Sci-Fi Film Fiesta, The Swingin' 60s - Volume 7: They're Damned, Man....DAMNED! by Chris Christopoulos - HTML preview

PLAGUE CLAIMS HUNDREDS

Is Europe’s Disease Carried On The Wind?

“Three years….Three years.” Back then I believed that the idea put forward was “highly theoretical” and I told Ben so. To me such notions were merely “half-baked theories

that sell newspapers.” After all, I declared, “I'm a scientist, not an alarmist.” I just couldn’t “accept the idea of universal disease.” Ben did try to warn me, but some professional hubristic mindset of mine would not allow me to accept it.

What was known for sure was that this virus could not be “destroyed by any process we've been able to uncover.”

It wasn’t long before an ill wind began to blow as both Virg and Kathy showed symptoms of the plague. All the more imperative for me to continue my work at the Mercer Institute Of Chemical Research to find a vaccine to combat this virus.

At the time I could only go by the facts and the evidence told me that an “unknown germ is being blown around the world. It's highly contagious, and it's reached plague proportions.” Nothing seemed to be working, communications were being disrupted, the streets were “swarming with truckloads of bodies” that were being thrown into “that God-awful pit” to keep the germ from spreading. Or so I thought.

My friend and lab-colleague, Ben had a different take on the situation. Being young, he was impatient with the slow methodical approach to finding a solution to the virus. He was willing to entertain the idea that the dead were coming back to life and that was why the bodies were being burned instead of buried. Ben also wondered “why are the infected people always so tired in the daytime? Why can't they stand the sunlight? Why are they only seen at night?” My answer consisted of appeals to reason and evidence. After all, I was a scientist.

To ask questions and to think outside the box: Isn’t that also supposed to be the job of a scientist?

It wasn’t long before the situation demanded an official response, starting with the Governor declaring the state to be a disaster area and informing the public that “public health is dependent on the bodies of the deceased being burned.” People were advised that they must notify the Health Department immediately if they have a plague victim in the home. Under no circumstances were people to gather publicly.

Official pronouncement or not, I was not gong to let anyone take my daughter away. As her condition worsened, Virg wanted to call a doctor, but I told her point-blank that if she did so, he would report it. Besides, there was nothing a doctor could do for her. I instructed Virg “not to call a doctor under any circumstances” and that no one was to come into the house.

As I left for work, a sight I will never forget served to confirm my worst fears. One of my neighbours was crying out to some soldiers who had come to take away the body of a family member. I can still hear her words: “No! No! No! Please! Please don't let him be buried in the pit. Please, for God's sake. Don't take him away like this. You can't! You can't!” Under the new conditions, they could and they did. It had come to pass that any reported case of plague would result in immediate pickup, death and cremation of the body. Notions of ‘right,’ ‘wrong.’ and ‘morality.’ Who can say what they constitute at any particular time, place and circumstance?

As for the strength of bonds of friendship, cooperation and cohesion that exist between individuals in a community? I soon found out how tenuous these can be when faced with such a crisis that was blanketing the earth when I next went to pick up Ben on the way to work. Garlic festooned on his front door was the first thing that greeted me. When Ben finally showed his face he looked ill but would not consider calling a doctor. Instead he demanded that I leave and said to me “You take care of your life. I'll take care of mine.” His hostile and frightened demeanor was much the same as my reaction to the unearthly abominations that nightly assail the crumbling defenses of my little fortress.

At the lab I found that apart from myself, only Dr Mercer had come in to work. Despite the grim prospect for humanity’s survival, this unassuming man still had hope that not everyone in the world would die before an answer to the virus problem was found. The fact that he and I were not afraid to continue working on the problem was sufficient enough to hope and believe that “mankind won’t be destroyed.”

What happened next is too horrible to relate. When I arrived home I spotted one the government military trucks leaving. I soon discovered that Kathy was gone. Despite admonishing Virg not to call anyone, she was so tormented by her daughter's suffering and appeals for help that she as a mother could not help but try to seek assistance for her.

Frantically I rushed out to the cremation pit hoping to retrieve my daughter’s body before she was cast into that hellish maw. It was to no avail. So many daughters had already been fed to the flames.

This was not a fate that I intended for Virg when she too succumbed to the plague. Rather than have her wind up in that cremation pit, I took her body and secretly buried her without the knowledge of the authorities.

