Day of the Triffids (1962)

Starring:Howard Keel, Nicole Maurey, Janette Scott, Kieron Moore, Mervyn Johns, Ewan Roberts, Alison Leggatt, Geoffrey Matthews, Janina Faye, Gilgi Hauser, John Tate, Carole Ann Ford, Arthur Gross, Colette Wilde, Ian Wilson, Victor Brooks, Katya Douglas, Gary Hope, Sidney Vivian, John Simpson
Director: Steve Sekely, Freddie Francis
Studio: Westlake
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
This 1962 version of The Day of the Triffids has been a TV staple for many years, more probably because of a lasting affection for John Wyndham's original novel than any high regard for the film itself. The premise--a meteor shower blinds almost all of humanity, just as a space-borne strain of ambulatory killer plants begins to proliferate--is so strong that it's easy to overlook the frankly messy realization of it. The film opens well, sticking close to the book, as Howard Keel awakens in a London hospital after an eye operation and takes off the bandages to discover that he can see but most of the rest of the population can't. There are unsettling, effective bits with a plane literally flying blind and the beginnings of panic among the fumbling survivors, and one good Triffid encounter in a fog.

Amazon.com

This 1962 version of The Day of the Triffids has been a TV staple for many years, more probably because of a lasting affection for John Wyndham's original novel than any high regard for the film itself. The premise--a meteor shower blinds almost all of humanity, just as a space-borne strain of ambulatory killer plants begins to proliferate--is so strong that it's easy to overlook the frankly messy realization of it. The film opens well, sticking close to the book, as Howard Keel awakens in a London hospital after an eye operation and takes off the bandages to discover that he can see but most of the rest of the population can't. There are unsettling, effective bits with a plane literally flying blind and the beginnings of panic among the fumbling survivors, and one good Triffid encounter in a fog.

Description

The Triffids are coming! The Triffids are killing! 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. This chaos results in the escape of some Triffids: experimental plants that are capable of moving themselves around and attacking people.

Customer Reviews:

This version from Cheezy.... missing audio ?.......2007-06-06

Note: I really liked this movie as a kid ..and i still love it now...but
I bought the Day of the Triffids, the version put out by a company called cheezy or something....Hey the movie looks great compared to other version, but the last 20 minutes there is no audio, i dont know if its only my copy that has the problem, but i was really dissapointed. If anybody else had that audio problem, please leave me a comment.

crude, but this is the stuff of memories.......2007-05-29

I saw this as a memento to childhood delight, as I vividly recall seeing it with my best pal when it came out. There are wonderful images in it, of the greasy, mysteriously menacing plants striking blind beauties while society falls apart around them.

Of course, if your standard is not to re-live a wonderful time as a child in a cinema of screaming and laughing children, this film will probably do very little for you. Viewed more cooly from my vantage as a middle-aged film buff, it is pretty weak as sci-fi. Little is explained - the meteors somehow cause both blindness and a bizarre transformation in the triffids - and after the chaos of a society falling apart, the plot takes weird twists. One group that the narrative follows forms a kind of family and inexplicably heads to southern europe, where after much danger they escape. The other actors are a troubled couple of scientists, who miraculously discover that salt water dissolves the triffids after much failed study, again inexplicably. And the effects! Very bad compared to what is available today.

Recommended for purposes of nostalgia only, unless you are a connoisseur of clunky monster flicks over lots of beer.

The Horror Classic "Day Of The Triffids" is ownworthy!.......2007-04-08

ok ive Just watched "day of the triffids" and it has been reformatted into anamorphic widescreen, but sadly they left in some of the graininess of the origional film. but to see this classic remastered and even with the few graphical errors, this IS, and always will be, a True Classic! until someone Remakes this movie and doesn't blow it! *waggles finger at tom cruse in war of the worlds* but overall this movie is for the fans of the oldies and the people whom saw this movie in theaters (yes you know who you are) and its worth every cent to go on an adventure like this. truly a rare gem! *a meteor shower blinds most of the humans on earth, leaving the few survivors to fend off the horrific Triffids! before Humanity os destroyed* not too many of the oldies are worth owning but, if you dont own this or like it if i was you i would avoid Golden Oldies like this and if your only happy with Tons of Extras and perfect imagry then this might not be to your liking at this point i suggest renting it to be sure its your thing.

