Jim

Just watched 'Day of the Triffids' again - by cranky, can't Janet Scott scream? She almost shattered a vase standing on top of our tele!!

Just imagine what they could do with special effects today with DOTT?

By the way, is John Wyndham still going?

Good morning boys.

sanndevil

No - died a long time ago, in 1969. However, the lovely Janette Scott is still going strong, and despite being a little more comely these days, was radiant at her mother's funeral (Dame Thora Hird) last year.

Jim

You're right sanndevil! She's still a 'corker'.

Good morning boys.

DB7

28 Days Later was reminiscent (Alex Garland acknowledged it was part homage to Wynham) of Day of the Triffids; even recreating the desolate Westminster Bridge scene. Both have their salvation strongholds, the Isle of Wight in the book and Manchester in Boyle's film.

Maybe somebody should adapt Night of the Triffids.

Marky B

Having never seen 28 Days Later,I didn't know it was of homage to Day of the Triffids.
However,a remake no doubt will soon be on the cards.
Steven Spielberg is supposed to doing a remake of The War of The Worlds with Tom Cruise,so perhaps he will log DOTT in his diary in a couple of years or so.
Ta Ta
Marky B

I am special. The heavens always open for me.

DB7

Jim

So Spielberg, that great re-writer of history is supposed to be remaking War of the Worlds? I'll bet he'll make it in the present day and not in the period in which is was written; which to me would be more effective! I wonder if he will mess about with the script so that it represents nothing like the original!
:mad:

Good morning boys.

ican

Watched Day of the Triffids again last night. Does anyone have any information as to why the print that is always shown is so bad? The BBC have distributed the film on DVD and its the same shoddy print. I'd say its the worst print of any film I've ever seen shown on terrestial TV.
I'd much sooner have seen the BFI restoring this classic rather than the recent work they have done on the Godzilla films.
Godzilla vs The Triffids?

DB7

Try the Second Sight DVD rather than the BBC one. Not seen it myself but told it's a better print.

Shadwell

The Triffids would win any day. Saw it last night on BBC4 and was surprised at just how poor the quality was. Granted it was made a few years ago now but even so surely it can't be that bad. Ah well. Good though to get some detail on John Wyndham.

Time to keep your appointment with the Wicker Man...

Iain1962

Hi there.

That print seems to get worse with every showing. I'm going to tape Attack on the Iron Coast over it.

I notice that the screenwriter's credit has been revised to include Bernard Gordon as sole contirbutor even though I'm sure that I read that both producer Philip Yordan and Charles Eric Maine both had a crack at various drafts. Gordon's title card looks like it was done with a Letraset kit. The print used on the Sci-Fi channel some years back was widescreen and better quality (though still rather grubby) than the Beeb's. I wish they'd shown their own print of Village of the Damned than this or the even better Children of the Damned.

I liked the documentary about Wyndham which preceded Triffids. Very infromative and entertaining, especially the origin of the Triffids themselves. I feel that the usually outstanding Chris Langham was largely redundant in the programme since he wasn't really allowed to contribute much to the finished article apart from a couple of quotes and scenes of him beavering away at the typewriter. Was this made by the same team responsible for the Orwell documentary also featuring Langham?

Regarding Wyndham adapations surely the time is now right for a movie version of The Kraken Wakes, given all the controversy over global warming, melting of icecaps, etc?

I've actually read the posthumously published The Web mentioned as an abortive collaboration between Wyndham and Aldiss. Some interesting stuff in it bu not terribly impressive overall. Any comments?

Cheers.

Iain

Shadwell

Yes, I'm amazed Hollywood hasn't picked up on The Kraken Wakes. Perhaps it's a blessing because they'd just screw it up. Would make for a good movie if they did it properly though. It has been made into a Radio Play though and was recently transmitted on BBC7. Quite good it was too...

Time to keep your appointment with the Wicker Man...

Steve Crook

Philip Yordan was on the original version, but he was just acting as a front for Bernard Gordon who was blacklisted (even in 1962) so recent prints include this correction.
There's no record I can see of Maine being involved.

I though Aldiss said he was tempted by the offer to collaborate - but that giant spiders didn't seem to be the sort of thing he wanted to write about. He was certainly implying that he didn't do it.

But then again, the plant biologist at the beginning said that nectarines were a mutation of peaches after they were deliberately irradiated (as was done to many plants at the time). Looking them up I see that's tosh. Nectarines are much older than that.

I liked all of Wyndham's work, but a particular favourite was The Trouble with Lichen.

Steve

Hugo

"I though Aldiss said he was tempted by the offer to collaborate - but that giant spiders didn't seem to be the sort of thing he wanted to write about. He was certainly implying that he didn't do it."

Yes I got this impression too. Interestingly enough Aldiss wrote his own book about this time (HOTHOUSE) which features giant spiders making webs between the earth and the moon, which he conveniently forgot to mention.

Steve Crook

Maybe that's why he didn't want to be involved in another book about spiders.

Steve