Paradise Gargantuas Commission

[Jon LeGrand]

A tricky kit to build as some of you may know! Lots of warped vinyl! Just finished it, here is a video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSMKqQbItcU
And here are some photos:

[spock]

That base came out GREAT !

[Jon LeGrand]

That base came out GREAT !

Thank you!

[timetraveler]

Tricky perhaps, but you mastered it

[Jon LeGrand]

Tricky perhaps, but you mastered it

Thanks!

[bucketfoot-al]

The "Dancing Gargantuas" more like!!

Great job!! Used to love that movie as a kid. Never knew they were really just two Frankenstein monsters ... or that this was a sequel of sorts to "Frankenstein Conquers The World" - which was somehow never shown on TV in the NYC area when I was growing up ... wonder why?

[Jon LeGrand]

The "Dancing Gargantuas" more like!!

Great job!! Used to love that movie as a kid. Never knew they were really just two Frankenstein monsters ... or that this was a sequel of sorts to "Frankenstein Conquers The World" - which was somehow never shown on TV in the NYC area when I was growing up ... wonder why?

Thanks! Yeah I don't know either, I think the fact that War of the Gargantuas made it to American theaters made it more of a staple in the creature feature shows?

[seabiskit]

I love it! I think the base is perfect, not detracting from the figures. Strong work my friend!
I'm one of those who haven't seen Frankenstein Conquers the World, as I recall it's a tough one to locate. Someday I hope...
As for War of the Gargantuas...I remember when Grampa Munster hosted the Saturday morning horror movies on TBS when I had been growing up. I remember seeing Gargantuas and initially completely disregarding it...they were too gross and didn't look anything like Godzilla! ( I was pretty young) After years had passed I stumbled across it on TV late one night and completely fell in love with it. The story that they come from the disregarded cells of Frankenstein is amazing...they're ridiculously gross and goofy looking...the set pieces and models are arguably Toho's best. And so the end product is....FUN!!! And nothing more...but two Japanese gentlemen wrestling around in bad gorilla suits...

Josh

[bucketfoot-al]

You know, this thread got me thinking ... if those Kaiju monsters weren't men in campy suits - or if Ray Harryhausen had not animated his puppets to give them a supernatural aura - would we still be making kits and models out of them? Is there a magic in those suits and puppets that dead-on CGI-critters like the 2016 Kong (for example) don't have?

I would say: Yes. (But that might just be my generation talking)

[Jon LeGrand]

I love it! I think the base is perfect, not detracting from the figures. Strong work my friend!
I'm one of those who haven't seen Frankenstein Conquers the World, as I recall it's a tough one to locate. Someday I hope...
As for War of the Gargantuas...I remember when Grampa Munster hosted the Saturday morning horror movies on TBS when I had been growing up. I remember seeing Gargantuas and initially completely disregarding it...they were too gross and didn't look anything like Godzilla! ( I was pretty young) After years had passed I stumbled across it on TV late one night and completely fell in love with it. The story that they come from the disregarded cells of Frankenstein is amazing...they're ridiculously gross and goofy looking...the set pieces and models are arguably Toho's best. And so the end product is....FUN!!! And nothing more...but two Japanese gentlemen wrestling around in bad gorilla suits...

Josh

Glad you like it Josh! Yeah you got to watch Frankenstein Conquers the World, I love that one too!

[Jon LeGrand]

You know, this thread got me thinking ... if those Kaiju monsters weren't men in campy suits - or if Ray Harryhausen had not animated his puppets to give them a supernatural aura - would we still be making kits and models out of them? Is there a magic in those suits and puppets that dead-on CGI-critters like the 2016 Kong (for example) don't have?

I would say: Yes. (But that might just be my generation talking)

I agree with you! But each of the methods were magical in their own way, enough to inspire us.

[tay666]

Looks great!
I agree with your assessment of the sculpt. It's ok, but could be so much better. It looks good from a distance, but when you get in close with the camera, you can see where it's lacking.
You did a really good job of bringing what details there are out with your paint work.

I can also imagine what kind of shape that base was in before you got to work on it.
Vinyl is great for figures, not so much for things that are just open on the end though. Especially when they need to sit flat. I love all the detail you added. Not too much, but enough to make it look real.


Another area of my collection that is lacking. I have none of these in kit form.
There aren't a lot of choices out there, and most are pretty expensive.

[Jon LeGrand]

Looks great!
I agree with your assessment of the sculpt. It's ok, but could be so much better. It looks good from a distance, but when you get in close with the camera, you can see where it's lacking.
You did a really good job of bringing what details there are out with your paint work.

I can also imagine what kind of shape that base was in before you got to work on it.
Vinyl is great for figures, not so much for things that are just open on the end though. Especially when they need to sit flat. I love all the detail you added. Not too much, but enough to make it look real.


Another area of my collection that is lacking. I have none of these in kit form.
There aren't a lot of choices out there, and most are pretty expensive.

Thanks! Yes, I don't have any Gargantuas anymore either. I am considering the bighead models, they are pretty cool and not too pricey for what you get.

[tay666]

I love the big heads!
But while the price is reasonable, it is more than I am willing to pay. I like the gargantuas, but not that much. My money is better spent elsewhere. (one of the issues with having such a wide range of interest, can't have it all)

[Jon LeGrand]

I love the big heads!
But while the price is reasonable, it is more than I am willing to pay. I like the gargantuas, but not that much. My money is better spent elsewhere. (one of the issues with having such a wide range of interest, can't have it all)

Yeah, I hear you! Same, I have other kits I would rather have.