Village of the Damned

Good morning.

Uh, would you get me Major Bernard

at his Whitehall number?

Thank you.

Hello.

Thank you.

Alan...it's Gordon.

Look, you're coming down here today, aren't you?

Could you pick up a book for me and bring it with you?

It's..

Gordon?

Operator? Operator?

Oh, blast it.

Got cut off.

That was my brother-in-law.

Would you try and get through again?

I've got to go and change.

Yes, sir.

Operator, we've been cut off from Midwich 2-5.

Would you get it again, please?

'Hello? Hello?'

'Will you replace your receiver, please?'

'Please replace your receiver.'

'Hello? Hello?'

'For more than an hour, you're saying?'

Yes, sir.

Perhaps something went wrong with his phone.

Ha, but this is what puzzles me, sir.

You see, I've also tried the vicar

the general stores and the post office.

I can't get any reply from any of them.

Well, country telephone exchanges being what they are..

Yes, I know, sir, but, uh...look here, sir.

Midwich is here.

Now, Fourth Brigade are running

that exercise of theirs all around there.

Well, I don't suppose there is anything in it, sir

but I was wondering, as I was going down

for the weekend anyway, whether I

could, uh, have your permission

to leave earlier than I intended?

Alright, Alan. Give me a ring later.

- I'll be here till 5:00. - Thank you, sir.

Oh, Alan.

- Yes, sir? - Have a nice weekend.

Give my respects to Gordon.

I will. Goodbye, sir.

- Hello, Gobby. - Ohh. It's Major Bernard, sir.

Well, Gobby, what's happened to the telephones?

I've been trying to get through all morning.

It's funny you should ask, major.

I've just been sent to look for the bus

which hasn't turned up.

We can't get through by phone either.

Here's your bus, Gobby.

It's truth.

Better have a look.

Alright, Alan, you better get hold

of the local area commander.

- What's his name? - Ward Johnson, sir.

Oh, yeah. Tell him to call me if he wants authorization.

I'll get things moving this end.

- Oh, Alan, - 'Yes, sir.'

Make sure the newspapers don't get hold

of this for the time being.

If anything has got out of hand there

we don't want any panic.

Report back as soon as you have any results.

Right, sir.

Get me south-eastern command, please.

Over here, sergeant.

'Set up the tug line system.'

'Bring your men over here, sergeant.'

'Over this way!'

'Look, the canary!'

You needn't go in if you don't want to.

I'll have a go, sir.

- Quite sure? - Sir.

Hold it!

Be careful, now.

'When you are ready, doc.'

Alan, what on earth's happening--

Just a minute. Oh, hello, doctor.

Glad you're here. We may need you.

What's wrong with him?

That's what we're trying to find out.

Will you take a look at him, doc?

Well, take off the respirator.

Pulse is normal.

Seems to be breathing normally.

Ah, I think he's just fainted.

Uh, he's coming around.

Alan, you better let me know what this is all about.

Doctor, when were you last in the village?

Midwich? Oh, after about 10:00.

Had a couple of patients to see in Widmarsh.

Now there are roadblocks all over the place.

Alan, I've got to get back. I've got patients to see.

Well, my hunch is that all your patients in Midwich

are in the same state as this man.

Alright. Alright, old chap. Take it easy.

Take it easy.

What can it be?

To-to put a man out like a light

penetrate our respirators, do all this?

Some sort of gas?

No, it can't be.

Any breeze would have blown it about a bit.

The edges of the area are as well-defined

as-as that hedge there.

Cold.

- 'What did you say?' - Ice-cold.

I'm alright, sir. Only cold.

My hands are like ice.

Midwich to Charlie-Alpha. Midwich to Charlie-Alpha.

Can you see anything? Over.

Everything looks alright from here. Over.

Let me speak to him.

Hello, Charlie-Alpha. This is Major Bernard speaking.

Can you see nothing unusual at all in Midwich?

Nothing moving?

No, sir, nothing.

Matter of fact, that's odd. Nothing is moving down there.

'I can see some people, but they're not moving either.'

They're...they're lying on the ground.

As though they've fallen?

'Yes, sir.'

Right. Take it down slowly.

But pull up the minute you feel anything.

Feel anything, sir?

'Anything unusual.'

Roger.

Still nothing moving, sir.

Taking her down.

Careful, now.

Easy.

Easy.

There's another aircraft approaching.

Send out a general warning immediately.

All aircraft to avoid this area

and not to drop below 5000 feet.

Yes, sir. Midwich to base. Midwich to base.

Emergency. I say again, emergency.

Warn all aircraft to avoid area five-mile radius.

Latitude 51 degrees, ten minutes, 30 seconds north.

'Longitude one degree, 11 minutes, 20 seconds west.'

Maintain minimum altitude of 5000 feet.

Out.

Blimey! Look!

Ah.

Gordon..

Darling, I'm sorry. I.. I must have dozed off.

Well, look at the time. It's almost 3:00.

'Why didn't you call me?'

I'd better go and see about lunch.

A-Anthea..

I found myself asleep on the floor.

What an extraordinary thing to do.

Oh..

I'm...I'm cold.

Well, the fires have gone out.

Did you..

Did we faint?

'We must have blacked out.'

Why?

Oh, I...my hands are...quite numb.

Oh.

Gordon...what did happen?

I don't know.

- Alan. - You're alright.

- You're late. - I couldn't get through.

"Couldn't get through?"

Alan, what did you mean, "You're alright?"

I mean, how did you know?

Well, it's an extraordinary thing but we seemed

to have blacked out for several hours.

- I-I know. - It must have been some..

It wasn't only you two.

The whole village fell asleep.

The whole village?

All of Midwich was cut off

from the outside world for several hours.