Johnny Lightning Ecto-1, Proto-Ecto-1, and the Undertaker

Ecto-1, Proto-Ecto-1, and the Undertaker

Johnny Lightning - 1:64 scale

Silver Screen Machines

Everybody can relax, I found the car!  Johnny Lightning has done the famous Ghostbusters ride a handful of times over the last decade or two, but never like this.  As far as I know, this is the first time out for the busted and rusted, black Caddy.  

It is what it is...nowhere near as ornate as the final product, but they did their best with the detailing on the scraped up paint and wear.  It has the two front spotlights (different models) that the finished Ecto has, and also has the single, red rotating light that it doesn’t.  INteresting to see the couple of red headlights as well.  My favorite detail here is the funeral curtains you can see through the windows.

JL also released an updated sculpt of the finished Ecto-1.  It features the most detailed and accurate roof rack I have seen in this scale.  Everything else, from the logos and license plates to the lines and fins, looks cleaner than ever before.  It even has the "clear" spots in the middle windows!  This beats anything Hot Wheels has produced up to this point.  Be careful with that sniffer though...I could see a tumble from the shelf being the end of that.

Even if you have a fleet of 1:64 scale Ecto-1s in your collection already, these are worth getting.  They look great and won’t break the bank at $7-9 each.  Now bring on the rusted “Afterlife” decos, 2020!

































Since this was a shorter review, I’m throwing in a recent clearance pick-up:  the WWE Ghostbusters Undertaker figure!  This was the only one of the five exclusive Walmart figures I couldn't find when they hit before Halloween.  Taker has a huge following, so this ghostly version was quick to disappear between fandoms...even those lousy wrestling fans who scoffed at the overall crossover.  Way to break up collections for GB die-hards, a-holes!

I found this lone figure in the clearance aisle at one of the worst Walmarts for toys in my area (Branson...yuck)...and for only $8!  I lost many an EBay auction around the $30 mark before giving up and pretty much forgetting about this figure.

































Taker looks great in translucent purple.  The darker ink on his many arm tattoos really pop with some backlighting.  On top of that, he comes with a slime green, translucent, world heavyweight title belt.  Since the wrestlers in this set lean more to the side of Attitude Era and beyond, I am pleasantly surprised to see the winged eagle design, aka the greatest belt design ever.

So there you go, some tiny cars and a weird-looking wrestling icon in a coffin in front of a Twinkies cereal box.  Hey, Ghostbusters merch is still pretty scarce at the moment!

BTW, the cereal was not good.  Too sweet (yes, even compared to the actual snack cake) and powdery.  It didn't taste much like a Twinkie either, which I blame on the lack of attempt to replicate a  cream filling.  C'mon, Post...Krave and Pop Tarts cereal showed you the way and you blew it.  Egon would not approve.

Previous reviews:
WWE Ghostbusters Figures
The Ghostbusters of the Ozarks Try Twinkies Cereal

Mario Kart

Mario Kart

Hot Wheels - Mattel

Sure, they may be a lil over-sized, but these new Karts from Mattel fit with my 1:64 movie and TV car collection better than any other offerings out there.  Plus, they roll very nicely and look sweet! 

Die-cast metal carts with a nicely sculpted plastic figurine in the driver's seat.  Bowser is probably my favorite, not just because of his bulk, but the spikes on his shell are a separate, under laid piece.  They have a flexible, rubbery feel to them.  

The only complaint I have with these is that Luigi needed his death stare.  That, and we're missing some key characters in this lineup.  All the main cast is here, except for Donkey Kong and Toad.  Hopefully there will be a second wave with these, Koopa Troopa, Shy Guy, and Wario.

Oh, and I am thankful that no spot in this wave was given to a motorcycle.  It's "Mario KART", dammit!  

The Bluesmobile

The Bluesmobile

Greenlight Hollywood -1:64 scale

It's got a cop motor, a 440-cubic-inch plant. It's got cop tires, cop suspension, cop shocks. It's a model made before catalytic converters so it'll run good on regular gas.  All this and more in 1:64 scale from Greenlight Hollywood.  What do you say? Is it the new Bluesmobile or what?

I'll say it is!  This new take leaves all previous efforts (like the ones in the late 90's from Johnny Lightning) in the dust.  Just look at those details!  The scratching and fading on the police decals.  The tiny but clear, readable print.  The dirty, faded paint job.  I mean, how about those little license plates?!

It even has a bonus feature that I haven't seen on most movie cars...an opening hood to show off the engine.  Car's got a lot of pickup!

If you're a fan of the Blues Brothers and detailed die-cast replicas, this is the tiny Bluesmobile for you.  Oh, but...fix the cigarette lighter.

Get your very own Bluesmobile for under $10