Prototype Frankenstein's Monster 'Prop Replica' light up bust with electronic features
(http://www.factoryreplicas.com/universal/FrankFXNA1C.jpg)
The piece is sculpted by Douglas Hildebrandt and is 'life' size. This is only a hand made and decorated protoype, but we are planning to include light up features and electronic sounds with operating switches and dials.
We previewed this at Comic Con Last week and would love to hear people's thoughts on it.
Interesting! Although, a piece like this would be far too large in my modest, 4-room apartment. Can't wait to see a working version, though.
Quote from: Factory on July 26, 2011, 06:34:32 PM
Prototype Frankenstein's Monster 'Prop Replica' light up bust with electronic features
(http://www.factoryreplicas.com/universal/FrankFXNA1C.jpg)
The piece is sculpted by Douglas Hildebrandt and is 'life' size. This is only a hand made and decorated protoype, but we are planning to include light up features and electronic sounds with operating switches and dials.
We previewed this at Comic Con Last week and would love to hear people's thoughts on it.
Assuming this is aimed at high-end collectors, I think it might be more appealing if it were haired instead of having sculpted hair. Unless that's just not possible because of it's internal electronics and moving parts.
It's certainly different.
What a cool design this would be for a car battery charger!
Quote from: The Drunken Severed Head on August 08, 2011, 09:43:58 AM
It's certainly different.
In terms of life-sized busts, it's very different. It's not the kind of piece that will appeal to every "Frankenstein" collector, though. The film's a hard nut to crack, from a prop replica standpoint. There are tons of statues, busts, and model kits of the Monster, but no truly iconic props. Most of what we think of as props are really costume or make-up pieces for the Monster. The Kenneth Strickfadden lab equipment would be rather cumbersome and expensive to reproduce. Yet, this bust/control panel piece manages to combine some of the most collectible elements from the film. If I had unlimited space to display my collection, I'd really consider picking it up. Now, if a mini-bust of, say, quarter-scale size, were offered, I'd get that. Maybe just a lit control panel, no sound effects, on a small-scale version.
My thoughts: it's a Cineart piece with a different base. I want different things and the Frankenstein busts have been done to an exhaustive level. Just my 2 cents. Not knocking the piece, it's an idea and the sculpt looks pretty good but it's not for me.
Sal
Let's find an alternative to the 6 cent alligator clips......Buddy
I want Wolfman. Wolfman 1:1 bust I would be down for. Let's face it boys, there's not a whole lot of ground that hasnt been covered over the years licensed or garage. But I would be down for a pre-finished licensed Wolfman 1:1 bust. It has to look just like him thoguh. Preferably sculpted by Mike Hill. Because he could sculpt the Wolfman while sleeping off a three day drunk better than a lot of sculptors could wide awake and sober. ;)
Quote from: bigbud on August 12, 2011, 04:33:01 PM
Let's find an alternative to the 6 cent alligator clips......Buddy
I don't remember there being leads to the electrodes in the '31 "Frankenstein." Later films had big, cuplike things that fit over the ends, that were connected to much thicker cables.
A Wolf Man bust would be cool, based on the make-up from the first film. I'd even go for sound effects in the base, like howling, growling, and snarling.
If you want honest feedback... this is bluntly honest and rather harsh, so I have used black on black text. You'll have to highlight it with your cursor to read it. If you are looking for praise and kudos, don't read it.
I absolutely would not be interested in that, at any price. It looks like someone took a Cine Arts bust and started to do a steam punk theme on it and quit before the goggles and headgear.
Toy Ranch, FYI: When you view that on a mobile phone, it's bold white against a black b/g. And, while blunt, I'd agree. The base doesn't really bring the Strickfadden machinery to mind so much as it does the TARDIS console.
second that 'meh'
I don't get it. Is this supposed to charge my car battery? Or is it a "Frankie 420 Dual User Cannabis Inhalation Station"? I mean, those alligator clips gotta be there for a reason, no?
Quote from: Factory on July 26, 2011, 06:34:32 PM
Prototype Frankenstein's Monster 'Prop Replica' light up bust with electronic features
The piece is sculpted by Douglas Hildebrandt and is 'life' size. This is only a hand made and decorated protoype, but we are planning to include light up features and electronic sounds with operating switches and dials.
We previewed this at Comic Con Last week and would love to hear people's thoughts on it.
Depending on the price point, there is likely a market for it-----despite this mob's figurative attempt to 'burn it beyond recognition in a windmill'. You did ask to hear people's thoughts. Sometimes it's not pretty. ::)
I think you have a very inventive take on it and a cool sculpture to boot. I understand that the mass market has a different aesthetic then the collector and my feeling is the piece will be a success for that market. That's what I think.
