Invasion of the Triffids (1963)

After an unusual meteor shower leaves most of the human population blind, a merchant navy officer must find a way to conquer tall, aggressive plants which are feeding on people and animals.

Directors:

Steve Sekely, Freddie Francis (uncredited)

Writers:

Bernard Gordon (screenplay), Philip Yordan (front for Bernard Gordon)

Stars:

Howard Keel, Nicole Maurey, Janette Scott

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
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

Storyline

A shower of meteorites produces a glow that blinds anyone that looks at it. As it was such a beautiful sight, most people were watching, and as a consequence, 99% of the population go blind. In the original novel, this chaos results in the escape of some Triffids: experimental plants that are capable of moving themselves around and attacking people. In the film version, however, the Triffids are not experimental plants. Instead they are space aliens whose spores have arrived in an earlier meteor shower.

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Plot Keywords:

psychotronic film | kew gardens london | lincoln's inn fields london england | piccadilly circus london | houses of parliament london | 

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Taglines:

From the nightmare novel that made the world shudder

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Genres:

Horror | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 April 1963 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Day of the Triffids

Filming Locations:

El Poble Espanyol, The Spanish Village, Barcelona, Spain

Box Office

Budget:

$750,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Allied Artists Pictures, Security Pictures Ltd.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor) (uncredited)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Although delighted to be reunited with Howard Keel (whom she had met as a child), Carole Ann Ford found the film difficult to work on, citing last-minute script revisions and changes of director as particular problems. She also suffered when an action sequence left her back accidentally raked by a stuntman's nails, drawing blood.

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Goofs

When Bill counts the chimes of Big Ben (the iconic bell in the clock tower of the Palace of Westminster), he is in Moorfields Eye Hospital. This hospital is 2.5 miles from Big Ben and the chimes cannot be heard at that distance.

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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 ...

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Alternate Versions

On some video versions, Bernard Gordon's name has been inserted into the writing credits.

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Connections

Version of The Day of the Triffids (2009)

User Reviews

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.