Saturday, April 23, 2011

Universal Monsters in Our Midst: The Gabriel Monster Machine




This edition of "Universal Monsters in Our Midst" highlights the greatest "toy" a monstrophile growing up in the late 70's could ever receive.  The Gabriel Monster Machine allowed junior Jack Pierces to crank out (literally, thanks to the roto-cast device resembling a mad scientist's laboratory slab) plaster molds of their favorite monsters.  Some painterly "make up" then brought the creations to vibrant life.  The Monster Machine came with an instruction manual penned by none other than Dr. Frankenstein, and included the mold for the most famous monster ever to lumber out of filmland:


(molded by Joe)


One last thought: I wonder if this Machine helped churn out not just macabre busts but also a bevy of cinematic monster-makers.  (How many of today's generation of special fx makeup artists found their calling in life while mixing and pouring "Monster Muck" into the plastic molds?)

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1 comment:

  1. AnonymousMarch 12, 2015 at 5:24 AM

    Thanks for sharing one of the best and coolest toys of all time! I wish they would come out with an updated version!

    ReplyDelete

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