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Where the Long Tail Ends


Robert, Nat, & Cody experience a pair of "cozy catastrophes" this episode with THE DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS (1962) and THE EARTH DIES SCREAMING (1964).  Both films are a very English look at the apocalypse at the height of the Cold War and forerunners of the zombie apocalypse genre which would be created just a few years later with THE NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lrin0N8r1Ls

First up is THE DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS based on John Wyndham's 1951 novel. After 99% of humanity is blinded by a spectacular meteor shower, a handful of sighted have to deal with the rise of the triffids, a species of poisonous, mobile, carnivorous plants.

The Day of the Triffids

You can see THE DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS as a forerunner of the zombie apocalypse genre. Securing shelter, avoiding the hordes of murderous monsters, and fighting them off when they lay siege are common tropes of any apocalypse story. THE DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS certainly gets points for being an influence. And it does have its moments.

The Day of the Triffids

We dive into THE DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS to discuss what works and what doesn't about this very British film. Certainly its influence is evident. But, does being first mean being best? Are the triffids up there with seminal monsters? Does it explore its ideas well? We discuss all these topics.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Pa_cVQlkEQ&t=15s

THE EARTH DIES SCREAMING pairs well with THE DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS as another British apocalypse that fits neatly in a continuum between THE DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS and THE NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD. After a mysterious gas attack, alien robots and the reanimated dead lay siege to a group of survivors holed up in a British public house hoping for the whole thing to blow over. Well, lay siege might be overstating it, but show up occasionally to menace the group of survivors fighting among themselves might be more accurate.

The Earth Dies Screaming

Full of British character actors, including Dennis Price and Throley Walters, and an American for cross-Atlantic appeal, THE EARTH DIES SCREAMING finds Terence Fisher in familiar territory. John Carpenter mentioned the film in an introduction to a book on Terence Fisher and you have to wonder how much it stuck with him with scenes of a blank eyed zombie chasing a woman into an upstairs closet, like in HALLOWEEN, or with a climax involving blowing up a radio antenna, like in THEY LIVE.

The Earth Dies Screamng

Regardless of its influence, SHAUN OF THE DEAD seems to be aware of it, it's a minor entry in Terence Fisher's filmography. It didn't even rate in Scorsese's list of significant British deep cuts that Quentin Tarantino and Edgar Wright talked about recently, even if a significant number of Terence Fisher films figured in the list. And perhaps it's main bit of significance is its relation to better films and masterpieces. But, we found quite a bit to talk about for the film.

The Earth Dies Screaming

No need to hold off a siege. You can give us a play below or Download the episode. Also, feel free to let us know what you think by commenting below or Email Us at skiespocast@gmail.com as we appreciate feedback.

Time tracks:

THE DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS Discussion: 0:00 to 27:47

THE EARTH DIES SCREAMING Discussion: 27:47 to 54:46

Next Film and Outro: 54:46 to End

Next month, we travel to the trippy 1970s with Saul Bass's sole feature film, PHASE IV. We hope you’ll join us.

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Jul 14, 2014

Series 5 Episode 4 of the High and Low (Brow) Podcast.

And we're back! That's right, in what might be record time, it is the triumphant return of the lovable podcast you love to love, High and Low (Brow)! I know, I know, we're spoiling you. But you know what? You deserve it. You've stuck with us year after year so why wouldn't we shove yet another episode down your throat before you are ready for it.

Now this episode is in honor of the World Cup that was just completed this past weekend (ironically involving a team from Germany) and as World Cup fever swept the nation we decided to watch a pair of films which had soccer as a central focus. The first being the ESPN 30 for 30 documentary The Two Escobars, which covers the tragic link between Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar and star soccer player Andres Escobar.

Paired with that is the somewhat unknown John Huston film Escape to Victory which stars Michael Cain, Pele, Max von Sydow and Sylvester Stallone making it's rather undiscovered nature rather shocking, couple that with the fact that its plot is brain-meltingly awesome, but can it live up to that kind of hype and casting?