Considering when this film was released—during the peak of the Cold War alongside some rather imaginative science fiction and a dose of state-funded anxiety—it’s probably best viewed with that context in mind. Like many of his roles from the 1960s, Oliver Reed portrays a magnetic figure leading a group of troublemakers, and this film doesn't deviate much from that pattern. When "Joan" (Shirley Anne Field) encounters …

It's not a masterpiece, but “The Damned,” also known as "These are the Damned" (1962), is an interesting early 1960s film from Hammer that combines drama, mystery, science fiction, and a touch of horror. It’s more grounded than a typical monster movie. Set on England's southern coast, the story involves a group of hooligans led by King (Oliver Reed) who bother an American yachtsman (Macdonald Carey) and a sculptor…

I’m aware of a looming threat—a force that will shatter the very foundations around us. We need to prepare ourselves for what is coming. The Damned (also known as These Are The Damned) was directed by Joseph Losey and adapted from H.L. Lawrence's novel The Children of Light, with screenplay by Evan Jones. It features Macdonald Carey, Shirley Anne Field, Oliver Reed, Alexander Knox, Viveca Lindfors, and Walter Gote…