The Day of the Triffids. (1962)

Title – The Day of the Triffids

Author – John Wyndham 
Script - Bernard Gordon & Philip Yordan 

Distributor – The Rank Organisation
Format – Film
Year – 1962
Viewed Via - Amazon Prime

Its a rainy Bank Holiday Monday which feels like a Sunday afternoon so an old black 'n' white sci-fi movie seemed appropriate,  Of course the 1962 version of The Day of the Tiffids, is actually in colour although I never seem to remember that fact and if I'm honest I'm not sure it benefits any for being so.  Its always had a slightly blurred smudged look to me which is perhaps appropriate given that its a slightly blurred and smudged adaption of the original materiel.  That said, I quite like it for what it is.  And after today's repeat viewing, I would say it still hold up pretty well.

I do love the original book but I'm not a purest as my discovery of Triffids came first through a comic adaption in the very early 70s, then the 80s' BBC TV version and then the book.  I knew of  John Wyndham as I had read The Chrysalids twice before I picked up the perennial killer plant based masterpiece but once I had there is no denying that any adaption as ever quite done it the full justice it deserves.

Condensing the horrors of the London streets onto a train platform works really well

I'm quite forgiving of the various changes this version makes though as they feel explainable for the time and the cinematic format.  Bill Masen has changed profession but then he does need to get on a boat and sail to France as the script writers want to play up the global nature of the catastrophe.   And of course the military don't come out of the original book looking all that respectable either so transferring the the final trigger to flee from a despotic self appointed military government onto a drunk and  rapey band of French escaped convicts, leaves the British armed services reputation intact and heroic.

The origin of the Triffids in this is that they came to Earth on meteors and are certainly excited enough by the second meteor shower to suggest the two are connected and part of a combined event.  Where as in the book its an unhappy accident that the blinding effect of the meteor shower gives the - probably bio-engineered in the U.S.S.R. and accidentally released - killer plants a sudden and massive evolutionary advantage over humanity.

Of course the film has an infamous and massive cop-out ending when it reveals, via the parallel subplot of two marine biologists working on a lighthouse, that seawater when liberally sprayed at Triffids will melt the veggie buggers to slush.  But then on reflection its not surprising they come up with something...anything rather than terminate the cinema audience's journey in the same way that the book does, with the heroes fleeing to safety and a promise to one day return to reclaim the world for humanity.  Its a great end to the novel but its not conclusive enough for the cinema of the time.  Those that invade the Earth and prey upon humanity must be seen to be stopped.  If its good enough for all the other sci-fi invaders of the planet, then it's good enough for Triffids.  And that's what the film reduces them to; another alien invader.  Effective if not faithful.

Down Boy!

Be seeing you

Steve