Monsters of the Movies Frankenstein

[hypnotator]

Following the great debacle of the Monster Scenes series, Aurora had one last stab at monster kits with the Monsters of the Movies series. Six classic monsters and two Japanese kaiju were produced with minimal but well conceived dioramas and no sexy girlies or instruments of torture.



Sadly the World had moved on from the old movie monsters and the series sold poorly. Aurora folded soon after and the Monsters of the Movies series became very rare collectors pieces. I had this kit as a kid, but I couldn’t afford one as an adult until they reissued it a few years ago. The reissue lacked the beautiful box painting.



The first Aurora Frankenstein kit was a huge success and it’s a great kit, but Frankenstein has a dead expression. Well he is dead I suppose, but Karloff gives us the odd grimace in the movie and they went for that with this kit.



Some nice details on the base. I just had to make the mushrooms Fly Agaric.



Putting the name “Frankenstein” on the gravestone of the original kit was a great way of getting around the misnomer problem. They had to call the kit “Frankenstein” or nobody would buy it, and here he is walking over Doctor Frankenstein’s grave. But for some reason, with this kit they put “Shelley” on the gravestone. Not even “Mary Shelley” and the surname on its own implies her husband Percy, who wrote all that fancy poetry.

[prescenes2]

A dynamic pose! Nice work!!!!
I like this Monster versus the MS monster. I don't know if I ever will get the Moebius/Dencomm Frankenstein. It doesn't appeal to me. Now this one does. The one that does fit the MS is the Operation by Cult of Personality.

[hypnotator]

Thanks Prescenes! Like you, I prefer this Frankie to the MS version, which is a little plain, but to be fair he is intended to mix and match with the other scenes. MS Frankie comes into his own when he is carrying off the Victim. The Moebius Frankie was disappointing, hard to pinpoint why, nice diorama and all, but it just didn't do it for me. Besides, I already have three Aurora Frankies.
I hadn't seen the Operation but I just had a look. I presume he has an exposed brain?

[TAY666]

Yes, he has an exposed brain.
You can see it in this pic
www.tylisaari.com/models/shows/wf2012/cp03.jpg

Wish I had that as part of my MS/GS collection, but sadly I can't afford all that I want.

Haven't built any of my MS Franks yet. But I have done this one.
So I can appreciate all the work you put into doing yours.
I like the gray look you used for the skin. I did mine greenish, which comes across as a bit cartoony in my mind now.
I also love your overall color selection and execution. Looks very real.
The addition of the skull is a very nice touch as well. Really sets the mood.

[hypnotator]

Thanks Tay; that's a better Operation pic than the one I found.

Money aside, I don't have time to build all the kits I want. I bought this MOTM Frankie when he was first reissued, which is getting on for ten years ago, and only just got around to building him.

I always go for a flesh tone, albeit pallid, on monster kits. I figure they look freaky enough without being green, and a flesh tone looks more realistic and hence scarier.

The Monsters of the Movies series are some of the best kits ever - great sculpts, atriculation and dioramas with nice details. They are a fitting farewell to the Aurora monster kit heyday. I wish they would reissue the Wolfman and Mr. Hyde and I'm not shelling out big bucks in case they do.