Way back in 1995, I produced a documentary about toy collecting called "In Love With Toys." It received national distribution in retail stores, though I didn't make a dime off it. In fact, it just about ruined me financially! But I still felt proud the day a friend of mine in New York e-mailed me to tell me he saw "In Love With Toys" sitting on a store shelf in the Big Apple.
I was so down and out during that period that I sold my last copy for $20, leaving me with no way to view my own film. Many years passed before I finally bought a used copy on ebay. To this day, it is the only home-viewable copy I own. The distributor kept the master tape. I called and wrote trying to get them to return it, but their vaults had swallowed it forever. Maybe they wanted to keep running copies without paying me. Or maybe they just didn't want to bother sending it back.
I think I watched the program once with Max when he still lived in St. Louis. Aside from that, I have not watched it in 12 years. Until two days ago, that is.
As a Christmas gift to the UMA, I digitally transferred my VHS copy and uploaded it to You Tube.
It is presented in 10 segments, which I will post in this thread. I omitted two, a segment on 80s toys and another on 90s toys. I didn't have enough storage space for the entire program. I figured most people would be more interested in the 60s and 70s toys than the more recent stuff.
There are interviews with collectors, including our own Andy Williams. Andy actually helped me quite a bit during the production. Several scenes were shot in his parents' house. He helped wrangle toys, lugged equipment and hooked me up with the right people. And of course, he got paid nothing. Even 12 years later, I am still grateful for his assistance.
The coolest parts are the opening and closing scenes. If you watch anything, watch segments 1 and 10. Instead of describing them, I will let you discover them for yourself. Just watch them.
There are some neat monster toys on display throughout the program. Plenty of AHIs, some Lincolns and Tomlands, Aurora models, Nightmare Before Christmas, Alien, Bionic Bigfoot, Colorforms Outerspace Men, and a Marx Frankenstein walking.
You will see the fabled 2nd series Colorforms aliens, a Creature 3D wall plaque, carded AHI Creature figure and jiggler, and other monster treasures.
You will also see demonstrations of Electroman, Krusher, Pulsar and Hypnos in operation. Yes, Krusher will expand before your eyes.
This was made before eBay, before online communities like UMA, before the Internet really took off. It captures the hobby's innocence during its early, pre-tech stages when people bought toys out of magazines and talked over the phone instead of through e-mail. They have no idea how much the hobby would change in just a few years.
But there was also disillusionment. Instead of trying to explain it, I'll let you see for yourself. There was some bitterness among collectors back in 1995. The magazines (Lee, Tomart) where not talking about it, so I decided to touch on it.
I hope you enjoy these videos. Think of them as the UMA's own original production.
But be warned, the audio/video quality is pretty bad. Especially the audio – I don't know what is going on there. There's clicking and wah-wah like an old 16mm school film. It's an old, used tape playing on an old machine, so I guess I can't expect THX sound.
The master looked and sounded much better than these You Tube versions. Maybe someday I'll have the opportunity to properly restore the program. What I would do with it then, I have no idea.
So here it is, "In Love With Toys." Merry Christmas!
Two boys awaken Christmas morning, 1979, to discover goodies beneath the tree. What do they do with them? Watch and see.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpTIydrcP48
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIzv6cbuck0&feature=user
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6hFett2pIc&feature=user
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ew20feC6SVA&feature=user
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nVxXaVZ5As&feature=user
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLO8jubW1PM&feature=user
Sort of a how-to segment on finding and preserving toys. If you've forgotten what toy collecting was like before eBay and the Internet, this will refresh your memory.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qO3Gtll_Y0U&feature=user
A trip to the Toyman Toy Show at Machinist Hall in St. Louis.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhK80p2sNYo&feature=user
Collectors give advice on maintaining a proper perspective. Some of them are obviously exasperated with the hobby. I think the Internet helped defuse this growing resentment before it ruined the hobby.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiR32Y6OcSA&feature=user
This is the reason I wanted to make this production. A collector at a toy show daydreams that he is walking through the toy aisle of a 1970s dime store. If you watch nothing else, watch Part 1 and this final segment.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kfa9xYlkdLE&feature=user
There are more credits in the full version, listing all the copyright information for every character that appears in the production. I figured you didn't need to sit through another two minutes of that!
In Love With Toys is copyright 1995 by Monster Castle Productions.
Wow ray, I STILL own this tape but, like you, I hadn't watched it in years. I completely forgot or never knew you produced it. Fantastic job, especially for the time considering the technology available and the costs involved. Sorry to hear about the difficulties around the financial aspects and thank you for the sacrifices you made in order to get it out there. Seems like ultimately it was worth it. I actually retailed this in the store I ran at the time, bought it via Diamond Comics Distributors if memory serves. This tape was the first time I'd seen a carded AHI Bend 'Em and I was so excited by that that I called several friends who came over later that day to see it. Thanks as well for your generosity in posting all of this for us and Merry Christmas to you as well!
