Anton Phibes
Super Freak
As Halloween is fastly approaching, and I know there are folks who lurk on these boards who are in the "biz"---I want to make a point known I make every year on other boards I visit, and for the first time here as part of my annual screech-fest: I still want Psycho. Norman and Mrs. Bates corpse. Psycho is a veritable untapped goldmine, with almost no solid merchandising in its 50 year history. Like Night of the living Dead(until recently) it is an untapped vein.
Millions of people annually go to Universal Studios in California to see the Bates Motel and the Manor. Why is there so little product? This film set the standard for horror films for years...just like in the 1970's a certain little demon possessed child did, who also has had very little in the way of merchandising. Why is Psycho neglected? Are we worried merchandising will somehow "cheapen" its chills? Please. I saw this movie when I was 14. The same year Nightmare on Elm Street was released. Psycho scared me more than Elm Street.
I believe in continually letting those in the business know that there are those of us still out here in collector land that already have a zillion Frankensteins, Leatherfaces, and Mummies(although we will always make room for more). But little for Psycho. So where's the beef? The revelation scene when Mrs. Bates' corpse is discovered is one of cinema's most terrifying and genuinely confusing moments, until our brain begins to piece together how Hitchc*ock directed us to think.
So where's the product? Blu ray releases are great....but where's the rest? I honestly thought when McFarlane toys did a Norman in their Movie Maniacs line all those years ago that FINALLY Psycho's merchandising gates would be opened. But its still just a trickle.
For those of you who will hit the
buttons. Yeah--I know, its a long winded synopsis, that most of you think will do no good. But there are manufacturers who come to these boards and read with interest what we post here. I will give you an example. Myself an several others never stopped clamoring for a Dr. Phibes figure. Reel toys had dropped the ball and never released theirs. But Majestic toys picked it up and made the figure...because Majestic had someone reading these boards. Their Dark Shadows and Dr. Phibes figures are on a par with anything SSC did. But the figures were ultimately made because someone was listening to fans.
Psycho has fans. Its an untapped vein. Bring it. I gotta go--my mother's calling me.
Millions of people annually go to Universal Studios in California to see the Bates Motel and the Manor. Why is there so little product? This film set the standard for horror films for years...just like in the 1970's a certain little demon possessed child did, who also has had very little in the way of merchandising. Why is Psycho neglected? Are we worried merchandising will somehow "cheapen" its chills? Please. I saw this movie when I was 14. The same year Nightmare on Elm Street was released. Psycho scared me more than Elm Street.
I believe in continually letting those in the business know that there are those of us still out here in collector land that already have a zillion Frankensteins, Leatherfaces, and Mummies(although we will always make room for more). But little for Psycho. So where's the beef? The revelation scene when Mrs. Bates' corpse is discovered is one of cinema's most terrifying and genuinely confusing moments, until our brain begins to piece together how Hitchc*ock directed us to think.
So where's the product? Blu ray releases are great....but where's the rest? I honestly thought when McFarlane toys did a Norman in their Movie Maniacs line all those years ago that FINALLY Psycho's merchandising gates would be opened. But its still just a trickle.
For those of you who will hit the
buttons. Yeah--I know, its a long winded synopsis, that most of you think will do no good. But there are manufacturers who come to these boards and read with interest what we post here. I will give you an example. Myself an several others never stopped clamoring for a Dr. Phibes figure. Reel toys had dropped the ball and never released theirs. But Majestic toys picked it up and made the figure...because Majestic had someone reading these boards. Their Dark Shadows and Dr. Phibes figures are on a par with anything SSC did. But the figures were ultimately made because someone was listening to fans.Psycho has fans. Its an untapped vein. Bring it. I gotta go--my mother's calling me.
Its only been 50 years after all....