Dealing solely with the sculpt on the Monster, I'd say that the likeness is "good," but I've seen better. It's a bit bland and expressionless. I think it's just a hard job, at this point, to come up with a take on the Monster that hasn't already been seen. As to the lab control panel base ... again, more Steampunk than Kenneth Strickfadden. Since it's only a prototype, and not final yet, I think these issues could still be addressed.
Thank you everybody.
All the points raised are appreciated, and there has been some excellent feedback here. We are well used to burning torches and pitchforks (we have learned to cry silently on the inside ;) ) We are also big enough to admit that we can often learn just as much from negative responses as positive ones.
The piece is only a hand made prototype and we are mainly interested at this stage in seeing how much we can potentially push the envelope from a manufacturing standpoint by adding electronics and 'features' to a resin item. We want to expand what a 'bust' can be, making it more theatrical.
The idea is to produce something that is interesting enough to both a casual or latent fan and the hardcore enthusiast, at a price point that is appealing, that will expose a classic Monster to a wide and hopefully partly new audience.
Personally I think Douglas did a stunning job on the Sculpt. It has a real presence when you see it in person, it has a similar mix of power and sadness that Karloff exhibited so well on screen. Sculpture is objective and personal as all art should be. Some people may prefer a different flavor or style, we have no issue with that.
It should also be noted that the creator, Douglas is not a professional sculptor or inventor, he is an enthusiastic fan who made something for his own enjoyment that we happened to see and thought was very nice. Working with him we are taking his vision and seeing if it can be turned into a commercially produced product. Its something we are honored to be able to do for a number of creative people both amateur and professional.
The base design is intended to be industrial, in the style of Mr Stickfadden's iconic work. Any steampunk is purely accidental, I would go so far as to say that the steampunk visual asthetic owes a huge debt to Mr Stickfadden that is largely unsung. Its also totally hand made from found parts and does not function... yet. The intention on a finished piece is that the knife switch will trigger a sound a light response when thrown. It is of course mildly silly in a medical quackery sense and has no bearing on anything actually seen on screen... but admit it... go on admit it... it will be fun! I dare anybody here to resist the temptation to thrown it and not cackle manically if they ever get the chance. Where is is written that 'big kids' cannot actually play with their collectibles?
On the hand made prototype the electrodes connect via wires, using store brought crocodile clips. They don't actually do anything but they can be removed and connected. We are fully aware that the 1931 original we never see their actual function. Functional electrodes did not appear I don't think until Ghost of Frankenstein when we saw them smoke so famously. But everybody knows that the monster has neck bolts or electrodes and we think they should have some practical application on a piece like this.
So its not supposed to be a battery charger, or a lamp, or anything else. Its supposed to be interesting conversation piece that will fit in well in any monster collection and provide enjoyment to its owner. We may of course be entirely insane, and may very well be proposing a piece that will have no appeal. Collecting and nostalgia is 100% emotional and anybody who claims to know 'what people want' is probably as deluded as Henry Frankenstein himself
Its too early to tell at this stage of development.....time will tell
Watch this space....
Barry, thanks for the background on this piece. For a fanmade item, it's nice and shows a lot of work. It has the potential to be a lot more, though. As it gets closer to being a production-ready item, we'll certainly give you all the feedback you can stomach. And then some!
Looks like a slightly retooled Cine Art bust. not an original sculpt. Personally i think there have been enough "collectibles". Time for some toys.
Unfortunately, all the toys keep getting cancelled. I'd be interested in a decent bandage-wrapped Monster on lab table statue, if it were in 1/8-1/6 scale. Nothing over 16" long, please!
The CineArt bust has become kind of an industry standard for Karloff Frankenstein busts. I personally evaluate all subsequent busts by the CineArt sculpt - some marginally better, many less impressive.
I would not be a customer for this bust. I think it falls far short of the CineArt busts I already have.
I would be much more interested in a Karloff bust with some expression beyond the static look of the CineArt sculpt. Maybe like this bust from Needful Things:
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6181/6103780132_40c8a119b2_b.jpg)
Better yet, why not a killer bust of the Glenn Strange Frankenstein, Lon Chaney Frankenstein, or even the Bela Lugosi Frankenstein? Has anyone EVER made a life-sized Lugosi Frank? Seems like THAT would be something collectors would be interested in finally having - I would.
Enough of the rigid, straight-ahead blank stare busts that look like CineArt copies. It has been done. It was done very well. Everybody that wants one has already bought one.
A creative base for the bust is fine - Give us a better bust.
