A Review of Scrap Sculptures' 12" Terminator T-800 Endoskeleton

A few weeks ago, I did a post about Scrap Sculptures' 7-foot-tall Terminator T-800 endoskeleton. Even though that sculpture is way out of my price range, I nevertheless wanted to add the smaller 12-inch sculpture from the same company to my own Terminator collection. I'm glad I did--weighing over three pounds and made completely from recycled metal parts, this T-800 sculpture is one of the most fascinating and durable items that any Terminator and sci-fi fan can purchase. Read on for my complete review and picture gallery.

I'm absolutely amazed at how Scrap Sculptures interpreted the Terminator, arranging metal items such as nuts, bolts, screws, spark plugs, nails, bicycle chains and wires to accurately correspond to features in the T-800 endoskeleton design. Just looking at it, I can imagine this thing emerging from the burning wreckage of a fuel truck to resume its relentless pursuit of Sarah Connor and Kyle Reese. Such devotion to detail makes me wonder what Scrap Sculptures would do with other machines from the Terminator universe, such as the T-600, the T-X endoskeleton, and the HK Centurion.

The sculpture only has two moving joints, one in the neck and one in the waist. Since these joints were made using screws and nuts, you can unscrew the sculpture into three separate parts: head, torso, and hips and legs. The sculpture also comes with a removable gun that fits snugly into the T-800's hand.

I highly recommend this sculpture to other Terminator and sci-fi collectors. While it's more expensive than NECA's plastic T-800 replicas, it's cheaper than the Terminator replicas sold by Sideshow Collectibles and Hot Toys. Furthermore, because the sculpture is not made from plastic, you don't have to worry about weak joints that have a tendency to wilt after long periods of display. Click here to order your Terminator sculpture from Scrap Sculptures.

Scrap Sculptures' 12" Terminator sculpture, next to NECA's 18" T-800 endoskeleton.

A Review of Lancer's VFA-6I Alpha Fighter from Toynami's Robotech Masterpiece Collection

A few weeks ago, I posted a review of a Veritech Fighter replica that Toynami produced as part of its Robotech Masterpiece Collection (click here to read that review). This post is a companion to that review, since this is a review of an Alpha Fighter from the same Robotech Masterpiece Collection line. When I purchased this Alpha Fighter, I did so because I felt that I should have an Alpha counterpart to the Veritech that I purchased for such a low price. Unfortunately, I had to pay the original, non-discounted price for the Alpha, and I'm still unsure if the price I paid was worth the product that I received. Read on for my complete review.

Even though the Veritech and Alpha mechas from Robotech originally came from two different anime series--Super Dimension Fortress Macross and Genesis Climber Mospeada, respectively--they shared similar patterns of distribution in the U.S. during the mid-80s. To reiterate what I posted in the Veritech review, "Robotech shared a commonality with Star Wars in the sense that if you wanted a vehicle replica to play with, you'd end up with a toy that mostly looked like the vehicle but was not completely accurate in detail; on the other hand, if you wanted an exact replica of the vehicle, you'd have to purchase and assemble the model kit version."

Both Veritechs and Alphas were released as model kits in the U.S., although somehow the Veritech was picked up as part of Revell's Robotech model kit line (which pre-dated the Robotech anime series) while the Alpha was repackaged and distributed as a Leader-1 kit for the models distributed by Monogram that were based on the GoBots toy line. Despite the new GoBots label, the Leader-1 model kit captured every detail of the Alpha fighter from the Mospeada/Robotech anime series. There were also some toy versions available of the Alpha fighter during the mid-80s if you were lucky enough to find them. Matchbox released a few transformable Alpha toys under the Robotech license, although I was able to purchase an Alpha toy that was still inside the original Japanese Mospeada packaging. Nevertheless, the toy versions of the Alpha lacked many of the details that the Monogram model kit version had.

An Alpha Fighter model kit from the 80s ... 

... and a transformable Alpha Fighter toy from the same decade.

Like Toynami's Veritech replica, Toynami's Alpha replica looks and feels as if someone built a model kit version of the mecha with more durable materials and then released it for sale as an assembled, painted product. I tried to assemble GoBots Leader-1 kit and even though my completed model barely held together, I'm familiar enough with the kit to know that the Toynami Alpha took most--if not all--of its details from the model kit.

