Why I didn't like the Aurora" Monster Rods"

lappys22 · June 18, 2010, 09:29:29 PM

I liked the box art. The models not so much.

Universal Steve · June 19, 2010, 05:14:10 AM

Not a giant fan of the them but I got them anyway because they were monster related items. I have built a few cars over the years but I really don't like to. This is why I have the Kitbuilders Munster Coach finished but have the Dragula only just started.

Street Worm · June 19, 2010, 01:27:18 PM

They weren't all that great but I always saw them as the
Reese's Peanut Butter Cup of model kits-

"Hey! You got Monsters on my Finks!"
"Hey! You got Finks on my Monsters!"

What they should have done is make the Monsters "Secret Agents",
then they would have covered most all of my '60s influences~

Mike Scott · June 19, 2010, 05:41:34 PM

Quote from: Street Worm on June 19, 2010, 01:27:18 PM
What they should have done is make the Monsters "Secret Agents",
then they would have covered most all of my '60s influences~

BANE · June 19, 2010, 06:27:50 PM

Quote from: Universal Steve on June 19, 2010, 05:14:10 AM
Not a giant fan of the them but I got them anyway because they were monster related items. I have built a few cars over the years but I really don't like to. This is why I have the Kitbuilders Munster Coach finished but have the Dragula only just started.

And this is how I feel about the Monster Scenes. They suck as models. No detail etc. I ONLY got them because they were monster related items.

Monster Bob · June 19, 2010, 11:55:01 PM

Judging any of these kits today, with 40-50 year old eyes really isn't fair. They were meant for 10 year olds, and to a 10 year old boy in the 1960s, they were as badass as it got. In contrast, the Sideshow stuff was/is made for men (and old men) and half of what they produce is kinda lame. I think Aurora, for the style and market they were shooting for, did all right, for the time.

[Just wish they were better in scale to each other (!)]

ChrisW · June 21, 2010, 01:06:09 AM

Quote from: Monster Bob on June 19, 2010, 11:55:01 PM

Judging any of these kits today, with 40-50 year old eyes really isn't fair. They were meant for 10 year olds, and to a 10 year old boy in the 1960s, they were as badass as it got. In contrast, the Sideshow stuff was/is made for men (and old men) and half of what they produce is kinda lame. I think Aurora, for the style and market they were shooting for, did all right, for the time.

[Just wish they were better in scale to each other (!)]

Well, looking at the response above, from a very biased sampling, it seems as if they did miss the mark. Like I said, Ididn't care for them and didn't buy them, even with the FM Captain Company hoopla. I did buy Weird-Ohs, Freddy Flypogger and Rat Fink caracatures and cars, tho.
I have to agree with other's comments - Aurora had the Universal Monster license, and wanted to take advantage of the car/monster craze popularized by Ed Roth and Hawk. I can't blame them at all, and only wish they were better realized...

Yea, the paintings were nice, but even James Bama refused to do any more , saying that they were "trash"!

houseofdracula · June 21, 2010, 02:34:52 AM

The biggest problem that I had with these kits was the Dracula kit itself.
Being that (Lugosi's) Dracula is my favorite Monster,...
I might have bought these kits for the nostalgia factor BUT for some strange reason, they made Dracula different from the rest with this giant sized, Pufnstuf, Bobble Head looking Head.

Why?

Therefore, when built and painted and placed side by side, Dracula looks out of place.

ChrisW · June 22, 2010, 02:40:54 AM

Quote from: houseofdracula on June 21, 2010, 02:34:52 AM
The biggest problem that I had with these kits was the Dracula kit itself...
for some strange reason, they made Dracula different from the rest with this giant sized, Pufnstuf, Bobble Head looking Head.

Why?

Therefore, when built and painted and placed side by side, Dracula looks out of place.

True. Even with their odd design sense, they didn't stay within those basic boundaries.

Dr.Terror · June 22, 2010, 06:15:18 AM

Unlike most caricature monster stuff, these didn't overly do it. They still looked exactly like the monsters, just in goofy cars. I really dig em.

If the drivers of the cars looked like sideshow little big heads, then I'd be upset. IMO they were horrible and looked nothing like the monsters. Or worse yet, that horrible set of childrens books that came out a few years ago.

Monster Bob · June 22, 2010, 10:58:23 AM

Quote from: Dr.Terror on June 22, 2010, 06:15:18 AM
Unlike most caricature monster stuff, these didn't overly do it. They still looked exactly like the monsters, just in goofy cars. I really dig em.

If the drivers of the cars looked like sideshow little big heads, then I'd be upset. IMO they were horrible and looked nothing like the monsters.

Agreed!

QuoteOr worse yet, that horrible set of childrens books that came out a few years ago.

What books are those?

Monster Bob · June 22, 2010, 11:00:57 AM

Quote from: LundyAfterMidnight on June 18, 2010, 08:00:29 PM
I like them & practically anything from the 1960's monster boom. I'd like to see them reissued as toys.

Me too! They were originally planned to be a line of slot cars also.

LundyAfterMidnight · June 22, 2010, 12:19:54 PM

Quote from: Monster Bob on June 22, 2010, 11:00:57 AM

Me too! They were originally planned to be a line of slot cars also.

THAT would've been GREAT!

Mcdee · June 22, 2010, 10:40:00 PM

Purely a matter of choice...
I loved them then...
...and I love them now....
Mcdee

Mord · June 24, 2010, 02:13:48 AM

I grew up with the original Aurora kits. They were my fondest toy memories, but I will never understand the negative comparisons to Sideshow. The 8" and 12" Sideshows were the very best looking monster toys ever. There was absolutely nothing lame about them (not to mention that they included more than the same cliched "big six"monsters in their lines). The only regret I have is that they weren't around when I was a kid.