(Opinions expressed here are solely the poster's and do not necessarily reflect opinions of the UMA or its affiliates.)
I think it is important to remember that the other life size busts were not recent products.
Producing something like this would help bring more people into the fold.
A person who is new to collecting hasn't had the opportunity to simply want into a store and buy one of the old busts.
I'm not a fan of the alligator clips but other than that I love the concept and I hope this gets produced.
Up for pre-order at several e-tailers.
(http://www.comicsinfinity.com/images/PRODUCT/medium/SUMFRANVFXH12.jpg)
Monsters In Motion lists its retail price at $450. 1:1 scale, 16" with lights & sounds. Ships Aug. 31, 2012.
interesting.
It def looks likes a retooled cine art! I cant tell the difference! This piece has also been listed on ebay exactly the same as a first one off piece!
Quote from: Dr Acula on February 19, 2012, 11:51:56 AM
This piece has also been listed on ebay exactly the same as a first one off piece!
Factory did say it's a fan-made piece they decided to bring to market. I guess the sculptor was allowed to sell his original piece.
Personally I don't like the mouth on it. For that kind of money, I need to like EVERYTHING about it.
JP
He's kind of smiling. And I guess that is what is off about him.
On another note, Factory had some "play sets" in the works... I am still hoping these things materialize in some form...
Quote from: aura of foreboding on February 19, 2012, 09:56:03 PM
He's kind of smiling. And I guess that is what is off about him.
I think the eyes are a bit off, too. The eyelids need to be heavier. Bright-eyed and smiling... we only saw that when The Monster was playing with little Maria.
Fudd lips.
I'll pass. I don't like the wide eyes or smile; and the "jumper cable" thing is a real turn-off. I love my original Cineart much better.
Andy
With the wide eyes and smile, it does look a little like a Mexican knock-off of the CineArt bust.
My main problem with it is the lack of fine detail. It looks like someone gave a CineArt bust a VERY heavy coat of thick paint and obscured all the minute skin pores, wrinkles and forehead makeup line.
And the price seems way too high for what it is. The Spencer's Gifts Frank Bust can occaisionally be found for a price very near the original $100.00 retail. A similar base could be constructed for it for much less than $350.00.
I'm really sorry to be so negative to someone's artistic efforts, but it's just my own opinion. Take it for what it's worth (or not worth).
They're prolly shooting for the younger set that hasnt been collecting for years already. My buying is limited these days to budget and space constraints. Its why I sold my Sideshow 1:1 busts. I just dont live in a palace, and making space for 4 or 5 heads was too much for me.
Quote from: Anton Phibes on February 20, 2012, 05:06:59 PM
I just dont live in a palace, and making space for 4 or 5 heads was too much for me.
That's what Jeffrey Dahmer said. :o
My honest opinion, this thing is a turd.
Take it away! I've seen enough!
Quote from: Gasport on August 08, 2011, 11:37:52 AM
What a cool design this would be for a car battery charger!
haha man, that would be a freaking awesome idea for sure!
Quote from: TypH on March 03, 2012, 07:15:51 AM
haha man, that would be a freaking awesome idea for sure!
Take away the head and just have a cool, Strickfadden-style charger. Heck, that's like a weekend project with parts from Radio Shack and Home Depot, and an actual battery charger! Start with something like this...
(http://image.made-in-china.com/4f0j00leIQiWUnJVbt/Car-Jump-Start.jpg)
...and just let your imagination run wild.
this is clearly a slurry up'd cinearts Frank...... theres a few details he was unable to hide.....
Quote from: Hellbilly1965 on March 10, 2012, 04:41:36 PM
this is clearly a slurry up'd cinearts Frank...... theres a few details he was unable to hide.....
Factory's...
(http://www.comicsinfinity.com/images/PRODUCT/medium/SUMFRANVFXH12.jpg)
And CineArts'...
(http://www.gremlins.com/mmf_97/frank.jpg)
You be the judge!
We are sorry to hear that people are not pleased. As we said art is subjective.
That said we wanted to address few points.
1) All the images seen so far are of the prototype, this product has not be officially announced by us yet and we have not released any images of the final product, only low resolution images of the prototype for wholesale purposes.
2) This is a 100% new sculpt by the very talented artist Douglas Hildebrandt. It is not a recast or a do'over of any previous product. Douglas created the piece as a huge monsters fan and brought it to us. We liked what we saw and felt the addition of the interactive electronic components was an interesting and different approach. All 1931 style Frankenstein busts will look similar as they follow the same source material, the work of the great Jack Pierce and of course the immortal Karloff. But each is a unique interpretation.
