Living Dead Dolls Presents: The Joker

If you read my LDD Presents IT Pennywise (2017 version) you'll know that my son bought me a couple of dolls for my birthday this year... Pennywise was of course one and the other was this awesome little guy.

I first spotted his doll as a pre-order announcement email from Mezco in September last year and really wanted him, as he wasn't going to be sent out until around April this year it worked out better because Aaron bought him as a present for my birthday instead!

Before I get into talking about the doll himself, I think I should take a few minutes to tell you about my relationship with  The Joker and the various incarnations of him that have been seen in films and on TV for many years for longer than I've been alive..

My favourite Joker throughout my childhood was played by Cesar Romero who portrayed the enigmatic villain in the TV Series which also starred Adam West, Burt Ward, Julie Newmar and Eartha Kitt among many others.

He played the role so quirky and silly but also ingenious in his schemes and fitted in so well with the cartoon / comic book style of the show.

Out of all my favourite Jokers (spoiler alert, I now have 4!) he is still my favourite and the only on to have played the role more than once, having portrayed the maniac villain from 1965 to 1968  and in that short time was in some of the most memorable episodes of the 3 season series as well as the film Batman: The Movie which came out in 1966.

Growing up Cesar Romero's Joker was the ultimate Joker to me but then in 1989 a new Batman film was released, and with it came a new Joker. 

This time played by one of my favourite actors; Jack Nicolson I was a little dubious at first as while I love Jack Nicolson's ability to play weird, edgy and over the top characters, I really wasn't sure how he would fare as The Joker.

I needn't have worried as when I went to the cinema to see the film, I loved his portrayal so much that I went back the next night, and the next until I ran out of pocket money and had to wait for it to come out on video instead!

Whereas Cesar Romero's Joker has a kind of childlike quality to him Jack Nicolson's Joker had a kind of Gangster appeal and along with it a vicious streak which I thoroughly enjoyed, so I now had 2 favourite Jokers, besides The Joker from the Arkham Asylum graphic novel, but I might talk a bit about him later...

Throughout the 90's I watched the new Batman films as they were released but apart from loving Jim Carey as The Riddler and Danny Devito as The Penguin, nothing much sticks out from those films, and for the most I didn't enjoy them. 

But then came the 2000's and with it new Batman films... in 2005 Batman Begins was released I found it pretty boring, except for Cillian Murphy as The Scarecrow... (I'm sensing a pattern here!)...

 Christian Bale's Batman voice was stupid and grating which didn't help, so I was really unsure about whether I was going to bother with The Dark Knight when it was released in 2008, Aaron being a fan of Batman, and wanting to see how they portrayed his origin story, convinced me to do so, and I have to say I'm very glad he did!

I'd only seen Heath Ledger in three films; A Knight's tale, Ned Kelly and Candy so I really had no idea what to expect from his portrayal, what I'd seen of his acting was a sensitivity, firmness and determination which he expressed so well in those films, but how was that going to work for The Joker?

Pretty bloody well it turned out!!

IMDB.

And so we come to one of the best depictions of the Joker I've ever seen... 2019's The Joker starring Joaquin Phoenix. When I first heard he was going to play the role, I again was sceptical but it turned out that once again I was very pleasantly surprised...

Joaquin Phoenix was the perfect choice to play this role, his Joker is an amalgamation of of my favourite Jokers, except much much darker and I love him and this movie for it!

Like Cesar Romero's Joker he has a silly, playful side, combined with the ruthfulness of Jack Nicholson's Joker and the psychotic villainy of Heath Ledger's Joker.

Another of my favourite Jokers just happens to be the one that most inspired the 2019 film, he is the subject of the 1988 DC Comics graphic novel Batman: The Killing Joke.

Like Joaquin Phoenix's Joker, Killing Joke's Joker is also a failed comedian who has a stressful home life and after one too many hard knocks, loses his sanity and resorts to murder.

This Joker's psychosis leads him into a far more evil mindset than the other's mental illnesses do, and so his crimes are harder to forgive or even understand. 

He doesn't care if his victims are undeserving or if his crimes go way beyond retribution and are just cruelty for cruelty's sake. 

