Alex Ross SDCC Universal Monsters

[palitoy]

First of all. . . it's CHU CHU!

Oh a thousand pardons, I'll go fall on my sword now.

Second. . . He can get to that as soon as he finishes up with my request for a character study of "The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu.

NOT UNTIL HE'S FINISHED WITH "THE RETURN OF CAPTAIN INVINCIBLE"!

[Allie Fox]

You're right, Ross is awful for celebrating Universal with these beautiful paintings. I expect him to paint all my favourites as well, including a seven part series on "Choo Choo and the Philly Flash"

First of all. . . it's CHU CHU!

Second. . . He can get to that as soon as he finishes up with my request for a character study of "The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu.



Ross is a hard one to figure out. He is either loved or hated it seems.

I like his work. His art for the anniversary of Flash Gordon (1980) dvd set was outstanding.

[PNGwynne]

Thanks for the clarifications about Lon's Phantom--I hadn't considered both the actor's and design rights together, which particularly makes sense for films in the public domain.

All things considered, fans have been pretty blessed with Chaney Phantom stuff, it's iconic IMO.

[Werewolf]

I have no idea where the likeness rights reside, but of course I see your point regarding the ownership of the films themselves.

The Chaney Phantom and Hunchback have to be licensed from the Chaney estate. Universal includes the 43 Phantom in Blu-ray releases and Universal Monsters marketing because of the licensing issues and the movies being in public domain.

[hedrap]

Universal trademark ownership over certain elements is based on Jack Pierce's employment; whatever he designed, they own. The Estates own how the makeup looked on their respective family members.

We got Genercula for years as the makeup was irrelevant to Lugosi's natural features, (his Estate could demand much more), while Lon Jr doesn't have the royalty clout of Boris' Frank or Mummy. Since Phantom Lon is a fully-created design by Chaney Sr, that's a whole royalty payment to the Estate. But Claude Phantom was a Pierce design and Rains is unrecognizable under the full mask, so I don't think they're even paying on that...and maybe not the Invisible Man.

Universal has a licensing agreement in place for Lon Phantom, but royalties require payment on usage. If they don't license it for usage, they don't pay on it. One of the prime motivators of Dork Universe is to eschew the Estates and separate the talent/character association.

...and yes, this is the main reason we've gotten jack squat for Hammer licensing. Mego Frank is the poster boy of Hammer Frank minus Lee's mug.

[enyawd72]

and yet again, no love for Fritz Lang's Metropolis, or Forbidden Planet. There are other classics that are being ignored.


CCC.

Also, you need to know where to look. Moebius Models has a kit of the Fly coming out later this year. Both the films you mention have had beautiful posters recently released from Mondo. Thee are dozens of Robby the Robot models out there, and Crimson Pool Productions has a series of Silent Screams busts with Barrymore as Mr. Hyde (1920), Paul Wegener as the Golem (1921); and the Cat from the Cat and the Canary (1927)

[enyawd72]

and yet again, no love for Fritz Lang's Metropolis, or Forbidden Planet. There are other classics that are being ignored.


CCC.

Hmmm...maybe that's because this is a UNIVERSAL monsters set and those other films aren't Universal?

[trekman101]

I like them as well ....... they are really nice

[PNGwynne]

Universal tends to ignore the Chaney Phantom because the movie is in public domain. That's why they generally favor the 43 version in marketing.

I know, but that just confuses me more. Joe Public probably now thinks of Andrew Lloyd Webber, but fans always single out Chaney. And it seems to me Uni leans towards the '25 film...I don't know of a single '43 licensed product, but there are many '25 versions. I have no idea where the likeness rights reside, but of course I see your point regarding the ownership of the films themselves.

[palitoy]

and yet again, no love for Fritz Lang's Metropolis, or Forbidden Planet. There are other classics that are being ignored.


CCC.

You're right, Ross is awful for celebrating Universal with these beautiful paintings. I expect him to paint all my favourites as well, including a seven part series on "Choo Choo and the Philly Flash"

[Werewolf]

It's notable that the silent Phantom isn't included, so I'm not sure other "silents" would be considered.

Universal tends to ignore the Chaney Phantom because the movie is in public domain. That's why they generally favor the 43 version in marketing.

[PNGwynne]

I love all sorts of genre films: Metropolis, Der Golem, Dr. Mabuse, Forbidden Planet, A Matter of Life and Death, The Thief of Baghdad, The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T, The Day the Earth Stood Still, The 7 Faces of Dr. Lao.

Robby from Forbidden Planet has decent licensing, but not of these competes with the pop-culture saturation and notoriety of the classic "monsters."

I'll bet Ross is a fan of some of these others, too and would consider a commission. But there is also an overall consideration of marketability.

It's notable that the silent Phantom isn't included, so I'm not sure other "silents" would be considered. Actually, I'm surprised the Invisible Man made the cut--but of course Uni doesn't have to pay likeness rights thereof.

[LordMudd]

and yet again, no love for Fritz Lang's Metropolis, or Forbidden Planet. There are other classics that are being ignored.


CCC.

[Werewolf]

I think they look really good.

[PNGwynne]

I like these a lot, I suppose getting a set is impossible.

I want to gripe about no Phantom but, ach, the others .