We would ask that people wait for us to announce the piece and release actual images before they make any judgement here. Anybody attending Comic Con last year will have seen a prototype piece in our booth and can attest to its impact. You may not like the electronic element. That's fine, we don't expect everybody to like it. But I challenge anybody not to be able to resist throwing the switches when they see this piece in person. Its great fun and strangely satisfying to release you inner Henry!
The Cinearts bust is a great piece and they did some amazing work, but it was released almost 15 years ago and they can be hard to find now. Also initially the painted and finished pieces were north of $1000 each. The unpainted casts were cheaper and the less detailed vinyl piece came later. You really cannot compare our VFX Maquette to them, other than the fact they are both busts, they are so different. Are we to read from this that the common feeling here is that if piece has been done before it should never be done again in the same format? There are lot of people out there who don't have any busts in their collection of any kind.
Our VFX Maquette is polyresin, so its dense and heavy. It has been deliberately styled to have the look of an actor wearing period stage makeup, but also to give it the look of a reanimated corpse. We personally don't think the glossy/oily look you get on some pieces is right for the Monster. Sadly no high res close up images exist of Karloff in makeup from this era so its unknown if Karloff's pores and skin wrinkles could be seen through the make-up he wore, or if it was smooth or 'caked' looking. Its all subjective and open to interpretation. It is known that make-up of that time was pretty yucky stuff, even today theatrical and stage makeup is not what you might call subtle in its consistency.
To address comments on the eye's, the irises light up, its part of the function of the piece. So we have opened them slightly to increase the effect, but not that much. The images seen so far have been shot looking up at that face. When viewed head-on the character does have the trademark 'hooded' eyelids and sunken dead look. Of course we realize the light up eye function is purely fantasy. Its a love it or hate it thing and we get that. But in a darkened room, wow is it cool and creepy!
There is a lot of subtlety, fun and enjoyment in our piece that simply cannot be seen in any of the pictures alone and we hope you will like what you see.
We hope to have new images soon. But in the meantime we do have a video on facebook, again only the prototype
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=2951395191297&set=vb.141344019232016&type=2&theater (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=2951395191297&set=vb.141344019232016&type=2&theater)
This piece is solid resin? Wow, I don't think there's a bookcase in my apartment that could support something that heavy. But, thanks for clearing up some issues and questions regarding it.
I've dealt with Doug in the past and purchased some of his merchandise and he is a great guy to deal with!
He is a very talented and creative artist.
I picked his brain thru emails when I was building my first project and he always accommedated me with any and all answers to help me along.
Never once did he not answer my questions. He was like a mentor to me. I will always be grateful!!
He goes under the name of Hildebeast on these forums, if you look at his posts you will see the extend of his talents. He has made Life Size Frankensteins, vintage style Jacobs ladders and many different prototypes for the toy company he is working for.
Check out his posts here:
http://www.universalmonsterarmy.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;area=showposts;u=3310 (http://www.universalmonsterarmy.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;area=showposts;u=3310)
I have a couple of pictures of his other prototypes which I think are much nicer than the one that will be for sale, but I'm thinking it would have been much more expensive to produce and a hell of a lot more money to purchase.
(http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg3/scaled.php?server=3&filename=b1hzjvqbwkkgrhquokjmepq.jpg&res=medium)
(http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg822/scaled.php?server=822&filename=slightsu.jpg&res=medium)
I bought his Frankenstein 1:1 resin head, his Frankenstein resin arms ,and his Frankenstein resin boots so I could build my own life size Frankenstein. I was very happy with the results and I thought his Frankenstein parts were made to a very high quality and looked extremely life like
(http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg337/scaled.php?server=337&filename=pb280016.jpg&res=medium)
This was my very first attempt at building a life size figure. He stands 6' 5"
(http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg843/scaled.php?server=843&filename=boriskarlofffrankenstei.jpg&res=medium)
Thanks for sharing those pix, Relic. A few of those are a lot cooler, but I can see the headaches involved in trying to mass-produce those.
I cant make myself belive a word "factory" has said... EVERYONE, that i have talked to about this agrees... this is a retooled cinearts bust....hard to find? have you heard about thailand pal? recasters come up with some of the lamest excuses!
I think pics of both should be sent to Miles.. lets see what he has to say!
Hellbilly- You are way out of line.
We have no reason to not believe Factory Entertainment or their talented, well known, award winning, sculptor.
None.
If you have some actual, fact based evidence, please share it.
sure thing....Ive gotten way better pics of BOTH...please use your eyes my friend.http://www.michael-myers.net/phpBB/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=90429&p=870332#p870332 (http://www.michael-myers.net/phpBB/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=90429&p=870332#p870332) this is very clearly the same exact sculpt..with some kinda crap on it to hide the detail....
