Well I'll be darned - today is the 1st Anniversary of Toys & Stuff! My how flime ties when you're having fun (that's a play on words I always use instead of saying 'time flies' - it gives people a little chuckle). I wasn't sure what direction the blog would take but as they say, it's not the destination, but the journey that counts. The blog has evolved such that nearly every day now has its own 'specialty':
-Marx Monday-Tuesdays & Wednesdays were 'dark' (a Las Vegas term meaning no performances) for quite some time but are now being populated with articles
-Thursdays are for paper/cardboard toys and models
-Fire Engine and Emergency Vehicle Fridays
-Sci-Fi & Fantasy Saturdays
-Sunday Comics Sunday
As the journey progressed, it became apparent that the making of simple dioramas had kinda hitched a ride and it too now has a regular seat on the Toys & Stuff bus. Of course, all of this is subject to change but I think the journey will go down this road for a little while longer. Hang on to your seats and let's see where the bus takes us. And now to the toys. Enjoy!
Playmates #66001 Kong vs. Juvenile V-Rex
Today being Sci-Fi & Fantasy Saturday, Toys & Stuff usually presents one of the many Play Along toys Lord of The Rings, Armies of Middle Earth sets. These were tie-ins to Peter Jackson's landmark 'Lord of The Rings' trilogy. There are so many sets just covering them alone will keep me busy for some time to come. However, let's do something a little different today. Let's visit the King of The Apes - King Kong. There can't possibly be too many people who aren't at least a little knowledgeable of the original 1933 movie 'King Kong' starring Robert Armstrong, Bruce Cabot, and Fay Wray. The film was never awarded an Academy Award for Special Effects because in 1933 that category didn't exist yet but it did receive a special achievement award for the development of the translucent acetate/cellulose rear screen. In 1975 'King Kong' was named one of the 50 best American films by the American Film Institute.
In 1976 the first re-make of 'King Kong' hit the theaters starring Jeff Bridges and Jessica Lange. It was a good re-make giving the film a modern look, being set in 1976. But, I honestly don't know of any toy tie-ins to the movie. Fast forward to 2005. Peter Jackson, hot on the heels of his stupendous, 'Lord of The Rings' success tackles his own version of 'King Kong' starring Jack Black and Naomi Watts. This time the movie is done with a retro-look and we are again transported back to 1933. For me personally, I really enjoyed this retro-look much more than the 1976 version - and there were toys I could collect too!! :-)
This is the first in a series of eight sets. There is also a large Skull Island playset and a stand alone Kong figure with gorilla sounds which is larger than those featured here. This set includes Kong - 6" (15.2cm) H, the figure representing the character Ann Darrow - 1 1/2" (3.8cm) H, and a junior Vastatosaurus Rex - 3 5/8" (9.2cm) H. Vastatosaurus Rex is the fictional descendant of Tyrannosaurus Rex. It is supposed to represent what a T-Rex would become were it allowed to evolve unimpeded and was discovered in 1933. The conditions at Skull Island would have been perfect for this! The Kong figure has arms which open up when pushing down on a lever protruding from Kong's back. The V-Rex has a spring-loaded jaw. You'll notice the V-Rex's tail isn't glued on straight. This figure is available in another set as a collapsible toy. For this set, the pieces were just all glued together (except of course for the spring-loaded jaw).
King Kong
Vastatosaurus Rex
Contest insert
