As a follow-up to his Amity Police Blazer post in November Paul from NZ kindly sent me these pictures he gleaned from Ebay and Worthpoint. Did you 'snap up' any of these Jaws die-casts when they came out readers or any other Jaws toys and collectables?
Paul says: I recently picked up a new Hot Wheels die-cast from the movie Jaws (1975). This got me thinking, how many other Jaws related models are there ?
Actually, quite a few. Plus lots of unofficial, shark-related models.
I do not have any of these models - yet. But I plan on adding them to the collection, if and when I come across them.
First up, a model from the Matchbox Star Car Collection. This was a range of models inspired by various movies and TV shows, but which used existing Matchbox models, rather than vehicles that appeared on screen.
The SCC Amity Police Boat from Jaws, copyright date 1997, used the Matchbox Police Launch, finished in Amity Police markings. There was also a plastic model of Bruce the shark.
There was also a range of much larger Star Car Buses. This Jaws bus has the copyright date 1999 on the back of the card.
Tomica is a Japanese, Matchbox-sized die-cast line. They did a single Jaws model, with the shark hanging from a large wooden frame in the back of a six-wheel truck.
According to an article by Mike Pigott, the Jaws Truck from 2019 was an exclusive model for a Universal Studios theme park in Osaka, and was only sold in Japan. The model is brown, with red JAWS markings.
The shark and its framework have to be assembled, and an instruction sheet is included. The box was larger than was usual for Tomica models, and was square.
The Muscle Machines line included two Jaws Monster Trucks. A boxed example in 1/43rd, and a carded version in 1/64th.
Finally, there is the Hot Wheels Character Car. These models are shaped like the movie character they depict, in this case the shark.
The bonnet opens, just like the jaws of a shark, showing off a mouthful of teeth. From 2022.
Most of the artwork on the packaging for these models is based on the movie poster, showing both the shark and the girl swimmer; or just the shark, jaws agape. None of these die-casts are contemporary with the original film.
Paul Adams from New Zealand
Were any of these vehicles in the movie, or relevant in any way, or were these toy companies just cashing in on the film ?
ReplyDeleteThe Amity Police boat was in the film Mish I reckon. As well as the previously posted Blazer, the big police car driven by the beleaguered sheriff of Amity.
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