NECA Cult Classics

## NECA’s Cult Classics

The banner for Cult Classics that once promoted NECA’s toyline on their website

### Location

The original Zombie Ed and Samara prototypes are still located within NECA’s studio

## Product Information

### Franchise

Dawn of the DeadShaun of the DeadLabyrinthThe Ring

### Year(s)

2005-2008

Cult Classics was a toyline produced by NECA Toys that lasted from 2005 to 2009 and consisted of figures based on characters from horror & science-fiction genre movies. 11 series were released in total and NECA still continues to produce products based on horror movie characters, but there were a few figures planned for this line that never got to see the light of day.

## **Summary**

The story of Cult Classic’s conception begins with Movie Maniacs which was a toyline by Spawn/McFarlane Toys that lasted from 1998 to 2006. For a while, this series was the go-to for collectors who wanted action figures based on characters like Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees. And while some of their designs may not hold up to today’s standards, they filed a niche in toy collector’s hearts. Randy Falk in particular worked for Research & Development at McFarlane Toys from 2000 to 2002 until he left for NECA that year where he brought along some of his other talented individuals.  Finally finding their footing as Reel Toys, Randy and his crew began exploring new opportunities with ideas that were previously worked on at McFarlane and including them in a toyline that would provide serious competition to their Movie Maniacs series. The final product would be known as Cult Classics which featured NECA’s trademark 7” scale, accessories, interchangeable parts and a unique display base for each character that was packaged into plastic clamshells.

While NECA’s sculpting and articulation has grown leaps and bounds since the line started (YMVV on articulation), Cult Classics was a big improvement over all the products they released since their conception in 1996. Aside from sculpting the usual heavy-hitters of the horror genre (Freddy, Jason, Michael Myers, Leatherface), they also did obscure characters that filled the hearts of those who were missing it in their Movie Manaics collection. Such examples include Patrick Bateman from *American Psycho*, the Tall Man from *Phantasm*, Hannibal Lecter from *Silence of the Lambs*, and more.

Series 1 to 2 was released in 2005 with 3 to 5 coming out in 2006. Series 7 was the last “officially numbered” line to come out in 2007, but there were also a few spin-off lines to boot. One was Hall of Fame which lasted three series from 2006 to 2007 and mostly featured the same sculpts from previous waves, only with a few revisions. The other line was Presents which mostly consisted of stand-alone figures. While some weren’t branded as part of the Cult Classics line all together, there were a few quarter scale figures  and deluxe box sets  that re-used the same sculpts as some of the figures made for the line. From 2009 to 2011, Cult Classics Icons was a sub-series that proved to be the last dance for the line as it was mostly the same figures from other waves just packaged on a blister card, less accessories and no display bases.  Now that we’ve gone over the toyline’s general history, let’s discuss some of the action figures that never took off.

## **Zombie Roger**

While Japanese based Red Toys had already released a few *Dawn of the Dead* figures as part of their Cult Cinema Collection line in 1999,  NECA would include three zombies from George A. Romero’s game-changing 1978 zombie film throughout their Cult Classics series. Wave 3 offered the zombified persona of Stephen commonly referred to as “Flyboy,” Wave 4 included the plaid shirt zombie that can be seen on the film’s poster and Wave 6 featured the Hare Krisha Zombie which has yet to be merchandised by any other toy company. But one zombie that was planned to be included in the Cult Classics line was the undead body of Roger (Scott H. Reininger), a SWAT Team Officer who gets bitten in combat and is shot dead by Peter (Ken Foree) upon reanimating, just as Roger requested him to do when the time came. At first, a teaser image for a head sculpt of zombie Roger surfaced the Internet around the mid 2000’s, but a picture of the fully painted prototype was what really caught attention in an article titled “Unreleased Horrors” that was penned by Nathan Hanneman for a November 2014 issue of *HorrorHound Magazine*. While it’s unconfirmed what edition of Cult Classics it would’ve been released with (Hall of Fame or a potential Series 8), its possible that the figure would’ve been released as a deluxe box set due to sheer size of his bed display base which would’ve included a snap-on blanket. Unfortunately, stores like Spencer’s and Hot Topics began to move away from stocking these types of collectibles and Cult Classics’ sad demise in 2008 (barring the “Icons” re-releases), Zombie Roger never get to walk among collector’s shelves. Given that the company was able to provide *HorrorHound* a high quality image of Roger for an interview as recent as 2014, its possible that the prototype still exists within NECA’s workshop studio. But until then, the whereabouts of Cult Classics Roger will remain a mystery: **LOST.**

A custom 1/6 resin model kit based off Zombie Roger is listed on the Monsters in Motion retail website, but is currently sold out with no plans for restocking anytime soon.

