Day of the Triffids, The (1962) [ID7638JO]

"The Day Of The Triffids" or as I like to call it, "Night Of The Walking Trees" might not be a film that many will fawn over but it is never the less a fun entry into early 60s British sci fi and an interesting laserdisc. The film is based on a 1951 novel, and as we all know a book to film can either flop or succeed. The first time through the pre -release process the film basically tanked. To compensate, an added story concerning a love on the rocks scientist and his wife fighting off Triffids at a lighthouse was edited in to spruce up the film. Actually this is more than just an added scene or two, it is a mini movie of it's own and helps facilitate what leads to the Triffids ultimate doom. Actress Janette Scott (scientists wife) who ends up on the laserdisc jacket front cover with her tight sixties outfit is taken from these scenes (or at least a still photo from it). The added green to the jacket was a nice touch forcing a prominent Yellow Triffids logo. If your like me you'll see "Night Of The Living Dead" (big parallel to zombies in the film), Alien, and even today's "The Walking Dead" as the main character wakes up in a hospital after the devastation. Scenes in the laserdisc trailer never made it to the movie such as a giant Triffid on a plane. A photo clip from "Castle Of Frankenstein" magazine even showed a guys head getting munched on that didn't make it as well.

The Day Of The Triffids keeps outer space at the forefront as meteors bombarding the Earth are the culprits that bring blindness to our planets population while also creating carnivorous plants and walking trees that are awkwardly propelled by their roots (the novel relies on "experimental plants" as the catalyst) The monsters of the film are creative in some respects and yes, schlocky. The trees have venomous stingers and spit poison, a couple of cool scenes show this. An elderly man carried by lead actor Howard Keel gets struck from afar by a Triffid. If you look closely (and quickly) his face turns green after death (chlorophyll?). The Triffids emit a weird sound that I have to admit is appropriately creepy.

But lets get to the laserdisc. Released in 1990 I have seen it often sell in subsequent years for 40.00 on ebay or elsewhere possibly due to the arguably poor dvd transfer and aspect ratio concern some have mentioned. Or, it just might be that it is a desired title for LD fans. I like the laserdisc picture quality on this film as it has a very broad color spectrum and dips high and low nicely with hues. No grainy mess here and although supposedly from the same print as the dvd, laserdisc handles it differently. Outside of a few reel changing jumps and a smokey scene of burning Triffids that discolors, it's smooth. Laserdisc never ceases to amaze me especially with a B catalog picture like this. Watch for some great shadowy images that really highlight the capability of the format.

The audio is another story. Filmed in mono (which is not bad of itself), the source material limits any true enhancement except possibly just being louder when amplified. The vocalization of "S" sounding words often creates "speaker scratching" that sounds like your operating low end electronic equipment. The dialogue is the weakest part of the audio. Most alien generated or space sounds are decent for their age and back-round noise is relatively natural. One thing I must tell you, LOWER YOUR VOLUME when any of the women in the film scream, it is ear piercing! Forget about hi or low fidelity when it comes to this issue, trust me.

So, if your into early 60s sci fi films shot British style with a nice (proper)widescreen presentation, have at it. A blu ray of the film is being worked on and should be revealing but if you want to watch the film in it's original incarnation, check laserdisc for a popcorn night. How can you lose with lines like, "Keep behind me. There's no sense in getting killed by a plant."

never knew about the added storyline, makes sense now, always seemed out of place.

i remember buying this a long time ago at closeout back around 1990-91
didn't know that it was valuable until years later, but i have found a few and made a few bucks to pay for other LDs

but for me LDs are hard to sell, not that i can't but i don't want to

Nice review

Although it is the case in Japan.
When I was enthusiastically collecting LD,
I wanted to purchase this LD so much a fan of the original novel.
It was a rarity of whether to buy but also to spend 100,000 yen.
So I give up, I have to put up with cheapo trimmed VHS copy.

I was always a fan of the novel as a kid, loved the 80s BBC TV series and was excited when the 60s film came on TV one night. It was on at about 4 in the morning so I set a tape to record it, watched it the next day and had never been so thankful for setting the tape wrong as it ran out before the end...the film was just awful. Much like the newer BBC TV series I'd say it's more inspired by the novel than actually based on it. In my opinion the best big screen version of Day of the Triffids is still 28 Days Later.

Having read the novel as a child, I was delighted to spot this film version in a video store when I was about ten. Even at that time, I felt totally betrayed by the truly appalling and contrived ending. It’s a great feature of all of John Wyndham’s novels that they end in an enigmatic way and this ending slapped on a work that I regarded with such reverence made me rage and fume.

The 1981 BBC tv series was a lot better and the 2009 miniseries better still, but they’re not good in absolute terms. One’s better off avoiding the lot of them and sticking with the book.

Yes. Somehow, without being a direct adaptation, 28DL seems to get much closer to the feel of the novel.

Poor VHS and JP translated novel.
In Japan, as far as after the theatrical release, aired TV
Was not released at all before DVD.