When he decides to toy with someone it isn't playful or a silly scheme like Cesar Romero's Joker or to some extent Jack Nicholson's his is a game of torture and pain.

Anyway, it's time to show off my little man now, which of course is why you're reading this so I'll shhh about the depictions of The Joker and tell you about the Living Dead version instead!

I totally fell in love with the promotional images Mezco send out for this little guy, he's so quirky looking... Although I can't decide which if any Joker he is based on.

His box puts me in mind of Romero's Joker with the addition of Heath Ledger's Joker's playing card / calling card, and the colour suit of Jack Nicolson and Heath Ledger's Joker coupled with the pinstriped trousers of Cesar Romero's Joker's outfit...with it's bright purples and greens... 

While the box has loads of Ha Ha Ha's all over it and inside a hypnotic green and purple swirl which really makes me think of the 60's tv show, 

He has the same articulation points as other Living Dead Dolls - 8 points, as he is based on the same body type used for normal Living dead dolls.

The quality of the fabric used for his outfit is really good and well sewn, so he displays perfectly either inside his box or outside.

He comes with a cute little gun, which is a mini replica of the one Jack Nicolson's Joker used in Tim Burton's Batman. 

It is moulded in it's "shot" position, showing the "Bang" flag which pops out when the gun is shot.

It is moulded in such a way so that his finger fits perfectly against the trigger and it is firmly held in place by the moulding of his hand so doesn't slip or fall even if the doll himself does!

I'm sure it goes without saying, I love this little guy and am very pleased to have him in my collection - Thanks Aaron!

Follow

🎈 Living Dead Dolls Presents: IT Pennywise (2017) 🎈

                                                                  

IndieWire

On the 24th April last year, I posted about my new Living Dead Dolls Presents IT Pennywise (1990 Mini Series version), you can read about him here if you'd like.

At the time I was waiting for my IT Ultimate Pennywise Action Figure by Necca (2017 version) to arrive, click the link above if you want to read about him or my IT Ultimate Pennywise Action Figure (1990 version) also by Necca who arrived on 7th May... 

In one of those posts I mentioned I wasn't into the new IT film (Part 1) when I watched it, at the time I decided I wasn't going to bother with Part 2 but I did like Bill Skarsgård's portrayal of the demented clown and that was totally true at the time, but recently something weird happened.

I was rereading IT by Stephen King and I suddenly got the idea that I wanted to see how close to the book the second film was so I watched part 2 and I really enjoyed it!

Well after that I decided I'd give the first part another go and for some reason all the annoyances I'd felt the first time I viewed it where no longer there, and I found myself enjoying that part too!

I know, right?!

There were a couple of choices they made I wasn't so keen on (changes to the story) but in the context of the film it worked really well; just don't compare it to the book or the Mini Series and you'll be alright!

Anyhoo,  as I liked the films this time around, and my birthday is this month and because I've been struggling with not being able to see my boyfriend Paul for several months now, due to the Corona Virus Lockdown Aaron decided to cheer me up a bit by giving me my birthday presents early... Yay!

The first one I opened was the Bill Skarsgård version of Pennywise and I have to say he is so cute!

His outfit looks to me to be an exact replica of the film version, right down to the feel of the fabric I had the idea that Bill Skarsgård's Pennywise was wearing. 

The style is archaic, reminiscent of Harlequinade, a form of pantomime, which was adapted from the Italian Commedia dell'arte, of the 17th to mid 19th century, which were fashionable among theatre goers in England during those time periods. 

Of the principle players of this genre the one Pennywise's outfit most resembles is Clown with his baggy breeches and ruffled shoulders, pom poms and floppy double ruffs at the neck.

Like the outfit worn in the film, the Living Dead Doll's outfit also looks old, faded and tatty. 

I like to think that this outfit is a nod to the fact that the creature that shows itself to The Losers during the films/ book is older than the town of Derry itself, and therefore when a child expresses a fear of clowns, IT being an ancient being casts it's mind back and comes up with the image of a clown from hundreds of years into the past because this is the image IT is most familiar with.

