The Day of the Triffids (2009– )

It's an up-to-date setting of the 1951 sci-fi thriller. With the world blinded and the Triffids set loose, it falls upon a band of scattered, sighted survivors to fight this carnivorous ... See full summary »

Stars:

Dougray Scott, Joely Richardson, Eddie Izzard

1 win.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Dougray Scott	...	Bill Masen (2 episodes, 2009)
Joely Richardson	...	Jo Playton (2 episodes, 2009)
Eddie Izzard	...	Torrence (2 episodes, 2009)
Brian Cox	...	Dennis Masen (2 episodes, 2009)
Vanessa Redgrave	...	Durrant (2 episodes, 2009)
Jason Priestley	...	Coker (2 episodes, 2009)
Shane Taylor	...	Osman (2 episodes, 2009)
Troy Glasgow	...	Troy (2 episodes, 2009)
Nora-Jane Noone	...	Lucy (2 episodes, 2009)
Adam Sinclair	...	Ashdown (2 episodes, 2009)
Steven Elder	...	Doctor Kotch (2 episodes, 2009)
Tim Frances	...	Colonel (2 episodes, 2009)
Lizzie Hopley	...	Hilda (2 episodes, 2009)
Willie Jonah	...	Old Man (2 episodes, 2009)
William Ilkley	...	Jeff (2 episodes, 2009)
Kathryn Sumner	...	Bill's Mother (2 episodes, 2009)
Paul Chahidi	...	Vronsky (2 episodes, 2009)
Sammy Williams	...	Young Bill (2 episodes, 2009)
Eva Sayer	...	Girl in Street (2 episodes, 2009)
Claire-Louise Cordwell	...	Girl's Mother (2 episodes, 2009)
Simon Naylor	...	Man in Street (2 episodes, 2009)
Paul Blair	...	Man in Street (2 episodes, 2009)
Tony Maudsley	...	Blind Police Officer (2 episodes, 2009)
Scott Baker	...	Barricade Police Sergeant (2 episodes, 2009)
John White	...	Barricade Man (2 episodes, 2009)

Storyline

It's an up-to-date setting of the 1951 sci-fi thriller. With the world blinded and the Triffids set loose, it falls upon a band of scattered, sighted survivors to fight this carnivorous plant invasion. With a brave new world of maniacs, warring factions and renegades, the battle on the streets is not only directed at the purple-headed organisms but a battle to survive the sinister street-army headed by megalomaniac Torrence.

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Plot Keywords:

tv mini series | london england | father son estrangement | flesh eating plant | bright light | 

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Taglines:

The human race has had its day.

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Genres:

Action | Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Details

Country:

UK Canada

Language:

English

Also Known As:

A triffidek napja

Filming Locations:

Barbican, London, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$15,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Power, Prodigy Pictures, BBC Wales

Technical Specs

Runtime:

180 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This is not the first time a comic actor has played the sinister Torrence. In the TV series The Day of the Triffids, the then little known actor Gary Olsen took the role. Olsen, who died in 2000, is better known for his role in the hit BBC sitcom 2point4 Children.

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Connections

Version of The Day of the Triffids (1981)

User Reviews

In the world of the blind...

Britain, present day. Oil from a genetically altered walking carnivorous plant saves the world from the harmful use of fossil fuels. We take advantage of them, however, and when the majority of our planet's population is instantly blinded, these Triffids escape and we now have to deal with both them and this sudden(perhaps too much so?) collapse of society. This focuses on Dr. Masen(Scott) who studies them(just as his parents did until his mother died and he lost contact with his father), the reporter Jo(Richardson) and the mysterious and pragmatic Torrence(a nicely menacing Izzard). We see how the military, the religious institutions and regular people react to this turn of events, and how some sighted are willing to give up everything to save those who are not, while others frown upon that. I have not read the book, nor watched another version of this... I hear that it is smarter than this lets it be. This does still comment on things and have compelling themes, such as cynicism, balance with nature and naiveté. It takes off right away and keeps to a good pace, and is consistently interesting and entertaining. The acting and the cast are great. FX are marvelous. The production values are very nice, it's filmed well with effective use of hand-held camera and sharply cut. There is tension and suspense, and the chaos is convincingly rendered. One complaint I hear that I can understand(I get that this is also not the same as the original, but I don't know what the changes are) is that it is too flashy, too Hollywood. British apocalypse fiction is more about the day after than the event, unlike the American ones. And this is listed as action(among other genres), and it really shouldn't be. The decision was undoubtedly because it's easier to sell, and it's unfortunate. Still, if this sounds appealing to you, the time investment of three hours may feel worth it. It does to me. There is a bit of bloody violence and disturbing content in this. I recommend this to those looking for a "end of the world" story that has you thinking somewhat. 7/10