A great movie to watch .......2007-03-27

This is a movie that I enjoyed very much. I had seeing this movie when I was younger but was very hard to find until it came out on vhs and dvd.
I found the fact that it could happen to anyone who is suckered into watching some celestial show and wake up the next day with burned out eye retinas causing permanent blindness.

Not only is the person blind, but the whole world is blind except for the people who did not watch the meteorite shower. Plants, called Triffids become active and unroot themselves and go killing and eating people. Now that is cool. Planes, ships, trains crashing because their pilots or conductors has become blind. A very good movie to watch. Good story and performance.

This is the WRONG "Day of the Triffids". . . .......2007-02-17

Compared to the great 1981 version of the Day of the Triffids, this Howard Keel version is really pathetic.

The 1981 version for some crazy reason has not been made available for the USA. We need it! It is much closer to the great book by John Wyndham. It seems to me when it was first released it was shown both on USA and British TV.

The 1981 version was produced by David Maloney and starred John Duttine and Emma Relph. It really gives you the creeps in the same way the greatest horror movies of aliens wiping us out, such as 'Body Snatchers,' has you looking over your shoulder for weeks afterward. But this 1962, badly reproduced hollywood version? Forget about it.

The Day of the Triffids [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2&4 Import - Great Britain ]

Average customer rating:

A Gardeners Nightmare.
Would love to see this movie again
BY FAR THE BEST!!!!!
Why, oh why no Region one release?

The Day of the Triffids [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2&4 Import - Great Britain ]
Director: Ken Hannam
Manufacturer: BBC
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

The Day of the Triffids (20th Century Rediscoveries)
Day of the Triffids
The War of the Worlds (Special Collector's Edition)
Forbidden Planet (Ultimate Collector's Edition)
Children of Men (Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: B000GBN186

Product Description

Great Britain released, PAL/Region 2&4 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada. LANGUAGES: English (Mono), English (Subtitles), SYNOPSIS: A terrible catastrophe has struck the population of Earth. Almost everyone on the planet has been rendered blind by the arrival of a bright comet and its debris lighting up the darkened skies, but the brightness has caused permanent eye damage. Bill Masen, who was unable to watch the spectacular but deadly free firework display, finds himself in a nightmarish world where he believes himself to be the only sighted person left. But soon he finds a soul-mate, Jo Pleyton, who can also see. As the days progress, they find more and more sighted people and together they make plans to build a future. But there is a problem. A walking, carnivorous plant called a 'Triffid,' which up until now was kept safely in paddocks and zoos, has broken free and has discovered a taste for rotting, human flesh. The remaining blind are helpless and many fall prey to the Triffids' lethal whipping sting, but can the sighted keep this fearful plant at bay? SPECIAL FEATURES: Interactive Menu,

Customer Reviews:

A Gardeners Nightmare........2007-06-16

Bill Masen has been stung and temporarily blinded by a Triffid,he doesn't yet know how lucky he's been!
The Triffids themselves are well realized by the FX team. And this is certainly a more faithful version then that ghastly 1962 film.
The author derived the story from two sources,walking home late one windy night he observed the trees and hedgerows blowing across the road and thought "by gosh,those'd be nasty things if they could sting you".
The other source was his earlier short story,"The Puff Ball Menace"(1933).
~~~~
As with most of the stories from John Wyndham Parkes Lucas Benyon Harris, his main interest was in how ordinary people would react to the odd or unknown.It was never the concept,but the Human element that interested him,and that gives the characters a more believable edge.
HG Wells had always used his stories to inject some of his own comments on the mores and manners of society in his time,John Wyndham(A HG Wells fan himself) did the same.(He was always suspicious of certain East European countries,and this was relected in his novels.)
In the book and this TV version,the Triffids don't come from Space.(Unlike in the film.)
Once you start reading one of his stories you won't be able to stop,the trouble is he had so many Pen-names,
John Benyon,Lucas Benyon,John Beyon,Johnson Harris,John Harris,Lucas Parkes.
Originally Published 1951.
~~~~
DVD contents:~
6-25 minute episodes.
No visual extras.
12 page "collectors" booklet.
Originally Broadcast BBC1:~10/9/81-15/10/81
Available from amazon.co.uk
(For a very faithful version of Mr Wyndhams,"The Midwich Cuckoos",try the film,"Village of the Damned" 1960)