Im outta line?
and please look at several markings that are the exact same.. in the exact same location..as a sculptor myself, the VERY first thing i thought when i seen this bust.."Thats a cinearts bust"...the evidence is CLEAR! Im waiting to hear from Miles Teves on this as well. then we'll see who is outta line here.
sure looks like the CineaRT frank to me.
If I gave 2 talented sculptors known for doing accurate and lifelike sculptures the exact same reference photos and told each to sculpt the subject, I would expect two sculptures that would like very very similar.
As a professional sculptor yourself, why does this surprise you?
If somebody hired you to sculpt Abe Lincoln from a photo would you put his mole on the other cheek o your bust didn't look like everyone else's?
If you were sculpting Scarface (the old mobster) would you move the scar and ignore the photo reference?
I don't have a dog in this fight. I'm just saying I see no credible reason to doubt a well known sculptor or an established manufacturer.
I do however think it is pretty easy for someone to anonymously post libelous accusations on a website.
Factory stated....."Douglas is not a professional sculptor or inventor"...end quote
Miles teves sculpted a portrait. Hilderbrandt did not..he made something that is an exact (with intintional alterations) copy of the cinearts bust.
the pics are very clear. the details of the original are there, but has been "muted" with something. it has been altered.
If hilderbrandt just wanted to trick out a cinearts bust with a cool base.. then cool.... BUT, dont DEFACE and original work of art... then try to claim it as your own!!!! thats just terrible...
and Gillfan...everyone hates it when something like this happens... should we ignore it?
You didn't answer my question.
The new pics i posted are more than clear.
I think ive proven my point...and really dont feel the need to beat a dead mule.
"the proof is in the pudding"...or "pictures" in this case.
Shame, shame.....we know your name.
Quote from: Hellbilly1965 on March 13, 2012, 11:56:20 AM
Factory stated....."Douglas is not a professional sculptor or inventor"...end quote
Miles teves sculpted a portrait. Hilderbrandt did not..he made something that is an exact (with intintional alterations) copy of the cinearts bust.
the pics are very clear. the details of the original are there, but has been "muted" with something. it has been altered.
If hilderbrandt just wanted to trick out a cinearts bust with a cool base.. then cool.... BUT, dont DEFACE and original work of art... then try to claim it as your own!!!! thats just terrible...
and Gillfan...everyone hates it when something like this happens... should we ignore it?
Hellbilly1965. We would politely ask you to stop making potentially libelous comments on a public forum.
We would also ask you to refrain from sending offensive emails to our associates.
You are entitled to your opinions, of course. But you are making unfounded and false accusations. Please be assured that we will vigorously protect our interests and the interests of all parties concerned as required.
This is a an officially licensed Universal product, we are an official licensee. As we have repeatedly said this piece is not a recast or a copy of any previous work. It is original work sculpted by Mr Douglas Hildebrandt. I am not sure how many times we need to repeat that. You have not been involved in the production of this piece in any way and to the best of our knowledge you have no relationship to any party involved in its creation. We applaud your vigilance in protecting IP, we agree with you on that point 100%. But we are a professional company that produces licensed products, we are not a recaster who sells product in a clandestine manner. In this case you are mistaken. You are basing your opinions on a series of images only. Have you actually seen our prototype in person? It is easy for anybody to compare photos of a product, and it is also easy to produce images that appear to support an argument or an agenda. Supermarket tabloids are expert at that.
I am not sure what you deal is with Douglas, or us. You almost appear to be waging a vendetta? There is really no need to be so rude. You can contact us directly to express your concerns and we would have expected you to have done that by now instead of attacking us publicly without fact or merit.
We don't want to threaten or anger anybody and many other posters have already raised the voice or reason in this debate (thank you all) but this needs to stop, take a deep breath and then lets continue in a professional manner.
Regards
Barry
Factory Entertainment
Ive emailed no one... I told Douglas through ebay that his work was not an original sculpt...
please save all the long winded rant please.
****Putting on my administrator hat for a moment****
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Hellbilly1965, you are in violation of the TOS of this site in several posts you have made. If you have a complaint about Factory or it's sculptor(s), please take it up through the appropriate legal channels. Factory Ent has addressed your concerns. If you choose not to believe them, you need to pursue this elsewhere.
