2/21/24

Trendmasters Godzilla Unproduced Doom Island Resin Recast Figure!

 

I'm so excited about this one, I don't know where to begin, so let's take a historical perspective, and begin at the beginning!

The existence of this Godzilla figure has puzzled fans for years.  We all know Doom Island ended up as a cancelled line, but at Toy Fair that year, the Trendmasters display looked like this:

You'll see this page cropped and shared all over the place, but its origin is TOMART'S ACTION FIGURE DIGEST #38, and the full page is presented here, above. There's a prominent photo in the middle of this montage that caught the eye of many a fan.  What was this cool-looking Godzilla figure? To further add to the mystery, it got a full page in the Trendmasters Doom Island catalog:
What in the world was this figure, and why did we never see it?
Well, now it can be told!

Enter Jeff Bergeron.  Jeff is an artist and designer, and worked at Trendmasters from day one of their Godzilla license! He has now shared the long-lost details, and the facts are: this wasn't a Godzilla figure...it was TWO Godzilla figures!

Shockingly, there was to be both a 4-inch and a 6-inch figure of this Godzilla for the Doom Island line.  As Jeff relates on his Etsy listing (which we will get to momentarily), they were designed by Bill Bronson at Trendmaster's request to take the line in a new direction, and to make Godzilla more "edgy." The 6-inch figure was never tooled (therefore what was seen at Toy Fair was a painted prototype, which is not an unusual practice), but the 4-inch figure was, and only somewhere around 12 were produced! So, what happened to those? How many survived?

Well...who knows, but what's important here is, Jeff owns one, and now you can own one too! On his Etsy page, Jeff is offering high-quality recasts of this Godzilla, professionally made in the exact same way that they would've been back in the day, using high-quality resin and dowel rod joints for articulation.  Each piece is custom-cast and all edges are sanded off.  He will even give one a Trendmasters paint job for you, if you so desire!


For me personally, I chose unpainted, because I want it to look like the unproduced figure that it is.  As you can see, the casting job is excellent, and loses no details (I recommend that you view these photos at full size to take it all in).  He looks great.

I forgot to mention, the figure bears the date of 1997!

Interestingly, you can see that this figure would've had lights and sounds.  There are small vent marks on the front, but directly above them is a square cut-away that would've held (or been) a button! Take a look at the photo of Jeff's disassembled figure on his Etsy listing, and you can see that some of the pieces are transparent (not just fins, but also hands)! This would've been an interesting figure indeed.  On the underside, you can also see where the battery compartment would be, which looks similar in design to other Trendmasters figures.


Another thing that's cool about this figure is that its design doesn't shorten the tail, like they had to do with their earlier Godzilla figures:


In fact, as you can see above, the tail would've had an extra joint for added articulation! 

I can't say enough good things about this figure.  It's a piece of history, and it's an incredible feeling to be one of the lucky collectors to own one.  It's in a place of honor in my collection, and will be a bragging point to friends from here on out!

You can buy one for yourself right here:


Not only will you receive the figure, but Jeff also includes a personalized Godzilla drawing with his orders! An original Godzilla drawing, from an original Trendmasters artisan? It doesn't get any better than that!

2/8/24

BATTLE ARMOR MECHA KING GHIDORAH (Godzilla Doom Island, Trendmasters, 1997)

 

Today we get into the last figure of the Doom Island BATTLE ARMOR series! Trendmasters varied a bit on what they called him exactly, but here (on the back of the box that is) it's "Battle Armor Mecha King Ghidorah" (with no hyphen; on some earlier Trendmasters toys he's just "Mecha Ghidorah").

Just like the Godzilla we looked at last time, this figure began life in the previous GODZILLA WARS series, as "Power-Up Mecha-King Ghidorah" (with hyphen):

Of the four "Power-Up" figures, this one is one of the coolest.  Once again, the figure was given the black Doom Island wash, which really accentuates the sculpt here.  Now, let's get inside the box...

When you look at the packaged figure straight on, it almost appears his tail(s) and wings aren't separate, but they are, as you can see below:

And here is a better view of the heads...I didn't stop to see if the backpack-type piece connected to the middle head was removable like the "Power-Up" figure, but I'm willing to bet that it still is.

The body of the figure also benefits greatly from the extra black paint:

And, just like the other figures, a packet of weapons and missiles can be found under the cardboard base:

Here is something else that you won't see anywhere, well, else.  While the Godzilla figure included a Mechagodzilla card, this figure actually includes the right one.  This card is so rare, I couldn't even find any trace to include it in the Trendmasters Guide (please see our Sphinx Godzilla Guides page for free PDF downloads, updated constantly), but it's there now!


