trevor's astronaut collection.

Another blast from my Email archive past.

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Hi Woodsy

I'm attaching photos of my astronaut collection, which is 250+ and counting. If you like, you can post them on your blog.

Love your site BTW. It brings nostalgic tears to me rheumy old eyes!

Regards

Trevor S

2015

I CAN WRITE A STAR WARS FILM SCRIPT (WELL ALMOST!)

Some of you might remember I put a post up earlier this week about a small event, in my home town of Southport, 'How To Write A Star Wars Script', which took place last night at the local Arts Centre, which I was lucky enough to attend, and have to say I enjoyed it immensely. 

Film scholar, Derek McLean, who incidentally briefly worked for Gerry Anderson on one of his later series, examined aspects of film story telling, breaking down the elements of the various characters, and different screenwriting structures.

He used the film Stars Wars to illustrate his talk, describing it as a three-part structure, called Setup, Confrontation and Resolution.  This is different to the following film in the series, The Empire Strikes Back which he describes as episodic)

Although the film is supposed to focus on the adventures of Luke Skywalker, Derek is much more of the opinion that the droid, R2D2 is the central character, and spends some time reinforcing this point.

Here's Derek in the foyer of Southport's Art Centre, with Star Wars main protagonist R2D2.

Derek plans to do some more talks on film structure at other venues in Southport. His next is planned to take place soon in the relaxed atmosphere of Bar 45, a new retro bar specialising in playing  only vinyl records, along with comedy and talk nights. 

The props, by the way were provided by starwarlookalikes.com

hover tank in motion

Here is a short video of the superb model Project SWORD Hover Tank that reader and modeler Kevin D made a few years ago.

clifford toy racing team car transporter

RE: your racing car transporter post

My plastic Clifford Racing Team Transporter is a yellow one. The stickers on the side are different, Racing Team this time. I do have a Land Rover, Hong Kong plastic too with exactly the same sticker on its side. 

I guess somehow Clifford and co planned some kind of a set?

Regards, 

Ike

MY MONOGRAM BATTLESTAR GALACTICA

A few photos of my old Monogram Battlestar Galactica kit.

The model was released in 1979, and was a fairly simple kit to put together, with just a couple of decals.

It was one of four kits released, the others being the Colonial Viper, Cylon Raider, and Cylon Base Star.

Battlestar Galactica which came out between 1978 - 79 was, of course intended as Star Wars for television and lasted for just 24 episodes before being cancelled.  It did however return a year later with a cut-price version renamed Galactica 1980, which lasted another 10 episodes before it too, was axed.

The original studio model  of the  Battlestar Galactica was apparently six-foot long and used dozens  of plastic kits, in particular tanks to create the detail. 

A couple of the sounds that I really like

There are countless toy noises and movements I loved as a kid and still like to remember.

I adored the snug fit of the visor on Major Matt Mason's helmet, particularly when it closed. It was a tight fit over his head too. All in all it was great fun.

Action Man's field radio was a similar tactile triumph. First you had to open the little green case, then pull out the headphones jammed in there, then unravel the cables and place the phones on A Man's head. Joy! ( did it involve a morse code unit too?)

I also got a kick from pushing the small plastic coloured pegs into my Lite Brite. If it was a new paper picture beneath the screen then even better! I think the clown was my favourite image.

Another memory is the smell of heated elements inside battery operated motors like inside a robot or beneath a scalextric car. It was an intoxicating whiff of engine oil and iron. Pouring pink meths into a steam engine was a similar nasal peak. It had a chemical odour like unwanted dentistry.

Corgi Rockets provided further satisfaction with the gold key. Placing it in the plastic chassis was a fine feeling only bettered by the turn you made to release the wheels. Sublime!

A similar treasure was the extra force you had to apply to the snakehead handbreak on the old die-cast Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in order to spring the wings, which themselves made a marvellous click   as they opened.

The list is as endless as childhood days. What do you remember readers?

PS. Name the song from which the posts' title is taken!

seen any good sci fi films?

There are so many sci fi films I haven't seen in the last few years:

Pandorum
Arrival
Passengers
The colony
Midnight special
Equals

To name just a few.

Can anyone recommend any of these or others?

RICHARD HATCH R.I.P.

It's been announced that actor Richard Hatch who played Captain Apollo in the original Battlestar Galactica series has sadly passed away.

Our sincere condolences to his family.

More to follow.