Wells' The War of the Worlds these machines have six legs and a jointed tail and closely resemble a scorpion. Handling machines appear in the 2005 Pendragon Pictures' adaptation H.G. It has two giant claws for smashing into buildings and two much smaller claws which come out of vents by the big claws. In the 1998 PC game, largely based on Jeff Wayne's album, the handling machine is used by the player to construct and maintain Martian facilities.
In Jeff Wayne's musical adaptation of The War of the Worlds, the handling machine was the primary vehicle for capturing humans, a cage being placed on the 'back' of the machine. They are described as 'spider-like' and 'crab-like', in both appearance and behavior. Handling machines are described as having five jointed legs, with numerous jointed levers and whip-like tentacles. The handling machine is depicted making, moving, and assembling machinery under control of a single Martian.
