suitably creepy Peter Wyngarde, Jack Clayton’s adaption of Henry James' short story, "The Turn of the Screw" (from a screenplay by Truman Capote no less) is a creepy psychological horror classic.
The Omen (Richard Donner, UK, 1976)
"[It's] directed by Richard Donner at a pace that creates moods of fear punctuated by sly and devilish humor. The climactic scene alone should win him any award for which he is nominated; it is, perhaps, the most chilling final 20 minutes ever put on film." Ed Barnard, Philadelphia Gay News
Gregory Peck and Lee Remick star as Robert and Katherine Thorn, an American couple based in the UK, who adopt a baby after Katherine gives birth to a stillborn child. But when the young Damien's first nanny hangs herself and as more people around Damien begin to die, Robert investigates Damien's background and realizes his adopted son may actually be the Antichrist... With a great supporting cast that includes Patrick Troughton, David Warner and a truly sinister Billie Whitelaw, The Omen is a classic of 70s horror and a landmark of satanic cinema.
Village of the Damned (Wolf Rilla, UK, 1960)
"One of those little science fiction movies that, once seen … is never forgotten." Kim Newman, Empire Magazine
When the entire population of the peaceful village of Midwich mysteriously fall asleep for several hours, there seems to be no obvious consequences - save for all the women of child-bearing age suddenly discovering themselves to be pregnant. And when their children are all born at the same time, and all grow quickly into very spooky young people, with strange white-blonde hair and eerie eyes, the father of one of the children (George Sanders) decides to investigate - with suitably horrific consequences. Wolf Rilla’s adaptation of John Wyndham's classic novel, The Midwich Cuckoos, is an uncanny sci-fi classic.