Years after James Cameron enthralled audiences with the first Terminator film, Kenner Toys became the first company to create toys for the franchise. Back in 1984, few companies believed that movie toys could net them a profit, let alone toys based on R-Rated films. Moreover, even though Arnold Schwarzenegger had previously starred as Conan the […]
Wheeljack’s Lab – Vintage Toy Blog
Follow this blog for the new, the unusual, the rare and cool Generation 1 G1 Transformers toys. Reviews, news, toy resources, galleries, unboxing, opinions and personal reflections on vintage toys.
Retrospective on the Terminator Movie Franchise
Over thirty years ago, James Cameron made his mark on cinema when The Terminator became a massive hit, spawning a franchise. Even though the film has become a staple of science fiction entertainment, it began with humble beginnings. Similarly, James Cameron had yet to create a notable reputation when he literally dreamt up the film. […]
The Top Ten Planet of the Apes Characters from the Original Movies
As Franklin J. Schaffner toiled to adapt Pierre Boulle’s novel into the hit Planet of the Apes film, he trusted writers Rod Sterling then Michael Wilson. As they began drafting the scripts for the film, Twentieth Century Fox insisted that only the core principles of the book remain in the script. Thus, they scrapped all […]
The Top Ten Planet of the Apes Toys from Mego
When The Planet of the Apes hit theaters in 1968, the reveal that Taylor landed on a post-apocalyptic Earth shocked the audience. Even before the final twist, they fell in love with the expressive performances from the various apes, especially Cornelius and Zira. Eclipsing all their performances, Charleston Heston stole the show with several memorable […]
A Look Back on The Original Planet of the Apes Films
Even before Pierre Boulle entertained the world with his novel, La Planète des singes, Arthur P. Jacobs scooped up the rights to create the Planet of the Apes franchise. After the novel came out in 1963, readers received the chance to explore a distant world populated by advanced apes. Even though Boulle thought little of […]
Top Ten Characters from The Karate Kid Franchise
Before The Karate Kid hit movie theaters in 1984, martial arts films remained a niche genre. Only a few exceptions, like Bruce Lee’s Enter the Dragon ever caught the public’s attention. Otherwise, the public considered these movies to be corny B-movies that they would only catch at discount theaters. However, that all changed when Mr. […]
The Top Ten The Karate Kid Toys
Years after Daniel LaRusso proved that he was the best around, the first Karate Kid toys hit store shelves. During the production of the first movie, which debuted in 1984, none expected the film to become a cultural phenomenon. While writer Robert Mark Kamen crafted a touching tale that harkened back to his childhood, he […]
A Look Back on The Karate Kid Franchise
As audiences exited the theaters in 1984, they dreamed of becoming the best like Daniel LaRusso in The Karate Kid. The film spoke to both adults and children, for it happily presented the self-empowering nature of martial arts. Rather than celebrating violence and aggression, like Blood Sport, the film showed how the right mentor made […]
The Top Ten Characters and Vehicles from Knight Rider
Combining the charm of the Lone Rider with ultramodern technology, Knight Rider enraptured audiences in the 1980s. Its showrunner, Glen A. Larson felt that audiences needed a new series that presented the tales of a lone vigilante moved from town to town. With people no longer caring for westerns and horses, he decided to borrow […]
A Shadowy Flight into the World of Knight Rider Toys
As Knight Rider hit television screens in 1982, audiences fell in love with the shadowy flight of Michael Knight and his car, K.I.T.T. As Glen A. Larson hoped, America fell in love with his show that fused the dynamics of Lone Rider with cars. He understood that the journey of a lone vigilante would connect […]