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Author
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Topic: Blind Danger,(The day of the Triffids) 400ft Flat Colour sound
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Tom Photiou
Film God
Posts: 4837
From: Plymouth U.K
Registered: Dec 2003
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posted January 26, 2017 03:31 PM
Here is a 400ft colour sound Jumbo version, flat, that I never knew existed.
I spotted it on ebay and put in my bid but was outbid. However, along came the second chance e-mail and I decided to snap it up.
This version is called Blind Danger and is basically some excerpts from The Day of the Triffids concentrating on, as the title suggests the blinded population. This is a film that needs no introduction.
I knew it was released in an array of versions, b/w, colour, scope and flat, I also knew there were a couple, (I think) of 200 foot extracts. This 400 footer is completely new to me.
It opens with a caption explaining the meteorite storm which caused everyone looking at it to loose there eyesight. Then we start the reel with Bill Masen (Howard Keel), a merchant navy officer, in hospital. He discovers that while he has been waiting for his accident-damaged eyes to heal, an unusual meteor shower has blinded most people on Earth. Once he leaves the hospital, Masen finds people all over London struggling to stay alive in the face of their new affliction. Some survive by cooperating while others simply fight, but it is apparent that after just a few days society is collapsing.
He rescues a school girl, Susan (Janina Faye), from a crashed train, (the crash is shown in this this excerpt), They leave London in an abandoned car. In the foggy countryside they get stuck in the mud and just manage to escape an attacking Triffid. Great stuff. Later in daylight they arrive at a dock, we hear on the radio an aircraft captain pleading to be talked down, on the plane the passengers panic when a boy asks if the captain is also blind. Then, the plane crashes to the ground, all dead! This is then followed by and ending caption explaining the end. This is a weird way to finish a 400 ft version, but very unique & only mountain would do do something as bad as this after a tense 18 minutes. ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
As I understand it many of the features in colour have faded, (I know there are reports of a few good ones left), and also many have a fairly soft focus like many early scope films. This one had 100% excellent colours and, (for mountain films), a dam good focus. Clearly there is a little bit of sourced material wear but nothing to shout home about. The only pity is simply, nothing shown at the start of the actual meteorite storm, this would have made this a fine souvenir of a classic British post apocalyptic movie from 1961.
One question for you blokes, what was the quality like on the 200 ft versions, what were their titles, do any of them show the opening meteorite storm? If so, are the colours and focus good?
IF SO, do you have one to sell me
IF NOT, why not
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Rob Young.
Phenomenal Film Handler
Posts: 1633
From: Cheshire, U.K.
Registered: Dec 2003
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posted January 30, 2017 05:40 AM
Tom, here are the version that I know of so far...
1 x 400ft Colour / Pan & Scan Version - This has a short opening title sequence, the meteorite shower, Bill Mason in hospital with his eyes bandaged up asking to see the meteorite show, introduction to the couple of the lighthouse and the scenes at Kew Gardens with the security guard and the attack of the first Triffid. Ends with the scene on the lighthouse and the fight with a Triffid. Then one of Mountain's rather awful and abrupt title cards telling us that the world is doomed, but the scientists on the lighthouse have the key to killing the Triffids !!??
I bought this as a kid new about 1980 and the colour is still really good - along with "Blind Danger", the best I've seen "Triffids" look ever, even to this day.
1 x 400ft Colour / Pan & Scan "Blind Danger" - I too found this rarity on eBay a couple of years ago having never, ever seen or heard of it before. You know this one now and like yours, mine has great colour. So we know of at least 2 copies now!
1 x 200ft Colour / Pan & Scan - "Invasion of the Plant Creatures" - France; Bill Mason & Coker are in a forest when the single pilot plane crashes, death of Coker and then the scenes at the blind home with the criminals taking over. Ends with Bill Mason, Susan & Christine Durant escaping as Triffids invade the home.
Most copies are rather brown in colour from new and have faded to pink. Mine has faded to pink at the beginning (the green trees are pink!) but picks up a little for some blues in the later night time shots.
1 x 200ft "Destruction of the Creeping Monsters" Colour / Pan & Scan - The final scenes on the lighthouse with the discovery that sea water melts the Triffids. Ends with closing shots of Mason, etc. climbing steps to a church and "The End of a Mountain Film".
All copies pretty much brownish from new, but find all of these versions and edited them together for a rather nice mini-feature. (Also many copies of "Destruction" were out of sync for some reason, but obviously can be re-recorded). Derann sold a batch of these back in the late 1980's (Mountain prints that they had found somewhere).
Now then...1 x 200ft rarity in Colour / Pan & Scan ...called something like, "Inferno of the Monsters"!? I saw this one time only, on a Derann used list about 10 years ago. Darn well missed out on it. I'm guessing it is the scenes in Spain with Bill Mason using the petrol hose on the Triffids? Can any fellow member here help out? Or sell me copy!!??
Also, as reviewed by Chip, the 4 x 400ft B&W masked version (nice but the master was a bit splicy and a couple of odd edits).
4 x 400ft Colour / Pan & Scan. I've personally never seen this one, but have seen several copies for sale.
Full feature in Colour / Scope - Also never seen it, but gather the colour is rather poor from new (brownish).
Also, 4 x 400ft Colour / Scope, but perhaps other members could clarify this one - edit; sorry, David, just re-read your comments on this one & and also Brian's comments on the 200ft releases.
Trailer from Derann printed around late 1990's - Colour / Flat & masked for widescreen. Nice souvenir.
[ January 30, 2017, 07:54 AM: Message edited by: Rob Young. ]
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Rob Young.
Phenomenal Film Handler
Posts: 1633
From: Cheshire, U.K.
Registered: Dec 2003
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posted January 30, 2017 07:53 AM
Yes, I would definitely recommend that original 400ft version if you ever see one Tom.
There are a few printed in marks, but the colour on my copy is like the colour on "Blind Danger", really nice, and has lasted all these years. I still get a shiver projecting it, like I was 10 years old again!
I was a little disappointed at the rather abrupt ending back then, but I've had so much fun discovering the additional extracts over the years and re-making a longer and longer version.
As David has discovered, even the DVD versions are variable and non are great (soft image, out of sync sound, etc. You name it).
To date, the best versions I have seen are that original 1 x 400ft edit and "Blind Danger".
Now who has a copy of "Inferno..."?????
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
Oh, and yes Tom, "Destruction" does end with, "Dum Dum Da Dum...Dum Dum Da Dum!!!"
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