Pot Plants and Day Timeline

[Philly_SWAT]

I still say a big clue to the "when did Day takes place in relation to Dawn" question is the big pot plants that were growing in the compound. Those pot plants were very tall, I think they were taller than the guy that was watering them. You would have to think that there were no big pot plants growing right outside the door of the underground facility prior to the undead outbreak. Therefore, you would also have to think that they started growing the pot plants after they were stationed there (and why not? The world is almost literally going to hell in a handbasket). So, how long does it take for a pot plant to grow 6 feet high? I have a little knowledge about this, and they dont get that tall very fast. Anybody here have actual botanical information on how long that would take? Any does anyone agree that these plants give a major clue as to how long after Dawn the events in Day are taking place?

[bassman]

While I do see where you're coming from with this....I seriously doubt that Romero and whoever thought of this when they put the fake pot plants in the film. I don't think it would help determine the timeline at all.

[EvilNed]

They weren't that tall, were they? I recall them being 2-3 feet high. I might be wrong, tho.

[ipotts85]

it still takes a while for a pot plant to grow that tall...i don't think romero would just overlook an obvious clue like that... besides, romero has said before that day takes place after dawn, so why wouldn't the pot plants be a clue? but if you look at the condition that the city was in - i think that proves day taking place after dawn.

[bassman]

besides, romero has said before that day takes place after dawn, so why wouldn't the pot plants be a clue? You just think that because you're a fan looking for answers. I'm sure he would've mentioned whether or not it had anything to do with the timeline on the commentary for the "Day" DVD when they're talking about where the Pot plant look-alike came from(although it really doesn't look much like one) if it was a clue.

[EvilNed]

The original Day script took place somewhere along 5 years after the Dead rose, right? But then again, Land of the Dead takes place 3+ years after the dead (probably 3,5 or something). So I'd say Day takes place like a year or so after the dead rise. But I wasn't in the debate from the start, so. But I think it's pretty definate that it takes place 1+ year after the dead rise, considering the skeletons in the city. Strangely, the zombies don't rot as quickly as regular corpses.

[ipotts85]

pot plants aside, the condition of the city is enough to prove it takes place some time after dawn. look at the tenement in dawn - there was a large human presence still in the city. at the beginning of day, that city is completely overtaken by the dead. it is obvious that day takes place a considerable time after dawn - romero has said this before...besides, if it took place directly after of during dawn, there would still be radio communication - in day, it is stated that the relay that was being used was no longer there... it doesn't make any sense to claim that day took place during day or right after, there are references throughout day that support a large passage of time since the dead rose (at least a year...), just the deterioration of the city and of their situation in the bunker shows this... I'm sure he would've mentioned whether or not it had anything to do with the timeline on the commentary for the "Day" DVD when they're talking about where the Pot plant look-alike came from(although it really doesn't look much like one) if it was a clue. i never realized the timeline was even a debate, so why would it be mentioned in commentary? You just think that because you're a fan looking for answers. what the hell are you talking about?

[bassman]

i never realized the timeline was even a debate, so why would it be mentioned in commentary? If Romero intentionally put the plants in to show how long the scientists and soldiers had been there, don't you think he would've mentioned it on the commentary when they're talking about the fake weed? what the hell are you talking about? You're quote: "besides, romero has said before that day takes place after dawn, so why wouldn't the pot plants be a clue?" In other words, Romero probably didn't mean for the plants to be a clue as to the timeline.....It's just something only a fan would piece together after numerous viewings of each film.

[EvilNed]

While I don't think Romero actually gave the HEIGHT of the marijuana plants to much thought, I do think he put them there to show that the military was not what it once was. I'm not sure how long it would take for weed to grow that high, tho. I don't really think Romero had any idea of exactly how long it was since the dead walked when he made Day, but he probably knew that he wanted it set a year, or so, after the incident.

