Tag Archives: horror

Rights & Brands signs ‘Master of horror’ artist Hans Arnold with portfolio of 2,000 illustrations

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Rights & Brands has signed with Hans Arnold Productions to represent the ‘Master of Horror’ artist and illustrator and his portfolio of surrealistic, horror, mystery, and fantasy art.

A Swiss-Swedish artist who died in 2010, Hans Arnold has often been referred to as the ‘Swedish Salvador Dali’, recognised for a style that makes everyday items appear ghostlike and unsettling.

Having grown up in a strict and conservative Catholic area in Sursee, Switzerland, Arnold has attributed his obsession with horror, fairytales, and women, to his upbringing.

“My sister adored nuns and dragged me to the Catholic church,” he said of his childhood. “Mother was a protestant and dragged me to the Protestant church. My grandfather was a train driver and took me to the pub.

“In church, I learned all about hell, at the pub I learned all about beer, swearing and telling filthy stories.”

After finishing art school in Luzern and traveling Europe, Arnold settled in Stockholm in Sweden where he worked as an illustrator for magazines, papers, and children’s books. He finally got his big break as the ‘Master of Horror’ while illustrating short stories known as Veckans chock in the women’s magazine Veckorevyn.

Alongside children’s book illustrations, Arnold is well known for ABBA’s Greatest hits cover. He also made a name for himself in animation, TV vignettes, opera, theatre, and TV scenorgraphy.

Rights & Brands now represents a portfolio of over 2,000 illustrations created by the artist.

Waxwork Records opens the Universal vault to celebrate Halloween with latest Spinatures

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The US underground and pop culture specialist Waxwork Records is celebrating the witching season with the expansion of its partnership with Universal and the studio’s vault of classic Monster and Horror films.

This time it’s Halloween favourite, Michael Myers – as seen in Halloween II – and Halloween III’s Trick or Treaters that are emerging from the mist as the latest must-have adult toy fan collectables. The launch marks the latest extension of Waxwork Records’ Spinatures adult collectables range that left its mark last month with the classic 1931 Frankenstein figure.

The Spinatures collection is the first foray into the collectable toy space for the Californian record label, renowned for its cult and pop culture merchandise, but better known for its selection of movie film soundtracks produced on premium vinyl.

The Halloween II Michael Myers Spinature collectable figure is a detailed sculpt of the iconic slasher from the sequel to John Carpenter’s classic 1978 horror film, Halloween. The figure stands at four-inches tall, but is equally a menacing as its filmic counterpart, featuring detailed bullet holes, bleeding eyes, and with a firm grasp on a scalpel.

The figure has been created to depict Michael Myers in the terryfing hospital room showdown with Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) from the 1981 horror movie.

Meanwhile, the ghoulishly masked Witch, Skull, and Jack o’ Lantern trick or treaters from 1982’s third installment of the Halloween movie franchise, come creeping in at 3.75 inches tall and include highly detailed masks, costumes, and candy filled Halloween masks.

These Spinatures portray the three iconic and carefree trick or treating kids on Halloween night unaware of the terror that awaits them! Each figure’s Halloween mask includes the iconic Silver Shamrock microchip button.

Bringing pop culture, toys and Waxworks Records’ affinity with the music scene altogether in one, Spinatures are highly detailed turntable-spinner mini-busts featuring iconic characters from pop culture, horror movies, and beyond.

Each figure is fitted with a hole in its base to easily attach to the spindle of your turntable and then spin along with your favorite records, or be displayed as a collectors item for the discerning pop culture fan.

Kevin and Sue Ellen, creators of the Spinatures range, told ToyNews: “We are so psyched to release official Halloween II and III Spinatures this spooky season. Michael Myers is forever etched into the public’s consciousness as Halloween’s official mascot, so it was crucial for us to create a collectible figure that captured his iconic likeness and haunting presence from the classic horror movie sequel.

“We couldn’t leave out the three trick or treaters from Halloween III: Season of the Witch! The detail on these little guys is insane.”

Many more Spinatures are to arrive this autumn and throughout the 2020 Holiday season including Dracula, The Mummy, The Phantom of the Opera, The Creature From The Black Lagoon, The Wolfman, and The Invisible Man.