Pennywise's hair is also a nod to the clowns of that era, namely Joseph Grimaldi (one day I may tell you my family connection to him)...

The balloon is of course a more modern addition to the ensemble... Doll Pennywise holds it in the same way my other Living Dead Pennywise Doll dues, with the aid of a small peg which you push into the hole in his left palm. 

This allows you to move it a little for posing and also has the bonus that it isn't going to fall out if the doll gets knocked or something.

Inside his box is a black and white background of a street scene in Derry, complete with Police Car in which the occupants ignore the presence of Pennywise and your obvious distress!

I've posed him against it in these photo's but have just realised I should have taken a photo of it minus him so you can see what it looks like, no time for that now unfortunately so I'll have to add it to this post another time, if anyone is interested in seeing it?

His make up is as you'd expect for a Living Dead Doll, film perfect, he even has the grey lines around his hairline which resemble veins, but could actually be metaphoric for his mask slipping.

His two front teeth protrude slightly, which on a child might be considered cute but on a clown is downright unsettling!

The front of his box is pretty plain, nothing fancy and no obvious nod towards the film or book that I've noticed, unlike the 1990 Mini Series Version, which has the front of the box laid out in such a way that it puts you in mind of the covers of the video and later dvd releases.

The sides and back of his box is where it really "comes to life" with really nicely shot photographs of the doll posed like he's got plans for you.

The back reads:       " Based on the blockbuster Warner Bros. film "IT", 

                                   Pennywise The Dancing Clown emerges from the sewers of Derry

                                   to join the Living Dead Dolls family and feed on your fear!

                                  The shape-shifting demonic clown

                                   features bright orange hair

                                   and wears signature clown suit

                                   with ruffle detailing.

                      

                                   Pennywise can hold his infamous

                                   red balloon in his left hand."

I decided to compare him to my other LDD Pennywise... At first I thought it wasn't a good idea as they began fighting... Using balloons as swords.

After they settled down I discovered a few things he has the same 5 points of articulation as 1990's Pennywise; neck, shoulders and hips.

They both are supposed to be 10 inches high, but side by side Skarsgård Pennywise is slightly taller than Curry Pennywise, a good couple of cm maybe an inch.

After the initial fight, they got on really well, perhaps too well... So I'm going to go and trap them both back inside their boxes before they decide that I'm a Loser and start coming up with schemes to scare and eat me!

Take care, stay safe, 6 feet away and don't forget your mask and sanitiser when you're out and about.

Hugs,

                                                       Follow

Living Dead Dolls Presents Lord of Tears - OwlMan

http://davidmoody.net/

As a child I used to read loads of stuff on mysterious creature sightings and legends and watch anything that even hinted at these things. One of the most intriguing to me was a sighting of a humanoid owl in Cornwall in 1976 when two schoolgirls spotted this strange creature and drew pictures to show what they saw.

We used to go camping in Cornwall a lot when I was young so whenever we were there I'd keep my eyes peeled hoping for the chance to see this strange being for myself.

When I got a bit older I discovered that in America they had a Mothman and also a Goatman and this cemented my interest in what I later found out are called Cryptids.

Over thirty years have past since I discovered These creatures but my fascination for them remains as strong as it was when I was little.

Around 7 years ago I came across a trailer for an indie horror from Scotland called Lord of Tears, in it where images of an Owl Man and so of course I just had to see this film.

I was so glad I did, it's the kind of film that is secretive about it's story line and reveals it through events, real and imagined that play out over the course of the film.  

The events are played out through a series of feelings, repressed memories, nightmares and strange things taking place, so that the whole story only makes sense at the end when you piece together what you saw.

So for almost the entirety of the film, you, the viewer are in the same position as the main character who is trying to make sense of what is going on around him... 

I can't tell you much I loved this style of story telling, it's so refreshing to not have to deal with a thin plot and a load of jump scares like so many films these days.

I watched it twice more after that first time.

Then suddenly it was really hard to find and as there was no dvd available to purchase of it, I had to wait and hope it would soon be released to I could watch it again.

Even though, when it came out in 2013 there was no dvd to be had I placed it on my birthday and Christmas lists anyway and waited...

