As my "About Me" quote indicates, I'm a lifetime
collector and sometimes hoarder. Over
the years, I've had many interests come and go, especially for the two decades
that I worked in video stores and eventually owned a small chain of my own
stores (Couch Potato Video). I recently
made a committed decision to begin releasing my "treasures" to the
world.
February 5-7, I am going to have a table at Panic Fest at
Kansas City's Screenland Armour Theater.
I'd like to think of it as a "pop-up" store for my blog
because it represents many of the things about which I write on a semi-regular
basis. I'll be peddling only a fraction
of my wares, focusing on the 1990's, give or take a few years on either side.
There's a terrific lineup of movies at Panic Fest this year,
so if you share the interest in them that I do, I'm certain you'll find
something you want or need at my table.
Stop by, say "Hi," and enjoy looking at my memorabilia, all of
which is for sale at very reasonable prices.
(Although I'm using eBay as a basis for price, I'm happy to
negotiate.) Continue reading for some
highlights and my personal favorites.
Home Video Release
Kits
Back when video stores were huge cash cows for Hollywood
studios, no expense was spared in promoting new VHS releases. Sometimes their home video divisions sent
only a glossy ad slick, but other times they sent elaborate release kits with heavy-duty
brochures or books, screeners, and other advertising materials (buttons and
stickers) and tchotchkes.
Favorites:
Cool World – home
video announcement kit in original oversized (oddly-shaped) packaging
The Iron Giant –
home video announcement kit w/VHS screener, action figure & all
packaging/inserts
The Matrix Reloaded
– home video announcement kit w/posters, counter cards & shelf talkers
Titanic – home
video announcement packet
Posters
Many home video release kits included folded posters;
however, video distributors like Ingram Entertainment would send a tube of
rolled posters monthly, many of which rivaled the beauty of their theatrical
release counterparts. During this
period, I also collected every giveaway poster I could grab from theaters. These were usually mini-posters, which I found more room to hang at home.
Favorites:
The Fly (1986) –
Laserdisc release poster w/unique art
A Nightmare on Elm St.
5 – "It's a Boy" horizontal poster
Robocop 2 – rare
16" x 20" poster
The Silence of the
Lambs – folded home video release poster
Tchotchkes
These little giveaways were fun to collect and represented
great creativity from those paid to market the movies. Some items stretched a connection, such as a
packet of seeds for Driving Miss "Daisy," but others were brilliant,
such as a two-handled mug for Raising Cain.
Some items have appreciated greatly in value, at least based upon prices
on eBay.
Favorites:
The Dark Half –
packet of bird seed
Honeymoon in Vegas
– plastic cups w/roulette wheel in bottom & playing cards
Kids in the Hall:
Brain Candy – bottle of "Gleemenex" pills
Radio Flyer – tiny
red wagon
Premiums
The current value of some tchotchkes causes me to categorize
them as "premiums" ($20 for a tiny Indian in the Cupboard action
figure). In the 90's, though, I was also
collecting outside the video stores.
Toys and action figures have maintained their values and some have
increased. I have items from popular
movies and TV shows such as Akira, The Drew Carey Show, The Simpsons and South
Park.
Favorites:
The Drew Carey Show –
Mimi Bobeck doll
Dune (1984) –
Baron Harkonnen action figure (never opened)
Magic Earring Ken
doll (controversial)
Tarzan (Disney) –
Rad Repeatin' Tarzin doll (controversial)
The Simpsons &
South Park
I loved these two hugely popular animated TV shows in the
90's and still own many collectibles.
With their appeal enduring to this day, some of these vintage items are
quite special and have increased in value.
Favorites:
The Simpsons -
Bart Simpson telephone (in original box)
The Simpsons -
Clue game (never opened)
South Park – box
of Cheesy Poofs
South Park – Mr.
Hanky plush
VHS & DVD
Because I could buy them at cost, I collected more movies
than I ever needed. In fact, many remain
unopened to this day. Some of the VHS
tapes have never been released on DVD, so their subjects are not only unique to
the decade, but they are also true collector's items. In the late 90's, I went through a J-Horror
phase, so my collection also includes several Asian movies on Video CDs.
Favorites:
Billy Idol's
Cyberpunk: Shock to the System (VHS) - rare
Document of the Dead –
Special Romero Signature Edition #169 VHS Box Set
Gumby (DVD boxed set)
– rare; includes rubber Gumby figure
Star Wars Trilogy
Special Edition (VHS) – widescreen box set
Postcards
I've always collected pop culture related postcards. You can still pick them up at movie theaters
sometimes, particularly at art houses. In
the 90's, restaurants and bars had spinner racks with all kinds of promotional
cards. Small and easy to grab, store or
display, I've hoarded hundreds over the years. This collection spans beyond just the 90's.
Favorites:
Daredevil (2003) –
sealed package of 4 character postcards
Psycho – greetings
from the Bates Motel postcard
The Signal – set
of 3 postcards in different color shades
Waking Life – set
of 6 postcards w/artwork from movie
Miscellaneous
From the video store era, I've managed to save some shirts
and baseball caps from home video releases. I also saved a couple displays (or
"standees"). Some of them were
duplicates, so they've never been opened.
Favorites:
Edward Scissorhands
– poodle standee
George of the Jungle 2
– jungle safari hat
Jerry Maguire –
life-sized Tom Cruise standee
To Wong Foo, Thanks
for Everything, Julie Newmar – silk robe ("Attitude is
Everything")
This is just phase one of my enormous purging
initiative. I have finally made an
inventory of all my collections and plan to go back to basics, keeping only
items from my core interests (in no particular order): Hammer Films, Star Wars, Universal Monsters,
Planet of the Apes, and Back to the Future.
Watch here and on Facebook for announcements about future sales and other opportunities to add
to your own collections.