The BBC has released a trailer of its new re-make of the Day of the Triffids.
The two-parter, to be screened over the Christmas period, stars comedian Eddie Izzard, Dougray Scott, Joely Richardson, her real-life mother Vanessa Redgrave and Brian Cox.
Cox plays Dennis Masen, a scientist whose life work has been to study Triffids. Scott plays his son, Dr Bill Masen, the story's handsome hero.
The series is based on the 1951 John Wyndham novel, and uses the latest CGI to create apocalyptic scenes, including that of a plane in trouble over London.
Eddie Izzard plays the villain.
Apocalyptic scenes as BBC releases trailer of sci-fi drama remake, Day Of The Triffids
By Daily Mail Reporter
22nd December 2009
Daily Mail
These are some of the dramatic scenes sci-fi fans can look forward to this Christmas when the eagerly awaited The Day Of The Triffids remake will be screened.
The two-part drama features apocalyptic-style footage of London as the world comes under attack from a new generation of giant killer plants.
Adapted from the 1951 novel by John Wyndham, the modern-day version for BBC1 has been penned by ER and Law & Order writer Patrick Harbinson.
The Triffids begin rapidly breeding and Dr Bill Masen (Dougray Scott) must lead the brave in their epic battle against their reign of terror
Eddie Izzard in the BBC remake of sci-fi drama The Day Of The Triffids which will air over Christmas
Whereas the BBC's 1981 version was set in the late 20th century, the new Day Of The Triffids will take place in 2011.
Stars of the new series, which will be screened on December 28 and 29, include comic Eddie Izzard, Dougray Scott, Joely Richardson, her real-life mother Vanessa Redgrave and Brian Cox.
Cox plays Dennis Masen, a scientist whose life work has been to study Triffids. Scott plays his son, Dr Bill Masen, the story's handsome hero.
This epic drama takes root with the search for an alternative fuel supply, which leads to the discovery of the ominous Triffid, a crop now cultivated for its fuel that seems to have a life of its own.
Dougray Scott also stars in the highly anticipated remake which is set in the future
Scientists cultivate the Triffid as an alternative fuel source only to discover it has a life of its own
But when spectators gather worldwide for a much anticipated solar storm, billions are left blinded and the few sighted survivors watch as society collapses into chaos.
The Triffids, meanwhile, find their way out of captivity. Free to roam the planet with a fatal sting, and a retributive taste for human flesh, the Triffids begin rapid breeding.
Now Dr Bill Masen (Dougray Scott) must lead the brave in their epic battle against the Triffids' reign of terror in what could be the last days of mankind.
Eddie Izzard plays the villain of the piece, Torrence, who survives a spectacularly staged plane crash by stealing the other, blinded, passengers' life jackets and inflating them all together – a sort of giant airbag – in the aeroplane toilet.
Izzard plays the villain of the piece, Torrence, who survives a plane crash by stealing the other, blinded, passengers' life jackets and inflating them all together
A plane flies over the London skyline, but one of the engines has caught light
'He's disconnected from everyone else,' says Izzard.
'They left it up to us to fill in our characters' back stories. So I've decided that maybe Torrence was orphaned.
Patrick Harbinson's lavish new 180-minute version for the BBC sets the latest CGI technology on to the killer vegetation.
But the production won't be relying on computer wizardry alone – rather a touch of old-fashioned suspense was also called for. 'Do the Jaws thing' he says. 'Hide them as long as you can.'
Izzard said he has watched the 1962 film but not the TV series from 1981.
Blinded: The world comes under attack from a new generation of killer plants in the two-part special
'I was at university but you're not supposed to stay in and watch anything at university are you, well I never did.
'This is what I've worked out: The whole world is the classroom, politics is the classroom, how we interact is the classroom and it gets very feral. If we've adapted The Day Of The Triffids right then it should feel like this could happen.
'Everything interesting is about energy. Fireworks, war, parliamentary question time, rock concerts, it's all about energy changes and we're intrigued.
'In Day Of The Triffids parts of London are seen as decayed or broken up, that's why the Blitz was a hellish time but also a fascinating time.'
The Day of the Triffids starts on BBC1 on Monday 28 December at 9pm.