## **Zombie Ed**

The eccentric tale of a bored electronic salesman who finds himself in a zombie apocalypse throughout London, *Shaun of the Dead* is often hailed as one of the funniest films of all time and in 2006, NECA announced that they would be producing a line of collectibles based off the Edgar Wright film as part of their Cult Classics line.  The first release was a 12” figure of Shaun with his cricket bat and multi-phrase Simon Pegg sound chips that would be scaled down to the standard 7” for Series 4. NECA would later released a “Winchester” two pack of bloodied Shaun with his buddy Ed (Nick Frost) who came with a shovel and video game controller. Originally, the two-pack would have included extra parts so you could turn normal Ed into the zombified version seen later on in the film. His “I GOT WOOD” T-shirt would have been all muddied and blood splattered with bite wounds on his body parts from his roommate Funky Pete and Bernie, the landlady of Winchester Pub. However, NECA decided that this would’ve only made the two-pack more expensive for retailers to distribute and decided to make him a standalone figure for Hall of Fame Series 2 where he was to be released along with Leatherface from *The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning*and the pig mask “Jigsaw Killer” from *Saw III*. Accessories would’ve included hand and leg shackles, a neck collar to pin him to the display base, a video game controller to hold in his hand (same one from the Winchester two-pack), and a little gnome with a fish caught in his rod. But while the prototype was featured on the back carding of the two figures that were released, Zombie Ed never came out when Hall of Fame Series 2 launched to toy stores everywhere. The reason as to why was either due to the toy factory the figure was being made in getting shut down or that someone broke in and stole all the molds. And while most of that is all speculation, here is where the story gets rather interesting...

Somehow, a Chinese company came into possession of NECA’s molds for the Zombie Ed figure (which may confirm the reason why it never got released) and started producing cheap bootlegs that pop up on eBay for $68 to $103  and others selling out completely on sites like DHgate.  Compared to the original prototype, the bootleg has some glaring flaws like most do as the paint job is rather sloppy, the already stained “I GOT WOOD” logo on his shirt is barely noticeable, and some reviews call it out for being very sticky and having malformed joints.  And while many, if not, all the bootlegs lack a majority of the accessories planned to come with the original figures, very few of the Ed copies include his cellar base plate. While “better than nothing,” the cheap and [honestly] half-assed quality of this bootleg is a far cry from what could have been a superior manufactured figure. Though it is worth noting the original figure is still hanging around on the prototype shelves in NECA’s work studio as evidenced by a photo taken during Alan Roberts of Life of Agony’s interview of the place in 2017 and can be read on Metal Sucks.  And while it’s highly unlikely it will ever get another chance at retail: the whereabouts of the original Zombie Ed prototype is confirmed: **FOUND.**

In the meantime, another way to get your Zombie Ed fix without supporting illegal bootlegs include POP! and Vinyl Idolz figures from Funko   and a Premium Motion statue.

## ***Labyrinth* Goblins**

Three franchises were represented in total for Cult Classic Presents (*Silence of the Lambs* and *Reservoir Dogs*), though the focus of this entry will be the 1986 Jim Henson cult classic *Labyrinth* which saw two releases of David Bowie’s portrayal as Jareth the Goblin King: one being a single April 2007 release in his blue-black robes with an interchangeable hand holding a crystal ball in place (a 12” version was also made) and the other being a July 2008 two-pack with him in his red coat and Hoggle as his “companion.”  In an announcement at the 2007 New York Toy Fair where Jareth was first revealed, NECA stated that while not certain when, where or how the toys would be released, there was going to be a box set of six unique figures based on the goblins seen in *Labyrinth* which would accompany the Jareth and Hoggle action figures. Some had unique names like Goat Head, Koala & Skull Head and images of the work-in progress figures were shown in the February 2007 issue of *Lee’s Toy Review*, but the figures never ended up being released.  The only other Jim Henson franchised figure that NECA released after their cancellation was a single Skeksis figure from *The Dark Crystal* released in 2009.  While it’s possible the goblin molds are sitting on sculptor’s desks and collecting dust in the NECA studio, their whereabouts remain a mystery: **LOST**.