Later when had I returned home I noticed that someone was trying to gain entry to the house via the front door. I cannot describe to you the horror I felt when I found myself confronted by the sight of Virg whom I had just buried! She had come back from the dead as a vampire and was advancing towards me with malign intent. From that moment I learned in the most horrifying manner what I had to do to put an end to the walking undead victims of the plague.

Entry

How does one apply the rules and codes of morality that are supposed to bind the individuals in a civilisation together when that civilisation no longer exists? In my society of one, the notion of private property is meaningless. Therefore, I can simply take what I need since it cannot be deemed to be an act of theft as there’s no-one left to own anything. So, I find myself at liberty to take a convertible and indulge my middle-life crisis fantasies., oops I mean my need for comfort. But sadly, no. Sheer practicality in the face of dire circumstances has reduced my choice to that of a station wagon (a hearse) to replace my demolished car thanks to the destructive efforts of Cortman and his vampire vigilantes. Dull-witted morons.

Entry

How I’ve manged to last so long without companionship is a miracle. Loneliness is a silent stalker that preys on one’s sanity and eats away at the soul. What is the point of living if it amounts to mere existence without the possibility of sharing one’s thoughts, feelings and life with another human being? What is my purpose in life? To be the sole wielder of the sword of vengeance on behalf of an extinct species?

Perhaps hope has come in the form of a little dog I caught sight of today – a dog that’s alive! The little fella ran off as soon as he saw me and I chased after him in hot pursuit determined to search “every inch of this town” to find hind him.

As I searched for the dog, I stumbled across the bodies of several of the undead. In this case they were definitely dead. They had been staked! These stakes however were made of iron, “not wood like mine. Someone else is alive in this world! But where are they? Where are they hiding? How many are there? Where did they come from? Why haven't I seen them?”

Feverishly re-energised I have just finished trying to establish contact over my transmitter with someone-anyone-who I am now sure exists somewhere in this city and perhaps beyond!

Entry

To my amazement the dog I chased after earlier has reappeared on my doorstep. Poor little thing was injured and so I took it in and treated its wounds. I was so excited at the prospect of having company for the first time in three years. Suddenly in fear the dog took shelter under a table when it head the vampires begin their assault on the house. The “poor driven thing.” My happiness was short-lived when I soon discovered that the dog was also infected by the plague. I clung to hope that it would get better and that we were “going to have lots of happy times together.” Then the futility of it all hit home. “What's the use?” I exclaimed to no-one in particular, except the only audience who could give a damn – me.

Entry

With the dog being infected there was no other choice for me but to kill it by impaling it with a wooden stake. Surrounded by a dark cloud of depression and loneliness, despite the bright sunny day, I began the grim task of burying my little ‘could’ve been’ pal.

Imagine my shock and surprise when I looked up to see the vision of a solitary woman walking through the park in the sunshine! When I re-gained my senses I quickly ran towards her calling out to her that I wasn’t going to hurt her, but she was intent on having nothing to do with me.

When I caught up to the woman I tried to get her to see reason and accept that I couldn’t be one of the undead as “I couldn't be out here in the daylight” if I was and “that they can't come out until sundown.” I also gave her the choice of coming with me or staying there and facing them.

Entry

The woman came back to my place and when she was sufficiently settled we talked – yes, talked – to each other. I found out that her name is Ruth Collins and that she had been married but had lost her husband.

If I had leaned anything from the last three years, it was not to be too trusting in anyone or anything including my own emotions and feelings, the truth of which had recently been borne out with my taking in the little dog.

Despite my desire to believe what Ruth was telling me about her survival, I remained suspicious and so I tested her out with a nice fresh garland of garlic cloves. Ruth’s reaction seemed to confirm my suspicions of her, despite her claims of having a weak stomach.

In her agitated state, Ruth blurted out that she had seen her husband killed, “torn to pieces” right in front of their house. Since then she had been wandering, “hiding at night; not eating more than scraps; sick with mourning; sick with fear; unable to sleep.”

Suddenly Ruth admonished me for shouting at her, chasing her across the field, dragging her into this house, shoving reeking garlic in her face and telling her that she is infected. With that Ruth made a move to bolt for the door and if I had not successfully prevented her, she might have escaped into the arms of the approaching night and succumbed to its ungodly denizens of death.

