Astyanax's Makes, Builds and Acquisitions: 2024

[Astyanax]

August 25, 2024

I finished this Polaroid Photo from Beetlejuice (1988), made from scratch.



I captured the photo from the film itself, using Photoshop to correct for perspective and brightness. This time I did go ahead and print on medium-gloss photo paper; I'm fine with that, as this is not as important a photo to the film as the one above!

The frame is a real vintage Polaroid photo that was purchased on eBay. I carefully cut out the TOP LAYER ONLY of the photo itself with an x-acto knife. The replacement photo was carefully cut to size and glued in with liquid superglue.



UPDATE 9/9/2024:

I was ultimately unsatisfied with this rendition, but I found someone on Etsy making more authentic Polaroid photos using the Polaroid Lab printer. So much more realistic!

 

[Astyanax]

August 26, 2024

I received these Wolverine Claws from various X-Men franchise films, purchased on Amazon.



These all-metal claws are super shiny, and slightly adjustable. They were cheap, so they wobble a little, so I wouldn't use them for cosplay. But they look fantastic simply displayed. The tips are very sharp (another reason not to cosplay with these), but there are otherwise no sharp blades.



(Yeah, it's hard to define Wolverine claws as either an "accurate" or an "idealized" prop, because I don't think they exist in this exact physical form. But they look great on the shelf with all the Marvel stuff!)

 

[Astyanax]

September 3, 2024

I received the last of these Vintage Pepsi and Tab Containers from Back to the Future (1985), all purchased on eBay.



This is a vintage 1950s era Pepsi-Cola can, with original seal and 70ish-year-old Pepsi inside! This bottle might be a little more period-accurate than film accurate, as the bottle Marty is drinking from has blue print on the label. I'm guessing maybe Pepsi wanted the iconic blue color added for the film?



This Pepsi Free bottle is also vintage with original seal and Pepsi Free inside. It is not seen in the film, just mentioned, so I'll it "homage" for display.



This empty Tab soda can from 1986 is also homage, as it's mentioned in the same seen as Pepsi Free, but never seen. But it's period-accurate!

(Yes, Pepsi Perfect is coming. Must complete the set!)

 

[Astyanax]

September 3, 2024

I finished modding this Pepsi Perfect Bottle from Back to the Future Part II (1989), purchased on eBay and then accurized a little.



The bottle is a not-cheap-enough knockoff of the Limited Edition Pepsi promotional bottles made back in 2015. I primered the lid and painted it metallic blue. I also made some 1/8" silver tape on my Cricut cutter, from a piece of vinyl that was spray-painted in silver, and I applied that to the lid.

The logo is more accurate to the promotion than the movie.

And yes, it's got real Pepsi in it! Diet Pepsi, that is...don't want to encourage visits by pests!



And here it is all together with the soda products mentioned in the previous post:



(I'm working on a cheap acrylic display tube for it...coming soon, I hope.)

 

[Astyanax]

September 3, 2024

I received this Tobin's Spirit Guide from the Ghostbusters franchise, purchased from RPF users Magnoli Props and Indy Magnoli.



Wow. I almost don't have the words. I opted for the aged version, and so very glad that I did! It is over 460 pages of supernatural lore, mostly written by members of the RPF! It looks and smells old and creaky, and the font goes with the 1929 publishing date.

I particularly liked some of the mentions from other franchises: Gremlins, Hellraiser, Evil Dead, and much much more!

It also came with a business card for "Ray's Occult Books" store, and a lovely designed talisman relic to wrap the book. I feel like this should be the centerpiece of a Ghostbusters collection!




(Is it in the films? Yes; there are many canon and non-canon references. It can be found in Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021), and it is mentioned twice in Ghostbusters (1984). It's also mentioned and shown extensively in the Real Ghostbusters cartoon show, as well as the Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed video games.)

Much more detail on this amazing prop replica can be found here:

Interest - Tobin's Spirit Guide by Magnoli Props!

The finished book! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- UPDATES: This post discusses article contributions: Interest - Tobin's Spirit Guide by Magnoli Props! We are going forward with Option 3, a full-on replica with complete text and illustrations, though...

www.therpf.com

 

[ahuntley]

Do you have any shots of how you display your collection?

 

[teecrooz]

Do you have any shots of how you display your collection?

He does! I followed along with the Billy bookcase builds there and then have been seeing the updates here.

Just Getting Started...Please Critique My BILLY Props Display

Hi all: There are truly some inspiring threads here with some amazing collections and displays. I figured I'd share my small collection of props. It's not much yet, but I'm getting there! Basically I went the Adam Savage route of cramming what I could into a Billy bookcase. It's in the living...

www.therpf.com

 

[Halliwax]

Those new added pieces are wicked !!

 

[Astyanax]

Do you have any shots of how you display your collection?

He does! I followed along with the Billy bookcase builds there and then have been seeing the updates here.

Yes, and also the first post of this thread has a single pic of the whole collection. I'm happy to take closeups of any of the areas that people would like to see. Just ask here in this thread!

EDIT: I just updated the first post in this thread with the latest photo, also posted here:



Several of the items are displays, rotate, or light up. My inspiration has always been Adam Savage's BILLY cases, and I hope to get them a lot more densely packed. I've had people say it looks like a museum!

