Monday, March 18, 2024

NEW HARRYHAUSEN MODEL KITS


Model kit building seems to be holding its own these days. Renewed interest was rekindled during the COVID pandemic but enthusiasts became frustrated when hobby suppliers sold out of much of their stock because overseas shipments were being quarantined for so long.

Now things have improved and so has the influx of brand new kits. One manufacturer from Japan, X-Plus/Star Ace, is meeting the monster model market head on with a flurry of excellently-crafted kits that are sculpted with a high degree of detail, nicely-calibrated parts that fit together well and are just plain cool.

Case-in-point, these three kits based on Ray Harryhausen's films, the Rhedosaurus from THE BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS, Medusa from CLASH OF THE TITANS, and the Allosaurus from THE VALLEY OF GWANGI.

If you're interested in having a closer look at these, I recommend my favorite online shop to buy kits, CultTVman. You can also find them at MONSTERS IN MOTION.

Beast from 20,000 Fathoms Rhedosaurus with Lighthouse 1/72 Scale Model Kit by X-Plus Japan
Retail Price: $76.99

The Creature That Started It All: Ray Harryhausen's iconic creation, the Rhedosaurus, holds a special place in the history of monsters and Kaiju cinema. As the first creature to truly captivate audiences with its monstrous scale and awe-inspiring presence, the Rhedosaurus laid the foundation for the entire genre. Its menacing rampage through New York City marked the birth of Kaiju as we know it, paving the way for a vast universe of colossal creatures that would captivate generations. This legendary beast not only inspired the imagination of countless filmmakers and artists but also established the thrilling spectacle of Kaiju that continues to enthrall audiences to this day.


The Model: This model is a recreation of the Rhedosaurus’s ascent from the depths of the ocean to the shores of New York City, as it lays siege upon a towering lighthouse, leaving a mark on cinematic history that reverberates with the power and drama of Ray Harryhausen's unparalleled artistry. Transparent Parts The lighthouse glass parts are molded in transparent plastic material. The lighthouse model includes a transparent lighthouse lamp model."


Rhedosaurus Height approx. 8 in. (including the base). Light house Height approx. 9 in. (including the base).



Clash of the Titans Medusa Model Kit by X-Plus Japan
$144.99





Here is a deluxe vinyl model it of the Medusa from Ray Harryhausen's classic film Clash of the Titans. The Medusa stands a bit over 12 inches when built and comes with a base.

12 in. Soft Vinyl Model Kit Series


Gwangi DELUXE Diorama Model Kit
$349.99

Fans of stop motion animation can build this amazing diorama.  The Gwangi was sculpted by Joe Laudati and the diorama by Robert Ortiz of Blueskyhelper.  The diorama includes a 17" x 9 " base that includes a nameplate, cowboy ,horse and dead dinosaur.





Sunday, March 17, 2024

DOC SAVAGE COVER GALLERY


Outside of the pulps themselves, Bantam Books published the series that most fans of Doc Savage are familiar with. With eye-catching lettering and cover designs, these paperbacks were highly visible on the spinner racks. It didn't hurt that a large percentage of the covers were painted by James Bama who had a knack with the art of the fantastic that included his run on the earlier Aurora monster model box art.

The series ran for 96 books, just a few shy of one hundred, the last being MYSTERY ON HAPPY BONES, published in October 1979 with a cover by Bob Larkin. One indication of their longevity, when the first book came out in 1964 the cover price was 45-cents and the price for the last book was $1.75

All covers are by Bama with the exception of METEOR MENACE (James Avati), BRAND OF THE WEREWOLF (Mort Kunstler), and THE LOST OASIS and THE LAND OF TERROR (Douglas Rosa).





















Saturday, March 16, 2024

JOHNNY DEPP: THE DEVIL MADE HIM DO IT


“I’m not interested at all in witchcraft and demonology as a philosophy. The devil makes me laugh.”
- Roman Polanski

Roman Polanski's THE NINTH GATE has always held a strange fascination for me. While some would disagree, after viewing it multiple times since its release in 1999 I have come to consider it a minor classic. There is something about the story, the mood, the characters and especially the visuals that make it a compelling, and at times, near-mystical experience.

Johnny Depp as Dean Corso.

Much of the criticism is directed at the slow-moving plot, but when you look at Polanski's body of work, in particular CHINATOWN, you will come to the obvious conclusion that he is no Antoine Fuqua or Roland Emmerich in that regard. Besides that, I think NG as a conventional Hollywood action/thriller would have been a disaster. Instead, we have a sophisticated and intelligent film that doesn't take itself too seriously -- a tricky combination to master, but it works here. All one has to do is watch book-detective Dean Corso (Johnny Depp) unwittingly stumble through some of his scenes to catch my drift. Far from his Keith Richards-inspired Jack Sparrow, he nevertheless adds an ever-so-slight comedic touch whenever he gets in trouble -- and it's often.

The Nine Gates of the Kingdom of Shadows.

Ultimately, the film is about Satanism as practiced by society's elite and, despite the subject's spurious nature, the lengths they will go to for the promise of the money and power of the "real thing." Frank Langella plays Boris Balkan, the egotistical collector of all things Satanic with a sinister gusto, Lena Olin plays Liana Telfer, who will kill for the tome containing the "correct" spell to summon the Devil and looks as sexy as hell doing it, and Emmanuell Seigner (Polansiki's real-life wife) is the mysterious angel on Johnny's shoulder -- or is she? Based on "El Club Dumas" ("The Club Dumas" in English), the engrossing novel by Arturo Pérez-Reverte, NG takes some liberties, as most film adaptations do, but does not stray too far from the core plot and theme. Coincidentally, I highly recommend some of Pérez-Reverte other books, in particular, "The Flanders Panel", "The Fencing Master" and "Queen of the South" from which the successful TV crime series was based.

Emmanuell Seigner as The Mysterious Girl.

The object in question is known as The Nine Gates of the Kingdom of Shadows, which has the familiar ring of another famous tome written about by H.P. Lovecraft, The Necronomicon. This one, however, is said to be written by the Devil himself. Balkan will spare no expense (or life) in his search for the authentic edition, written in the 17th Century by one Aristide Torchia. Balkan hires savvy antique book dealer Corso to investigate and track down the remaining copies to compare them and affirm that his is the authentic edition. The investigation leads Corso through a winding path from New York to several locations in Europe. Along the way, he meets a variety of interesting characters that account for some of the best scenes in the film. The climax is shot at the Cathar castle Château de Puivert where the mystery is solved, but doesn't turn out well for Balkan.

Frank Langella as Boris Balkan tries out the ritual.

As mentioned, the visuals play a large part of the mood and atmosphere of the film. This article from AMERICAN CINEMATOGRAPHER (April 2000) discusses photographer Darius Khondji's approach and techniques for filming THE NINTH GATE.












THE NINTH GATE OFFICIAL TRAILER:



THE NINTH GATE FILM SCORE: