THAT SNOW BEAST

I'm currently watching a creature feature called Snow Beast from 1977.

Snow Beasts have a long and dignified history in popular culture. From the classic Abominable Snowman black and white original with Peter Cushing, the Yeti has been a staple of popular culture.

In my bookshelf is a well-thumbed copy of Snow Man by Norman Bogner, one of those iconic New English Library paperbacks made for a summer holiday read. My copy is from 1979 like the one pictured but I think it was first published in 1977, a good year for Yeti's.

[pic: nastynels]

Snowbeast is also from 1977 and is a horror flick, which for a time in the 1980's courted the video nasties when Vipco released it on VHS. Its not a nasty at all and with the likes of Clint Walker and Bo Svenson and some decent sets is very watchable. I'm watching it on You Tube and with its large number of extras in the film's ski resort it reminded me of other holiday disaster films like Piranha and Jaws.

A much less able affair is a more modern Snow Beast movie I've seen on telly. From 2011, it has a cast of about five, three of whom are on the DVD cover [the beast ate the other and it makes five] who appear to sit around drinking coffee or driving SUV's most of the time. Avoidable.

Grab a coffee and watch the 1977 movie or read the NEL paperback.

Have you any Yeti's in the closet readers?

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ABOMINABLE TOYS

Brian's recommendation of this cool looking modern Yeti Playset by Animal Planet has prompted me to list a few Yeti toys.

Maybe the mother of all vintage Yeti toys, here's the Marx original from 1963

and video footage by Big Al of it on the Tube. Be warned, the mechanical Wampa shrieking is really unpleasant! 

Then of course there is that rarity amongst Sasquatches, the Mego Six Million Dollar Man Big Foot as covered on the US TV show Toy Hunter. 

There's also this 7m video on the Tube explaining the ins and outs of it as a collectable:

Although I don't own one, my own personal favourite, is this, the Snow Man from the legendary Tomland line of Monsters. He has to be the most handsome of all Yetis!

There are lots more Abominable Snowmen toys: Matchbox, GI Joe and so on. Anyone got any?

LOST MASTERS

I'm working on something at the present time ....from my past you might like to put across to your readers.....it has been found in my "archives"....thought it had been lost....but survived from the early 2000's.....

....."Masters of the Universe"......I was involved with the re-launched Toy Range back then....and also with the Comic that came out.....that lasted a year or so.....

.......anyway when I was doing the pictures for the Range to appear in the comic....I also did something interesting with the range....

.....I created the outline for a comicbook story using the action figures....images were taken on model sets and a script produced ....the comic with the "photostory" never was released....went into a box...."lost"....but now I have found it and going to put it on my website as a free to view webcomic.....in early 2024....

.....have mentioned that on "Twitter" yesterday and got over 800 views in a couple of hours....so looks like some fans will be looking in on my site shortly to see the story, the original images and some updated new ones will be coming along with the story........ - some of the originals unfortunately not in a good state anymore .

Anyway....some previews attached, your readers might like to see them....and in the early part of next year will send you some more from the updated elements from the story .

Will keep in touch ....have a good Christmas!

Regards 

Richard Dixon

TPD STUDIOS - LANCASHIRE , ENGLAND .

www.richard-dixon-tpd-studios.co.uk

SCROOGED AGAIN!

I've just watched the first of my fave Christmas flicks I watch every year; Scrooged from 1988. You know the one, Bill Murray as the obnoxious TV exec who renews his love on Christmas Eve.

Its a great film, directed by the late great Richard Donner. Donner made two of my favourite non-Xmas films as well, The Omen and co-produced X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

There's a stocking-full of fab actors in Scrooged. Bill Murray had taken a four year break after Ghostbusters in 1984 and came back with Scrooged. I think he was on superb form and was helped enormously with endearing foils like the gruff Bridgeport-born A-lister Robert Mitchum, the down and out who calls him Dick: New Jersey's Michael J. Pollard, Syracuse's Bobcat Goldthwait, he of the screechy voice and many more.

A particular favourite role is that of the excitable substitute Film Director brought in whilst Murray's character goes to pot. This Director has a line I never forgot, 'I'll have the California Health Plate' and I've wanted to order one in a restaurant ever since. The appealing actor, Kingston-born John Glover, also played 'Phil', the memorable assistant to Carter in Payback, another old flick I like.

When you talk about Scrooged you can't not talk about the fabulous female lead played by Illinois-born Karen Allen, who's most famous role is easily Marion Ravenwood in the India Jones franchise, most recently the Dial of Destiny this year [anyone seen it?]. 

My final mention is one David Johannsen, who plays the raucous taxi-driving Ghost of Christmas Past in Scrooged, perhaps his most famous non-musical role. Hailing from Staten Island, Johannsen was the glam lead singer of the important proto-punk band The New York Dolls. I remember first seeing them on the Old Grey Whistle Test in 1973 playing their classic Jet Boy. Years before Punk, only David Bowie, Iggy Pop and Lou Reed were as edgy at the time.

Yep, Scrooged is a great and funny film, which I always enjoy re-watching. Is it a film you like readers?

Ed's Tin: F-104 Starfighter from 'ASC'

The F-104 is one of the Century Series of fighters and is among my all-time favorites (okay, I have about 50 'all time favorites' and? 🤣) and this version is quite large at 14"L with an 8" wingspan.

It has a friction motor, but unlike many toy airplanes of the era, lacks a sparking mechanism to give it that extra bit of flair.

The wings detach from the fuselage in the same manner as most tin toy aircraft of the era.

From Vegas Airfield

Ed

WILL'S B58

Loved Ed’s pictures of his voodoo . My favourite when I was young was the Marx B 58 Hustler. Screaming light up jets and all!

Will O.

UK

CAPTAIN SCARLET'S ULTRA HAND

Vintage Andersonalia never ceases to amaze me when it comes to Japan. Everything got the treatment including this grabber, the Ultra Hand!

Old Cap Scarlet isn't just indestructible, he's extendable too! Just what you need to grab your escaping balloon in space!

Have you any strange Anderson toys and collectables readers?

ARTO'S ATOMICS

To celebrate my first two original darts for the Tudor Rose Atomic Ray Pistol, I took this group shot of my arsenal by far. The green one and the black ones are 1950's Finnish clones by Deborex.

Enjoy!

Arto

Helsinki Base

Moonship at Moonbase

 This is my new Century 21 Moonship.

I found it in a cabinet of old stuff in an antiques shop.

I've blogged about the Moonship since the start of Moonbase. Click on the Moonship label below for more.

Have you got a Moonship?