This Christmas, I got my wish - my son and his girlfriend bought it for me (yay!) so of course I had to watch it again right away!

One of the things I love about this film is the fact there is such a small cast (9 people) with most scenes featuring just two.  

I find that there is something very special about films with a small cast, it feels more personal; like you are being told the story by a friend. 

Which is exactly how this film plays out; it centres around a School Teacher called James Findlay who visits his old childhood home - a mansion in the Highlands after the death of his mother where he discovers deep secrets of his past that his parents kept from him through their estrangement and unravels the strange repressed memories that had been haunting his dreams.

All this he relays to his friend / colleague Allen on his return as he tries to come to terms with what he discovered.

The thing that really drew me to this film was the image of Moloch (the Canaanite God associated with child sacrifice) who appears to the main character several times throughout the film in the guise of a man shaped being with an owl's head and long talons for hands, which is why another name for this film is OwlMan.

 I prefer the original title to be honest as to my mind it's more mysterious, but that's neither here or there really!

So when I received an email from Mezco toys back in October announcing their new release - The Lord of Tears OwlMan - I just had to have him so he went on my wish-list too...

 I didn't get him, he's pre-order at the moment but last week I went looking for him again and placed an order for him.

As he is expected to ship in July he'll be an early / belated birthday present for myself.

So expect another post about him as soon as he arrives!

Hugs,

       

                                                            Follow

🎈 Living Dead Dolls Presents: IT Pennywise (1990) 🎈

Google 

Anyone that knows me knows I have a deep rooted fear of clowns, they also know that I have always loved Pennywise - that demented clown monster created from the mind of Stephan King for his novel IT!

So it probably goes without saying if you read my blog, when I found out that Living Dead Dolls had immortalised him as played by Tim Curry, there was no way I wasn't going to fall in love with him and have to add him to my collection.

Screen Rant

Yeah, I know it's weird, but for some reason it's the evil clowns that I can bear, perhaps because they are not hiding their true selves behind their makeup, I dunno, I just know that in terms of IT or Pennywise The Dancing Clown, he's always seemed to me to be a quirky little weirdo and of course it doesn't hurt that in the 1990 Mini- Series, TV Adaptation of the novel, he was played by Tim Curry - one of my favourite actors! 

The promotional photographs they used made my need to own him even worse... his little face looking out of a storm grate, as he did in the novel and mini-series when he "made friends" with little Georgie Denbrourgh, right before chomping down on his arm!

In keeping with that scene the Living Dead Doll version has been moulded with his mouth wide open and his Huge pointy teeth exposed ready to chow down on some fresh frightened child meat!

The front of the box is designed to resemble the cover of the Mini Series dvd, which shows Pennywise having ripped through the paper and looking out above it from the right hand top corner, this is also the same image I used as a header at the top of this post.

 The back has the image from the promotional shot above with a really cute close up of Pennywise exposing his teeth just before he attacks in the top right corner, which is shown in the photograph below.

He comes with a little red balloon and has a whole in his right hand which enables him to hold onto it for posing.

 The red balloon is significant as it is often shown during the mini series to let the characters and audience know that Pennywise is nearby and so build up the tension.

His outfit is identical to the one worn by Tim Curry in his portrayal of Pennywise in the miniseries, which is much closer to the description in the novel than the one worn by Bill Skarsgård in the 2017 film.

real nobody

The "make up" his been given is also spot on, the only thing I would have loved would for him to have mini leds in the centre of his eyes with a little switch to enable me to turn on and off his "Deadlights" ... in fact I might actually do this to him if I can get small enough leds and work out how to do it without damaging his factory paint in the process. 

I absolutely love this little guy, he's just perfect, and definitely one of the coolest Living Dead Dolls out there... I'm so glad I managed to get him and add him to my collection, he fits nicely between my Living Dead Doll collection and my Horror and Music Action Figures.

Well that's all for now, I'm planning to a review of my 2017 film Pennywise Action Figure when he arrives so stay tuned for more IT!

Hugs,

     Follow

Pestilence - The Four Horsemen of The Apocalypse - Living Dead Dolls

A couple of years back I wrote a post about my The Four Horseman of The Apocalypse War Living Dead Doll, if you want, you can read the post here.

