This fantastic creation, The Boneshakers, features three skeleton cyclists beings chased by a dog. I absolutely love how they occasionally turn their heads back to see if he’s still there.
Tag: automata
-
As I get my bearings after a busy few days, please enjoy a short video.
I credit Rifftrax for unearthing this vintage gem.
What could excite a child more than an anatomically awkward, lethargic animatronic dog with a questionable name, lumbering along in slow motion at the tug of a leash?
-
-
Has anyone been to see Leonardo Da Vinci’s Workshop at Discovery Times Square in NYC?
Exhibition features:
Full scale models of Da Vinci’s inventions including his self-propelled cart, airplane, robot knight and mechanical lion
Innovative touch screen technology translates over 500 sketches from his actual notebooks into 3-dimensional models
Da Vinci’s most important paintings can now be viewed using avant-garde technologies and extensive 3D imaging and animations
I’ve seen Discovery Channel specials about building Leonardo’s contraptions based on his sketches, but I think it would be rather interesting to see these models in person.
The exhibition closes March 14th. If you see it, please let me know how it is!
-
This automaton self-portrait by Thomas Kuntz, hand crafted from brass, steel and wood is a creepy masterpiece. Watch his head get severed and resurrected in this autobiographical cult allegory, Automaton: Death + Resurrection: In the Chamber of Reflection.
-
The Hatbox Ghost is probably my favorite ghoulish prop of all time. I can’t explain why I love it so much, but in my opinion it’s top notch. Perhaps it’s all in the eyes.
Apparently, a life-sized Hatbox Ghost was recently auctioned off for $9,300 at the D23 Expo.
This ghost was extremely labor intensive. Creators Kevin Kidney and Jody Daily employed their finest skills in engineering, sculpting, woodworking, painting, sewing, metal and plastics construction.
The ghost’s body is plastic and wood armature on a wooden base designed to resemble attic flooring. The cane is reinforced steel, his hairpiece is sewn nylon fiber, and he’s covered from head to toe in sheer chiffon fabric held together by hand-stitching. The hands, head and feet are molded resin.
-
I get extremely nostalgic whenever I see anything related to Disney’s Haunted Mansion. When I went to the park as a child, I would spend half the day riding it repeatedly. It was always “just one more time, please!”
I had the entire ride memorized. I drank in every nuance with my eyes and ears. Although it’s been many years since I’ve gone on this ride, I still remember every word, sight, sound, even smell perfectly.
Here is a short 40th anniversary behind the scenes video, which doesn’t quite do justice to the attraction.
I like how they point out the pristine exterior of the mansion. This was always something I appreciated because it steered clear of the standard dilapidated junk heap of a house that most local theme parks espoused.
Has anyone seen the “Haunted Mansion Holiday” where The Nightmare Before Christmas is added?
Despite the fact that I adore the aesthetics of that movie, I’m still resistant to even the smallest Haunted Mansion changes. I’m always afraid the ride will fall prey to the modern desire to make everything bigger, better and more technological (in which case it would entirely lose its charm).
I suppose the decorations are nicely done, but sometimes I prefer to enjoy even my very favorite things separately.
Thoughts?
-
I present: The Great Kundalini Thelema-gician, a one-of-a-kind antique automaton by artist Thomas Kuntz.
The faces are pretty incredible. They don’t make toys like this anymore!
The automaton performs the following sequence:
1 – The magician looks left to right and his mouth opens and closes as if addressing the audience.
2 – He waves a wand over the girl.
3 – The girl struggles as if to covey something has gone wrong.
4 – Her feet wiggle and she begins to levitate.
5 – The magician’s long pointed hat levitates also.
6 – The girl descends and the magician opens the left side his robe (a message or item could be included here).Amazing, no?
-
Although a bit pricey, the Dennison “Undertaker” Coin Operated Automaton is a wonderful creation for the morbidly inclined.
Lugubrious in nature the scene depicted is of a gentleman in his coffin at a funeral parlor setting. When a coin is deposited the mechanism is activated and slowly a skeleton’s head appears behind the coffin. The corpse, a.k.a. John Burn, bolts to an upright position turning his head to view this morbid scene. In a flash the skeleton’s head is gone, but a more ominous persona is to appear…the devil himself! All the while the friendly mortician remains calm.
SheWalksSoftly 