Universal Monsters in View- Master's

Started by Monolith, June 20, 2012, 01:28:48 AM

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Monolith

I was going through my View-Master collection and came across some Universal monsters, some of which you may know about and some maybe not.
You probably know these two. The Dracula doesn't look too much like Lugosi but the Frankenstein does resemble Karloff, especially in the booklet illustrations.





A couple of years after Frankenstein and Dracula they came out with the Wolf Man, although he doesn't resemble Lon Chaney Jr too much.



They made two Movieland Wax Museum sets, but only packet #1 has a monster on it-  reel #2, image #2: Bela Lugosi as "Dracula".



If my scanner could scan transparencies I would show you a scan of the wax Dracula. But I do have this postcard of Dracula that I got when I went to the Movieland Wax Museum in the '70's  and it is very close to the image of Dracula that is on the View-Master slide.



View-Master also made a Universal Studios Scenic Tour packet #1. This set has some cool images of masks in the make-up department and it looks like there's a pair of Creature hands on the table. The reels also have "Eerie Hitchcock dummies" and the "Psycho house". It also features Frankenstein's monster on the front as well as on reel C, image #7.



The Universal Studios Scenic Tour booklet also has this image with the Creature, the Wolf Man and the Mummy.



Here is a close-up from the front of the booklet of the Frankenstein monster so you can see him better. The image on the slide is exactly the same as this.



The Godzilla set pictured above has this monster quiz in the booklet. I expect you all to pass even though whoever put the quiz together didn't quite pass because they list the last monster pictured as being Godzilla. It looks like the Beast from 20,000 Fathoms to me.



And this Krofft Supershow #1 pictured on the left has the characters dressed up like a Frankenstein, werewolf and vampire.



Here's a close-up of the cover pic.



And this is from the booklet...



If you know of any other Universal Monsters in View-Master sets let us know.



Therin of Andor

Here's a 2D scan of my Nimslo 3D pic of the Movieland Wax Museum's Dracula display, taken by me in January 1984:


3D Dracula by Therin of Andor, on Flickr

Here's a horror "Halloween" image from the interactive "Black Box" presentation at the same museum:


3D Halloween by Therin of Andor, on Flickr

Another wax character associated with Universal:


3D Norman Bates by Therin of Andor, on Flickr

And two shots of the "Psycho" house from my 1984 Universal Studios tour:


3D Psycho house by Therin of Andor, on Flickr


3D Psycho house porch by Therin of Andor, on Flickr
Thiptho lapth,

Regards, Ian.

ChrisW

Cool, I had never seen any of these before. Thanks for posting!

Monolith

Therin --- very cool Nimslo images, I especially like the Dracula and the Psycho house.

Therin of Andor

Quote from: Monolith on June 21, 2012, 03:24:29 AM
Therin --- very cool Nimslo images, I especially like the Dracula and the Psycho house.

Thanks! Here's a slideshow of the best from my Nimslo albums;
http://www.flickr.com/photos/therinofandor/sets/72157626524874848/show/
Thiptho lapth,

Regards, Ian.

dlhenderson

Cool stuff. I recall receiving a set of postcards one year with my subscription to Famous Monsters. They were from a wax museum, maybe the one shown in the previous post. If I run across those I'll post 'em.

Therin of Andor

Quote from: Monolith on June 20, 2012, 01:28:48 AMThey made two Movieland Wax Museum sets, but only packet #1 has a monster on it-  reel #2, image #2: Bela Lugosi as "Dracula".



Oh, I only just realized you have Packet #2. Could you please list the frames in that? I can't find a list online.
Thiptho lapth,

Regards, Ian.

marsattacks666

Great stuff. I still have my original View Master.
    "They come from the bowels of hell; a transformed race of walking dead. Zombies, guided by a master plan for complete domination of the Earth."

Monsternutt

Thanks for posting this!  Brought me to tears seeing some of the view master reels. Took me back to my childhood!
MONSTERNUTT.

Haunted hearse

Not to nit-pick- but  a better tittle for this thread may have been "Classic Monster in View-master's".  These are all classic monsters, but I have no doubt that the reason some don't bear a closer resemblence to the Universal Monsters, is copyright issues.
  On the "Name the Monster quiz", I am having trouble deciding if the Dracula looks more like Chistopher Lee or Fank Langella.  My wife has long collected viewmasters, I'll have to check to find out if she collected any of thses.  Thank you for posting this, very informative.
What ever happened to my Transylvania Twist?

Bonomo

I had Frankenstein! Man I forgot all about that cover!

Dr. Mortose

I still have the DRACULA set. I wish I had the FRANKENSTEIN.
BWA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!

Monsters For Sale


Here are a couple variations on the previously posted Universal set:








(Note the different photo positions and Frankenstein poses.)



Also, this Monsters Gift Pak from 1978:







ADAM

Haunted hearse

Quote from: Therin of Andor on June 20, 2012, 05:29:54 AM




two shots of the "Psycho" house from my 1984 Universal Studios tour:


3D Psycho house by Therin of Andor, on Flickr


3D Psycho house porch by Therin of Andor, on Flickr
The first photo is indeed the Bates house, however, the second is the porch of the facade used as the "Simmons" house in "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken".   These two are often confused, because the tower of the Simmons house was taken from that facade, and used in constructing the facade for the Bates house.  The Simmons house facade was filmed without it's tower in the early 1960's, but by the time "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken" was filmed, the tower had been recreated, so both facades now had it.  Even though the Tower is identical, the porch on the two facades is quite different.  The Bates house used turned collumns, where as the "Simmons House" (as can clearly be seen in the photo) has massive square collumns.  The Simmons house was near the Munster house on Colonial St., whereas the Bates house facade, has always been in a diferent location in the studio. 
What ever happened to my Transylvania Twist?

Monsters For Sale



I have that house on Colonial Street listed as the "Allison House".


ADAM