Collectible Time: Planet of the Apes/Creepshow Shirts & Star Trek III Framed Cell, from Brett

My friend, Brett Turner, never fails to surprise me with unique, Christmas gifts, and for 2023, he sure hit it outta the park once again, with three, dynamic dandies. 

Two are Funcuts/Catch the Waves, button-down shirts, one representing Marvel's cover for its 1970s, Beneath the Planet of the Apes adaptation; and the other for George A. Romero/Stephen King's original, horror-hit curation, Creepshow.

The nostalgic detail on the shirts is most impressive, exuding that Hawaiian vibe, but there's also an offbeat sophistication that transcends seaside turf. One would look quite erudite wearing these at sci-fi/horror conventions or perhaps those lovely nights out at one's favorite, dystopic and/or ghoulish, night club.  

The third gift is, in fact, a third in a successful, movie franchise, commemorating Star Trek III: The Search for Spock. 

The 7" x 5", framed/easel, Trendsetters collectible features a moody shot of Leonard Nimoy's resurrected Mr. Spock, along with a 35mm clip from the movie (with the below shot being close to my formatted image).

The Search for Spock is one of my all-time, favorite sequels, and I'm pleased to have it celebrated in such a stylish manner. 

Brett's a great guy, and as always, I'm grateful for his great, Christmas gifts. Bless your heart, Brett.

Collectible Time: Monster Team-up Photo Collages (Framed and T-Shirt Ensembles) for Christmas

My close friend, Brett Turner forever hits the mark when it comes to ideal Christmas gifts. This year he gave me a swell set of horror-movie collages.

One is a framed, wood-canvas collectible, featuring Count Mora (not Drac!); the Frankenstein Monster; Regan MacNeil; Chucky; Annabelle; Jigsaw's Billy; the Poltergeist (remake) Clown; Leatherface; Hannibal Lecter; Michael Myers; Pinhead; Freddy Krueger; Jason Voorhees; a Predator; and Jack "Here's Johnny" Torrance. 

I've no idea what company produced this brooding beauty (since I couldn't find any online images), but it's sure a standout, measuring an awesome 22" x 16". The arrangement of the cropped pics is perfectamundo: an eerie triumph on all creepy counts. 

The second collage is a t-shirt companion piece to the Universal Monsters Rock Rebel pillow that Brett gave me last year. The shirt's featured lineup is strong: the Frankenstein Monster, the Bride, Drac, Kharis, the Wolfman, and the Gill-man From the Black Lagoon. 

I can't wait till summer to sport it in public. As with the pillow, the team-up represents my Universal, classic-horror allegiance to a tee (pun intended).

Thank you, Brett for once more making me a merry, monsterized man.  

Collectible Time: Rock Rebel/Universal Monsters Pillow and Mezco Hellraiser III/Pinhead Cube for Christmas

Brett Turner has hit the mark again, with a couple, magnificent Christmas gifts sent straight from his exotic homeland of Canada...

Rock Rebel's 14" x 14", Universal Studios pillow spotlights Karloff's Frankenstein Monster, who's surrounded by Lancaster's Bride; Chapman's Gill-man; Lugosi's Dracula; Chaney Jr's Wolfman and Kharis. What a breathtaking collage, and it adorns both sides of the velvety black fabric. (I'm most fond of how Chaney's personas are positioned opposite each other.)

This classic-horror novelty would please any Universal Monsters fan. I'll cherish it for years to come...

As a creepy bonus, Brett added a Mezco Toyz's "Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth"/Pinhead Lament Configuration. This puzzle b(l)ox/Rubik's Cube measures 2.25" and is graced by lurid images of Doug Bradley's iconic, demonic character, aka Captain Elliott Spencer, including a cropped version of the film's famous (NYC backdrop) poster.  

Brett knows how huge a "Hellraiser"/Clive Barker fan I am, so anything regarding such was certain to strike a grateful nerve. However, do I dare tinker with this piece and risk Cenobite transformation, not to mention an anguished outcome of the Uncle Frank kind? Hmmm...

Whatever my fate, I'm grateful to dear ol' Brett for his exquisite presents. (God bless and Merry Christmas, my friend!!!)

Collectible Time #76: A Classic Monster Christmas...Godzilla '14 Eggleton/FM T-Shirt and Universal Classic Monsters Essential Collection

My friend, Brett Turner, always comes through with on-target Christmas gifts. Thematically, he succeeded again, so I wish to mark his generosity by spotlighting his latest submissions...

Brett knows I dig Toho, or any sort of giant-monster variation, including Gojira's Legendary Films/Gareth Edwards reinstatement. In this instance, the latter is represented by acclaimed Godzilla artist, Bob Eggleton, with our colossal hero confronting an approaching M.U.T.O.  The image, in this instance, is displayed on a stylish, Cotton Heritage, black t-shirt. How cool!!! I'll be lookin' mighty sharp (and maybe a trifle intimidating) when I sport it this summer!!!

For the record, Eggleton created this marvelous "Godzilla '14" image for the latest incarnation of Famous Monsters of Filmland: this being the third of four covers to commemorate the big guys' 60th anniversary. Yep, a classy and historic piece of apparel... 

And speaking of classy and historic, good, ol' Brett hit the bullseye in yet another delightful way. You see, he knows I'm into Universal horror, but was a tad behind the times, having my Universal favorites designated to DVD (and prior to such, VHS). Well, thanks to Brett, I now have the founding entries on Blu-ray, in what's called "Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection".

The 8-disc set includes "Dracula" (along with a Philip Glass orchestrated edition, plus the alternate-cast, Spanish version); "Frankenstein"; "Bride of Frankenstein"; "The Mummy"; "The Invisible Man"; "The Wolf Man"; "Phantom of the Opera '43"; and "Creature from the Black Lagoon" (in 3D and flat versions). Accompanying the films are documentaries, trailers and historical commentary by the distinguished likes of Brent Armstrong; Rick Baker; Bob Burns; Rudy Behlmer; Christopher Freyling; Steve Haberman; Paul M. Jensen; Scott McQueen; David Skal; and Tom Weaver. 

To make the compilation all the more collectible, it contains a 48-pg booklet, "The Original House of Horrors", which presents a splendid overview of the Universal hits. In fact, the entire packaging for the "Essential Collection" is visually enriching: accentuated by gruesomely gorgeous graphics.

I mentioned receiving this set to a few of my much younger friends today, who seemed baffled by its significance, believing classic horror to stem solely from the late '70s onward (i.e., from the Jason, Freddy and Michael Myers era), but the reason such modern fiends ever clicked with audiences was due to the successful, storytelling format that Universal established. Of course, the Universal "talkie" entries also had the advantage of some of the most talented actors, writers and directors of any cinematic age: Lugosi; Karloff; Chaney Jr.; Lancaster; Rains; Arnold; Balderston; Browning; Freund; and Whale. Truly, these films are the classics, the ones that one should know and cherish: the indisputable trendsetters from which all others owe an insurmountable debt.  

I thank Brett for supplying this superb collection; I'm sure to revisit it often, with much gratitude and respect for my friend and the marvelous movies it celebrates.