Jeff Wayne's Tripod's - Yay! or Nay!

[nervouspete]

What do you think of the design of the tripods on Wayne's album? For me, although I enjoyed the artwork, I never liked Wayne's design and it actually increasingly (and yes, unreasonably) annoyed me to find so much fan-art using them. I just find them so completely unscary.

The tripods in the book have a fearsome box like heat-ray that wipes out of existence huge swathes of people.

The Wayne version has a pew-pew ray gun.

The Spielberg film has scary tentacle beams that again, wipe out dozens of people at a time.

The Wayne version is adept in destroying chimney pots and cornices.

And then there's the big green eyes, which sort of reminds me of some cartoon frog rather than an alien death machine. And the obscure Japanese novelty paperweight design for the body, and the rigid legs, and the completely un-sprightley look to the entire cumbersome thing... I'm sorry, but it's the least threatening thing in the world!

THIS is more threatening...



(Thanks Lockwasher - www.flickr.com/photos/lockwasher/136026579/)

Ironically I do love the Wayne album, and was thrilled by it as a kid. But my nightmares were never Wayne tripods, but rather the ones from the various book covers I wore out, or my own imaginings.

Guess I just wanted to say how I'm still baffled by the love for the design, and Wayne's insistence in following it despite it being completely unscary. (Surely Wayne's toppo DVD would have been enhanced by genuinely scary new designs instead of his slavish copies of the original artwork?)

So what gives guys? If you love his version, more power to you - but please explain why. If you hate it, or feel it to be inferior, again please say.

Oh, and I know that it wasn't actually Jeff Wayne who designed the look, but his cover artist. If anyone knows the name, post it. Just had to cover myself there for the inevitable, "Ahhh, but Pete, it wasn't actually him that designed them, ahhhhh!"

[David Faltskog]

I always thought the "Green Eyes" looked more like the Incredible Hulk baring his garden gates!

I must get out more...

[Anim8tr]

The design for the Tripod on Jeff's album was painted by artist Mike Trim. Who prior to to J.W.'s project worked as a model builder on numerous Thunderbirds projects. I think perhaps the reason his version is so ingrained as the archetype, is because not only was it a cool and unique painting for an album cover of it's time, it was BIG. An image at least 12" H x 24" W. Which, (if I remember correctly) served as both the front and back covers. When you held that baby with both hands it made a solid impression. It was the first time really an image was not just given to Well's brillant prose, but a musical landmark as well. I think maybe that's what sticks in a lotta peoples minds.

I've read once or twice that the eyes look like Hulk's ass. That always makes me chuckle. Does the design scare me. No. Not by todays standards of scary. I do choose to think tho, had I been alive in the latter 1800's and seen something like that coming towards me... I'd be frightened out of my freakin' mind! Is it my favorite version of a tripod? Well, not for me. But so long as it reminds me of the music and the story it'll always have a place in my heart.

Great topic, nervouspete!

[Scifishocks]

I like 'em, but then I grew up with them and Jeff's album was my first exposure to the story, so I'll always associate the design with the story in a way, despite knowing better.
When you plant those things in the middle of a Victorian landscape you have a pretty surreal image and I used to listen to the album and stare at the pictures at the same time.
I'm pretty sure that, if I was a Victorian, I wouldn't hang around too long if I saw one of those coming!

[nervouspete]

Oscar Wilde: "No, no, no. Frankly embarrassing. These alien invaders have none of the gothic grandeur of, say, a William Blake or Francis Goya design. What do you think, Saki?"

Saki: "I concur, Oscar my dear fellow. Why, look to the bulbous green eyes! Do they not lend the entire machine a foolish, nursery-book insect feel? I do declare they are like two peas in a pod with my nephew's tin robot!"

Oscar: "Ah ha! Yes! No one would have believed, that across the vast gulfs of space, minds immeasurably superior to our own would have such bad taste, and with envious eyes look upon our sartorial elegance! What do you say, Saki?"

Saki: "AH! AH! AH! HELP LORD I AM BURNING!"

Oscar: *Pause* "And they always said that I was the brightest spark at parties."