It's not just London which has come under attack from the killer plants
The world is struck blind by a solar storm, and millions of man-eating mobile plants are released to roam Britain.
dailymail.co.uk
The two-parter, to be screened over the Christmas period, stars comedian Eddie Izzard, Dougray Scott, Joely Richardson, her real-life mother Vanessa Redgrave and Brian Cox.
Cox plays Dennis Masen, a scientist whose life work has been to study Triffids. Scott plays his son, Dr Bill Masen, the story's handsome hero.
The series is based on the 1951 John Wyndham novel, and uses the latest CGI to create apocalyptic scenes, including that of a plane in trouble over London.
Eddie Izzard plays the villain.
Apocalyptic scenes as BBC releases trailer of sci-fi drama remake, Day Of The Triffids
By Daily Mail Reporter
22nd December 2009
Daily Mail
These are some of the dramatic scenes sci-fi fans can look forward to this Christmas when the eagerly awaited The Day Of The Triffids remake will be screened.
The two-part drama features apocalyptic-style footage of London as the world comes under attack from a new generation of giant killer plants.
Adapted from the 1951 novel by John Wyndham, the modern-day version for BBC1 has been penned by ER and Law & Order writer Patrick Harbinson.
The Triffids begin rapidly breeding and Dr Bill Masen (Dougray Scott) must lead the brave in their epic battle against their reign of terror
Eddie Izzard in the BBC remake of sci-fi drama The Day Of The Triffids which will air over Christmas
Whereas the BBC's 1981 version was set in the late 20th century, the new Day Of The Triffids will take place in 2011.
Stars of the new series, which will be screened on December 28 and 29, include comic Eddie Izzard, Dougray Scott, Joely Richardson, her real-life mother Vanessa Redgrave and Brian Cox.
Cox plays Dennis Masen, a scientist whose life work has been to study Triffids. Scott plays his son, Dr Bill Masen, the story's handsome hero.
This epic drama takes root with the search for an alternative fuel supply, which leads to the discovery of the ominous Triffid, a crop now cultivated for its fuel that seems to have a life of its own.
Dougray Scott also stars in the highly anticipated remake which is set in the future
Scientists cultivate the Triffid as an alternative fuel source only to discover it has a life of its own
But when spectators gather worldwide for a much anticipated solar storm, billions are left blinded and the few sighted survivors watch as society collapses into chaos.
The Triffids, meanwhile, find their way out of captivity. Free to roam the planet with a fatal sting, and a retributive taste for human flesh, the Triffids begin rapid breeding.
Now Dr Bill Masen (Dougray Scott) must lead the brave in their epic battle against the Triffids' reign of terror in what could be the last days of mankind.
Eddie Izzard plays the villain of the piece, Torrence, who survives a spectacularly staged plane crash by stealing the other, blinded, passengers' life jackets and inflating them all together – a sort of giant airbag – in the aeroplane toilet.
Izzard plays the villain of the piece, Torrence, who survives a plane crash by stealing the other, blinded, passengers' life jackets and inflating them all together
A plane flies over the London skyline, but one of the engines has caught light
'He's disconnected from everyone else,' says Izzard.
'They left it up to us to fill in our characters' back stories. So I've decided that maybe Torrence was orphaned.
Patrick Harbinson's lavish new 180-minute version for the BBC sets the latest CGI technology on to the killer vegetation.
But the production won't be relying on computer wizardry alone – rather a touch of old-fashioned suspense was also called for. 'Do the Jaws thing' he says. 'Hide them as long as you can.'
Izzard said he has watched the 1962 film but not the TV series from 1981.
Blinded: The world comes under attack from a new generation of killer plants in the two-part special
'I was at university but you're not supposed to stay in and watch anything at university are you, well I never did.
'This is what I've worked out: The whole world is the classroom, politics is the classroom, how we interact is the classroom and it gets very feral. If we've adapted The Day Of The Triffids right then it should feel like this could happen.
'Everything interesting is about energy. Fireworks, war, parliamentary question time, rock concerts, it's all about energy changes and we're intrigued.
'In Day Of The Triffids parts of London are seen as decayed or broken up, that's why the Blitz was a hellish time but also a fascinating time.'
The Day of the Triffids starts on BBC1 on Monday 28 December at 9pm.
It's not just London which has come under attack from the killer plants
The world is struck blind by a solar storm, and millions of man-eating mobile plants are released to roam Britain.
dailymail.co.uk
