The Day of the Triffids (1981) User Reviews

It's still very watchable, and remains the best version.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 8/10 · 29 July 2021]

A night of wonderful meteoric activity wows all on Earth, until that is, it blinds most of the population, the disruption allows the manufactured plants, The Triffids to take over.

Forty years after it was transmitted, it still manages to entertain, wow and chill. Set over six episodes it gets more and more bleak with each episode, and a mounting death count adds to the feeling of doom.

The Triffids still look good, and still cut a menacing figure, they bring terror to all that come across them.

Very atmospheric, it features some great shots of a run down country, they manage to create a very bleak environment. It's similar in tone to The Survivors series, there are several parallels.

Very nicely acted, John Duttine as always is first rate. It features a good cast, I was impressed by Maurice Colbourne.

Still the best adaptation, miles better then the film before, and The BBC's later remake.

Very good still, 8/10.

Still has its sting

[troy-boulton · 8/10 · 7 May 2021]

As a child in the 80s, watching this on VHS, DOTTT scared the bejibbers out of me. I actually started avoiding the lilies in our garden (I thought they looked like the beeb's well-realised, if plasticy, rendition). Rewatching The Triffids in my 20s, I was disappointed; it seemed dated and flat to eyes that were at that time wowed by early CG, and disinterested in practical effects. I don't think I made it through the 1st episode. Fast forward a decade or so, and this time around, watching on @plex, I quite enjoyed the mini-series, and appreciate it as a well-crafted product of its time. The sound design & score are awesome, and the acting spot on. Smart and artful storytelling, that was aware of its own production limitations and worked creatively to excel within its capabilities. A 'what-if' for the ages. And I still call lilies Triffids.

A compelling, authentic adaptation

[Leofwine_draca · 8/10 · 15 June 2016]

The John Wyndham sci-fi novel THE DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS has long been a favourite of mine; it's a fantastic piece of writing, up there with the calibre of H. G. Wells. Sadly, the story has never translated particularly well to the screen, and it says something that when you search for the title on the IMDb the two results that first come up are the 1963 film - which changed so much from the book that it was almost unrecognisable - and the 2009 BBC adaptation, which was so terrible it's not worth mentioning.

However, this 1981 miniseries version of the story is the most authentic one out there, and seen today it's actually very good. Sure, this production suffers from the usual problems of the era, from the cheapness of the cameras making it look at times like an amateur film, and the occasional stodginess of the narrative, to the stilted dialogue and some bad acting (Emma Relph is a particular disappointment). But THE DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS overcomes these problems to provide exciting, fast-paced entertainment.

There are six episodes here and the first one is the worst, unwisely throwing in tons of back story and exposition which makes the pace crawl along. Things pick up in the second episode, and all of the major plot points from the book are covered here and in detail. I particularly liked the way that writer Douglas Livingstone kept all of the important subtext from the book, Wyndham's musings on the importance of society and the like, and incorporated it into the backdrop here. The rubber triffids make for an acceptable menace, and the filming locations are all fine; overall it feels realistic throughout, and I particularly liked the handling of the blind population and the late introduction of the ruthless soldiers. I'm a huge fan of BBC TV from the 1980s and this is another string to the bow of a production company that could once do no wrong.

Still spooky, twenty years on!

[chuffnobbler · 30 January 2003]

When I was seven years old, Day of the Triffids scared me so much that my parents sent me to bed early, and banned me from watching later episodes. With a lifetime of memories of a few images, I was stunned to find the show rerun on British satellite telly, and nervous about watching it again.

As so many have commented here, the joy of DOTD is its concentration on the breakdown of society. With humanity rendered blind, there are some nasty images here: a starving woman struggling to open a box, unable to see that it's washing powder; another woman struggling to get into a tin of coffee; a crowd of blind people surrounding a car, desperate to grab hold of the sighted people inside it. Nasty, unsettling, realistic stuff.