The box that the Masterpiece Collection Alpha came in looks like a huge, hardcover book, complete with a volume number. The volume I purchased was the green Alpha Fighter flown by Robotech's resident drag queen diva, Lance "Lancer" Belmont (a.k.a. Yellow Dancer). To denote that the Alpha collection series is different than the Veritech collection series, the spine of the book features a picture of Lancer that can be lined up with the other Alpha volumes in sequence to look like a Mospeada cast photo. The box also included a signed certificate of authenticity, which tells you the official number of the item produced within the limited edition toy line.

Toynami did a great job at re-creating the dimensions and details of an Alpha Fighter in a plastic and die-cast metal form, thus making it a fantastic display piece for Robotech collectors. The Alpha includes a mountable gun pod and retractable landing gear, it transforms into three modes--Fighter, Guardian and Battloid--and the cockpit opens to reveal a removable armored pilot figure.

In addition to the main feature of transformation, the smaller details of the Alpha are captured as well. Hinged panels can be opened all over the Alpha to reveal hidden missile racks, and another panel can be opened to store a collapsed Cyclone vehicle. Of course, the Cyclone is too small to be transformed into either its motorcycle or battle armor modes, but I'm glad that Toynami included this detail for devoted Robotech fans.

One of the best things about Toynami's Alpha Fighter is the amount of die-cast metal that was used in its making. This replica feels solid, almost as if it could double as a paperweight. Yet where the Alpha impresses with its die-cast metal parts, it disappoints with its plastic parts--which is a serious problem, because the plastic parts are what facilitate the Alpha's transformation and pose-ability. It's difficult to perform complete transformations of the Alpha, because you don't want to press or pull too hard on the plastic pieces for fear that they might break; as a result, the Alpha looks a bit awkward and disjointed in each of its modes. The Alpha also includes hands with movable joints in the fingers so that the gun pod can be placed in either hand, but one of my Alpha's thumb joints broke while I was shooting the photos for this post. Hence, my Alpha is now officially left-handed.

If I had to buy an Alpha Fighter replica by itself, I would have searched for something that was cheaper and more durable than what Toynami had produced. I'm not sure if this option is possible because I don't know for sure if it even exists, yet I would've searched hard for that option if an Alpha was the only Robotech collectible that I wanted. Nevertheless, I don't completely regret the purchase of a Toynami Alpha Fighter because I have a Toynami Veritech Fighter, which was produced in the same scale as the Alpha; thus, I can compare the sizes of both of these mechas in their various modes and how their sizes differ to correspond to different alien enemies in the Robotech universe (e.g., the Zentraedi and the Invid). As someone who is infatuated with accuracies of scale in miniature replicas, I'm still a wee bit giddy that I can make such a hands-on comparison.

Nerd Rant: Gentle Giant's Jumbo Star Wars Action Figures Jumbo-Size Kenner's Toy Gaffes

Last April, I posted a rant about Gentle Giant's line of Jumbo Vintage Star Wars Action Figures, wondering how this line could keep going when all it is is a series of expensive enlarged action figures--no extra details, no extra points of articulation, nothing.

Then again, what do I know? The line is still running strong, with recent releases including jumbo versions of the Lando Calrissian and Yoda figures from Kenner's Empire Strikes Back line and a jumbo Gamorrean Guard figure from Kenner's Return of the Jedi line. I kept thinking that there has to be something more to what Gentle Giant is doing other than just making small things bigger, and I think I finally figured out what it is. Gentle Giant is not only re-releasing Kenner's original figures on a larger scale, they are also re-releasing every variation that's possible for those figures as well. Read on....