Interestingly, all of the Doom Island cards I've been able to see the backs of are unnumbered, and this one is no exception. For the curious, I count 10 different ones that you can see in the guide!

I hope you've enjoyed not only getting to see these rare figures, but actually being able to see what's inside of the box! It's sad that there were only four in this group, but it's also sad that Doom Island never had the chance to really take off. At least we have a handful of items that made it past the prototype stage!

2/5/24

BATTLE ARMOR GODZILLA (Godzilla Doom Island, Trendmasters, 1997)

We need to conclude our inside look at the four BATTLE ARMOR figures from the ill-fated DOOM ISLAND Trendmasters series!

To get a run-down on the line, as well as see the first two figures we looked at, see the previous posts about Battle Armor Kumonga and Battle Armor Anguirus! Both are completely awesome figures.

Those figures were brand new sculpts; the remaining half of the line were really re-painted re-packs, though, that you have probably even seen before.  Today's Battle Armor Godzilla began in the previous GODZILLA WARS line as "Power-Up Godzilla."

The "Power-Up" Godzillas came in two colors: Trendmasters Green and the blacker "Supercharged," which you see above.  These are the famous (infamous?) figures that included armor and weapons, and as they have aged, have taught the initial 90's doubters (of which I was one) that they are nothing short of sweeeeeeeet.
As you can see above, the box for my figure has encountered a bit of moisture some time between 1997 and now, but the tape on these usually falls off anyway, so let's look inside!


The Doom Island figures benfitted--and not--from a black paint wash that they were all given, which makes the details of their sculpts really stand out.  Everything looks better, down to teeth and claws.  I say "and not" because some people have complained about this black wash breaking down and getting gummy over the years.  So let's hope for the best.


Unlike "Power Up" Godzilla, this one comes with his largest pieces of armor already in place.  They don't want you to wonder what all of those other vac-metalized pieces are, I guess.

You may have noticed that, like many Doom Island figures, the trading card is completely wrong.  This is very common in this line, and speaks to the rushed way in which they were disposed of.  A Godzilla (as well as Supercharged Godzilla) card does indeed exist.

One more angle, while we are in here.  This gives you a better look at his back and tail.

As with Kumonga and Anguirus, a packet of armor and missiles is found beneath his cardboard stand.  It looks like to me that they match the "Power-Up Godzilla" perfectly.  (He even has a little helmet!)

Next time, we conclude with the fourth and last BATTLE ARMOR figure, Mecha-King Ghidorah! Be there or be square.

1/19/24

(Another) GODZILLA 1985 Ad Slick Set (American Screen Accessories, 1985)

 

Here is a second set of ad slicks for GODZILLA 1985, comprising 5 pages measuring 11 x 14 inches.

Comparing these to the previous set that we looked at a few years ago, one thing jumps out right away:  while that set had a light-colored background behind Godzilla, this set has a dark one, making for a solidly black ad with white text.

This gave the newspaper personnel a choice, I suppose...the dark one is more striking, but in smaller sizes it might have looked like a big smudge on the page.  What do you think?

And speaking of, some of the most interesting ads are usually the smaller ones:

1/16/24

The Kaiju Art of Ray Fromme!

 

We don't do any paid endorsements around here, and the blog isn't even monetized.  While we don't receive any money, great kaiju artists should, and here is one you should know about. I had the privilege of meeting Ray Fromme at a convention a few months ago, and have been meaning to post about his excellent kaiju artwork ever since! 

Ray is a gifted and prolific artist, as well as a true fan who can talk about any era of Godzilla that you bring up, not to mention other great tokusatsu franchises! I don't feel comfortable copy-and-pasting examples of prints that are for sale, so you are encouraged to go to this LinkTree site, which lists out his stores, social media, and whatnot, including prints, originals, T-shirts, and more.


I will however show you a print that I bought and framed! What can I say? It spoke to me.  Check out his work, won't you?

1/11/24

SHOCK AROUND THE CLOCK 2! Megalon & Godzilla On Monster Island (c.1979)

 

Here is a 9 x 12 inch advertising piece, printed on glossy purple cardstock, very prominently titled SHOCK AROUND THE CLOCK 2! This was a Cinema Shares movie package that was to be sold to potential television station clients, including 7 movies.  And there are some real stinkers.

For our purposes here, though, both GODZILLA vs. MEGALON and GODZILLA ON MONSTER ISLAND are included! If you can get past the giant Jack Elam face, here are the descriptions you can read:



By  my calculations, none of the other films listed are later than 1978.

