THE SPACE-SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME 1979

Between Christmas and New Year during that sleepy hollow when the fairy lights and the TV send you off to sleep mid-afternoon I caught part of a flick released in 1979 called The Shape of Things to Come.

Half-asleep I had thought at first it was an episode of Space 1999 as Barry Morse was in it wearing a white jumpsuit and the whole thing I half-saw had that series' feel to it.

It had nothing to do with Space 1999, nor HG Wells's Shape of Things to Come for that matter. It appeared to me to have been influenced by many different Sci Fi shows and films.

Here are a few glimpses culled from around the web.

Shades of UFO?

Hues of Robby the Robot and the Lost in Space Robot?

Hints of Star Trek?

Glimpses of Star Maidens?

You may know much more about this movie filmed in Canada. Please let us know. 

Have you seen it readers?

U N I V E R S E : the 1960 short film that is said to have inspired Stanley Kubrick

This is new to me and a revelation.

https://aeon.co/videos/prelude-to-the-space-age-the-1960-film-that-inspired-2001-a-space-odyssey

Shown on the Aeon website, this was originally on the National Film Board of Canada's website.

To quote Aeon:

Universe also altered the course of cinema’s evolution: the film’s masterful cinematography and groundbreaking animation inspired Stanley Kubrick when he was researching his own space-traversing masterpiece, 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). Kubrick even borrowed the voice of Universe’s narrator, Douglas Rain, for the iconic role of HAL 9000.

What do you think readers?

Toys: A Short Film by Roman Kroitor and Colin Low

 https://www.nfb.ca/film/toys/

This is an unusual and old film with a macabre spin on Action Man/ GI Joe toys from the National Film Board of Canada. Looking at the date, 1966, it was made when the toys were first out in the shops.

No doubt you'll decide for yourself what you make of this if you watch it.

I understand the debate about military toys generally and its one I have come across often having a grandson. 

All I can say is that personally my own Sixties and early Seventies childhood was completely filled with Action Man and I loved every minute of it. I reckon I turned out more or less OK too now I'm in my Sixties.

CARZOL PLASTICS

Wotan onced mentioned a company or product called Carzol. Until then I had never heard of the company. Well, apart from an insecticide, what I came up with was a Canadian toy company.

Carzol Plastics Corp., Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Apart from the Carzol name, some of their products were marked C.P., and Made in Canada, or Carzol - Canada. Some versions of the address say Carzol Plastics Corporation, Montreal, P.Q. (Province of Quebec, or Province du Quebec), with no mention of Canada. I do not know the dates the different versions were used.

They made toy vehicles, toy soldiers, tea sets, plastic musical instruments, at least some TV related toys, and sold American Pyro plastic kits in the Canadian market - the ones I have seen on Worthpoint all have the name CP rather than Carzol on the box top, but Carzol Plastics Corp., appears on the side of the box.

Scalemates only list one kit, a 1930s Hall-Springfield "Bulldog" Thompson Trophy Racer, as kit number 1102, with a scale of 1/32nd. Ex-Pyro.

Worthpoint also has the Laird-Turner Pesco Special Thompson Trophy Racer. Kit 1103. Ex-Pyro.

A Japanese Fishing Boat was kit 1106. Ex-Pyro.

Carzol also produced versions of the Pyro Design-A-Plane and Design-A-Car sets. The plane set was sold in Britain by Eaglewall.

From Alphadrome, an undated Carzol catalogue, giving the address as Carzol Plastics Corporation, 8490 Jeanne Mance St., Montreal, Canada. It also shows some of the other products the company made.

http://alphadrome.net/forums/topic/23533-carzol-plastics-catalog-canada/

The Antique Toys Library shows a wonderful, and very colourful Paladin Gold Mine Adventure set, based on the US television programme Have Gun Will Travel (1957-63).

https://antiquetoyslibrary.com/toys/carzols-1959-paladin-gold-mine-adventure-no-1119/

Various other toy figures and vehicles are listed on Worthpoint and Ebay. Other than that, there is very little information around on this obscure company.

Paul Adams from New Zealand

CANADIAN S.W.O.R.D

This American Project SWORD Probe Force 2 box I saw on auction is fun. Besides the fabulous Sixties box art that Tarheel commissioned I like the fact that someone - in my mind the original young owner - has placed a Canadian sticker in the top right corner. A bit of it has ended up bottom left too!

I used to place stickers on things when I was a kid. Ugly stickers, Nutty initials and the like. Did you readers?

CANADIAN TOY CATALOGUES

https://www.historymuseum.ca/canadaplay/introduction/catalogues.php 

This is an interesting website of Canadian toy catalogues. Lots of plastic boats and ride-on toys from the 1930's onwards!

Is there anything you recognise?

PROJECT SWORD TRADEMARK RENEWAL MYSTERY

Looking at this Canadian Project SWORD trademark entry I was surprised to see that the trademark was renewed in 1984.

Why would C21 or ITC have renewed it in Canada in 1984?

