TRIFFID

From the 1963 film ‘The Day of the Triffids’ directed by Steve Sekely & Freddie Francis. Based on the novel by John Whyndham

The film of the classic John Whyndham book was made and released in 1963, and had Aurora made a kit of as part of their Monsters of the Movies series it would have actually been a contemporary subject. Not a Universla monster from decade or two prior.

The film is decent enough thriller with a handful of memorable scene and the threat of the Triffids is constant, But the film has a distinct pulpy B movie film. Oddly if it had been made in Black & White it might seem like a classic. The Triffids themsleves vary in appearance, which i looks to be more due to to practical consideration during teh production of the film rathe rthan artistic choices to have different variants of the ‘walking plants’. but they all shuffle along with in appropriately eerie and unstoppable manner. The memorable scenes with Keiron Moore and Janette Scott at the Lighthouse were a late addition to the production and were shot by a different team - headed up by Freddie Francis. The Triffids in these scenes look quite different from those faetured in the main Howard Keel storyline. These variances are not a distraction when watching the film as the ‘monsters’ are seen in shocking quick cuts, with menacing lighting. The small Triffids that we see growing look different again from the larger counterparts. In fact it was only when researching this illustartaion that I actually noticed most of this.

This illustration includes an indication of the colourful meteor shower that (in the film) brings the Triffids to earth, or in some way energsises them to start moving about and ‘take over’. the glow in the dark parts woukld be the #haed’ and possible some of the leafy or vin-like deatils (that feature on onyl some of those seen in the film). Aurorora always provided a base for their monsters. I imagine this one to be some rocks, similar to ‘The Wolfman’ kit, suggesting the Lighthouse scenes and showing that the plant does not need soil! Possibly there would be the rmeains of partially broken fence wooden fence.

For all of the films shortcomings, the Triffids are vcredible and scary menaces to be be avoided at all costs and are a memorable design.

As an aside, In the film ‘E.T. The Extra Terrrestrial’ (1982) we see inside E.T.s ship see what appear to be various plants gathered from other planets, one of the plants is a Triffid from this film.

I have not been able to find any information who designed and or made the Trffids for the film.

Cedric Dawe is credited as the Art Director on the film . And Wally Veevers was resposnsibel for the Special Visual Effects, but sometimes specialised things like such as these would be handled separately, and in thoe days were not credited. .