It wasn’t long before my suspicions about Ruth being infected were confirmed when I discovered her attempting to inject herself with a serum of “defibrillated blood, plus vaccine” in which “the blood feeds the germ, the vaccine keeps it isolated and prevents it from multiplying.”

It turns out that Ruth is part of a group who are infected but are able to keep the disease under control by means of the serum they developed. It seems that Ruth was sent by them to ascertain if I know any more than they do. Their plan is “to reorganise society, do away with all those wretched creatures who are neither alive nor dead” and “start everything all over again.”

According to Ruth there’s no place for me in this new community as they perceive me to be a monster. I have become “a legend in the city; living by day instead of night,” and leaving “bloodless corpses” as evidence of my existence. Unwittingly in my zeal to eradicate the undead, I have been responsible for the destruction of many of the loved ones in Ruth’s group.

The sense of betrayal I felt was compounded by the sight of Ruth drawing a pistol on me and informing me that in addition to being sent to spy on me, she was also instructed to prevent me from resisting those of her group who are coming after me to kill me. She was charged with keeping me here until my executioners come for me. This new society of hers sounds very charming indeed!

***********************

At this point, Robert Morgan’s journal ends. I can only tell both of you now what has been passed down to me from my mother who heard it from grandmother Ruth.

When Ruth desperately tried to urge Morgan to flee, he inexplicably refused to. Later, while Ruth slept, Morgan began transferring his own blood into her. This transfusion gave Ruth immunity to the disease which was confirmed both by her tolerating the image of her face in a mirror and the distinctive aroma of garlic. This immediately had the effect of giving Morgan hope who now could see the possibility of being able to cure the rest of our people.

As has been the case throughout these calamitous times, hope proves to be elusive to the point of being unattainable. One of the undead creatures somehow managed to break into Morgan’s place and take hold of Ruth. Just as Morgan succeeded in rescuing her from its foul clutches, our people arrived to carry out their grisly mission.

After dispatching a group of vampire creatures, our people set their sights on eliminating Morgan. Morgan managed to exchange gunfire with his pursuers and attempted to facilitate his escape by means of tear gas grenades he obtained from a police station armory.

Wounded by gunfire, Morgan retreated into a church. Standing at the altar, he was surrounded by several of our armed people and before Ruth could intervene and tell them that he had found a cure, he was struck a fatal blow from an iron spear launched at him by one of his assailants.

For some of us over the intervening years, Morgan was and is a monster to be feared and from whom we are forever safe. For an increasing number of our people though, he is both a martyr and a legend who was sacrificed for the sins of all humanity. Perhaps we are as he saw us as being merely “freaks.” Have we in fact become the true abominations due to the direction in which we have taken what remains of our mutated humanity? We, who destroyed that one last hope for reclaiming our true humanity from the Omega Man – the……..

Last Man On Earth?

Points of Interest

“The last man On Earth is based on the Richard Mathes classic novel, "I Am Legend." It is certainly the granddaddy forerunner of post apocalyptic films such as “Night of the Living Dead,” (1968) “Omega Man” (1971), “I Am Legend,” (2007) "28 Days Later" (2002) and "Day of the Dead” (1985).

The film’s screenplay was written in part by Matheson, but being dissatisfied with the result he chose to be credited as "Logan Swanson" while William Leicester, Furio M. Monetti, and Ubaldo Ragona completed the script.

The Last Man on Earth was filmed in Rome with a predominantly Italian cast and crew, with scenes being completed at Esposizione Universale Roma.

Vincent Price effectively conveys the terror and despair of being the last living man on an Earth and he gives a moving and powerful performance as an isolated individual who is being continually menaced and besieged by hordes of zombies while having to contend with his own spiritual, mental and physical isolation. Is character is less an action hero than a scientist struggling to solve a personal and global dilemma. It would not be too much of a stretch to suggest that this would have to be one of Price’s best on-screen performances.

The film and its subject matter lies very close to home when viewed from the perspective of the current Covid Pandemic. This is particularly so when we witness the scenes involving the appearance of a new virus, the unraveling of normal life, reason and thought around the world, canvas-wrapped corpses being taken away destined for a pit, the effect on human relationships and society and the struggle to find a cure.

The low-budget constraints do not seem to detract from the film’s effectiveness all. In fact the scenes featuring empty streets and a deserted a city all shot in black and white combine to lend it a bleak, unsettling and eerie atmosphere.