It's now defunct.

http://www.ic.gc.ca/app/opic-cipo/trdmrks/srch/viewTrademark.html?id=311858&lang=eng

RUSH BASTILLE DAY

Just got in from work and drinking a hot chocolate.

Before I do anything else I listen to some heavy rock.

On the deck is Rush's superb 70's album Caress of Steel.

If you're not doing much then check out the blistering opener Bastille Day.

Play it loud!

What do you think?

*

RIP

Neil Peart

10th Birthday Party Favour: Project SWORD Canada 4

This is my compilation of all the known Tarheel Project SWORD toys.

They are all based on the Century 21 Toys originals.

These were available in the US and Canada. There two unique toys not available as Project SWORD in the UK under the Century 21 brand but they were available as Captain Scarlet toys in the UK [Century 21]

This gallery forms part of a bigger Tarheel toys checklist on the blog.

5916

Project SWORD Dart Gun and Target Game [pic: Darth] Unique SWORD toy

5917

Task Force No. 2 and 3 (carded with T with kids logo) [Arto]

Probably 5917

Task Force 1 on home-made backing card [Woodsy]

5920

Probe Force No. 1 (boxed w/ T globe logo)

5920 

Probe Force No. 2 (boxed w/ T globe logo)

5920 

 Probe Force No. 3 (boxed w/ T globe logo)

5923

Spectrum Patrol Car [Hamilton Toy Collection] Unique SWORD toy.

5925

Moon Ranger (boxed w/ T globe logo) 

5926

Moon Bus (boxed with T globe logo) 

5928

Moon Prospector 

Note the two different Tarheel box logo styles and the removal of Project SWORD name on the bottom box.

5934

Space Glider

Note the two different Tarheel box logo styles and the removal of Project SWORD name on the bottom box.

The 10th Birthday Party Favour: Project SWORD Canada 3

This was submitted by Canadian reader and early blog mega-helper Darth back in 2009.

Its a page from the All WARDS catalogue. It depicts a medley of space toys including Marx and Yonezawa.

Of interest to project SWORD fans are the two SWORD toys shown: Space Glider and Moon Bus.

These are most likely the Tarheel releases for the US and Canadian markets. Tarheel released several more SWORD toys including 2 unique ones.

The date of the catalogue is currently unknown but my guess is its 1967.

10th Birthday Party Favour: Project SWORD Canada 2

Reblogging something from 2 years back, reader and fellow collector Paul Vreede found the trademark registration for Project S.W.O.R.D for CANADA no less!

The webpage Paul found is here and having checked their terms and conditions I feel safe in reproducing it here for posterity. Enjoy again!

Since seeing it I've been perplexed by the trademark's renewal in 1984. Further research could be done on this. Alas I haven't got round to it yet!

Its still great info though!

A 10th BIRTHDAY PARTY FAVOUR: CANADIAN PROJECT SWORD 1

Hi Woodsy,

Unfortunately, I no longer have the 1968 Manitoba Co-op Stores catalogue in my possession.

The only thing that I do have is this jpeg file that shows the description of the glider, but the photograph of it is cut off. 

The glider's picture appears on the left hand side of my photo, the third item down, with the yellow back ground. But, you can't see very much of it.

I have attached the jpeg file, free of charge, for you to try to see if you can discern anything better from it than from my web site.

If I should run across another copy of this catalogue in my travels and purchase it again, I'll keep your name and e-mail address on file and let you know.

Sorry that I couldn't be of more help.

Take care.

Jerry

http://www.collectorville.net/images/Catalogs/sCoop681.jpg

canadian trade-mark for project sword

Once more here's the link to the Canadian trade mark page for PROJECT SWORD in Canada, which eagle-eyed friend and spacex toys website creator Paul Vreede found.

http://www.ic.gc.ca/app/opic-cipo/trdmrks/srch/viewTrademark.html?id=311858&lang=eng

There are probably further research opportunities arising from this page if anyone has the inclination!

PROJECT SWORD NEWS: CANADIAN TRADEMARK FOUND!

Just when we thought nothing much else can be found in the world of Project SWORD, eagle-eyed reader and fellow collector Paul Vreede recently found something amazing:

... the Canadian trademark registration for Project S.W.O.R.D no less!

The webpage Paul found is here and having checked their terms and conditions I feel safe in reproducing it here for posterity. Enjoy!

A MESSAGE FROM ROBOTNUT

Woodsy, I checked out your site and found it to be totally awesome. I'm located in Canada, so I only know about Project Sword from friends in the UK. However, I am a big fan of Dr Who, Space 1999 and The Avengers. These have always been on Canadian TV since the 60's. Emma Peel [pictured] was my first love as a boy. Here was a pretty young woman, that got to drive fast cars and could smack down a room full of hired goons...take care, Darryl aka the Robotnut

Thanks for visiting, http://www.captainlazer.com Have you seen my other site, http://www.robotnut.com  

You can see more at, http://www.youtube.com/user/TheRobotnut