The Triffids are kept to a minimum, and wisely so, as their appearance is a bit early-80s-BBC. They look a bit plastic. Careful camerawork highlighting their roots, shadows, lethal stinging "tongues"; and the eerie Triffid soundeffect, are supremely effective in keeping the horror of death by walking vegetable on the edge of screen throughout. With horrendous disease sweeping the land, a dictatorial self-imposed government planning to seize control, the breakdown of modern society is uncomfortably close. The first meeting of the group Bill meets up with, explaining that "women will be expected to have babies, men will be expected to work", could be real.

A few scary Triffid moments, and a lot of very believable "what if" issues ensure that DOTD is as special now as it was when I was sent to bed early, and woke with nightmares, all those years ago.

Not as good as I remembered

[konky2000 · 7/10 · 1 December 2003]

I remember catching this once on latenight PBS in either 1991 or 1990. I was totally engrossed by the story at the time and ever since I have been trying to find it on video so that I could see it again. Unfortunately, it has proved to be a very difficult video to find, as it doesn't appear to have been released commercially in the US. After many years of looking, though, I managed to find a version of the film that someone had made off of the TV.

When I watched it again, I was joined by two other people who were not familiar with the Triffids story. We all agreed that the story was very compelling, and it reminded us a lot of '28 Days Later,' though much less thrilling.

What remains compelling is the depiction of humans struggling to figure out how best to organize themselves in a post-apocalyptic world. Since the show is 3 hours long, it is also able to fully develop themes that a 2 hour movie is not able to show.

Yet, overall, I was a little disappointed. One of my main complaints is that much of the story is told expository dialogue between characters. Too often, 'conversations' are nothing more than extended debates between characters about how best to cope with living in a post-apocalyptic world. In addition, character development is a little clumsy and sudden for such a long film. Characters seem capable of falling in love too quickly and friends and enemies seem to form much quicker than seems natural. And the overall problem that the Triffids themselves are not very threatening never really gets dealt with. They walk too slowly and can't break glass, so in general are a little too easily dealt with by the protagonists.

Still, this version is FAR better than the Hollywood movie version made in the 60's, and I am very glad I have finally had the chance to watch it again. It is definately worth tracking down if it is something you remember watching in the past.

Still remains excellent.

[bannonanthony · 10/10 · 13 May 2005]

I'd wanted to see this BBC version of DOTT ever since I read about it in a sci-fi magazine. I first saw it on TV a few years ago. I recently bought the DVD and the series remains as great as ever. The three main performances of John Duttine, Maurice Colbourne and Emma Relph are very good and they are helped by a great supporting cast. Thwe Triffids themselves do look a bit plastic but they were realised brilliantly. The music by Christopher Gunning compliments the story very well.

The Triffids themselves are meant to be a secondary threat as the main problem is the breakdown of society as most of the populace is rendered blind. The hysteria is shown in full detail and the writer adds a nice conspiracy theory in the final episode. I'm glad that the series is now available on DVD for a new audience to see. Having read bits of the book I can tell that the adaptation is very faithful. I strongly recommend DOTT to sci-fi fans everywhere.

Impressive Adaption

[Theo Robertson · 7/10 · 10 January 2003]

In my review of the 1962 film adaption of DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS I made the point that there`s a suggestion that the triffids are commies . Well in this adaption they go one better and we find out triffids ARE killer commie plants ! It`s revealed that triffids are originally plants modified in the USSR and sold to the greedy capitilist west in order to find a new fuel source . I digress

This is a very good adaption of a classic and complex SF novel . What producer David Maloney has refused to do is to dumb down the adaption into a humanity V man eating plants pot boiler . As in the book the main plot revolves around nearly all of humanity being blinded by a comet shower and sighted protagonists struggling to build a civilization of sorts . I suppose this may have disappointed people who tuned into the programme expecting to see something along the lines of the DOCTOR WHO story THE SEEDS OF DOOM but praise should be given for keeping to the book . The only criticisms I can put to this adaption is that the budget could have been a bit higher and episode one suffers badly from obvious expostion as Bill Masen recounts the history of the triffids into a tape recorder .

