The Day of the Triffids (1962)

Director:

Steve Sekely

Writers (WGA):

John Wyndham (novel)
Bernard Gordon (screenplay) (front Philip Yordan)

Release Date:

27 April 1963 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Spine Chilling Terror

Plot:

A shower of meteorites produces a glow that blinds anyone that looks at it. As it was such a beautiful sight...

Plot Keywords:

Plant | Meteor Shower | Meteor | Monster | Monster Plant

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Howard Keel	...	Bill Masen
Nicole Maurey	...	Christine Durrant
Janette Scott	...	Karen Goodwin
Kieron Moore	...	Tom Goodwin
Mervyn Johns	...	Mr. Coker
Ewan Roberts	...	Dr. Soames
Alison Leggatt	...	Miss Coker
Geoffrey Matthews	...	Luis de la Vega
Janina Faye	...	Susan - Child on the Train
Gilgi Hauser	...	Teresa de la Vega
John Tate	...	Captain, SS Midland
Carole Ann Ford	...	Bettina (as Carol Ann Ford)
Arthur Gross	...	Flight 356 Radioman
Colette Wilde	...	Nurse Jamieson (as Collette Wilde)
Ian Wilson	...	Greenhouse Watchman

Also Known As:

Invasion of the Triffids (International: English title)
Revolt of the Triffids (International: English title)

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 (video rating) (1987) | UK:X (original rating) | USA:Approved (PCA #21227) | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Alicante, Alicante, Comunidad Valenciana, Spain

Company:

Security Pictures Ltd.

Trivia:

Although credited with "additional music", composer Johnny Douglas actually supplied more music than the main composer, Ron Goodwin. According to the official music cue sheets, Douglas wrote 26 mins, Goodwin 19 minutes

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: In the final shot of Triffids approaching Bill driving a truck, the operators' sneakers can clearly be seen walking the Triffid props towards camera shot.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Narrator: [narrating voice over] In nature's scheme of things, there are certain plants which are carnivorous, or eating plants. The Venus Fly Trap is one of the best known of these plants. A fly drawn to the plant by its sweet syrup, brushes against triggered bristles. Just how these plants digest their pray has yet to be explained. There is much still to learn about these fascinating eating plants. This is a newcomer: Triffidus Celestus, brought to earth on the meteorite during the Day of the Triffids.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Martians and Us (2006) (TV)

Limber Limbs and Stalking Stalks

Reading the previous reviews for this film were like watching a tennis match. One reviewer made a valid negative point(or serve) whilst another made a positive point. Back and forth....back and forth. Those people that read the book seemed to be in general much less happy with the film than those who had never read the book. I can understand that, but looking at films and their adaptations of books must sometimes be done with a more discerning eye. And, of course, sometimes the adaptations of books are so horribly done that nothing but a feeling of resentment, disappointment, and hate can be achieved from the viewer. I have not read the John Wyndham novel..yet. I will. But as sci-fi films and horror films go, The Day of the Triffids is an enjoyable flawed..very flawed film. I have such concrete memories of seeing this as a child and after watching it again after at least twenty years, scene after scene came back to my consciousness. The vivid, colorful meteorite showers over a London backdrop, the night watchman working in the greenhouse, the crowds of sightless people begging for help from those that could see, and the battle between life and death on a remote lighthouse island. The special effects are not very good, the plants look...well..a bit preposterous. The acting is not very grand either. C'mon, what did you expect with Howard Keel in the lead...Shakespeare? Actually Keel is decent as is the cast for the most part. The biggest flaw in the film for me is the script....which has little cohesion as it jumps from one thing to another and then another. The ending was vastly unsatisfactory as it really abruptly ends. Maybe there was no money or good thoughts left. But notwithstanding all of this, The Day of the Triffids is a fun film and a trip down Memory Lane for me.