Trees that scream when cut..

[F1COS]

There was a film on in the 70's where a scientist discovered that trees feel pain when cut. He used some kind of listening device that heard them scream with pain, and when he told his colleague about this the colleague made out he didn't hear anything and got angry with him... Does anyone remember this film?
It may have been black and white..
It was that long ago I can't remember as I was very young at the time.

[I. R. Fincham]

Re: Trees that scream when cut..

It was a Tales Of The Unexpected called The Sound Machine.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0717507/


There was also a version made in 1952
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0534281/

[Richard1978]

Re: Trees that scream when cut..

I think I saw the Tails Of The Unexpected version, flowers made a little squeak went picked, & a tree made a loud roar when hit with an axe.

The inventor's friend was a doctor & was asked to dab iodine into the axe mark.

For years I've remembered this but wasn't sure what it was.

[Roxxy]

Re: Trees that scream when cut..

Yes, it was a Tales Of The Unexpected episode, and typical of the sick fantasies that only a deeply disturbed psychopath like Roald Dahl could dream up. It starred Harry Andrews- disgusting story, but obviously complete fantasy (any noise emitted by plants when cut is down simply to electrical impulses- vegetation does not have nerves!!)
The mandrake root is said by ancient tradition to scream when pulled from the ground, because according to Olde Englishe folklore they are associated with witchcraft and are used in black magic. But again, this is nonsense- the noise is caused by the particular shape of the root grating against the stony soil it grows in as it comes out of the ground.

[MancFrank]

Re: Trees that scream when cut..

typical of the sick fantasies that only a deeply disturbed psychopath like Roald Dahl could dream up. It starred Harry Andrews- disgusting story

WTF??

This would be Roald Dahl, highly regarded author, decorated pilot and all round good egg? I fear your comments reveal more about your own state of mind than that of the esteemed Mr. Dahl... Nor do I see anyone opining that the plot line is anything other than fantasy.

Imbecile!

[Richard1978]

Re: Trees that scream when cut..

From what I've read Roald Dahl seemed quite a maverick, having a few run-ins with authority at school & while working for Shell & in the RAF. At least he managed to get some decent results & wasn't a total rebel.

It's a shame he didn't write a 3rd volume of autobiography covering his early days as a writer.

The script for You Only Live Twice was written Roald Dahl, which might explain a few things.

[shilton dipper]

Re: Trees that scream when cut..

some years ago there was a debate between meat eaters and vegetarians.............in an experiment a lettuce was wired up and when it was cut with a knife there was a reading which the scientist said was probably the lettuce actually showing pain........yes this is true btw.........so maybe stories from tails of the unexpected aren't that far from the truth

[jason h]

Re: Trees that scream when cut..

One of the best Tales of the Unexpected. I love this story and it lives long in the memory as do the best of them.