The Day of the Triffids (1963) in the PNW

Details: Written by: Mortado; Category: The 1960s in Northwest Cinemas

This is a collection of media from the initial runs of "The Day of the Triffids" (1963) in the Pacific Northwest. "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" (1956) was the second feature in Seattle while Portland got "Hands of a Stranger" (1962).

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The Day of the Triffids (1963)
A spectacular meteor shower blinds most of the human population, leaving them vulnerable to the invasion of the triffids, deadly plants from outer space that can move and attack. Bill Masen, a sailor who escaped blindness, teams up with a young girl and a French woman to find a safe haven. Along the way, they encounter various dangers, including a group of escaped convicts and a scientist couple trying to find a way to destroy the triffids.
Directors: Steve Sekely, Freddie Francis
Writers: Bernard Gordon, Philip Yordan, John Wyndham
Stars: Howard Keel, Nicole Maurey, Janette Scott
Buy "The Day of the Triffids" (1963) DVD on Amazon (SPONSORED)

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
A small-town doctor, Miles Bennell, discovers that his patients are being replaced by emotionless duplicates grown from alien pods. He and his former girlfriend, Becky Driscoll, try to escape from the invasion, but find themselves surrounded by pod people everywhere. The film is a classic sci-fi horror that reflects the paranoia and fear of the Cold War era.
Director: Don Siegel
Writers: Daniel Mainwaring, Jack Finney, Richard Collins
Stars: Kevin McCarthy, Dana Wynter, Larry Gates
Buy "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" (1956) bluray on Amazon (SPONSORED)
Buy "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" (1956) DVD on Amazon (SPONSORED)

Hands of a Stranger (1962)
A brilliant surgeon, Dr. Harding, performs a risky hand transplant on a famous pianist, Vernon Paris, whose hands were crushed in a car accident. However, the new hands belong to a murderer, and soon Vernon starts to lose his sanity and his musical talent. He becomes obsessed with killing those who he blames for his misfortune, including his girlfriend, his doctors, and the taxi driver who caused the crash.
Director: Newt Arnold
Writers: Newt Arnold, Maurice Renard
Stars: Paul Lukather, Joan Harvey, James Noah
Buy "Hands of a Stranger" (1962) DVD on Amazon (SPONSORED)

July 9, 1963 ad (Seattle)