Anyone who grew up with Kenner's line of Star Wars toys like I did knows that there are plenty of goofs and inconsistencies hidden within the products. I still remember being baffled over how some of the Star Wars toys pictured in Kenner's mini-catalogs would look different than what was actually released on the toy store shelves, completely unaware at the time that Kenner was putting pictures of the toys' prototypes in their promotional materials instead of pictures of the finished products. (I still have no idea why they did this--time constraints, perhaps?) Thus, Gentle Giant is taking advantage of Kenner's quirks by reproducing them in a larger, more expensive scale. Here are some examples of which quirks Gentle Giant has jumbo-sized so far:

* Vinyl caped and cloth caped Jawa figures:

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* Large-headed and small-headed Han Solo figures:

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* Large blue and small red Snaggletooth figures:

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Along those lines, Gentle Giant has recently reproduced one of Kenner's most notorious goofs: a Boba Fett action figure with a rocket-launching jet pack. Boba Fett was the first mail order figure that Kenner sold as part of its Star Wars line, and kids everywhere were disappointed to get a figure that didn't have the rocket launching feature that Kenner promised in its mail order ad. Kenner pulled the feature due to safety concerns, but that isn't stopping Gentle Giant--it even includes Kenner's original ad as part of their jumbo figure's card back.

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It should also be noted that if nostalgia is enough to get Star Wars toy collectors to pay for over-sized, over-priced replicas of Kenner's goofs, then Gentle Giant is also applying the nostalgia effect to over-sized, over-priced replicas of what was originally very cheap Star Wars merchandise. Case in point: the Cantina Adventure Set, a flimsy, cardboard-only playset that was a Sears exclusive back in the late 70s. The difference is that even though both sets are made out of cardboard, the original Sears set cost $8.77 and came with four action figures while the Gentle Giant version of the set doesn't come with any figures but costs $89.00.

Obviously, there's a market for these kinds of Star Wars collectibles. The only question is: How much is nostalgia worth to you?

Experience Tibetan Terror in Wii's Cursed Mountain

With computer technology's relentless advancement in the area of graphics, both in terms of complexity and depth, I find myself more and more amazed at how vividly some video games can create a virtual environment--so vividly that you can almost feel it as if it were a real thing. Such a feeling enhances a gaming experience considerably, since it's much easier to empathize with the game's characters and situations if you're engrossed in the atmosphere of the world they inhabit.

Such is the case of Cursed Mountain, a survival horror game that was released for the Wii back in 2009. Cursed Mountain takes place in the Himalayan mountains during the late 1980s, and the game's rendering of the many environments you encounter during the game is nothing short of breathtaking. Read on for my complete review of this immersive horror chiller.

In Cursed Mountain, you play as Eric Simmons, a mountain climber who is looking for his younger brother Frank after he disappeared during a climbing expedition in Tibet. Frank was climbing a mountain called Chomolonzo, which is regarded as sacred by the locals, and Frank's ascent of Chomolonzo set forth a deadly curse that plagues the surrounding communities. As Eric, you seek to find Frank and put an end to the curse that has claimed countless lives and appears to have no end in sight.

The curse that's depicted in Cursed Mountain is linked to Buddhism, which contributes a layer of eerie mysticism to the game's proceedings. While the story itself reminded me somewhat of the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, it's a retelling of this myth that relies heavily on Buddhist ideas and symbolism.

I cannot say for sure how accurate this game is in its depiction of Buddhism and Buddhist beliefs and practices that are specific to Tibet; nevertheless, Cursed Mountain takes full advantage of the imagery and concepts that Buddhism provides. Its depictions of Buddhist relics, temples and monasteries are meticulously detailed, as are the surrounding villages and landscapes. As you continue to ascend the mountain, the increasingly harsh landscape is effectively portrayed through the sounds of icy winds and the appearance of sudden whiteouts, almost to the point of feeling a few chills of your own. I'm still amazed at how much detail is in this game, and I can only imagine how much research the game's developers had to do to ensure a faithful reproduction of the Tibetan culture and environment.

Of course, with Cursed Mountain being a survival horror game, all of the locations are abandoned and you have to look through them to find clues about the location of Frank, the events that led up to his disappearance and how his disappearance is linked to the curse. The detailed environments emphasize the mood of isolation and desolation that pervade the game, and it puts the player's central focus on Eric's internal monologue about his tumultuous relationship with his headstrong brother. Even though the conclusion of Cursed Mountain doesn't have the same heartbreaking impact as the end of Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, it's a poignant drama in its own right about jealousy, forgiveness and letting go, compellingly told in the context of a ghost story.

