‘Village Of Damned’ Remake Waste Of Time
On the eve of Halloween, ABC at 8 offers the 1995 version of the classic British science-fiction thriller from 1960, “Village of the Damned.”
John Carpenter (“Halloween”) directed the remake, which stars Christopher Reeve, Kirstie Alley, Linda Kozlowski and Mark Hamill.
Both films are based on John Wyndham’s novel, “The Midwich Cuckoos,” an eerie tale of a small English village where 10 children are born under peculiar circumstances - one mother is a virgin and another is certain she could not have gotten pregnant. The kids grow up with glowing orange and red eyes, and devastating telekinetic powers.
The black-and-white original has a creepy quality that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The children, dressed in the tidy uniforms of a British private school, seem especially haunting.
Carpenter, who wrote the 1995 adaptation, shifts the scene to California, enough in itself to spoil the film. But excessive special-effects violence and clunky dialogue turn it into a freak show. Maybe it would work in a theater full of screaming kids, but not on the small screen.
It’s a damned waste of time.
Highlights
“Promised Land,” CBS at 8: Russell’s (Gerald McRaney) faith is tested when a terminally ill woman (Anne Lockhart) is convinced he is a miracle worker. Soon, word spreads through her small town that he will heal her. And when she takes a turn for the worse, he takes the blame.
“Friends,” NBC at 8: What kind of friend would steal his best friend’s girlfriend? Chandler (Matthew Perry) falls for a woman (Paget Brewster) he meets at Central Perk who turns out to be Joey’s (Matt LeBlanc) new girlfriend. Meanwhile, Rachel and Ross (Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer) each suffer through horrible dates, but pretend to have had a great time.
“ER,” NBC at 10: Benton (Eriq La Salle) finds out how hard it is to be a parent when his responsibilities as a father crowd his medical routine. Also, Greene (Anthony Edwards) loses it at a deposition, and Hathaway (Julianna Margulies) searches for funding for a free clinic.
Cable Calls
“Halloween Marathon,” NIK at 8:30 and 12:30 a.m.: A four-hour-long block features Halloween episodes from “Happy Days,” “The Munsters,” “The Addams Family,” “The Odd Couple,” “The Dick Van Dyke Show” and “Newhart.”
Talk Time
“Tonight,” NBC at 11:35: Actor John Travolta, animal expert Peter Gross and musical group Salt-N-Pepa.
“Late Show With David Letterman,” CBS at 11:35: Kid scientists, David Hyde Pierce (“Frasier”) and land speed record breaker Andy Green.
“Politically Incorrect With Bill Maher,” ABC at 12:05 a.m.: Louie Anderson, Cindy Crawford and Wynonna.