EITHER OR'S FUNZIES

 Messing with my Or.

Enjoy!

MOON RANGER ATTACKS!

 

This was my first attempt at a Project SWORD short film using toys in my garden way back in 2014. 

I was in my early 50's back then and having fun this short kicked-off a flurry of activity, as I made a handful more short stories like this and a long series of Project SWORD toy repair and investigation films, all posted on the blog and You Tube at the time [click the lable Moonbase Central Videos below for more]..

Needless to say, views on You Tube only run into the tens! ha ha.

Still, a bit of nostalgia for me and hopefully you'll enjoy Moon Ranger Attacks!

Have you made any shorts?

PROJECT SWORD: THE DEBUT SOLO STRIP NARRATED BY WOODSY

Project SWORD began today 57 years ago!

It began its life as a comic strip in SOLO comics in 1967.

Over Half a century!

Most of the toys were introduced to us kids in issue 19 of SOLO.

Those toys and SOLO comics are still around today for us to enjoy again, which is quite amazing really.

To celebrate today here's the first Project SWORD strip narrated by ..... yours truly! Don't laugh!

Do you remember this strip?

DRAGSTER DAY, DRAGSTER NIGHT

Me and Junior were watching his new fave Hot Wheels TV cartoon on the telly the other day. 

I then remembered we'd cobbled together our own little film a month before the Pandemic struck back in 2020, when he was a mere 3 years old. Here it is again for old time's sake.

A Moonbase Central Short Film starring Junior's fave HotWheels car!

Enjoy!

Have you any short films you've made? Send 'em in!

MY DAYLIGHT ATTACK BY RONIN

My Samurai'd home movie made in lockdown 2020.

Great fun to do and shown on MC before.

Hope you like this re-spin.

Have you made a short like this?

What did you do in your lockdown?

THE FLYPAPER

Today I saw a shocking TV play in the series Tales of the Unexpected on the box. I was gobsmacked by the subject matter and I'm unsure of they'd even attempt it now. 

More like a public safety broadcast the episode was called The Flypaper, based on a story by one Elizabeth Taylor [not the actress]. It was first shown in the August of 1980. 

Here it is on You Tube, although it's not pleasant viewing.

https://youtu.be/tqa0abn9Tb4

I didn't watch telly that summer as I was in a rock band, which took up all my time.

Seeing it now, The Flypaper reminds me of other gritty and spooky TV dramas from the 70's, some of which I saw at the time and some I've discovered later including some with the help of Moonbase readers. Murren, The Photograph, the Stone Tape, those public safety adverts for kids, Thriller episodes and thanks to Tone K, the brilliant Vampires.

A few years back I had a go at making a handful of spooky shorts on my phone, starring Moonbase mutt Blue and the local fields. Great fun, although I'm glad no-one saw me doing them. They'll have thought I was a complete nutter!

Can you recommend any more gritty TV dramas and plays from the 1970's readers, preferably with a little spookiness thrown in?

ANOTHER SPECIAL BIRTHDAY GIF: THE PROJECT SWORD NUCLEAR FERRY FLY-PAST

 

Original Nuclear Ferry Art by Bob McCall

A BIRTHDAY GIF: THE JR21 ATOMIC SUBMARINE AIRCRAFT CARRIER BOX ART

 

When box art comes alive!

Perhaps the greatest of all blog toy legends.

DRAGSTER BY NIGHT

A Moonbase Central Short Film

starring my Grandson's fave HotWheels

Re-posted from 12 months ago!

THE R U S T L I N G HAND

It's going to get you!

DAYLIGHT ATTACK BY RONIN: NIGHT SHOOT

As night set in I couldn't resist a couple of nocturnal shots in the darkness of the original Night Attack by Ronin model.

Last one out turn the light off!

Ronin has broken!

DAYLIGHT ATTACK BY RONIN: BEHIND THE SCENES

 A few intimate shots behind the scenes at this week's filming of the Samurai epic Daylight Attack by Ronin.

Here the Director, Mr. Blue, has just arrived on set in his new red limo. He's not happy.

The props department is rather thin on the ground due to a heated dispute with the kitchen manager.

Take five - a welcome break in a gruelling filming schedule. The star, Ron In, has left the set in a huff. His co-star, Sam Urai, collapses under the strain.

The final take. 

Over time, over budget and over the top.

Mr. Blue was furious and stormed off the set barking

"It's a wrap!"

DAYLIGHT ATTACK BY RONIN: THE STILLS

*

All props purloined from the kitchen drawer for Ronin were returned in time for making tea!

DAYLIGHT ATTACK BY RONIN: THE FILM!

Inspired by an old Samurai model I liked called Night Attack by Ronin I thought I'd use the downtime to create my own homage.

Done in bright sunshine in the Moonbase Garden with two Action Men, I call it

"Daylight Attack by Ronin".

Go full screen and turn up the volume.

Enjoy!

What do you think?

a few moonbase central videos

DRAGSTER BY NIGHT

A Moonbase Central Short Film

starring my Grandson's fave HotWheels

IT HAPPENED ONE WINTER 2014: THE VIDEO

Re-posted from 2014

Here's my latest Moonbase Central Production. 

In this video I look at something I was really pleased to get recently from Japan - the Flying Space Rocket display card. 

A bit of a SWORD curio, watch the film and let me know what you think.

FROM THE CUTTING ROOM FLOOR: ROCKET TRANSPORTER

This was an aborted attempt to make my scratchbiult rocket transporter move.

I used a battery-operated bulldozer to push it along the floor but it just didn't have enough oomph to do the job.

I ended up pushing it all!

Action sessions like these always remind me just how much mastery the Century 21 Studio staff had of their craft, especially when I can't even make a single vehicle move at all!

Have you attempted to make your toys move and film them?

SWING WING WHEELS

Years ago I acquired this beautiful old SL swing wing Royal Navy Strike Fighter plane by SL.

Amazingly the wheel was a deadringer for the Project SWORD Scout 1 wheel.

Five years ago I even made a video about replacing my missing Scout 1 wheel!

https://projectswordtoys.blogspot.com/2014/11/moonbase-video-century-21-sword-scout-2.html

So I was excited this summer when I saw another swing wing fighter toy on auction with a potential Scout 1 wheel.

Its a Clifford Toys F-111 TFX Jet Fighter with Powerful Friction Motor.

Despite a completely different box, it looks virtually the same as my SL toy from above.

Alas, the wheel underneath is not the same and isn't a replacement for the Scout 1 wheel this time.

Have you got a swing wing toy like this?

HUGE EXPLOSION ON MEGA CITY MOTORWAY! IN HONOUR OF GREG MARTIN

Going crazy with 3D Paint Video I went wild on my night-time motorway shot featuring the Inter-City Mini-Bus from yesterday.

Yep, its a disaster! We need Thunderbirds and quick!

I made this clip in honour of the Modeller and filmmaker, the late Greg Martin.