Right now, I'm finishing the last couple chapters of Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham. As I read it, there are some thing that remind me of Maximum Overdrive. It makes me wonder if Stephen King drew some inspiration from this novel when he adapted Trucks into the classic 80's horror romp Maximum Overdrive.
First of all, the green comet light in the sky. Of course, in MO, the comet light does nothing to affect you, but in Triffids, the green comet light makes you blind.
In Maximum Overdrive, the trucks are pre-existing things, created by man and used for man's advantage. After Rhea-M, however, what once served man uses the affects of the comet as a means to take advantage of and dominate mankind.
In Day of the Triffids, the triffid is a fictional plant that human's discovered and cultivated for their oils and juices. Then, after the green comet light, after everyone is blinded, the triffids take advantage of the situation and begin to attack humans strategically. Do you notice a parallel between how the machines and the triffids were once "enslaved" for man's uses?
Also, the novel doesn't give an explanation of why the comet happened or where the triffids came from. Near the end, Bill and Josella discuss theories of what the comet really was and where the Triffids actually came from. In the same way, King doesn't explain why the trucks were taking over the world, but rather, Billy (Day of the Triffids and Maximum Overdrive both have a main character named Bill) discusses his theory: "It's a broom..."
Also, near the end in Day of the Triffids, the characters talk about going to the Isle of Wight. In Maximum Overdrive, the characters talk about escaping to an island.
Lots of parallels. And of course, I'm just theorizing. But it appears that maybe Stephen King drew some inspiration from John Wyndham here and paid his book Day of the Triffids some homage.
First of all, the green comet light in the sky. Of course, in MO, the comet light does nothing to affect you, but in Triffids, the green comet light makes you blind.
In Maximum Overdrive, the trucks are pre-existing things, created by man and used for man's advantage. After Rhea-M, however, what once served man uses the affects of the comet as a means to take advantage of and dominate mankind.
In Day of the Triffids, the triffid is a fictional plant that human's discovered and cultivated for their oils and juices. Then, after the green comet light, after everyone is blinded, the triffids take advantage of the situation and begin to attack humans strategically. Do you notice a parallel between how the machines and the triffids were once "enslaved" for man's uses?
Also, the novel doesn't give an explanation of why the comet happened or where the triffids came from. Near the end, Bill and Josella discuss theories of what the comet really was and where the Triffids actually came from. In the same way, King doesn't explain why the trucks were taking over the world, but rather, Billy (Day of the Triffids and Maximum Overdrive both have a main character named Bill) discusses his theory: "It's a broom..."
Also, near the end in Day of the Triffids, the characters talk about going to the Isle of Wight. In Maximum Overdrive, the characters talk about escaping to an island.
Lots of parallels. And of course, I'm just theorizing. But it appears that maybe Stephen King drew some inspiration from John Wyndham here and paid his book Day of the Triffids some homage.