One of the common complaints that I've read about Cursed Mountain is how the Wii's motion controls are not always responsive to the sometimes complex series of motions you have to perform during combat with ghosts and demons. I did notice this problem at times during the game, but it wasn't enough to ruin the gaming experience for me. The problem I did have was with the "Third Eye" system of combat. During the game, you have to use the Third Eye--a sort of spiritual means of vision--to see your opponents' weaknesses and use your sacred weapons to their fullest extent. However, while you are in the Third Eye mode, you are stuck in one place and cannot walk forward, backward, left or right; you can pivot and aim your weapons at targets all around you, but that's the only movement of which you are capable while using the Third Eye. This makes you a sitting target whenever you are ambushed by ghosts and demons, and you will be ambushed many, many times throughout the game.

Cursed Mountain is a remarkable gaming experience, one of the best horror titles available for any game console. Its unique approach to horror survival game play, its detailed environments and its absorbing story make it a welcome addition to any horror gamer's library.

A Brief Review of Ti West's The Roost (2005)

Among the latest generation of horror writer/directors, I've been particularly impressed with the work of Ti West. House of the Devil (2009) and The Innkeepers (2011) are two of the best horror films from the last five years, so I decided to take a look at West's earliest feature-length effort, The Roost, to get an idea of how far he has come as a director. While it's not as good as West's other work, it features a few of his trademark style choices in their early stage of development.

The Roost is about four friends who are on their way to a wedding when their car is run off the road after a near collision. The friends walk to the nearest house to find it deserted, with a barn nearby--a barn that houses a horde of bats that thirst for human blood.

As debut filmmaking efforts on a limited budget go, The Roost has enough wit and style to make it worth watching. The film's main story is bookended by scenes featuring a ghoulish Horror Host (played by Tom Noonan, who would later appear in House of the Devil), an affectionate nod to late show broadcasts of horror films during heyday of syndicated TV channels. The story itself is thin and the characters make questionable decisions (particularly towards the end), but you can see West using this low-budget outing as an opportunity to begin crafting his "slow burn" style of horror as the film progresses.

West carefully sets up all of the characters and locations before letting the scares commence, which allows for the establishment of a particular mood that complements and accentuates the horror when it finally emerges. Even though you don't learn too much about the main characters, there's enough small talk and emotional exchanges between them to let you know that these characters have a history with each other outside of the story itself. The bat and gore effects are impressive considering how cheaply they were done, and West throws in a secret about the bats that is not explicitly explained through dialogue but makes enough sense to keep the scares going in spite of the film's short, simple plot. Not to give too much away, but The Roost would work as the first half of a double bill with a film like 28 Days Later or Quarantine. It should also be noted that The Roost was produced by veteran horror director Larry Fessenden, who also makes a cameo appearance and would go on to produce some of West's subsequent films.

The Roost is not Ti West's best work, but it's something that West fans and cheap horror film aficionados can both enjoy.

Blast Away Dinosaurs in Wii's Jurassic: The Hunted

Jurassic: The Hunted is the best first-person dinosaur shooter for the Wii that was published by Activision back in 2009. This may sound like a dubious honor, since other Wii FPS games such as Red Steel 2 and the Conduit games leave Jurassic in the dust. Nevertheless, it helps to keep two things into mind when considering a game like Jurassic:

1. Jurassic is one of the few horror/sci-fi themed FPS games for the Wii that doesn't involve aliens, zombies, or futuristic cowboy-ninjas.

2. The other Wii dinosaur FPS games, Dino Strike and Top Shot Dinosaur Hunter, are cheaply-made shovelware titles in comparison to Jurassic.

If you've got an itchy trigger finger that's craving for some carnivorous dinosaur thrills, keep reading for my complete review of this dino shooter game.

In Jurassic, you assume the role of former Navy Seal Craig Dylan. When the game begins, Dylan and his war buddy Armando "Rock" Depiedra are escorting scientist Sabrina Sayrus to the Bermuda Triangle in the search for her missing father, James Sayrus. When a strange electrical storm forces their plane to crash land on a mysterious island, Dylan becomes separated from Rock and Sabrina and he finds himself repeatedly attacked by various predatory dinosaurs. During the course of the game, Dylan learns the secret of the island and the electrical storm, and what they mean for the future of Earth and the human race.

