The Day of the Triffids

The Day of the Triffids

Year: 1000

Runtime: 180 mins

Language: English

Director: Ken Hannam

DramaHorror

Following mysterious bright lights in the sky, the human race is rendered blind and helpless. The survivors find themselves stalked by sentient flesh-eating plants.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – The Day of the Triffids (1000)

Explore the full timeline and setting of The Day of the Triffids (1000). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Late 20th century

The events unfold in late 20th-century Britain, following a spectacular meteor shower that blinds most of humanity. Society collapses overnight and bands of survivors form in the wake of the catastrophe. Over several years, different communities rise, split, and attempt to reestablish some semblance of civilization.

Location

London, Sussex Downs, Isle of Wight, English countryside

London becomes a site of collapse after the meteor shower, with streets emptied and law and order eroded. The Sussex Downs becomes a haven where survivors attempt to rebuild a life away from the ruined city. The Isle of Wight and the surrounding countryside serve as refuges and transit routes as groups move to safer grounds and arable land.

🌆 Post-apocalyptic 🧭 Survival 🏞️ Countryside

Last Updated: November 22, 2025 at 15:51

Main Characters – The Day of the Triffids (1000)

Meet the key characters of The Day of the Triffids (1000), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Bill Masen (Jonathan Duttine)

A sighted man who works on a triffid farm and survives the meteor-shower blackout by virtue of being hospitalized with his eyes bandaged. He gradually grasps the scale of the catastrophe, rescues Jo, and becomes a driving force for a small survivor group. He eventually sabotages an armored vehicle to help his people escape and seeks a safer place to rebuild, embodying cautious leadership and resilience.

🧭 Leader 🛡️ Survivor

Jo Payton (Emma Relph)

A sighted survivor who slept through the meteor shower and is rescued by Bill. She joins the growing community and becomes a central partner in the search for safety, sharing in the hard choices of rebuilding life after disaster. Her presence anchors the human dimension of the survivors’ journey.

🧭 Survivor 🌟 Hope

Jack Coker (Maurice Colbourne)

A sighted survivor who advocates keeping London as a base and organizing the blind into groups under a new ruling class. He captures Bill and Jo and enforces divisions among the survivors, revealing the darker impulse to control in a post-apocalyptic society. His plan ultimately falters as the groups split and new settlements form.

🧭 Leader 🛡️ Opponent

Last Updated: November 22, 2025 at 15:51

Major Themes – The Day of the Triffids (1000)

Explore the central themes of The Day of the Triffids (1000), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🧭 Survival & Community

The film centers on how people must cooperate to endure a world changed by blindness. Groups form, diverge, and negotiate leadership under extreme stress. Bill and Jo's alliance embodies practical care and mutual aid in the face of constant danger. The narrative probes how shared goals can bind strangers into a fragile society.

🏰 Power & Control

A new organization attempts to rule the blind as a new aristocracy, challenging the idea of a shared rebuilding. Sighted leaders imagine a feudal order where power is assigned, and children are used to repopulate. The armored car arrival and the plan to corral the blind reveal the dangers of centralized control in a lawless world.

🌿 Nature's Threat

The triffids remain a relentless ecological menace, roaming the countryside and preying on vulnerable populations. A mysterious, deadly disease compounds the danger, accelerating the collapse of the fragile settlements. The natural world is both a resource to exploit (oil from triffid pods) and a deadly opponent that cannot be tamed without cooperation.

Last Updated: November 22, 2025 at 15:51

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The Day of the Triffids Summary

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The Day of the Triffids Summary

The Day of the Triffids Timeline

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The Day of the Triffids Timeline

More About The Day of the Triffids

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More About The Day of the Triffids

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