I`ve little idea how this show was recieved with critics and viewers because it was broadcast against CORONATION ST at 7.30 on Wednesday evenings . Traditionally in Britain if a BBC show gets shown against CORONATION ST it gets stuffed in the ratings . BLAKES 7 - Another SF show produced by Maloney - was also scheduled against Corry in the late 70s . You have to wonder if someone at the BBC didn`t like Maloney !

This is the real story of ... The Day of the Triffids!

[palexandersquires · 10/10 · 5 April 2005]

This is the best ever version of this famous science fiction novel. Even the choice of John Duttine as Bill Masen is very close to how I imagined him to look like. An average 36 year old man, who is lying in hospital, with his eyes bandaged up. This was the result of a Triffid sting. In the 1962 film, we do not find out why Bill Masen has this treatment! The triffids themselves are spot on! in detail and you see the sting lash out about 10 feet long.That is how John Wyndham describes them. So the BBC and Douglas Livingstone ,got this spot on! and we see Bill Masen as a child experiencing his first Triffid in his back garden. This DVD that I now have, has been eagerly awaited by myself. The opening music, is composed and conducted by Christopher Gunning. and is very stirring. every part of the dialogue was also as spoken in the book, (Yes I have read the book) and I know just how the story should unfold on the screen. It is a pity that widescreen TV's did not exist in 1981! as this would of been a great widescreen production. This series was in 6 parts by the way. You get a collector's booklet and all 6 parts on the DVD! Number BBC DVD 1152!

Not bad, but not as good as I remembered

[Unicorn-9 · 7/10 · 23 April 2005]

I had vivid memories of watching this show as a teenager when it was first shown on TV, and recently bought the DVD. It's not badly done, but at the same time I found it far less effective today than I did then. Surprisingly, the triffid effects didn't look too bad. OK, they're obviously fake plants, but they're about as convincing as could be expected on a BBC budget.

I think the main problem is that they tried to cram too much into a relatively short series, so the character development isn't terribly convincing. As some others have pointed out, a number of scenes are basically pure exposition with characters expounding their beliefs without much dramatic impact, characters meet and fall in love in a few minutes, and the whole 'should we help the blind or not?' issue is really skimmed over with people making up their minds very quickly: I know it would make rational sense to let most of the blind die rather than try to keep them alive, but I doubt that most people would write them off as quickly as the characters here do. Another issue watching it in the 21st century is that there are a few very 1970s haircuts that rather give away the age of the show :).

So it's worth a look, and it's a far better adaption of the book than the film from the 1960s, but there's still room for a better one!

a BBC sci-fi classic

[CaptReynolds · 9/10 · 13 April 2005]

I remember watching this on TV when I was little and being terrified of the triffids. I watched a lot of sci-fi but this stood out. I've always liked those survival stories like dawn of the dead or 28 days later. If you like those kind of movies you'll probably enjoy day of the triffids. When I saw it was now available on DVD I ordered it with plenty of enthusiasm and a little trepidation. Often those shows you watch and enjoy as a kid just don't hold up and watching them as an adult kind of takes the shine off those memories. I mean, how good do those special effects in Doctor Who look now. But, in this case I need not have worried. I've just watched all six episodes of Day of the Triffids in a row and I loved it. Yes, the special effects do look a little dated but all things considered, they're not that bad, and they don't interfere with your enjoyment. The story is great, well written and well paced, you never know what's going to happen next. Plus it throws up lots of little ethical questions. Also, the acting by all of the main cast is excellent. Forget about the old movie version, read the book or watch this mini series. 8/10.

Genuinely Scary Early Eighties BBC Adaptation of the Wyndham Classic

[l_rawjalaurence · 7/10 · 25 December 2014]

Stylistically speaking, Ken Hannam's production of the classic SF text is very much of its time, with studio-bound sequences alternating with film inserts. The triffids themselves are ingeniously made and cleverly photographed, with the emphasis on their stinging centers and their lengthy stalks. With the accompaniment of creepy music (by Christopher Gunning), they help to create an ambiance that is truly frightening, a dystopian world whose citizens are unable to see, either physically or emotionally.