I wanted Pestilence as well but didn't manage to get hold of him until today... 

I'm now thinking I'd like to get Famine to go with them both, I like Death but don't really need him to complete the set as I have The Kiss of Death who although he isn't part of the series and doesn't come with the cute little 'obby 'oss accessory, does come in a very cute Kissing Booth box and reminds me so much of Terry Pratchett's Death from his Discworld series of books, that to me he's so perfect, no other Death could be better.

I've just read that sentence back and it sounds so morbid, but for you, the initiated, I'm sure you understand what I mean!

Anyway, here's my new little guy..

 Once thing that drew me to him is his little "Plague Doctor" mask, I have a fascination for Plague Doctors, it's a crazy idea but in those days understanding of medicine and deceases was no way near as advanced as it is nowadays, so the belief that a long nosed mask with a posy of nice smelling flowers in the end of the nose would somehow protect a person from The Plague, wasn't as daft sounding as it is to our modern ears.

wikipedia.org

If you'd like to read about Plague Doctors, you can find a interesting article on their history, costume and practices here..

The Living Dead Doll version wears a long floor length coat and big boots to protect him from air borne deceases, a cute little tricorn hat and an unfortunately flimsy white plague mask ... handle this with kid gloves..

Being a "Horseman" he has his little horse in the form of a traditional British "'Obby 'Oss" which like him has apparently caught The Plague or some other nasty and is covered in lesions from the deceases he's been contaminated with.

It seems, from the close up of this poor little guy's face, that he has caught a big nasty.. he's breaking out in buboes and pustules and looking decidedly peeky, which of course make me love him!!

Hugs,

                                     

Follow

Butcher Boop - Living Dead Dolls: Series 32

A while back I saw some promo' photos of possible new releases of Living Dead Dolls on Parry Game Reserve, taken at the New York Toy Fair in 2008.

http://www.parrygamepreserve.com/archives/?m=2&y=2008

Being the horror film buff I am and having a thing for crazy cannibal families I couldn't help get excited for the release of this awesome Leatherface in his "Pretty Woman" mask, based on the "Dinner Scene" from the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre film from 1974.

,

giphy.com

I thought he'd look so awesome next to The LDD Exclusives version of Leatherface Aaron bought me a few years ago...

http://tenaflyviper.tumblr.com

Just look at this little guy, isn't he adorable?

Pintrest.com

He even has a bloody cut on his leg from the end of the 1974 film when he almost cut his leg off with his own chainsaw!

I just had to have him, unfortunately he never was released to my knowledge so his presence on my toy shelf wasn't to be.

Some time later I saw a new release from Living Dead Dolls who was definitely based on my dream doll, although not exactly the same.

This time it was a female doll, with a weird name with conjures up images of both Leatherface and Betty Boop, a very strange combination, which oddly works really well.

She has the wild black hair of Betty Boop, but also of The Original Leatherface, is wearing a cool leather apron just like he wore in the butchering scenes of the original film, covered in blood as it should be and a bloody shirt. 

Being a girl, she's wearing a long dress instead of trousers, but she does have some awesome big boots to go with it!

Her face isn't so great in my opinion, they did a better job on The Kiss of Death and Death versions of their Living Dead Dolls...

That said, the next step was to find that awesome mask of hers so I could display her in all her glory. 

I found it at the back of the cardboard inner, and had to try it on her straight away.

It's quite flimsy feeling and is textured on the front as a lot of photo's I've seen of her online seem to indicate and I have to say she looks so much better when wearing it!

Wearing her mask she looks much more like Leatherface in his "Pretty Woman" mask, especially with her leather apron on.

When I read her Death Certificate, I noticed something odd about it... The Death year is listed as 1926 but the Listing for her in The Living Dead Doll Archives shows it as being 1918...

Personally, I think I would have gone for 1974 to tie in with the release of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, but what do I know? 

 They must have had a reason for both of these dates, although what they are I have no idea or why they put a different one on the Death Certificate.

I also love the fact that the poem listed on it is another reference to good old Leatherface and his family!

Follow