The game play in Jurassic is very straightforward. Each level takes place in a specific location on the island, and you have to make it from point A to point B without being eaten by a dinosaur. Your ammunition is limited, but your selection of weapons increases at the game progresses. You also have the "adrenaline burst" feature, which causes the game to slow down for a few seconds and allows you to see a dinosaur's points of weakness (heart, lungs, brain, liver, etc.) that you can aim at for a faster kill. The story itself is simple as well--no complex conspiracies, no challenging puzzles, and no playable locations that take place outside of the island. The plot does feature some interesting ideas that could have been put to better use to make the game more interesting and unique, but it's OK for what it is.

Where Jurassic shines is in its depictions of lush prehistoric environments. The island scenery is gorgeous and multi-layered, and the dinosaurs move through the environments without looking like they were pasted in there through shoddy programming. A lot of work obviously went in to making this game look good, even if the game itself isn't very complicated; what you get as a result is an opportunity to shoot many, many dinosaurs without thinking too hard about it. Depending on what mood you're in, this format can make for a very satisfying gaming experience.

My only complaint about Jurassic are the fortification sieges, which happen at several points within the game. These areas are very difficult and even though they provide ample amounts of ammunition, it takes a while to figure out how to fend off dinosaurs that are attacking you simultaneously from multiple directions.

If you're in the mood for a FPS game where you kill dinosaurs with a decent selection of firearms and explosives, Jurassic: The Hunted your kind of game. Honestly, I would've preferred a FPS version of Dino Crisis and/or its sequels and spinoffs--something along the lines of what Capcom did for Resident Evil in its Umbrella Chronicles and Darkness Chronicles titles--but since that isn't going to happen, Jurassic is the next best thing.

An Interview with Jaws Diorama Sculptor Nigel Humphreys (Part 2 of 2)

Here is the second half of my interview with Nigel Humphreys from Sculptoria Studio about his upcoming series of collectible Jaws dioramas. In this part of the interview, Nigel talks about how he goes about selecting the Jaws scenes and images he hopes to recapture in diorama form, the list of collectibles he plans to release in the near future, and additional movie collectible work he has lined up outside of the Jaws license. Read on....

Titans, Terrors, and Toys: I've noticed that you've already sculpted--or are in the process of sculpting--a Bruce shark bust and an Estuary Attack diorama.

Nigel Humphreys: Oh yes, I've come a long way since those dreamy, childhood days of kit building. I now have the power to create the collectibles of my dreams, and I am loving every moment of doing them. The nose-to-gill Jaws bust I sculpted in 2009 has been put on hold, since Sculptoria Studio will be doing a full version of the movie shark--comprising of the head, the tail, the whole darn thing--quite soon. At the moment though, there are a number of people doing full body sculpts of the shark from Jaws so there is quite a plethora of them out there at the moment. I, on the other hand, am far more interested in sculpting entire, amazingly detailed scenes from the movie Jaws.

I always knew that whenever I finally got around to sculpting the world of Jaws, I would recreate collectibles for the young boy I used to be and for the all the other die-hard fans out there. I design my pieces to evoke all the thrills and spills and horror of Jaws. My primary area of concern when creating my collectibles was that I needed the sea to be as realistic as possible. I would accept no compromise on this issue. There was no way on earth I was going to create Jaws sculptures and paint a plastic sea blue--NO WAY! I wanted to sculpt a really, really realistic sea where I wanted the shark to be seen doing its huge 1975 thing--and with utter attention to detail from every conceivable point of view.

The first of my collectible Jaws movie moments is the Estuary Attack scene. Lovers of Jaws will recall this is the second time in the movie when the shark is revealed, the first being below the waterline--and what a scene that was! I was blown out of my cinema chair when I watched the shark moving sideways under water. That nasty rock pool nightmare of my childhood was back with vengeance and this time it was in the shape of a Great White Shark!

TTT: What goes into deciding which Jaws sculpts you are going to do, or would like to do but decide otherwise?

NH: Good question. In the case of Estuary Attack, I wanted to sculpt something which will thrill, truly thrill the passionate collector. I intend each of my detailed creations to evoke their very best memories from the film. I want every button in their re-collective childhood memories pushed.

TTT: Other than the movie itself, what Jaws materials do you use for reference?

