MOONBASE CENTRAL

Sunday, 25 February 2024

THE MATCHBOX WILDLIFE TRUCK BY PAUL ADAMS

One of Moonbase's recent die-cast restorations was of the Matchbox Wild Life Truck. I thought a closer look at this model might be of interest.

In the 1970s Matchbox introduced the Rola-Matics, as part of their efforts to counter Hot Wheels. All the models had some sort of working feature.

As the models rolled across the floor, gears made various parts rotate, swing back and forth, or move up and down. The models were scattered throughout the 1-75 Series.

The Rola-Matics were introduced in 1973, and lasted until 1985. The models had the Rola-Matics name on the base.

Model No.57 was the Wild Life Truck, a pick-up truck with the Ford name on the tailgate, and a clear plastic cover over the rear bed. Inside was a lion, that paced around inside his cage, as the vehicle moved.

The early version was yellow, and had an orange sticker on the bonnet that said Ranger, along with the head of an elephant. Released in 1973, this is by far the most common model.

The Wild Life Truck was not re-coloured until 1981, when a white version, with black zebra stripes on the sides, appeared. The Wild Life Truck was finally replaced by the Carmichael Commando rescue truck in 1982.

The metal baseplate carried the Rola-Matics name, and had a 1973 copyright date. The model was sold in cardboard boxes, and on cards.

Four photographs from Worthpoint

Paul Adams from New Zealand

PrEDators: Playmates - #66004 Kong vs Terapusmordax

Woodsy,

Here's another predator input. This time it's K2 and an anorexic looking flying reptile, the Terapusmordax.

From Skull Island Vegas

Predator Ed

BEARS ON FILM

I caught a flick I've been meaning to see for years: Grizzly.

An obvious member of that hairy sub-genre of movies, which we might call Bear Films, part of a larger Animal Films genre, Grizzly was essentially a vehicle for chiseled rangers to look chiseled in the pine forest.

There was lots of drinking coffee and every time a rifle needed to fire it conveniently jammed. There were more faulty rifles in Grizzly than the local summer fairground.

Grizzly will have seemed menacing at the time - I may even have it in my VHS collection somewhere and possibly the tie-in paperback - but we have come to expect much more realism in our Bear movies, especially when old Yogi comes in to attack.

One particularly gruesome fray was in the wilderness thriller, The Edge, starring beleaguered Alec Baldwin and Anthony Hopkins. Just when you thought the mauling was over the bear came back for afters wrapped in a sleeping bag. Sleeping outdoors in bags seems to be a truly hazardous form of slumber.

However, I would say that its The Revenant that takes the biscuit for bear realism.

This Oscar-winning epic contains a truly leg-crossing attack on the protagonist of the flick, one bearded Leo DiCaprio. I believe Andy Surkis of Gollum fame was underneath the bearskin. It really has to be seen to be believed, that's if you can actually bare to watch!

Bill B was telling me about another film called Roar, which is about big cats I think. I've never seen it and its on the list of creature features for me to check out. Anyone know anything about Roar?

Have you a favourite bear or animal film or have any merchandise from any readers?

Saturday, 24 February 2024

ED'S MOON SUITS

Woodsy,

I enjoyed your save of the Major Matt Mason Moon Suit - you really do wonders with bits-&-pieces! Have you ever thought of cobbling together a steam-punk style spaceship?

I don't collect the original MMM - preferring, for the most part, smaller sized figures. Here's some shots of my Marx 54mm astronauts in both the Grumman MK-1 suit and the Republic Aviation suit.

From Vegas Base

CRAB1

This amazing BBC Earth footage totally reminded me of Marine Boy and that giant crab and Manta Ray.

This clip shows a high-tech 'spy' crab being shielded from the predating Manta by a multitude of loyal guards!

There's nothing quite like the natural world.

Let Us Prey

Whilst not strictly predators as such, here's some shot from the last few years on the blog of some of my models and toys with a creature feature!

STARSHIP TROOPERS WARRIOR BUG

ROCK LORDS FOSSILOSAURUS

ZOIDS KABTOR BEETLE

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SUBMERSIBLE AND SHARK

BIOTRON VS FOSSILOSAURUS

DISNEY ATLANTIS MARTAG

ZOIDS WARDICK COELOCANTH

DISNEY ATLANTIS LEVIATHAN

MULTIMAC CRAB NAVIGATOR

MULTIMAC LOBSTER

MICRONAUTS TERRAPHANT

WAR PLANETS BONE PLANET

ZOIDS DEATHPION

DEATHPION

ZOIDS DEATH STINGER SEA SCORPION

BIOTRON VS SCORPONOK

MEGA RIG SUBMERSIBLE AND SQUID

THE SEVEN ARTS OF MARINE BOY

I completely adored Marine Boy as a kid, a TV cartoon like no other.

The music and the intro are imprinted on my brain and I couldn't wait for each new episode.

I had no idea it was early Anime. The world would have meant nothing to me back then,

I never had any Marine Boy toys and I'm surprised about that, but I doubt there were many available, if any. A gumball like this Japanese one would have been terrific.

A rare tin Yonezawa sub would have blown my mind! Image courtesy of Mark Bergin toys.

Those major predators, the giant steel crab and the huge lobster appearing in the intro, were phenomenal and I loved those fleeting images, along with the Marineville-type underwater HQ, adorable mermaid and tech to die for, namely MB's cool red sub with its glass pipe portal and who can forget Marine Boy's power boots and the fabulous Oxygum, chewing gum full of oxygen.

Did you like Marine Boy on TV?

CLICKBAIT: CRABS ON THE RAMPAGE!

Recently mentioned on MC were a haul of paperback books by the British writer Guy N. Smith, famous for his horror books about killer crabs. He was a prolific author, and this series alone eventually ran to 12 titles, published between 1976 and 2019.

https://projectswordtoys.blogspot.com/2024/01/the-shipley-shuffle.html#comment-form

Crabs on the Rampage (1981) was the fourth book in the series. I thought the cover of this would make a good subject for a photo shoot, using some items I already had to hand .....