But wait, there's more--if you are wondering what further SHOCK AROUND THE CLOCK movie packages might have looked like, here are some sloppy photos that I saved from an Ebay auction, showing 1, 3, 5, and at least two more, one completely un-numbered, which is strange:

Puma Man!


THE CANTINA COMPENDIUM (5th edition, 2024) - Including Several Updates, now available!

 

I swore up and down I wasn't going to do it, but in the last four years, I'd collected a small handful of items that really needed to be added to the book.  Also, right before Christmas, two important items came out that yielded a few more tidbits.  They are so enjoyable and well-done that I need to mention them here:

A DISTURBANCE IN THE FORCE -  HOW AND WHY THE STAR WARS HOLIDAY SPECIAL HAPPENED (Steve Kozak)
I'm not going to fully review this here, but it's a great read--scholarly, fun, and fair, where you might expect it to simply just be negative (which would be easy to do).  It's simply great.

A DISTURBANCE IN THE FORCE -  HOW AND WHY THE STAR WARS HOLIDAY SPECIAL HAPPENED (Jeremy Coon & Steve Kozak)
And whattayaknow, there is an accompanying documentary! This is also lots of fun.  Some of the same interviews are contained in the documentary, but in longer form.  This movie is also very fair, and spends a lot of the first third setting up the context, for those who missed the insane 1970's. I was afraid it would be some sort of VH-1 "talking heads" compilation of comedians dunking on the Special...maybe even without access to real clips, but I was completely wrong, and it was much, much more than that! Recommended.

These can be found in the usual places of course, and as always, I get nothing from touting them here.

Anyway, if you've enjoyed earlier editions of the CANTINA COMPENDIUM, you're going to want to replace them with this new edition:

LINK: The Cantina Compendium (5th edition, PDF)

Here is the old post explaining all of the details of the book, with plenty of screenshots to show you what you're getting into. Enjoy!

1/2/24

GODZILLA vs. MEGALON Theatre Ad Slick (Donald L. Velde, Inc., 1976)

 


There's not much to this one, but here is an ad slick of modified small ads that appear to be custom-made for "SBC Management Corporation and affiliated theatres."  It measures 8.5 x 11 inches, and was issued on April 20, 1976.  The ads were even assigned designations with SBC in the name. Comparing these to the pressbook, you can see which ones were altered to make these.

This theatre group just, apparently, needed ovals!

Speaking of MEGALON, when I was recently updating our Godzilla Home Video Guide, I set aside all of the MEGALON releases on VHS to make a group photo...even I was surprised!


12/22/23

DESTROY ALL MONSTERS "Coming Soon" Ad (April 3, 1939)

 

Here is what is probably a very unique ad for DESTROY ALL MONSTERS, which says "Coming Soon" (the film was released in late May of that year).  This full-page ad comes from the April 3, 1969 issue of the Motion Picture Daily, which was a publication about the film industry that ran from 1931 to 1972.  

It is 9.5 by 12 inches, and had to be scanned and stitched together.  I always love how the listed stars are the monsters, and even HOLY CRAP WHAT DID I JUST SEE?

Bwa ha HA! I can't stop laughing.  I hope somebody got in big trouble (I doubt it) for screwing that one up, and also for the mess I have to clean up, because Little Debbie Christmas Tree cakes were just spat everywhere.

Also, American International has a slogan here: "The Film Company With The Future Look."  It's rather confusing.  You could read it as 1) they look futuristic, or 2) they are looking to the future...in which case, why not just say that? I think its usage was short lived.

Speaking of looking to the future, we are now just days away from a New Year, which will of course include the 50th anniversary of Mechagodzilla.  This is as good a place as any, and as good a time as any, to share this artwork I recently assembled (these logos are very hard to find, especially in good quality).  Enjoy!



12/13/23

"The Firebird" GODZILLA! Pilot Script (Hanna-Barbera, 1978) REVISITED

 

"Say, what are we looking at?"

Scouring the KING KONG vs. GODZILLA script made me remember--with much embarrassment--that I'd never found time in the past three years to go back to the other script I own, that of the pilot for what at the time was called GODZILLA! with an exclamation point.  When I first got the script, it was messily stapled together in bundles, and I was afraid of taking it apart...well, that fear is conquered. It's been carefully un-stapled and completely scanned, as well as meticulously compared to the finished episode.  As hinted at in the few lazy photos I'd included in the original post, it's very different from the finished product.