Quote from: Hellbilly1965 on March 13, 2012, 10:03:45 AM
sure thing....Ive gotten way better pics of BOTH...please use your eyes my friend.http://www.michael-myers.net/phpBB/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=90429&p=870332#p870332 (http://www.michael-myers.net/phpBB/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=90429&p=870332#p870332) this is very clearly the same exact sculpt..with some kinda crap on it to hide the detail....
Im outta line?
The sculpts are similar, but nothing you've posted at Michael-Myers.net is any more convincing than what you've posted here. You've made your accusations, and they were addressed. Apparently, not to your satisfaction. This smacks of someone trying yet again to stir up the recaster controversy pot, just for the sake of doing it.
Quote from: aura of foreboding on February 19, 2012, 09:56:03 PM
He's kind of smiling. And I guess that is what is off about him.
He's smiling because he's buzzed from all the voltage consumption.
I like the concept .. just not sold on the grin and the similarity to the Cineart bust. But that's only because I already own the Cineart bust.
[admin]And now on a more serious note - Bobby has already pointed out that potentially libelous comments will not be allowed at this thread, or any other UMA thread for that matter. Please adhere to his warning. [/admin]
shut me up all you want... im just taking my stand on this to a higher level.
Hellbilly1965, we are not here to "shut you up". We are simply trying to keep the peace on our forum. This place is not for waging wars of words with others, whether they are monster fans or businesses like Factory. You have clearly voiced your opinions on our forum, and those have not been removed or edited. If you wish to go any further with that, you need to take it up directly with Factory Ent, and/or with Miles Teves/Cineart.
I do understand, and i also apologize to UMA..
I would like to share an email i got from Miles Teves......
Hi David
yes, it looks like he used my old sculpture as a basis for his version, strange that he chose to obliterate the detail, people do the damndest things.
~M
case closed in my opinion.
please post this as i will not take this any further...here.
Hellbilly1965~ You should also be aware that he has repeatedly stated it is a prototype.
Here, for instance, is a picture of a prototype playset that Marx never made, but proposed in the 60's.
(http://farm2.staticflickr.com/1275/1155669571_2858b6c6bb_o.jpg)
Clearly, MPC monsters can be seen on it. Was Marx going to recast MPC figures for their playset? No. But for the prototype phase, they used them.
Something else to consider...
The Aurora models were used in dozens of toys in the 60's. Some licensed, and some not. The AHI monsters were all Aurora heads. The Monster Niks, Monster Men, many jigglers, charms, cereal premiums, etc. from the 60's and 70's were all straight rips off the Aurora models, mostly with some slight retooling. Nobody is going on a "burn down all AHI monsters" crusade. This is a different time, I understand. What Barry has said about it leads me to believe that either he is absolutely certain it's an original sculpt (with obvious influence from the Teves bust) or he has been deceived by his sculptor. It's very possible that someone sat down, next to a Teves bust, and used that as a model to sculpt Frankenstein. Miles said in his email that it looks like his... OK... we all agree with that. It does LOOK like a Teves bust. And most of us also feel that it's not as good. The logical assumption is that it's a recast. Maybe it's actually a copy. I see artists painting copies of paintings in museums all the time. That's how artists hone their craft, and if you are going to scuplt Frankenstein, and want a masterpiece to copy, them Miles Teves' work is the most likely piece to use. Whether it's a violation of Cine Arts or Teves' copyrights is a topic for legal minds, and I'm not one of those. If Cine Arts or Teves decide to pursue the matter is totally up to them. It's not up to you or me. Personally, I'm just glad that a company like Factory Ent exists and is making cool monster stuff. This piece isn't up my personal alley, but I've bought other stuff from them, and hope to again in the future.
Quote from: Gillfan on March 13, 2012, 11:33:55 AM
If I gave 2 talented sculptors known for doing accurate and lifelike sculptures the exact same reference photos and told each to sculpt the subject, I would expect two sculptures that would look very, very similar.
As a professional sculptor yourself, why does this surprise you?
If somebody hired you to sculpt Abe Lincoln from a photo would you put his mole on the other cheek of your bust [so it] didn't look like everyone else's?
If you were sculpting Scarface (the old mobster) would you move the scar and ignore the photo reference?
Still makes the most sense to me. Considering it's been nearly 15 years since the CineArts bust was released, Factory's decision to go with that very similar look could be simply a matter of timing.
I like the concept more than I like the finished piece. If a mini-bust were offered in, say, 1/4-scale at under $200, then I might be interested in one.
I find it hard to believe that Universal would license a recast
Quote from: Spock on March 15, 2012, 06:26:44 AM
I find it hard to believe that Universal would license a recast
I'd find it harder to believe that Universal would know the difference, if that were actually the case. No, I find it harder to believe, given the knowledge base of hardcore Universal Frankenstein collectors, that any new licensee would attempt to pass off an old sculpt as a new one. It just wouldn't make sense. They know they'd get nailed in a minute. Even having a similar sculpt has roused criticism of, "I bought something like this 15 years ago, why should I buy it again?"