Would love to see this movie again.......2007-03-28

First I have to say, "Argh! No US release of this DVD?"

I saw this movie on TV when it first came out 20 some odd years ago. Anyway, it is way better than the Hollywood version from the 60's. But then a lot of movies were way better than the Hollywood version, so that might not be saying much about this film.

So let me try again. If you are into films where a guy wakes up and finds that he is all alone in some city somewhere, be sure to put this DVD on your list of movies to see (unless you live in the US where this all becomes a moot point).

BY FAR THE BEST!!!!!.......2006-09-20

This is actually a MINI SERIES which I saw and recorded on VHS over 20 years ago. My VHS copy is all but worn out. Since upgrading my home theater to show DVD movies as well as VHS ones, I've been searching for a NEW COPY for my library. When I saw that AMAZON was finally able to offer this in DVD, I checked the owner's manual for BOTH of my DVD players and read that they were designed to PLAY REGION 1 DVD's ONLY. I then checked with my home theater supplier who revealed that over 99.0% of the DVD players used in [U.S.] HOME THEATERS are designed for REGION 1 ONLY!!!!! ALL of the NEW ONES being offered are also following this trend. SO VERY FEW PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO PLAY THIS MOVIE ON THEIR DVD PLAYERS until it is offered in [NTSC] REGION 1 or VHS [NON PAL]

Why, oh why no Region one release?.......2006-09-18

Yes, I know. A version of this movie was done with American actor Howard Keel, and that's the popular version. Yes, sci-fi, horror, flesh eating plants don't sell as well as they used to. But this is really one of the best, and certainly it's the best version of this story and stays closest to the book.
Do we Americans ALWAYS have to buy multiregion players in order to get all the good British programming? (rant off, I apologize.)

As I mentioned above, this is a true-to -the book mini-series . The book was written by the same person who wrote the story that Village of the Damned was taken from. It is scarey without being ridiculous, and it has surprisingly good acting by the leads.
Any Americans able to play this format should pick this disc up.

Average customer rating:

Love the movie, not the defective DVD
See Janette Scott Fight Triffids That Spit Poison And Kill
The Better Quality DVD
Better than you might think...
Day of the Triffids - Wide Screen

The Day of the Triffids
Starring: Howard Keel , Steve Sekely , Nicole Maurey , and Kieron Moore
Director: Howard Keel
Manufacturer: Pro-Active Entertainment Group
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Day of the Triffids
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ASIN: B0000BZNH8
Release Date: 2006-01-10

Customer Reviews:

Love the movie, not the defective DVD.......2004-12-19

On my Sony, the Cheezy Flicks DVD release I received this week strugged and failed about 4 minutes into chapter 17 as the guy in the lighthouse was in the process of hosing down some triffids. Chapter 18 wouldn't play either. I've seen a couple of similar comments posted elsewhere on the Internet about the last chapter or last few minutes.

This version also seems shortened vs. the release I've seen on TV a couple of times. I thought there was supposed to be an early scene where a gang a young tuffs was roaming the streets making trouble for people including a young woman (then our hero stepped in to save her). I couldn't find that scene in this DVD, so if someone else has please do speak up.

The back of the box says 4:3 aspect ratio. A sheet inside mentions letterbox and it played in letterbox format on my TV. Coloring seemed okay for an old flick to me, though unremarkable.

Although I'd rate the original movie 5 stars in its category, the DVD I received had a playback problem and seemed short.