Best,
Shannon
Wow! Thanks for making my Christmas morning. I love it.
This used to play in regular rotation at a comic/toy shop close to me. I think I've seen it a dozen or so times but I never tire of it. I always wondered who made it.
I forgot Bob Monko was in it, I used to run into him at shows all the time.
Unlike the others, I must admit I've never seen that before. But I really enjoyed watching it and I thank you for posting it. It's definitely neat seeing pre-Ebay collecting. I just wish that historically I was better able to follow that "collect what you can afford" advice. I can't help it, but when there's something truly special available, I just have to make whatever sacrifice needed to make it happen.. You can always earn more money, but the truly rare things only come along once in a blue moon.
I look back on the production of that film with very fond memories. It was pre-eBay, internet and all that stuff for me. Collecting meant that you had to develop more personal connections with other people; something that I do miss. Communities like this one take the place of that in some ways, but I digress...the film production was a lot of fun. It was a labor of love that made me feel like I was taking part in something bigger and more important than just collecting toys.
I love this. Very nice Christmas Present. Do you know what ever happend to Bob?? Man I got some good stuff from him. ;)
Yeah, Bob is still around. He did have some really great stuff. He was one of the first comic/toy dealers in the St. Louis area. I can remember going over to his place in the early 90's and just being overwhelmed by piles of great stuff. Factory cases of Mego Mad Monsters, boxed Captain Action sets, second series Colorforms Aliens, Creature Plaque, etc...
Great stuff Ray thank you for posting that. Sadly it kind of reminds me of how I wearied on the avid collector thing, and why I now just pick up the odd thing from time to time. Having a great time enjoying collectibles vicariously on everyone else's pocket book. Love the monster scene and as long as you guys keep positing pics, I'll be happy with my occasional addition.
Thank you for all the comments. It's especially nice to hear how many people saw this "back in the day." It makes me feel that my efforts were not in vain. Like Andy said, I wanted to feel like I was doing something more than "just collecting." I still feel that way.
I'd never seen that before, but really enjoyed it. Thanks Raymond!
Quote from: poseablemonster on December 26, 2007, 02:12:29 PM
Yeah, Bob is still around. He did have some really great stuff. He was one of the first comic/toy dealers in the St. Louis area. I can remember going over to his place in the early 90's and just being overwhelmed by piles of great stuff. Factory cases of Mego Mad Monsters, boxed Captain Action sets, second series Colorforms Aliens, Creature Plaque, etc...
Bob used to do The Dallas Fantasy fairs and the Big D Toy Show. The Big D Toy show,Used to be one of the Best shows in the US. No Items were allowed, over the year of of 1980. This is where I got a couple of my Boxed Monster Scenes I didn't have. Also bought a lot of my Monster paper Before before it went to Expensive. I remember getting Revenge of The Creature Lobbies with the Monster for $50 each. Also A One sheet I was a Teenage Werewolf for $75. This is where I also met Duane Dimock and Randy Jones, California Toy dealers and collectors. I still visit them, a couple of times a year. I didn't have much money then. I was living in a single wide trailer and making $1100 a month. As I look back it seems like collecting was more Innocent back then and the times were a lot less complex. Ahhh I long for the good ole days.
This was very fun to watch. Fantastic stuff Ray.
It's scary to hear people call them Ah-Hees.
Like I told you privately Ray, that was unbelievable. I can't believe that you guys went through all that trouble, reproducing those boxes under the tree and again replicating how the cards would look hanging off the pegs all bunched up like that. I noticed Andy's name in there too. Was he in the documentary at some point that I missed or did he help with the production?
Quote from: Dr.Terror on December 27, 2007, 06:42:17 PM
This was very fun to watch. Fantastic stuff Ray.
It's scary to hear people call them Ah-Hees.
That is what I always called em and always will. ;D
Quote from: raycastile on December 27, 2007, 12:54:29 AM
Thank you for all the comments. It's especially nice to hear how many people saw this "back in the day." It makes me feel that my efforts were not in vain. Like Andy said, I wanted to feel like I was doing something more than "just collecting." I still feel that way.
I remember that the video always drew a crowd in the store, it really was ahead of it's time.
Quote from: Dr.Terror on December 27, 2007, 06:42:17 PM
It's scary to hear people call them Ah-Hees.
I noticed that too. I've always pronounced the name as individual letters: "A-H-I". I've never heard anyone refer to them any other way before.