FWOOMTH!

Oscar: "Aieee!"

[FALLINGSTAR]

As I've often said. I like the Wayne/Trim tripods to a certain extent but the 2 bulbous green eyes make them look too cartoonish and I think it's weak design wise. The recent Luminous Eyes revamp of the body and legs of the fighting machine was good but the Hulks ass eyes let it down a lot in my opinion [ and others judging by the reaction ]. If I was to re-design the eyes I'd make them smaller perhaps and perfectly round [ like 2 headlights maybe ] so they didn't look so cartoonish and squashed together.

Having said that. Maybe the tripods need even more of a revamp for the film so they look more menacing and alien like. When you look at Trocs tripods the Wayne ones just don't look very impressive in the guise they are now. If they look cartoonish in the film [ or indeed the film looks cartoonish ] I think it would ruin it.

[poyks]

It was once suggested that the FMs had one large "eye" in the original Trim design, so I did a little modification to see what it would look like;



I know the album paintings aren't overly accurate, but they do mean a lot to me anyway.

[FALLINGSTAR]

poyks said:

It was once suggested that the FMs had one large "eye" in the original Trim design, so I did a little modification to see what it would look like;



I know the drawings aren't overly accurate, but they do mean a lot to me anyway.

I seem to remember Trim saying he designed them with the one eye originally but they got changed. I think it does look better.

[David Faltskog]

fallingstar said:

poyks said:

It was once suggested that the FMs had one large "eye" in the original Trim design, so I did a little modification to see what it would look like;



I know the drawings aren't overly accurate, but they do mean a lot to me anyway.

I seem to remember Trim saying he designed them with the one eye originally but they got changed. I think it does look better.

A myopic martian!

D.F.

[Reppu]

I can't help but agree with all said. On an objective approach, these tripods are not very scary, if you forget about the size factor (i would pee my pants if i saw something that size coming to me). But, as a fan of the musical since i was 8, every time i see a pic of them i can hear the "ullaaaaa" sound, and man, i still can feel the panic i felt in those days.

On a side note, what are those green eyes in the machine? Obviously not eyes, nor a cabin where a martian guides the machine (remember the picture where a bird is picking some kind of meat from it?).

[richardburton]

I grew up with Jeff Wayne's design, so for me it will always be the definitive tripod design.

[stewymartian]

Personally I find the Trim tripod to be the most terrifying thing I have ever laid eyes on. Even just thinking about it when I'm on my own at night sends a cold shiver down my spine. My four copies of the album (plus the PC and PS1 game) are stored such that the cover cannot accidentally be exposed, it has to be deliberately revealed.

I don't know why the design affects me in this way. The Thunderchild picture is the most terrifying of all, but the 'Panic in the streets picture' also gives me the fear. Strangely, the more recent artwork and animations do not such a strong effect on me, so I can only surmise that my fears are based on my original reactions to the artwork as a five year old ack in 1978.

Yet I love the design. Even though it doesn't acurrately follow Wells' description, and is drawn hopelessly out of scale on the Thunderchild picture. The juxtaposition with the victorian backgrounds (as has already been mentioned) is perhaps one reasons why the machines look so striking. A clankier more steampunky machine wouldn't look alien enough.

As for the 'Hulk arse' eyes, yes they do look a bit like that now that you mention it. But to me they have always looked dark and soulless, cool and unsympathetic. ****ing scary, in other words.

[David Faltskog]

Trouble is though the JW Disco FM's look too clean even after throwing black smoke and heat ray's willy nilly all over the place they still look like they,ve just come from the Martian Showroom.

Maybe they brought a FM Wash with them? 50p or Quart of blood for full wax wash and polish

D.F.

[steann]

well ( i.m.h.o. ) an author's description of a tripod or some such is open to artistic interpretation even looking at a painting two people can see different things but ( i.m.h.o. ) i think jeff's interpretation would fit in with mine

[Scifishocks]

It's a very personal thing.
But, the JW tripods have this blank-eyed insectoid quality which, to me, works very well.
I don't know how H.G would have felt about them but, they drew me to his work so that's good, surely?