As Bill, John Duttine is both angst-ridden yet determined to ensure that the world should be rid of these threatening plants. His face remains set in an expression of grim determination, contrasting with that of Emma Relph's Jo. There are other actors in the cast, but director Hannam deliberately focuses on the protagonists, thereby emphasizing the importance of Bill's task; as one of the few people still possessed with sight, he has to work mostly independently relying on a combination of native cunning and animal intelligence to succeed in his task.

The half-hour episode format works splendidly, helping to provide viewers with a series of climaxes that sustains their attention. If nothing else, DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS proves the old adage that directors and production designers need minimal props in order to create suspense and sustain our attention. If the script is good, and the filming technique cleverly accomplished, our attention can be readily maintained.

Cutting edge (circa 1980's)

[rogue9000 · 10/10 · 18 September 2005]

I remember watching this when i was a child and still enjoy it as much now as i did then,the breakdown of morals were shown very quickly with the main character trying to save a girl from being raped and it made me think what would happen if there was no more law and order and the sighted could do whatever they wished.OK the triffids are very 1980's (but that is when it was made so what do you expect) But if they made a remake now it would be all CGI and no story (war of the worlds being a major case).All in all i would have to say get it (not the rubbish film but the bbc version) settle down on a Sunday afternoon and go back in time to when a programme had to keep you hooked by the story line and not the special effects and maybe make you worried about your garden at night lol.

BBC luvies strolling round North London

[nwestwood1 · 1/10 · 1 July 2008]

When I was a child in 1984 I think I saw the first rerun of this adaptation and I was terrified. When I brought the DVD a few years ago my perspective changed dramatically. All it is are a bunch of BBC darlings not acting very well and running away from Garden centre props who sound like Skippy The Kangaroo. I also find it amusing that it was filmed mainly in trendy parts of North London. Hampstead, Belsize Park, Primrose Hill and Camden Lock. Cleary the majority of actors and producers lived round that neck of the woods. Hey it' s good budget reductions. If you're from that part of London you will know what I mean! But hey 80s nostalgia is 90% of the time a mistake when it is rewatched in the noughties.

Pretty faithful to the book and engaging for it

[bob the moo · 1 October 2007]

When an asteroid shower passes over the earth, most of the world stops and watches the "once in a lifetime" spectacle. However the vast majority of the world find themselves blinded. This leaves the world at the mercy of the Triffids – a strange species of plant that can move and attack humans, but whose value as an oil resource has seen them farmed and controlled around the world. In a London hospital, Bill Masen is confined to his hospital bed with his eyes bandaged up after a Triffid sting at work. The day after the shower, Bill wakes to find everything quiet with seemingly nobody around to take the bandages off. He stumbles out into the day to find the population blind and, with society quickly crumbling, Triffids seem like just one of the problems to contend with.

I quite liked the film version for what it was but it was quite different from the book. This BBC mini-series though, is much more faithful to the source material and produces three hours of television that are more about the people than the plants of the title. If you consider the six episodes, the Triffids are not present throughout and sometimes they are no more than yet another thing in the background. The main thrust is actually about the breakdown of society, the choices the seeing survivors have to make at the early stages and the later stages. As such it is a very British piece as of course there is the polite indecisions and stiff upper lips that see survival accompanied by a certain amount of shame and frustration.

Hannam's direction is good as he works well with the sets and effects he has available to him. He has a good script to work with that puts food for thought onto the table consistently, while he also maintains a fairly constant sense of fear in relation to the lack of everything we would expect. In this regard the early episodes were the stronger. Of course the effects are limited but the Triffids themselves are actually pretty good and, if walking, man-eating plants did exist then I imagine they may look like this. The sets are quite cheap and have dated as badly as the clothes etc but this is not really a problem since the material is what is interesting, rather than the effects. The cast mostly work well, with Duttine solid in the lead with Relph doing OK work alongside him and Colbourne a strong presence with a character that asks a lot of moral questions of the viewer.