I feel dirty just clicking on the MMnet link 8j68j68ju
IMO it looks like someone did a clay press from a mold and re-tooled the cine-art sculpt. And not a very good job at hiding it.
The lack of skin detail could be from using a recast Thailand bust to make the mold from for the pressing. I could mold an AHI frankenstein head, make a clay press then but his bolts on his forehead and alter the mouth a little. Tech, it's a new sculpt, but its also still an AHI Frankenstein.
Ok we will say it again for the last time. There is no plot or secret story here.
It is not a recast of any existing product. Its a totally new sculpt created by Douglas Hilderbrandt
Wait for the item to come out and put it side by side against a Cinearts piece. The images you are looking at are confusing the issue, they are not official images from us and some are of old prototype product. I can find several images of the Cinearts busts that look nothing like ours, It depends on the angles and lighting etc. The truth is that until our product and the Cinearts bust are compared directly, side by side, nobody can make an accurate and correct assessment. I welcome the day that happens and will happily submit to the closest scrutiny based on fact. But do not judge us and make accusations based on assumption. I wish I owned a Cinearts bust so I could take a picture now, but i don't have one. I missed out back in the day. We have the greatest respect for Mr. Teves and his work, his bust is one of the finest sculpts ever produced and we are happy to go on record to say that. But we did not recast or copy it.
Does our product look similar to his piece for Cinearts? Sure, it absolutely does. Why? Because they are of the same subject, Karloff as Frankenstein in 1931 and are supposed to be 'life-like' representations not stylized . Any good sculptor will duplicate the same details and proportions when creating the same type of 1:1 scale item in this manner because they are copying his appearance. Also because this is a licensed product we are required to follow the licensing guidelines and are provided with 'style guide' reference material and approved imagery as a source. Probably the same material Cinearts was given by Universal back in the late 90's. When you produce licensed merchandise you do not have carte blanche to do what you want, you have to follow the 'official' line . This is one of the reasons why you see the same types of product again and again. Universal own the trademark to the Pierce make up style and have a strict pattern of rules that govern its look to protect their rights to it, when you start to stray from it then you are not creating 'their' look. Our piece was hand sculpted in clay using stills and a life cast of Karloff taken some time during his career, this was used for proportions and geometry.
What is perceived as a lack of skin detail is in part a misunderstanding. The images that are being shown are a low res low quality and do not show the detail that is there. Its also a creative choice, we have chosen to portray a human actor wearing heavy period stage make-up. It is our belief that this would have obscured the pores and wrinkles in the skin and would have been more of a coating. It would not have had the appearance of more modern airbrushed make-up effects. This is partly an artistic choice as we have no evidence to support it. Sadly close up high res images from the period do not exist to the best of our knowledge. But partly also it was a production decision. This piece is thick heavy polyresin, because it contains mains AC operated electronics it has to be safe. Resin tends to have a shiny and sometimes greasy look unless it is textured, so it has been lightly textured. Many previous works have attempted to create the monster as he would have looked in real life, if he were a real Monster. we are trying to create a character replica.
This piece is aimed at people who don't already have a bust, and to appeal to the broadest number of people. This means it has what is considered to be the 'classic' look. The stoic dead expression. Its what the average consumer expects . This product is not aimed at somebody who already has one or more of the several busts that have been available over the years. We realize that people have limited space and you simply cannot have or afford them all. But there has never really been anything like this before. Its official name is the 'VFX Maquette 1:1 Scale Character Replica' we don't even call it bust. Its a feature piece that does things, it lights up you play with it, you interact with it. It's designed to fit in a home theater or a monster room and be 'used' not just admired.
We are trying something new we get that and there is bound to be some negative feedback.Also some people just don't like it, they will never like it. We get that too. Everybody is entitled to their opinion.
But please we ask everybody to judge us on facts not speculation. Wait for us to release official images of the actual finished piece, which will be available in both a colored and monochome paint deco.
Then we welcome your honest and open feedback. But please no more unfounded and unfair accusations of recasting.
if you posted pics of the original sculpt that might dowse the torches....
By your command.