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Useful Resources

Online Resources:

(Film & Context Websites)

BFI – Village of the Damned Overview

https://www.bfi.org.uk/resources-events-teachers/resources-teachers/sci-fi-

classroom/film-2-village-damned-1960?utm_source=chatgpt.com

A concise but thoughtful introduction from the British Film Institute exploring the film’s themes of alienation, paranoia, and Cold War fear. Particularly useful for understanding how British sci-fi evolved during the period.

Britannica – Village of the Damned https://academic.oup.com/liverpool-scholarship-online/book/38471? utm_source=chatgpt.com

A solid general overview of the film, its production background, and its controversial reception upon release.

Oxford Academic – The Damned by Nick Riddle

https://academic.oup.com/liverpool-scholarship-online/book/38471/chapter-abstract/333521411?utm_source=chatgpt.com

An accessible academic resource examining These Are the Damned within the context of Cold War fears, British culture, Hammer Films, and nuclear anxiety.

Moria Reviews – Village of the Damned (1960)

https://moriareviews.com/sciencefiction/village-of-the-damned-1960.htm? utm_source=chatgpt.com

An entertaining and informative genre review site focusing on science fiction, fantasy, and horror cinema. Excellent for readers wanting readable criticism without excessive academic jargon.

Wikipedia – The Damned (1962 film)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Damned_%281962_film%29? utm_source=chatgpt.com

A useful jumping-off point for cast details, production history, and links to related works concerning These Are the Damned.

Essential Original Fiction

These novels and stories provide the literary DNA behind many of the ideas explored in the featured films.

The Midwich Cuckoos — John Wyndham

The source novel for Village of the Damned. Wyndham’s calm, intelligent prose makes the horror all the more unsettling. The novel explores conformity, evolution, parenthood, and fear of “the other” in ways that still resonate today. (Open Library)

I Am Legend — Richard Matheson

The landmark novel behind The Last Man on Earth. One of the most influential science fiction/horror novels ever written, it helped shape modern vampire fiction and the zombie apocalypse genre. Deeply philosophical beneath its pulp surface.

The Children of Light — H. L. Lawrence The basis for These Are the Damned. Harder to find today, but worthwhile for readers interested in comparing the novel’s ideas with Joseph Losey’s more politically charged adaptation.

The Day of the Triffids — John Wyndham

Not directly tied to this volume, but essential for understanding the broader atmosphere of British post-war science fiction and Wyndham’s recurring themes of societal collapse and moral uncertainty.

Recommended Hard Copy Film Books

Keep Watching the Skies! — Bill Warren

A massive but highly readable history of 1950s and early 1960s science fiction cinema. Packed with production details, commentary, and cultural context. The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction Movies — Phil Hardy (editor) An excellent reference covering hundreds of classic sci-fi films with accessible essays and critical overviews.

Hammer Films — Marcus Hearn & Alan Barnes

Essential for readers interested in Hammer Film Productions and the darker British sci-fi/horror atmosphere surrounding These Are the Damned.

Science Fiction Cinema — Geoff King & Tanya Krzywinska

A very approachable overview of science fiction film themes, including Cold War paranoia, dystopian futures, and apocalyptic storytelling.

A Century of Horror Films — Christopher Frayling

A richly illustrated and highly readable exploration of horror cinema that overlaps substantially with science fiction horror traditions.

The Mammoth Encyclopedia of Science Fiction — George Mann

Excellent for browsing broader science fiction concepts, authors, films, and themes connected to this era.

Broader Historical & Cultural Context

To better understand the fears informing these films — nuclear annihilation, distrust of authority, technological anxiety, and changing social values — these books are especially rewarding:

The Cold War — John Lewis Gaddis

A clear and engaging overview of the geopolitical tensions shaping the era.

The Sixties — Jenny Diski

A stylish and reflective portrait of the decade’s cultural transformations.

Modern Horrors — Mark Jancovich

Explores how horror and science fiction cinema reflected social anxieties in the post-war era.

Suggested Viewing Companions

Readers who enjoy the themes explored in this volume may also wish to seek out:

• The Day the Earth Caught Fire

• Fail Safe

• Dr. Strangelove

• The Day of the Triffids

• Invasion of the Body Snatchers

• On the Beach

Together, these films form a fascinating cinematic portrait of a world living under the shadow of extinction while questioning whether humanity itself might be the architect of its own damnation.