With One Eye on the Cake!

 Hello Woodsy, 

This past Sunday my missus had a birthday party to celebrate her 70th - Egad!

Her long time friend Nick Stathopoulos made and amazing card and cake based on her childhood love of Ray Harryhausen's 7th Voyage of Sinbad. 

A pity we couldn't invite Moonbasers everywhere!

Looey

Oz

The Dragon's Teeth

These modern Papo skeletons really have that Jason and the Argonauts vibe! They glow in the dark too! I wonder if Ray Harryhausen Would have got some!?

HERCULES, REMEMBER WHAT JASON SAID ABOUT TALOS!

One of my fave film scenes of all time, Talos waking up in Jason and the Argonauts, perhaps pone of my fave films ever too!

OK, a few headscratchers:

1. What does Hercules take from the treasure room?

2. Who made Talos?

3. What is the name of the steaming fluid inside Talos?

The Talos Vinyl Figure

Hi

Here is a video from Laura Legends, featuring a review of the Ray Harryhausen stop-motion animation character Talos, from the film Jason and the Argonauts (1963). 

This is a large vinyl figure by a company called Star Ace. It is part of their Supervinyl Statue range, and stands 32cm tall, or just over 12 inches. 

There are two versions of the figure - Normal (figure and ship) with Talos lifting the ship Argo out of the water; and Deluxe, which also includes a scenic base, depicting the sea and rocks, with Talos standing on the rocks. 

The diorama version is a limited edition of only 800 worldwide. Copyright date 2021. This is a great looking figure, with an excellent bronze finish. Bet it is also expensive.

My first review of 2022! TALOS Ray Harryhausen STATUE by StarAceToys - YouTube

Paul Adams from New Zealand

UK TV CLASSIC SCI-FI TODAY INCLUDING GERRY ANDERSON!

On the UK Horror Channel today, some classic Sci-Fi TV for a lockdown Easter:

2pm        The Giant Claw
3.30pm   The Incredible Shrinking Man
5.10pm   20 Million Miles to Earth
6.50pm   Journey to the Far Side of the Sun/ Doppelganger [Gerry Anderson!]
10.45pm Fright Night [Roddy McDowell]

What will you be watching?

SWAMP THINGIN' THIS HALLOWEEN

DC's manky monster Swamp Thing has always fascinated me.  The toys too. Kenner made a range of plastic figures like this [pic on an auction]:

Checking his Kenner action figures online old Swampy has a basic facial likeness to our old Harryhausen chum Ymir from the 20 Million  miles to Earth.

Palmer plastics and Diener Rubbers were producing decent toy monster figures way back. Diener's Ymir would go well with Swamp Thing.

In fact their Tree Trunk Monster eraser really could be Swamp Thing!

Where did Wrightson-Wein get their inspiration for Swamp Thing from? 

Anyone know?

HARRYHAUSEN'S MONSTERS SPOTTED IN NEW JERSEY

Hi Woodsy.

Here's some Harryhausen stuff by X Plus and Gentle Giant.

The boxed figures are 12 inch, the loose figures are 6 inch and the small dioramas are about 4 inches high.

Since you mentioned "Obie" recently, I threw in an X Plus King Kong in a very nice window box!

BrianF 

NJ USA

WILLIS O'BRIAN'S CREATIONS

I was mesmerised by this You Tube test footage by Willis O'Brien of his unfinished 1931 stop-motion film 'Creation'.

Featuring somewhat unpleasant dinosaur hunting, I assume that Willis would have made sure the hunter got his comeuppance had he finished!

I hadn't seen this clip before and You Tube has a whole raft of O'Brian related stuff including material on the lost spider pit sequence of King Kong and clips from my beloved Mighty Joe Young movie, where a young Ray Harryhausen gets stuck into the clay.

I first came across Willis O'Brian, the godfather of stop motion, in the pages of Famous Monsters of Filmland and I may still have the very copy from my youth. It featured his original King Kong and dinosaur frame and clay models, which I seem to recall going to Forry Ackerman himself as part of his Ackermansion collection.

I wonder where they are now?

A trip to the loft is required methinks!

RAY HARRYHAUSEN IS IN THE HOUSE!

Just enjoying a late Christmas TV special of the 7th Voyage of Sinbad and Clash of the Titans. Yep, its a Harryhausen bonanza!

I love these old stop motion effects movies. Like the great Willis O'Brien before him, Ray Harryhausen's genius was to bring lumps of clay to life almost golem-like.

His distinctive chained cave dragon in the 7th Voyage was utterly fabulous.

Gwangipedia

It reminds me of other lizard monsters in films like 

The Giant Behemoth

Giphy

The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms

Giphy

and the Danish-American Reptilicus

Wikipedia

I shall have to check any Harryhausen links to these other films. 

I never had any Harryhausen-based toys I don't think. I was too old for Clash of the Titan toys and never found any as a collector later on. never saw a one at any UK car boot sales. I did see mint boxed Krakens and carded figures at larger toy fairs like Memorabilia. 

Were there any other toys based on Harryhausen films? Do you like stop motion effects?

christmas and the argonauts

As is only right there is some Ray Harryhausen on UK TV this Christmas season.

On Thursday early on at 7.45am there is Ray Harryhausen Special Effects Titan and later that morning at 10.25am The 7th Voyage of Sinbad graces our screens.

This and The Vikings with Kirk The Chin Douglas [and that wonderful viking horn tune] is followed by the cornerstone of any Harryhausen Christmas, Jason and the Argonauts.

Will you be watching?