## **Samara from *The Ring***

*The Ring* is a 2002 American remake of the 1998 Japanese horror film *Ringu*, which in turn was an adaptation of Koji Suzkuki’s *Ring* novel series. Whichever version you prefer, the story revolves around a haunted video tape when after watching it, a mysteriously phone call whispers “Seven days...” and shortly afterwards, you die. The main star is the ghost of a psychic girl named Sadako/Samara (the respective names of the Japanese and American versions) who was murdered and tossed down a well, creating the tape that will kill the viewer unless they make a copy and pass the curse onto someone else (burning it won’t do any good).  While its unclear where it would’ve fit in the Cult Classics line, NECA had plans on a truly ambitious box set based on the climax of the 2002 remake where Samara climbs out of her well and walks toward the television where she crawls out of the screen and kills Noah, the last person who had a copy of the tape. Concept art of the box set shows two display bases: one being the stone well and the other being the television set with a screen image decal and video tape shelve. The figure of Samara herself would have included ball jointed articulation in the head, shoulders, wrists and elbows (very rare for a NECA figure to have in the 2000’s). There would have been two alternate heads to choose from: one with long, flexible hair completely shrouding her face and the other partially revealing her cold, chilling stare. Samara would’ve came with the ability to take her waist off so you could either display her emerging from the wall or out of the television when its decal isn’t displayed. Prototype molds of Samara (conceptual and colourized) and the TV & well display base were finished, but NECA put the “cart before the horse” as they couldn’t properly secure the licensing rights from Dreamworks and the figure was never released. The Samara prototype still resides within the NECA studios and can be seen in behind-the-scenes photos usually taken during interview tours of the place, though time will only tell if NECA can take another stab at *The Ring* franchise. As of now, the whereabouts of NECA’s Samara are confirmed: **FOUND.**

In the meantime, S.H. Figuarts released a highly poseable action figure of Ringu’s Sadako that didn’t come with a well, but made up for its exclusion with a TV base that allows you to reenact that iconic scene.  Mezco also released a Living Dead Doll for her just one year earlier.  There is very little merchandise that exists for Samara save by a Jeff Yagher sculpted resin model kit that sold out on Monsters in Motion, but a 1/1 scale life-size wall hanger by the same artist is up for $349.99.

## **Gallery**

The Zombie Roger prototype as seen in a HorrorHound scanThe original Zombie Ed prototypeThe bootleg Zombie Ed action figureConcept plans for The Ring Samara box setThe fully completed prototype of Samara from The RingSculpts for action figures based on the Labyrinth goblins

## **References**

1. ↑ https://news.toyark.com/2016/01/19/unreleased-neca-figures-look-might-188132
2. ↑ https://www.linkedin.com/in/randyfalk
3. ↑ https://www.amazon.ca/Classics-Talking-Action-Hannibal-Silence/dp/B000KJFCUY
4. ↑ https://i2.wp.com/www.gravedecay.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/NECA-Toys-Friday-13th-Pamela-Jason-Voorhees-7-inch-Action-Figure-25th-Anniversary-Boxed-Set.jpg?ssl=1
5. ↑ https://news.toyark.com/2016/01/21/look-back-cult-classics-neca-s-line-horror-cult-icons-188184
6. ↑ https://halloweenlove.com/the-incredible-story-of-dawn-doe-a-real-skeleton-seen-in-dawn-of-the-dead/
7. ↑ https://www.monstersinmotion.com/cart/item-list-ko-c-2\_202/new-dawn-dawn-of-the-dead-16-resin-assembly-kit-p-12730.html
8. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaun\_of\_the\_Dead
9. ↑ https://www.ebay.ca/sch/i.html?\_from=R40&\_trksid=p2047675.m570.l1313&\_nkw=zombie+ed+neca&\_sacat=0
10. ↑ https://www.dhgate.com/product/neca-zombie-ed-shaun-of-the-dead-7-quot-action/161283126.html#redirect\_detail=WAP2PC
11. ↑ http://www.oafe.net/yo/cult8\_zed.php
12. ↑ https://www.metalsucks.net/2017/10/26/life-of-agonys-alan-robert-takes-an-inside-look-at-the-making-of-neca-toys/
13. ↑ https://www.amazon.ca/Funko-Figurine-Shaun-Zombie-0849803061326/dp/B0196Y8IM2
14. ↑ https://www.geminicollectibles.net/funko-vinyl-idolz-movies-shaun-of-the-dead-zombie-ed-vinyl-figure/
15. ↑ https://www.factoryent.com/Shaun-Of-The-Dead-Zombie-Ed-Statue-p/408489.htm
16. ↑ https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/NECA
17. ↑ https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/NECA
18. ↑ https://www.lulu-berlu.com/the-dark-crystal-chamberlain-skeksil-the-skeksis-figurine-neca-a22630-en.html
19. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring\_(film)
20. ↑ https://www.amazon.ca/BANDAI-S-H-Figuarts-Sadako-Yamamura/dp/B00JK5LWZ8
21. ↑ https://www.platospopculture.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=MEZ94320
22. ↑ https://www.monstersinmotion.com/cart/horror-model-kits-c-271\_275/ring-the-2002-samara-11-scale-life-size-wall-hanger-model-kit-by-jeff-yagher-p-24612.html