The influence of Ray Harryhausen and Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea kindled a fascination with squid and octopus type creatures as a kid. Movies like Trollenberg Terror and It Came from Beneath the Sea with their tentacled behemoths were my favourite. As a result, I collected octopi-like monsters. One of the earliest is the rubber Octopus above, a find from Chester Zoo around about 1969. He's been through the wars, losing the end of a tentacle and suffering a head injury from a dog bite, but he's holding it together well!
Next up is the much more recent Fisher Price Octopus from the Submarine playset, made from wonderful translucent and flexible plastic, he's much more accurately moulded, down to a round beak underneath.
All of the toys are displayed with the Matchbox Jurrassic Park Diving Bell Sub, a neat little model from the Fallen Kingdom franchise.
That last snap of little you with your adored collection is the cutest image I've seen in years.
ReplyDeleteIm just adorable, period! I might try and recreate the image, 50 years on!
DeleteYes, what a nice piece of personal nostalgia, Bill. Happy times indeed :)
ReplyDeleteI agree. A fab shot of a proud young bill and prize collection. The essence of childhood right there! I love the Trollemberg Terror. Freaked me out as a kid. For some reason its mostly known as the Crawling Eye. One of your jigglers is the Terror itself isnt it? The green octopoid reminds me of the baby squidling thats born in MiB! How did you do those ace undersea shots?
ReplyDeleteCrawling Eye is sat on my head! It was one of the first three I ever got and a favourite. Undersea shots are tricky, as I can only hold my breath for a few minutes.
ReplyDeleteha ha, indeed it is! Be careful though, the Trollemburger likes its hosts headless!
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