See Janette Scott Fight Triffids That Spit Poison And Kill.......2004-06-03

My star rating is based on the Cheezy Flicks DVD release. The movie gets four+ stars IMHO!

THE MOVIE: This clever classic from the days of my youth is still exciting to watch today. Although the idea of killer plants may seem cheesy, the mass blindness and resulting hysteria add that apocalyptic taste I so love! The Triffids don't move very fast, but they do make scary noises... and that's a good thing. The action is well paced and the camera work is interesting. Ultimately, this is sort of like a zombie flick, but instead of zombies we have killer space plants.

THIS DVD: The ONLY thing this DVD has going for it is that it's widescreen. The back of the box says, "4:3 Aspect Ratio" and, "Digitally Remastered"; both statements are wrong. The color is dull and a little pink, which is really sad for a film that made such dramatic, stylistic use of color. The print is pretty clean most of the way through except at reel changes and towards the end, buts that's forgivable. What is NOT forgivable is that the last chapter of this DVD is a pixilated, skipping, jacked-up mess that is totally impossible to watch (I checked on multiple players to be sure). I returned my first DVD and the replacement had exactly the same problem, which tells me that the problem is with "Cheezy Flicks" and their poor quality DVDs. Recently, fly-by-night DVD publishers like this have been showing up on Amazon charging top dollar for discs that belong in the bargain bins. No matter how much I love this movie, this is one of those bargain bin discs. However, BOTH current DVD versions of this film have little to recommend, other than the film itself.

The Better Quality DVD.......2004-05-02

The movie Day of the Triffids has always been a favorite. I have been waiting for years to add this movie to my DVD collection. The Chezzy Flicks release brought the movie out in letterbox the way the movie was filmed. The picture and sound quality are certainly acceptable and much better than the poor quality Allied Artist release. As others have mentioned, the color is washed out and it does not look like a new transfer, but it is the best quality version available at this time. If you must add this film to your own collection, go with the Chezzy Flicks release.

Better than you might think..........2004-04-29

I saw this film when it first came out. I loved it then and I love it now. The Widescreen version is great, though the colors have faded badly, and this "remastered" version isn't "re-imagined". The sound is fine, though, and with a little imagination, the film comes off well (I DO miss some of the colorful landscapes...the greens & reds are very washed-out, and this IS a film about plants!). A later-career performance by Howard Keel is solid, as is the performance of Nicole Maurey (her red hair comes thru!). The important scenes involving Kieron Moore and Janette Scott, filmed separately, were integrated well. There were no cast lists, but the performance of the little girl was wonderful, whomever she may be. I hate bad kid-actors. This IS a fine film; I remember the critics praising this film. I know director Sekely has made other films that I admire that I can't recall. This is definitly worth a look. John Wyndham's book is well translated to the screen. The goofy extras at the beginning are fun, though you can't forward to the film without watching them...

Day of the Triffids - Wide Screen.......2003-09-09

I love the movie Day of the Triffids. This second release brought the movie out in letterbox the way the movie was filmed which is way better. But the quality is not that great. The colour is washed out and it does not look like a new transfer or remastered like the write up says. It is a pricey DVD for the quality of this movie and not being a well known company that put it out. There is also cheapy ad's before the movie starts.
But it is good to have it wide screen at least.

Alien Predators: Day of the Triffids/Little Shop of Horrors/Graveyard Tramps/Track of the

Average customer rating:

NO TRIFFIDS
Not as advertised
Great independant film
No Triffids
What the...?

Alien Predators: Day of the Triffids/Little Shop of Horrors/Graveyard Tramps/Track of the
Starring: Dennis Christopher , Martin Hewitt , Lynn-Holly Johnson , Luis Prendes , and J.O. Bosso
Director: Deran Sarafian
Manufacturer: Bci / Eclipse
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00009PJTI
Release Date: 2003-06-24

Customer Reviews:

NO TRIFFIDS.......2007-06-17

No Day of the Triffids in my set, as well.Was very disappointed as it would have been a great set. May send it back. I gave it 5 stars for Little Shop of Horrors and Graveyard Tramps. TO NOTE:Looking at all of the other reviews...all this time has passed and ,yet, no change has been made in the title

Not as advertised.......2007-05-21

Bought this title to see Triffids, but Triffids was NOT included. What a disappointment.