Overall then, better and more faithful to the book than the film version. It looks dated and of course the effects are not brilliant but it is the complexity of a crumbling society and the choices to be made that keep it interesting more than the action of Triffid attacks.

What a Novel Idea - Film the Book!

[BaronBl00d · 9/10 · 5 June 2010]

This BBC miniseries has much going for it, so let me get the flaws out of the way first. The acting is good but not great as some have tried to credit it. It is very workmanlike with John Duttine as protagonist Bill Masen, Emma Relph as Josella Playton, and Maurice Colbourne as Jack Coker(he is the best). The supporting players are all very solid as well. The budget is, shall we say, limited. Yes, the plants are done almost realistically, yet other budgetary concerns are obvious particularly in the post-apocalyptic world shown in London. These; however, are minor concerns. For the best reason to see this is to read the novel first as I did and then watch this innovative yet faithful adaptation of the classic novel by a much under-appreciated John Wyndham. The 1962 movie was for me a nostalgic highlight. I then have read the book and realized what a piece of bastardized trash it is. It makes wholesale, unnecessary changes and dilutes the entire meaning and message of the book. What a shame, as the novel certainly has much to say about the world man lives in, has created for his future generations, and why he is ever so likely to destroy all of it over greed, envy, and warfare. This mini-series touches on much of this in a very subtle way. It doesn't stray much from the novel and even incorporates actual dialog throughout. The book and mini-series do indeed follow each other until Episode 4 or 5 when some characters are cut out - there are those budgetary concerns again. All in all for gritty story-telling, a science fiction story with entertainment value AND a real message for our day, The Day of the Triffids should not be missed. The 1962 film is fine for those perhaps who have not read the book. Read the book and any opinion you had of it is sure to change.

Great TV sticks in the mind.

[jamesbloke · 9/10 · 9 April 2006]

I remember watching this BBC version of "The Day of the Triffids" when it was first shown (1981?). It has stuck in my mind ever since as being a really great series. I didn't remember that many details (except the final scenes where the survivors drive through the fence and out of their triffid-proof enclosure to new life somewhere else), only that I really enjoyed it. Then two or three years ago I saw it at the National Film Theatre in London and it all came flooding back! Now I am watching the DVD.

I have only listened to an abridged audio book so I can't comment on the faithfulness of the adaptation, but I can say that the characterisation is good, the acting (especially John Duttine) is excellent and the special effects are good enough to serve their purpose. Remake? Noooooooooo!

The Day of the Faithful Adaptation

[iammatty · 10/10 · 29 September 2005]

In 1962 came one of the worst film adaptations of a book in history. The plot was drastically changed, characters were eliminated, changed and new ones were added in altogether!

And then, like a holy beacon of light, came the faithful, 1981 TV series by the BBC. Yes, even though they did change a few minor details, the plot was left intact, the story followed the same route as the novel, and the actors really got into their roles.

Bill Masen awakes in hospital, with his eyes bandaged up to find that the majority of the population of the world has been rendered helpless when they blinded overnight by a spectacular comet shower. And, to make matters worse, a fairly new species of dangerous, carnivorous plants that have been kept under lock and key until now, are now free to roam, kill and eat to their own pleasure. You see, these plants aren't like your average, potter plants, that sit in a pot, grow, and die. These plants walk, they grow to great heights, they have ten-foot long poison whips, and feed on decayed human flesh. Surely we've seen the demise of the human population of Earth as the Triffids multiply their numbers with every year that passes...

A fantastic and tension filled mini series

[BrickNash · 10/10 · 7 February 2020]

I have fuzzy memories of this series from when I was a child in the early 1980s. Some lines and imagery stuck with me, but I never got around to actually seeing the whole thing (and if I did I don't remember it).

I'm glad then that I decided to give it a bash, because it is superb!

The series starts off quite slow. The first episode isn't exactly gripping, but it does the job of setting everything up. The subsequent episodes really start to ramp up the tension, and each one becomes more exciting as it progresses.