 

[Astyanax]

September 6, 2024

I picked up these Best Friends Necklace Pendants from Deadpool & Wolverine (2024), purchased from my local GameStop.



These are simple enamel pin-style pendants on metal chains. Nothing too special, but arguably the most accurate available at this time. And officially licensed!



(Correct, these pendants are technically not movie props, because like the "Fight Club" Soap, they only show on the poster. Don't care!)

 

[greenmachines]

September 6, 2024

I picked up these Best Friends Necklace Pendants from Deadpool & Wolverine (2024), purchased from my local GameStop.

View attachment 1857953 View attachment 1857954

These are simple enamel pin-style pendants on metal chains. Nothing too special, but arguably the most accurate available at this time. And officially licensed!

View attachment 1857955

(Correct, these pendants are technically not movie props, because like the "Fight Club" Soap, they only show on the poster. Don't care!)

absolutely love this one!!!

 

[Astyanax]

September 6, 2024

I finished modding this Nuka Cola Bottle from Fallout (TV), purchased shiny and new from the Bethesda Gear Online Store.



Although we see the Nuka Cola bottle only clear and clean in the first season, I really wanted to put it through a nuclear holocaust.



These were my weathering steps:

1. Attacked the printed-on logo (it's not a paper sticker) with a few dabs of lacquer thinner to put "tears" in it.
2. Scratched about 30% of the glass in various spots with 80-grit sandpaper in circular motions. This put visible scratches in the glass.
3. Wiped it clean, then sprayed it with a thin layer of "frosted glass" matte clearcoat. This gave the whole bottle a white "fog" look.
4. Applied a burnt umber thin wash over the whole thing, allowing it to settle in the crevices, and dabbing off with blue shop paper towels. This stained the color of the "fogging" to light brown and deposited some "dirt".
5. Applied a thin wash again with mix of burnt umber and black, but only in the deeper crevices around the label, mouth, and fins. Dabbed up and wiped off with paper towels. This layered in a little more, darker "dirt" in a few spots.
6. Mixed 50-50 burnt umber and black, left it thick, and applied "mud" in key spots with a sponge. Dabbed much of it off and thinned much of it out with cotton balls. This gave it a "mud" look around the top and bottom areas.

 

[stussy]

Just great Bill

 

[Astyanax]

September 7, 2024

I received these Newspaper Front Pages from Superman (1978) and Batman (1989), purchased from the MoviePropCorn online store.



Both newspaper front pages are printed on newsprint paper at tabloid size, and they're there to add a little background flavor to the DC section of my collection!

 

[Astyanax]

September 9, 2024

I received these USCSS Corbelan Patches from Alien: Romulus (2024), purchased from RPF members Lee S and NostromoCrew.



Since both versions were becoming available on the RPF at about the same time, I couldn't decide which one I wanted, so I picked up both in order to compare them. Both are really excellent quality, but there are small stylistic differences and noticeable size differences.

I recommend either one, depending on how you'll want to use it. You could say maybe one works better as a shoulder patch and the other maybe better as a hat patch.



(As to whether this patch is a real "prop" replica, I don't recall seeing it in the movie (I don't think it was). But director Fede Álvarez was seen sporting a hat with the patch throughout production and after. So at the very least, it's uncommon merch!)

UPDATE: Thanks to a pointer from Lee S, the patch is absolutely in the film! Thank you for the additional pics!

 

[Lee S]

Glad you’re happy with the patch.
It certainly does appear in the film, though not as obviously as Nostromo in Alien

I would agree that mine works better on a jacket, as it’s the same size as those in Alien. And NostromoCrews would be better on a hat.


A behind the scenes shot from the costume dept:

 

[Astyanax]

September 13, 2024

I received these Batarangs from the various Batman incarnations in the DC universe, purchased from a seller on Etsy.



These Batarangs are made of German steel, and appear to be cut from anodized sheets. They are SHARP and have BLADES!

The larger one is more generic in from some of the comics, and the smaller one is from Batman Begins (2005).

 

[Astyanax]

September 13, 2024

HOLY GRAIL ALERT!

I finally received this Kandarian Dagger from Ash vs. Evil Dead (TV), purchased from a seller on Etsy.



The dagger is made of resin, and is finished so incredibly well! The handle is painted and expertly weathered to look like bone, and the blade has a bunch of grimy texture all over it and looks like stone! It is 19" long!



(Yes, I like the original versions of the Kandarian Dagger too, but this one got soooo much screen-time in a really great show!)

 

[Astyanax]

September 16, 2024

I received this Magnifying Glass Pendant from The Evil Dead (1981), purchased from a seller on Etsy.



The pendant is beautiful, made of cast pewter with a real magnifying lens inset. It came in a small box that is a replica of the gift box Ash used when he gave it to Linda.



(The color of the box is a little off, but it's the thought that counts, right?)

 

[Astyanax]

September 17, 2024

I finished this Comedian's Bloody Button from Watchmen (2009), a cheap item found on Etsy and then updated a little.



The 1-1/4" diameter button is nothing special, and it came with the bloodstain pre-printed. I gave it a little Vallejo "Gory Red" in splotches, leaving some of the printed parts still showing. This added some depth and realism.