Great independant film.......2007-04-19

This film is early 80's sci-fi. It appears to be an independent film of low budget. Their is one scene early on where a cow has been killed by something unseen and when wild dogs are eating it one of them gets sucked into the cow. This is the only exciting scene, everything else is very plain. The story continues on to explain of alien DNA found on the moon was being tested in space on lab animals. The satellite falls to earth crashing in Spain. Over a years time they experiment on the alien DNA until it gets loose and starts killing of the residents of a small town deep in Spain. The movie spends most of the time on useless chatter and rarely gets into exciting dialogue. At the conclusion only a few escape the town moments before an air strike believing they are free from the alien virus and incineration, only to find out they were wrong. The alien kills a store clerk. The film ends there and its up to you to imagine the outcome.

No Triffids.......2006-12-14

This collection does not include the movie "Day of the Triffids" despite what the title says. I sent it back.

What the...?.......2006-07-09

Okay, there's been a BIG mix up here. Well, maybe not so big in the grand scheme of things, but if you followed the DVD link from the imdb page for the film "Alien Predator", which stars Dennis Christopher and...other people, to this Amazon page, DO NOT PURCHASE THIS. Even though Amazon lists the details (cast, crew, etc.) as being that of the classic "Alien Predator", the actual product this page is selling is a boxed set containing 'Day of the Triffids', 'Graveyard Tramps', 'Track of the Moon Beast (featuring a man named Johnny Longbone), and the classic 'Little Shop of Horrors', NOT included in this box set, which is collectively titled "Alien Predators", is the actual FILM "Alien Predator". Buyer beware.

On that note, "Alien Predators" is a cool little b-horror movie, and it would be nice to actual see it on DVD. Although you'd laugh your way through most of it, there are actually a few scenes that are kinda' creepy.

Average customer rating:

This version from Cheezy.... missing audio ?
crude, but this is the stuff of memories
The Horror Classic "Day Of The Triffids" is ownworthy!
A great movie to watch
This is the WRONG "Day of the Triffids". . .

Day of the Triffids (1962)
Starring: Howard Keel , Nicole Maurey , Janette Scott , Kieron Moore , and Mervyn Johns
Director: Steve Sekely , and Freddie Francis
Manufacturer: Westlake
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Customer Reviews:

This version from Cheezy.... missing audio ?.......2007-06-06

crude, but this is the stuff of memories.......2007-05-29

The Horror Classic "Day Of The Triffids" is ownworthy!.......2007-04-08

A great movie to watch .......2007-03-27

This is the WRONG "Day of the Triffids". . . .......2007-02-17

Average customer rating:

This version from Cheezy.... missing audio ?
crude, but this is the stuff of memories
The Horror Classic "Day Of The Triffids" is ownworthy!
A great movie to watch
This is the WRONG "Day of the Triffids". . .

The Day of the Triffids [Region 2]
Starring: Howard Keel , Nicole Maurey , Janette Scott , Kieron Moore , and Mervyn Johns
Director: Steve Sekely , and Freddie Francis
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Customer Reviews:

This version from Cheezy.... missing audio ?.......2007-06-06

crude, but this is the stuff of memories.......2007-05-29

The Horror Classic "Day Of The Triffids" is ownworthy!.......2007-04-08

A great movie to watch .......2007-03-27

This is the WRONG "Day of the Triffids". . . .......2007-02-17

Average customer rating:

This version from Cheezy.... missing audio ?
crude, but this is the stuff of memories
The Horror Classic "Day Of The Triffids" is ownworthy!
A great movie to watch
This is the WRONG "Day of the Triffids". . .

The Day of the Triffids
Starring: Howard Keel , Nicole Maurey , Janette Scott , Kieron Moore , and Mervyn Johns
Director: Steve Sekely , and Freddie Francis
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video