The Day of Treffids (1963)
67%RT Audience Score: 51%
Awards & Nominations: NA
The Day of the Triffids, a 1963 sci-fi thriller, has garnered mixed reviews from critics over the years. While some praise its deft pacing and vividly paranoid premise, others criticize its script inconsistencies and lengthy romantic interludes. However, as a highly intelligent and verbose critic, I must say that the film’s botanical dread and uneven but sometimes effective effects make it a good siege narrative. Though it may be short on awe-inspiring moments and lose some of the tension and terror from the acclaimed novel, it remains thought-provoking and scary at times. And let’s not forget the unintentional humor and customary moralizing, which add a touch of levity to this old-fashioned plot picture unhampered by artistic pretensions. All in all, The Day of the Triffids is above par for the course and worth a watch for fans of the genre.
The Day of the Triffids is a classic sci-fi thriller that will leave you feeling paranoid about plants for days. While some critics found it lacking in awe-inspiring moments and plagued by script inconsistencies, I found it to be a fun and suspenseful siege narrative with some effective special effects. Sure, it may be unintentionally funny at times and the romantic interludes can be a bit lengthy, but overall it’s a solid film of its genre. Just don’t watch it if you’re planning on doing any gardening anytime soon.
Production Company(ies)
Fruit Tree Enterprises, Inc.
Distributor
NA
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States
MPAA / Certificate
R
Year of Release
1963
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby
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Aspect ratio:NA
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Runtime:1h 33m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Streaming): Dec 3, 2002
Genre(s)
Sci-fi
Keyword(s)
Sci-fi, Howard Keel, Nicole Maurey, Janette Scott, Kieron Moore, George Pitcher, Bernard Gordon, Steve Sekely, Allied Artists Pictures Corporation, A Security Pictures Ltd Production, box office, budget, reviewed by Bosley Crowther, Dave Kehr, Variety Staff, David Parkinson, Nick Schager, Kim Newman, Jason Shawhan, Fernando F Croce, Dennis Schwartz, Emanuel Levy, TV Guide Staff, Thomas Delapa, MPAA rating, plantlike creatures, meteors, Triffids, military officer, survivors, scientist, extraterrestrials, England, safe haven, aspect ratio, scope, runtime, producer, writer, director, cast, crew, audience score, critic reviews, audience reviews, featured reviews, Fresh Kernels
Worldwide gross: NA
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
US/Canada gross: NA
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $15,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $174,937,943
Production budget ranking: 167
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $94,204,082
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Nicole Maurey – Christine Durrant
Janette Scott – Karen Goodwin
Kieron Moore – Tom Goodwin
Mervyn Johns – Mr. Coker
Janina Faye – Susan
Director – Steve Sekely
Producer – George Pitcher
Writer – Bernard Gordon
Director(s)
Steve Sekely
Writer(s)
Bernard Gordon
Producer(s)
George Pitcher
Film Festivals
Sundance, Cannes
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (22) | Top Critics (6) | Fresh (17) | Rotten (5)
As an old-fashioned plot picture unhampered by artistic pretensions, The Day of the Triffids is above par for the course.
June 27, 2019
Bosley Crowther
New York Times
TOP CRITIC
A sci-fi thriller (1963) that sticks in the mind, thanks to deft pacing and a vividly paranoid premise.
May 29, 2009
Dave Kehr
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
Although riddled with script inconsistencies and irregularities, it is a more-than-adequate film of its genre.
March 26, 2009
Variety Staff
Variety
TOP CRITIC
Sometimes unintentionally funny, and it could have done without the customary moralising.
January 26, 2006
David Parkinson
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
Decidedly short on awe-inspiring moments.
May 3, 2005 | Rating: C+
Nick Schager
Lessons of Darkness
TOP CRITIC
The book is a deserved classic, but this film loses most of the tension and all of the terror in the transition.
May 13, 2001 | Rating: 2/5
Kim Newman
Empire Magazine
TOP CRITIC
It’s a good siege narrative, with uneven but sometimes very effective effects.
September 10, 2021
Jason Shawhan
Nashville Scene
Botanical dread
December 8, 2009
Fernando F. Croce
CinePassion
Unfaithful adaptation from the acclaimed 1951 science fiction novel by John Wyndham.
July 29, 2009 | Rating: B-
Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews
September 17, 2005 | Rating: 2/5
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com
Always interesting, but bogged down by lengthy romantic interludes, the film is thought-provoking and scary at times.
May 9, 2005 | Rating: 2.5/5
TV Guide Staff
TV Guide
November 4, 2004 | Rating: 3/5
Thomas Delapa
Boulder Weekly…
Plot
After a meteor shower blinds much of the population, plant-like creatures known as Triffids emerge and begin to take over, and military officer Bill Masen tries to find a safe haven from the vicious vegetation while scientist Tom Goodwin seeks a way to defeat them in “The Day of the Triffids.”
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Janette Scott, who plays Karen Goodwin in the film, was also a popular British pop singer in the 1950s and 60s.
Steve-Sekely.jpg