Whereas the KING KONG vs. GODZILLA script included mostly smaller differences to the finished product (and may have even been constructed after the fact?), the Firebird script is full of altered dialogue, cut lines, and most of all, unproduced scenes...multiple pages of them, in fact. 

As I slowly went through the finished episode a couple of seconds at a time, I annotated all of the changes in red (using Adobe Acrobat which enabled me to both line through discarded parts, and type in new and changed dialogue because you don't want to mess with my handwriting), which you can see in the screenshot above.  Spoiler alert:  there is metric tons of red.

Here are some of my random observations:

*This obviously wasn't the "Final Draft," which would've been the working version for the episode--which makes this script all the more important, and interesting!

*While lots of dialogue is cut out, and conversations are compressed for time, it quickly becomes apparent that many of the scenes were simply changed because they would've required too much animation...in other words, cost more. Let's fact it, Hanna-Barbera wasn't known for high art, but instead for cutting corners to crank out as much product as possible.  Two shocking examples of this are: 1) the scientists fleeing the flowing lava, which was shortened and simplified to the point of embarrassment, and 2) the final battle between Godzilla and the Firebird as originally written, which took place on a shrinking ice floe that melts down to just enough room for the two of them.  That would've been really cool!

*While much was deleted from the 52-page script, I had to type 9 pages of my own that wasn't in the original draft.  As you would guess, lots of the material involves cramming more Godzooky into the proceedings.  It's not that he's absent from the original, just not nearly goofy enough for their liking.  The rest of the additions involve rewrites of the more complicated scenes, to simplify them for animating.  

It's a very interesting read, and a real behind-the-scenes lesson in the production of the show and others like it.  I should point out that the download includes two complete versions of the script; the original untouched script AND my annotated/red-lined/supplemented version.  Read along with the finished episode, and you will be quite surprised!

LINK:  The Firebird (Pilot Script) both versions  

12/3/23

KING KONG vs GODZILLA - Continuity & Dialogue Script (1963)

 

When it gets quiet around here, you can be sure we're working on something big.  Today, it's a pretty amazing rarity.  This is the "Continuity & Dialogue Script" for KING KONG vs. GODZILLA, dated June 7, 1963!

At 129 pages, this script covers the complete film, and came from a movie script and props dealer in California.  In fact, here is the information about it that they gave me:  

"This piece was deaccessioned by the Universal Script Files approximately 20 years ago...this Continuity & Dialogue Script was created after the American version was edited and ready for release...this script was to be used as a tool for further cutting of the film and dubbing tracks for international prints."

So which came first, the film or the script?  It could be just as the seller said, but it's just hard for me to believe this script was typed after the film was dubbed, especially because there are several moments where the script doesn't match up with the finished film! These moments fell into two categories:
1) Sometimes there is dialogue that wasn't followed exactly.  It's as if, when the dubbing (looping) was being done, things here and there fit or worked better, and perhaps such changes were decided on the fly. This type are the most common discrepancies that I found.
2) A few times there is dialogue or directions for ad libs listed that simply don't happen in the finished film.  There aren't many, but it's still interesting.

Obviously, a "shooting script" is a different animal, and I'd speculate that things work differently in the case of a film that's completely dubbed, HOWEVER the film in question has some newly-filmed American scenes! So there's that.

Anything is possible, of course. Another clue is the cover date of June 7, when the  film premiered in New York City on June 23, 1963.  

ANYWAY, this blog being this blog...using a copy of the film, I've painstakingly compared it to the script over the course of two afternoons, and recorded all of the differences I've found! These are included in the download below, along with a full scan of the script itself.  Enjoy!


10/30/23

Countdown to Halloween - Week 4!

Here we go, saving some of the best for last! By the way, having a Halloween party and need even MORE last-minute supplies? We got you covered:

FRIGHT NIGHT (Gemstone, 1999)
This sound-effects disc actually has no front cover art!

FRIGHTMARE HALLOWEEN PARTY HITS (TUTM)

HALLOWEEN PARTY MUSIC (Drew's)

A STORY OF DRACULA THE WOLFMAN AND FRANKENSTEIN (Power Records, 1975)
Oh MAN oh MAN oh MAAAAN! What a gem this one is...firstly, all Power Records stuff is amazing, and usually super-fun, but this one is a psychotronic insane nightmare you won't believe! It's not three stories, but one long one which weaves in everything promised on the cover...well, sort of! All that AND Neal Adams art! If anyone ever asks you what made 70's kids great and shaped our lives, it's because we were given stuff like this, and nobody thought twice about it!

Happy Halloween!