CABINET RE-SHUFFLE

My new toy cabinet.

With lights!

HARROP ZERO-X 50

I'm sure you will have seen this but here's the old Harrop 50 Years Thunderbirds Anniversary Zero-X statuette.

Picture saved from online.

What do you think of this statuette?

What's happened to Harrop? I can't find them online.

DRACULA: THE LATEST BBC INCARNATION

I imagine those who enjoy a bit of Gothic horror have been tuning into the BBC's latest offering, Dracula starring Danish actor, Claes Bang as the infamous Count.

Written by Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat, this latest adaptation has the usual BBC diversity traits - Dracula is bi-sexual and Van Helsing is now a woman.

To be honest I find most modern horror films a bit of a gore bore, but on this occasion  I'm finding Dracula very enjoyable, with some genuinely scary elements. It has nods to classic Hammer, and other little Easter eggs tucked away in the narrative. There's a gory bit involving Zombies which takes its inspiration from John Carpenter's 'The Thing', and the Count's Transylvanian castle is very reminiscent of imaginary in  Francis Ford Coppola's 1992 version of Bram Stoker's Dracula.

A highlight for me (and other Space:1999 fans) last night was the brief appearance of Catherine Schell as Grand Duchess Valeria, who, in conversation with the Count talks about a mysterious author who wants to document her life - Doctor Watson perhaps? Dracula had already mentioned knowing a famous detective in London during his first encounter with Sister Agatha , A Dutch nun who has a fascination with the legend of Dracula...

The final instalment airs tonight on BBC 1 at 9.00 pm.

THOUGHTS ON THE PROJECT SWORD FILM: A SPACE ODYSSEY PROMO?

Blog inspirer Rob Godwin recently made some insightful observations on the old Project SWORD display film we've featured here on Moonbase. The link to it is below.

He thought the video is amazing. Rob pointed out the images from 2001 A Space Odyssey in the background. He highlighted the Captain Scarlet cap gun stuck on the wall. He's never seen that white Nuclear Ferry anywhere. Rob noticed that there isn't a moon base, which may not have meant anything if the Nuclear Ferry was in prototype phase only when this was filmed. 

Rob wondered why Reuters would go and film something so obscure? In colour no less. 

Finally Rob speculated if this had anything to do with that announcement we had seen about displaying the toys at the time of the 2001 release, this is dated within days of the release of 2001.

What are you thoughts?

https://www.britishpathe.com/video/VLVAF0AA1XY8DDIO7HWY7BW5N7XGC-UK-DISPLAY-OF-SPACE-AGE-HONG-KONG-TOYS-OPENS-IN-LONDON/query/hong+kong+toy+display

PROJECT SWORD? NO! PROJECT MARS

S.W.O.R.D wasn't the only project around.

There was Project Mars!

This lovely plastic rocket was launched by Red Box ... or is it Redbox?

T in a Circle [Tai Hing] did something similar called the Apollo-X.

I associate Red Box more with spy attache cases.

There's a whiff of the Project SWORD Probe Force 2 fuselage as well now I'm looking at it.

Have you got a Project Mars toy or similar?

Pics borrowed from Worthpoint.

LITTLE SCI-FI ON TV?

I've not noticed much Sci-Fi or Fantasy this Christmas on UK Freeview terrestrial TV. Maybe I just missed them. Where was Jason and the Argonauts and Clash of the Titans for instance?

What do you think readers? What's Xmas TV been like in your part of the world?

There's been quite a bit of ghostly stuff though, so I haven't been too disappointed. Dracula the series starts tonight too! Hope they don't mess with the story!

CHRISTMAS GIFTS

Well, its 2020.

Happy New Year.

Christmas is now just a trail of old pie crumbs.

Looking back over those warm festive days last week I recall fondly the gifts I received on my Birthday and Christmas Day.

So big thanks go to my Missus, my daughter and her family, my neighbour, Bill, Arto and Tony. All very kind.

The large plastic Spaceship in the centre is a Delta Bird 7 from my daughter and family. A lovely looking toy from Japan. I need to check the crossed TN makers mark.

Alas the Delta Bird 7 doesn't work so it'll need some tender care to coax it back to life.

I'll blog about the other stuff after I've had a good look at them.

What did you get?

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Its 2020 readers!

Here's to a great solar year!

To celebrate here are a few nic-nacs:

1. U2's classic song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdLuk2Agamk

2. In case you missed it, the classic Dinner for One sketch loved across Europe at New Year except in

the UK! 

and 3. NASA's January and February space missions.

Its the stuff toys are made of!

https://www.nasa.gov/launchschedule/