George
Raymond, this is a wonderful and impressive piece of work. I enjoyed it thoroughly. Don't you think it's about time for an update? Or maybe just a documentary on the phenomenon of collecting Monster Toys. I bet that with the help of the UMA it might be easier and less expensive to produce something like this today than it was back then. It would make a great addition to the UMA Monster Toy display.
I say Ay-High.
Quote from: ramsey37 on December 27, 2007, 09:39:22 PM
I noticed that too. I've always pronounced the name as individual letters: "A-H-I". I've never heard anyone refer to them any other way before.
George
After my experience in Brazil, the filmmaking bug is definitely biting me like a pit bull. But if I do anything, it will be narrative fiction entertainment.
That's not to say we couldn't do something simple for the toy display. We've actually talked about it before. We could have some collector interviews running on the TV screen. But the toy tour crew barely has time to breathe as it is. I don't know how we could squeeze a production schedule into our already frazzled lives. But...we have talked about it...so who knows...
Quote from: Jim Bertges on December 28, 2007, 01:54:49 AM
Raymond, this is a wonderful and impressive piece of work. I enjoyed it thoroughly. Don't you think it's about time for an update? Or maybe just a documentary on the phenomenon of collecting Monster Toys. I bet that with the help of the UMA it might be easier and less expensive to produce something like this today than it was back then. It would make a great addition to the UMA Monster Toy display.
It's just that Andy is so easy to miss. Sometimes I bump into him because I don't even see him standing there. I keep telling him to wear bright colored clothes or something. Otherwise, he'll just continue to blend in with the scenery.
Quote from: Roback on December 27, 2007, 08:14:38 PM
Like I told you privately Ray, that was unbelievable. I can't believe that you guys went through all that trouble, reproducing those boxes under the tree and again replicating how the cards would look hanging off the pegs all bunched up like that. I noticed Andy's name in there too. Was he in the documentary at some point that I missed or did he help with the production?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiR32Y6OcSA
I'm the handsome bearded fellow - the one without a sweet mullet. :o
;D Mullets were Running wild in that video.
Thanks for posting this film Ray! It's cool, and obviously a labor of love.
I think it speaks very well of Andy that he resisted the call of the mullet. In an age when mullets ruled, one man stood alone. A short-cropped Spartan amid the long-haired hordes.
Quote from: poseablemonster on December 28, 2007, 07:08:39 PM
I'm the handsome bearded fellow - the one without a sweet mullet. :o
For some reason i can see anything in the posts.I will check on my home computer when i get home
Awesome,Awesome.I viewed these when i got home today
Thank you
Thank you for watching!
Beautiful! Thank you Ray!
That last scene really brought a gasp to my lips and a tear to my eye...to see them all together like that, hanging on pegs!
I HAD those Six Million Dollar Man figures...all of them!
And of course my A-HI monsters purchased from the Hollywood Wax Museum gift shop so long ago.
Did you recreate those packages for the Christmas morning sequence? Wow...they looked authentic...right down to the backer cards...
Thanks Ray. That was a real treat.
-Prof. Griffin
I'm glad you enjoyed the clips! The Christmas boxes are props that I fabricated. None of them are real. The toy packages in the dime store are a different story. I think almost all of them are real.
Just wanted to pop in and say that I feel lucky to own a copy of IN LOVE WITH TOYS.
I bet Santa Claus has one, too. (Or is it his evil twin Satan Claws that owns a copy?)
I stumbled upon this. In Love With Toys is available at the San Antonio Public Library. How odd.
http://sapl.sat.lib.tx.us:90/kids/0/search/aCastile,+Raymond./acastile+raymond/-3%2C-1%2C0%2CE/frameset&FF=acastile+raymond&1%2C1%2C
How odd, and yet so cool! I wonder if Professor Griffin has checked out this video from the library? Hopefully not as I'm sure it would be a hard one to return. Isn't the good professor near San Antonio?
Quote from: fmofmpls on March 17, 2008, 10:43:49 AM
How odd, and yet so cool! I wonder if Professor Griffin has checked out this video from the library? Hopefully not as I'm sure it would be a hard one to return. Isn't the good professor near San Antonio?
He is from Austin, about an hour away from SA.
I somehow missed this thread when it was first posted. Ray I'm loving your documentary! Thanks for putting the clips on YouTube.
~Penny~
This is great. Ray would you be willing and/or able to make copies of your VHS if we were to send you a tape and postage and even a little extra if you want since it is your program.
I don't have two VHS decks to dub a tape. I'd rather just direct people to You Tube if they want to watch it. It would be nice to make a DVD from the S-VHS master, but I would need someone to donate their professional services. I would then sell the DVD as a UMA toy tour fundraiser. But I would want to do it professional quality or not at all.