[bassman]

While I don't think Romero actually gave the HEIGHT of the marijuana plants to much thought, I do think he put them there to show that the military was not what it once was. I'm not sure how long it would take for weed to grow that high, tho. I don't really think Romero had any idea of exactly how long it was since the dead walked when he made Day, but he probably knew that he wanted it set a year, or so, after the incident. Yeah... If anything, the plants were there to show that the scientists and soldiers had been there for awhile. It had nothing to do with the timeline between the films.

[EvilNed]

Exactly, at least that's how I view it. I suppose that if we want to get nitpicky, then the height could prove exactly how long ago it was. But then again, who's to say those plants weren't there before the incident? I mean, it could have been an abandoned military base for all we know. It's not impossible. Best way is probably not to overanalyze it. The plants are there to show that it's been sometime. How much time? I think the state of the city is a better judge of that.

[tju1973]

I still say a big clue to the "when did Day takes place in relation to Dawn" question is the big pot plants that were growing in the compound. Those pot plants were very tall, I think they were taller than the guy that was watering them. You would have to think that there were no big pot plants growing right outside the door of the underground facility prior to the undead outbreak. Therefore, you would also have to think that they started growing the pot plants after they were stationed there (and why not? The world is almost literally going to hell in a handbasket). So, how long does it take for a pot plant to grow 6 feet high? I have a little knowledge about this, and they dont get that tall very fast. Anybody here have actual botanical information on how long that would take? Any does anyone agree that these plants give a major clue as to how long after Dawn the events in Day are taking place? You bring a valid question to the table. WHile I think that George didn't give that thought, it would be interesting to find out the answer and maybe inspect the series as a whole and place the whole series events on a relative timeline...

[MinionZombie]

I think it's something GAR threw in as a throwaway piece of information that you see, and they certainly weren't 6ft high to my recollection. Also, it's possible the guy that was growing them had already been doing so in his own pad - when he was picked to head off down underground he would have brought his own stash with him in pots. That's what I think. It'd make more sense that he'd already had them growing and then brought them to the base rather than growing them from scratch. Weed aside, Day is around a year after the outbreak started. Therefore, considering the other discussion which moved onto Fran's baby bump, when WE join the chaps in Day of the Dead it's like three or four months after Dawn. Although, in the full story (the "plot" is what you see in the two hours, a "story" extends beyond the two hours in both directions), they probably went underground during the events Dawn of the Dead. I think that's a pretty sensible thought line...

[Adrenochrome]

it only takes 3 or 4 months to grow a 4 to 5 foot plant. (weed)

[Philly_SWAT]

Also, it's possible the guy that was growing them had already been doing so in his own pad - when he was picked to head off down underground he would have brought his own stash with him in pots. While I admit that this is a possibility, dont you think that since they are going into the underground facility that they still think there is a possibility of "solving the problem" and returning life to normal? That is why they went there in the first place. If they thought it was a lost cause, they would have "found a beach somewhere and started soaking up some sunshine". Therefore, I doubt a military guy going to an official government project would bring his own pot plants with him, and plant them in plain sight right near the entrance. Wouldnt Major Cooper have frowned upon such activity? I dont think that GAR purposely put the pot plants in there to indicate passage of time. But the only clues that we have are those that are within the movies themselves, which includes the growth of the plants. I just checked my DVD, the plants were indeed only about 3 high, not 6 as I originally said. I still say that they had to be planted after our group went to the facility. How long does it take weed to grow 3 feet high? I am not sure that how pregnant Fran is/was and the duration of the events in Dawn have any bearing on trying to determine how long after Night did Day start. It would be just a valid of a theory to say that if the height of the pot plants is not a valid issue (and I suppose you could argue they were 10 feet high but trimmed down) then they could have been in that underground bunker for 10 years, after which Fran's baby would already be 9 years old (if it lived). Using calender's with no year on them is not a good way to assume less than a year has passsed. Obviously, October rolls around every year. The newspaper that says "The Dead Walk" in the beginning, isnt there a year of 1985 on it? That alone would suggest that many had years had passed since the beginning of Dawn, seeing as they were not even familiar with what a "Mall" was in Dawn.