It's funny that, for a series called "Day of the Triffids", the Triffids themselves are actually more of a background character and a secondary threat. The main focus is on the collapse of society and grouping of people into small power groups - each one trying to retain that power by any means that it can. All of them have different views on how the world and society should be, but there's no real authority there to police any of them.

The series has a great look as well. In the 80s, TV shows weren't shot on film, but rather SD Videotape, and that gives the show a very gritty edge with its retro washed out look. The deserted streets of London look even more bleak with the muted palette, and it all adds to serve the brilliant tension.

A special mention must go to the score by Christopher Gunning. It is a phenomenally sinister mix of chaotic low end piano and synthesisers. It's a very unique score, and one that really adds to the atmosphere of the show.

As a whole the show is fantastic, but it does feel a little short. The sixth and final episode is a little anticlimactic, and it feels like the series should have had two more episodes to follow on to the character's journey to the Isle of Wight. Instead, it just stops in what seems like right in the middle of a story thread, and we get no more, which is a little frustrating.

Regardless, this is a really fantastic and tension filled miniseries with some memorable monsters and a very clever message about the disintegration of decency in society when faced with an global event.

Highly recommended!

Low production values all round

[felixnoir · 5/10 · 1 July 2015]

This was made during a period when the BBC did not have very much money and it shows in this generic by-the-numbers BBC adaptation. Neither the actors nor the script nor the production are very much to write home to Mother about. The whole first episode takes up about half the first chapter of the book, an indication that the series will set most things indoors to save money. The whole episode just shows the lead actor feeling upset in his hospital room, with a couple of flashbacks. I disliked the way that the story jumped between characters as well - this was quite contrary to the spirit of the book, in which the lead character's story slowly unfolds and his world expands. The main reason you would watch it is just that you hunger to see an adaptation of the book. The book indeed calls out for a modern 'Children Of Men'-type adaptation. We do the Apocalypse just so much better nowadays.

Excellent adaptation of the original novel

[Dr Wily · 10 July 2002]

Imagine my surprise one day in 1990 when I turned on Arts & Entertainment Network expecting to see the 1963 movie "The Day Of The Triffids." Rather surprised it would turn up on A&E, I still was thankful for the bit of luck. Never would I have guessed it wasn't "The Day Of The Triffids" I knew.

While I still like the generic monster movie version, this apparently made for TV adaptation is much more faithful to the novel. The movie is forced to sacrifice a lot of the human commentary in exchange for a resolved ending. This TV version keeps the focus on the character interaction, and, through their reaction, commentary on society. As with so many British TV shows, "Day Of The Triffids'" few faults are monetary.

Near as I can tell, in the United States, there were very few chances to see this production, which is a real shame. As, also, I have yet to hear of it ever being released on home video formats. A&E seemed to be the only outlet. And, I only know of 3 times it aired. Once in 1990, and twice again in 1991, which was when I taped it, and, I'm glad as I did, as I've yet to see it air anymore. However, A&E's broadcast quality was terrible at that time, notoriously dropping out signal. Plus, A&E always ran it over the course of 2 separate days, never advertising when the next part would be broadcast, and, the next part wasn't always in a logical fashion. One time, they showed it over two consecutive weekdays, once over a Saturday and Sunday weekend, and once Part 1 one Saturday and Part 2 the next Saturday. So, some company needs to release this rare gem, hopefully on DVD.

Elementary end-of-the-world

[ghot1 · 10/10 · 15 August 2006]

John Wyndham's penchant for post-apocalyptic disaster stories was cemented with this, one of the classic science fiction novels of the 20th century. Wyndham's story is rendered with considerable accuracy in this bridge between 50's and 60's sci-fi/horror and modern end-of-the-world flicks.

This is definitely a must-see for fans of classic science fiction, but it leans heavily on the social and sociological aspects of apocalypse rather than scientific speculation, so it's equally entertaining for those interested in a thriller. This also aides in the picture's timelessness; even viewed in the 21st century, it rings true. The few special effects can be forgiven their 1981 hokeyness, as the meat of the work is in the incredible story and acting.

