Well Diamond does have the Universal Monster license... I guess we'll eventually see which ones they produce in Mego format. Chaney Phantom of the Opera would seem like a good bet, Creature, Bride of Frankenstein would pretty much fill out the classic line-up given what they have produced thus far.
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Well Diamond does have the Universal Monster license... I guess we'll eventually see which ones they produce in Mego format. Chaney Phantom of the Opera would seem like a good bet, Creature, Bride of Frankenstein would pretty much fill out the classic line-up given what they have produced thus far.Comment
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-DaveComment
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I thought Chaney Sr.'s likeness rights, as well as any rights he (or anyone incl. Universal) had in the make-up were also in the public domain. I'd have to look it up a little more and don't have time to review it at the moment. What's your knowledge on it?Comment
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DaveComment
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^ I'd be interested in learning about this as well, since the 1925 Phantom is still obviously Chaney Sr.WANTED: Dick Grayson SI trousers; gray AJ Mustang horse; vintage RC Batman (Bruce Wayne) head; minty Wolfman tights; mint Black Knight sword; minty Launcelot boots; Lion Rock (pale) Dracula & Mummy heads; Lion Rock Franky squared boots; Wayne Foundation blue furniture; Flash Gordon/Ming (10") unbroken holsters; CHiPs gloved arms; POTA T2 tan body; CTVT/vintage Friar Tuck robes, BBP TZ Burgess Meredith glasses.Comment
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Since the movie (long after the book) has lapsed into public domain the idea and look of the Phantom are up for grabs, this is what is distinctive about the movie, as is calling him Erik or the Phantom of the Opera. However, it's clearly Lon Chaney Sr. in the movie and he has living relatives who lay claim to his likeness and money to be made off of it. The idea that it was too close to Chaney came not from his family, but others in the toy business...
Personally I think it's a tenuous claim at best. It's not an exact likeness and we were surely not going to say it was Lon Chaney Sr. but others feel differently and therefore it won't get made.
DaveLast edited by David Lee; Aug 31, '11, 7:24 PM.Comment
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McFarlane's unlicensed version, going another direction than Chaney.
Last edited by samurainoir; Aug 31, '11, 8:30 PM.Comment
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Chaney's family signed a deal with Universal that includes his likeness and
make-up creations - as Universal did with Karloff's family.Comment
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I asked Joe - who is not only a HUGE monster fan but also worked
at Universal Studios corporate - to let me know the actual details:
the bottom line is this:
chaney, sr. played the phantom for universal
james cagney played lon chaney in "man of a thousand faces" and it is THAT makeup that aurora, lincoln, and others have based their phantoms on as that film was getting wide distribution at the time of those toys. so, the fellow who is claiming that the lincoln one is not chaney is mistaken.
chany's family signed a broad deal with universal for all chaney sr and jr. likenesses in universal films.
so, ANY of the previous portrayals of the phantom to date, with the exception of the macfarlane abortion, are based directly on chaney or on a derivation of the portrayal, NONE of which are in the public domain.
period, close-quotes, end of story.Comment
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So the Lincoln Phantom of the Opera was licensed from Chaney/universal just like the aurora kits? I didn't realize that.
Last edited by samurainoir; Aug 31, '11, 11:33 PM.Comment
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