Its fair to say that this film probably wasn't funded by the Weymouth Tourist Board; it looks scenic enough but the town in this film is infested with psychopathic leather-clad hoodlums and the nearby cliffs are home to a bevy of radioactive sprogs kept in a secret military establishment.
The bleak overall picture painted is one of society on the one hand corrupted by the youth within it (something of a presage to 'a Clockwork Orange'), and on the other hand the values of the establishment are just as warped, set as they are on carrying out strange experiments on small children, in order to forestall the effects of an anticipated nuclear holocaust.
In the midst of all this more human values of love and caring are seen to have a role after all.
Its been suggested that this might make a good middle section to a triple bill also comprising 'Village of the Damned' and 'Children of the Damned'; its not a bad idea since these films explore the other-worldly nature of small children who are not normal.
Shirley Anne Field is lovely but her acting -and her accent- are a bit hit and miss here. Her romance with Carey seems a bit weird; Carey was well over twice her age when this film was made.
Overall this film is a pretty good example of early 1960s film-making; it explores the themes of youth culture and the threat of nuclear Armageddon in an intriguing way. Oh, by the way, I've been to Weymouth and it isn't like that after all. Six out of ten from me.
The bleak overall picture painted is one of society on the one hand corrupted by the youth within it (something of a presage to 'a Clockwork Orange'), and on the other hand the values of the establishment are just as warped, set as they are on carrying out strange experiments on small children, in order to forestall the effects of an anticipated nuclear holocaust.
In the midst of all this more human values of love and caring are seen to have a role after all.
Its been suggested that this might make a good middle section to a triple bill also comprising 'Village of the Damned' and 'Children of the Damned'; its not a bad idea since these films explore the other-worldly nature of small children who are not normal.
Shirley Anne Field is lovely but her acting -and her accent- are a bit hit and miss here. Her romance with Carey seems a bit weird; Carey was well over twice her age when this film was made.
Overall this film is a pretty good example of early 1960s film-making; it explores the themes of youth culture and the threat of nuclear Armageddon in an intriguing way. Oh, by the way, I've been to Weymouth and it isn't like that after all. Six out of ten from me.