Entertaining, but low budget adaptation of John Wyndham novel

[firehouse44 · 8/10 · 22 September 2005]

Being a keen fan of John Wyndham's books, and the earlier 1962 screen adaptation of "Day Of The Triffids", I purchased this DVD based purely on the strength of the votes on the IMDb site. ( This six part mini series was released on DVD in Australia / Region 4 about a year ago ) This 1981 BBC mini-series is far more faithful to the original book than was the 1962 film starring Howard Keel, both in story and characters. The three lead actors : John Duttine, Emma Relph and Maurice Colbourne are all very capable in their roles, and come across convincingly as average people thrown into a maelstrom of lawless society and predatory flesh eating plants. The series has an unsettling and eerie atmosphere and has been well directed by Ken Hannam to hold viewer interest throughout the 160 minute running time.

My only real gripe about the series is the obvious low budget that was afforded to it's production by the BBC. Many of the shots are clearly on studio sets, and for the subsequent days after the entire populace of London is blinded by the meteorite shower, their is minimal footage of any type of mob chaos, crashed vehicles, rioting, fires etc. Strangely, out of a population of over six million Londoners, most of them not only go blind, but they seem to have subsequently disappeared, as the city streets are strangely deserted ? ( I can only guess it was cheaper to film deserted streets, as opposed to filming hundreds of extras stumbling around feigning vision loss ! ) Never to mind, for these few faults, this is still an entertaining and captivating piece of sci-fi that demonstrates a good, strong story is central to making solid entertainment.

Faithful if a little slow

[weejockxxx · 9/10 · 28 January 2015]

The day Of The Triffids is my all time, favourite book. I read it first as a teenager and now, forty years later, it still grips me with it's despairing yet hopeful message and the horror of the Triffids which change from being a mild nuisance to a dreadful threat overnight when humanity loses the power of sight. I hadn't seen this version till a few months back so eagerly watched it when I got hold of a copy on DVD. The pacing is a bit slow as was normal back then but the story actually remains pretty faithful to the book (which is more than I can say about the appalling Howard Keel movie). The acting is first rate; John Duttine and Emma Relph breathe believability into the roles of Bill and Josella, the direction solid and even without modern day effects, the Triffids are scary. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to see a production of 'Triffids'

The best adaptation of the novel

[udar55 · 8/10 · 16 October 2012]

Bill Masen (John Duttine), having been temporarily blinded by a Triffid plant, wakes in the hospital one morning to find the world has mostly gone blind due to an unusual meteor shower the night before. He quickly teams up with Josella "Jo" Payton (Emma Relph) and the duo try to navigate though London while avoiding the walking Triffids as well as new groups determined to advance their ideologies on this new world. This 157 minute miniseries won accolades from John Wyndham fans as being the most accurate adaptation of his 1951 sci-fi novel (I haven't read it but the Wikipedia synopsis is dead on). It is definitely fun stuff and decidedly different from the 1960s TRIFFIDS film. Like most great sci- fi, it is really talking about modern times and dynamics between the various groups trying to impose their plans is interesting. While the idea of walking plants seems goofy, the production pulls it off with some nice practical FX. The key element that really helps pull it off is the creepy sound the plants make as they communicate by tapping on their bases. Very simply yet very effective. The show does suffer in that it does the age old Brit trick of location shooting on film and studio filming on videotape. Other than that, this is top notch stuff.

Absorbingly ridiculous...

[shotgunkid49 · 4/10 · 24 March 2005]

This movie was...well...pretty goofy. The soundtrack is practically taken out of an episode of Mr. Rogers, and the kids laughing in the audience at the beginning of the film is a bit weird. I got a kick out of the football fans trying to sing their cheer about "the famous arsenal," but all the rest of this movie was coated in moss and overgrowth. Maurice Colburne does an awesome job, though.

Unlike a lot of Hollywood productions, this film actually stays somewhat close to the book it's based on. John Duttine (Bill) I could've sworn was in "Jesus of Nazareth." If they could've had some more scenes with people wandering the streets it would've felt more like a catastrophe.

Ditch the soundtrack and it's a decent film.