"I think it will thrill you. It may shock
you. It might even horrify you."
- Edward Van Sloan introducing the film Frankenstein, 1931
 ome
adore them, others abhor them, but movie monsters have held a grip on
moviegoers' imagination for nearly a century. Monster models--plastic assembly
kits of the grotesque creatures of the silver screen--have held a similar grip
on collectors for almost 40 years. Young or old, male or female, if you've
been fascinated by monsters, you've likely also been fascinated by monster
models. And for "kit builders" and collectors alike, there's one
company to thank for breathing life into fantastic plastic: Aurora.
So, with the witching hour upon us, we've
decided to take a special Halloween look at Aurora's most compelling
creations. Whether you've been looking to reclaim the plastic from your past
or you're on the prowl for a unique new pastime, collecting Aurora monsters is
frightfully good fun and has become a rather pricey hobby for true
connoisseurs. Don't be afraid, but take heed, friend--once you've gotten your
claws on one of Aurora's monsters, it's likely that you won't rest until
you've acquired the entire chamber of horrors.
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Aurora's ads in comics fueled the monster model
craze. |
The Men Who Made a Monster
Established in 1950, Aurora Plastics Corporation was designing plastic
figurines long before it unveiled its first monster. By 1955, it was a
well-established manufacturer of toys and crafts, marketing several successful
lines of plastic figure kits, such as "Guys and Gals of All Nations"
and "Famous Fighters." But in 1956, monster mania swept the nation,
thanks to Universal
Pictures releasing its classic monster movies to local television
stations. By the time of Aurora's first customer survey (disguised as a
contest) in 1960, kit builders were howling for monsters.
Aurora's first monster model--the Frankenstein
Monster--rolled off the production slab in 1961and became an immediate
success. Retailers sold the kits almost as fast as they could stock them, and
the demand prompted Aurora to keep production running 24 hours a day. The
company even tooled a second set of molds, turning out three kits per
minute--more than 8,000 kits each day!
The success of Frankenstein led Aurora to
develop and deliver a total of 13 monster kits within six years. Dracula and
The Wolf Man came in 1962, while 1963 gave rise to The Mummy, The Creature,
and The Phantom of the Opera. In 1964, Aurora debuted The Hunchback of Notre
Dame, Dr. Jekyll as Mr. Hyde, King Kong, and Godzilla. And in a nod to femme
fatales, the Salem Witch and The Bride of Frankenstein were also unveiled. In
1966, Aurora released its final classic monster kit, The Forgotten Prisoner of
Castel-Maré. This unique release wasn't a movie creature but rather a
collaborative effort between Aurora and Famous Monsters of Filmland
magazine.
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