These are images of the 'clay' master (its actually a type of wax-epoxy). This is then used to create the mold .
www.factoryreplicas.com/art_staff/Frank/111216.jpg (http://www.factoryreplicas.com/art_staff/Frank/111216.jpg)
www.factoryreplicas.com/art_staff/Frank/111217.jpg (http://www.factoryreplicas.com/art_staff/Frank/111217.jpg)
And just to compare Apples with Apples... a side by side comparison with the Tevas Bust. Similar, but not the same by any means
www.factoryreplicas.com/art_staff/Frank/comp.jpg (http://www.factoryreplicas.com/art_staff/Frank/comp.jpg)
http://www.factoryreplicas.com/art_staff/Frank/111216.jpg (http://www.factoryreplicas.com/art_staff/Frank/111216.jpg)
Lower right corner, it looks like you recast the retaining ring of a jug. Not to mention a commercially available on/off switch... How can you live with yourself?
... ;)
In the words of the great scribe
"how do you know she is a witch?"
"She looks like one"
Its a fair cop guv!
???
Hopefully this puts it all to rest.
Now, where the heck are the Medallion of Dracula and "Creature from the Black Lagoon" Fossil Hand?
Good question...
Dracula Medallion - In production now. Look for pre-sale information VERY soon. I will try to post an exclusive UMA preview image before the weekend.
Creature hand - In pre-production. The sculpt is complete and looking stunning. We are working with prototypes in various materials for QA. Its inherently a delicate piece and the material needs to be stone like but still durable. Expect news on that in around 3 months. We hope to have the final piece unveiled at SDCC
Mummy Ring - In pre-production. We revealed a teaser image in the Memorabilia section here today.
Quote from: Factory on March 15, 2012, 06:06:36 PM
Good question...
Dracula Medallion - In production now. Look for pre-sale information VERY soon. I will try to post an exclusive UMA preview image before the weekend.
I want one!!!!! Will buy this, no question.
QuoteCreature hand - In pre-production. The sculpt is complete and looking stunning. We are working with prototypes in various materials for QA. Its inherently a delicate piece and the material needs to be stone like but still durable. Expect news on that in around 3 months. We hope to have the final piece unveiled at SDCC
Maybe....
QuoteMummy Ring - In pre-production. We revealed a teaser image in the Memorabilia section here today.
SOLD!
DRACULA MEDALLION and MUMMY RING: heck yes!
Don't think I'd have the space for the Creature Hand, but I know a lot of people that want it!
gee amazing how a couple of pics can put things to rest. maybe i shoudl be a mod LOL
Quote from: Factory on March 15, 2012, 06:06:36 PM
Good question...
Dracula Medallion - In production now. Look for pre-sale information VERY soon. I will try to post an exclusive UMA preview image before the weekend.
Creature hand - In pre-production. The sculpt is complete and looking stunning. We are working with prototypes in various materials for QA. Its inherently a delicate piece and the material needs to be stone like but still durable. Expect news on that in around 3 months. We hope to have the final piece unveiled at SDCC
Mummy Ring - In pre-production. We revealed a teaser image in the Memorabilia section here today.
You didn't take a clay impression of the medallion on the Aurora Model kit and expand it using a particle accelerator did you ::) :o ::)
The Creature hand sounds very interestin btw but what are the chances of keeping the weight down on it so it dont cost a liver and kidney to ship overseas.
Quote from: Spock on March 16, 2012, 08:44:56 AM
You didn't take a clay impression of the medallion on the Aurora Model kit and expand it using a particle accelerator did you ::) :o ::)
The Creature hand sounds very interestin btw but what are the chances of keeping the weight down on it so it dont cost a liver and kidney to ship overseas.
Well... that's a quandary. Many people want HEAVY as it seems HEAVY seem to equates to quality for many. But there is a logistics issue of shipping, anywhere not just internationally. So we are trying to keep it reasonable, under 20lbs (9kgs) .
The piece will also be available from our international distributors so might be available domestically in your location?
Who's sculpting the Creature fossil hand?
JP
Creech hand!! Hell, for that matter, I want them all!!
The medallion seems a moot point, I can't see a more accurate version coming along. Gillman-fan's version as far as I'm concerned is perfect until I see another.
I'm positive it's a new sculpt and not pressed from the aurora kit etc...although that is kinda funny.....(http://cdn.pimpmyspace.org/media/pms/c/7n/nk/kq/-Cold.gif)
Quote from: Wolfman on March 16, 2012, 02:36:01 PM
Who's sculpting the Creature fossil hand?
JP
This guy did:
Quote from: tylerh on October 29, 2011, 01:28:27 AM
Hey All -
I actually sculpted the hand for Factory Ent, and have another pic and some info on the original sculptor on my IN PROGRESS facebook page here:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ham-FX/276350425738791?sk=wall (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ham-FX/276350425738791?sk=wall)