NH: It begins and ends with the movie. There is such a lot of reference material which has surfaced recently, especially as a result of the stunning book Memories From Martha's Vineyard by Matt Taylor and Jim Beller. Those boys and The Shark Is Still Working troopers, its composer, Michael McCormack, Edward McCormack and his Jaws movie archives site, and artist Paul McPhee are the true guardians of the memory of Jaws. I like to think my sculptures will only add to their previous hard work in preserving this celluloid masterpiece forever.

TTT: How supportive has Universal been of your efforts?

NH: Very! As far as Universal goes, I deal with the UK office and although its can be a little long winded going through their channels, they know my intention is to respect the movie they own. They are the governors and an artist like myself has to be patient with the owners of such guarded material from which he or she wishes to derive his own protected works. I have great respect for Universal Pictures, it's a truly wonderful backer of visionary movies.

TTT: What kind of feedback have you been getting from Jaws fans and movie prop collectors?

NH: Fantastic feedback! Since exposure of my highly detailed Jaws: Estuary Attack diorama, I've been getting lots of e-mail from fans who have told me they have been waiting for Jaws collectibles of this quality for years and thanked me for taking the time to create them. I thought this was really sweet. Our debut Estuary Attack is certainly causing big waves, forgive the pun. We will be launching during September so for fans reading this article, all I can say is watch this space!

TTT: Indeed! Have any cast and/or crew members from Jaws commented on your work?

NH: No, not yet. But we are planning a special series of presentations through Universal.

TTT: Good luck with those. What future Jaws sculptures do you plan on doing next?

NH: We are already working on the following Jaws diorama projects:

• All Banged Up! (Ben's Head and Boat
• Hull Diorama with Internal L.E.D Light)
• Shock in the Sand (Chrissy's Remains Diorama)
• Sinking Severed Leg (Sailing Coach) Diorama
• Just Ten More Minutes (Alex Kitner Diorama)
• Holiday Roast (Jetty Tyre/Tire Diorama with L.E.D Light)
• Not with Three He Can't (Chase Barrels in Action!)

TTT: Depending on how well your first wave of collectibles sell, do you see yourself doing something regarding the Orca?

NH: To be honest, I have already done sketches of Quint in the shark’s mouth on a detailed section of the Orca, as well as one of Quint being dragged under the water. It’s quite possible depending on how they go.

TTT: Will you be sculpting anything from the Jaws sequels?

NH: A few select diorama scenes from Jaws 2, but certainly not any of the sequels thereafter. Are you kidding me? (Laughs.)

TTT: So no Jaws: The Revenge “Ellen Brody stabbing shark with boat” diorama? Bummer. How can fans go about purchasing your work?

NH: Links will be available soon via our Facebook page and our 'Forever Jaws - The JAWS Appreciation Society' Web site when it surfaces shortly. People can also e-mail me with their interest to purchase any of our collectibles at NHumphreys@SculptoriaStudio.Com. Each diorama will be very limited in number, I just wanted you to know that. This makes them utterly, utterly valuable thereafter. We plan a range of supporting payment methods as well.

TTT: In addition to Jaws, what other movie collectibles do you plan to sculpt?

NH: Now, this is amazing news I have to tell you. As well as two CGI television series that I have created, designed and produced (Editor’s Note: The two TV series are The All Weathers and Skid, The Amazing Automobile), I am working on a range of long awaited and totally thrilling sculptures and dioramas from Close Encounters of the Third Kind. I am so very excited about these projects. In fact, I am having discussions about producing an ultra Limited Edition box set comprising of a full, glossy color hardback book by Philip Heeks, of which he has very kindly granted us exclusive, a DVD, music soundtrack and a stunning senior alien sculpture from the end sequence of the movie, all in one awesome CEOTTK box! Phil Heeks is a very talented guy and we are proud to have him on board with us on this thrilling project. His publication is amazing.

An early photo of one of Nigel's Close Encounters dioramas.

TTT: That sounds amazing! Will you continue to produce other movie replicas for collectors?

NH: Absolutely! I am designing some really hardcore projects for serious collectors, and I mean some really clever stuff. So, for all your dedicated readers all I can say is, "Watch the skies!"

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Thanks for the interview, Nigel! Be sure to check out the Sculptoria Studio and Forever Jaws sites for updates regarding Nigel’s Jaws dioramas. Click here to see a preview video of the Estuary Attack diorama, and we’ll also be posting Sculptoria Studio collectibles announcements here on this blog as well.