As I write this, it’s the first day of Autumn, which of course means Halloween is right around the corner. And while most people like their scares during spooky season, a lot of us enjoy laughs mixed with our screams. While not a horror comedy per se, Ghostbusters remains one of the best supernatural comedies to date, spawning multiple sequels and merchandise.
Last year, I reviewed the terrific 5-Foot Animated Ghostbusters Slimer from HalloweenCostumes.com. Well, that company isn’t resting on their laurels, because they’ve debuted several new Ghostbusters items, including an electronic proton pack, props of the Scoleri Brothers from Ghostbusters 2, and best of all…an animatronic Terror Dog. As you may recall from the original Ghostbusters, Sigourney Weaver’s Dana Barrett and Rick Moranis’ Louis Tulley first become possessed by, respectively, Zuul and Vinz Clortho, which are in the form of the Terror Dogs. HalloweenCostumes.com sent me a Terror Dog decoration to try out, and see how it compares to last year’s Slimer.
What Is the 2.75FT Ghostbusters Animatronic Terror Dog Decoration?
The 2.75FT Ghostbusters Animatronic Terror Dog Decoration weighs approximately 31 lbs. It has the following features:
- Molded plastic Ghostbusters Terror Dog
- 2 sets of interchangeable horns, eyes light up, head turns side to side, makes growling noises
- Volume control, off/try me ( can be activated by step pad or try me button, sold separately)
- Can be used indoors or in a covered outdoor location (shouldn’t be allowed to get wet)
- If used outdoors, must be plugged into a GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) outlet
- Measures 59″ nose to tail, 33″ tall
- Officially licensed
- Exclusive
- NOTE: The plug on this item may require an adapter (not included) for use outside the United States
The 2.75FT Ghostbusters Animatronic Terror Dog Decoration retails for $399.99, and is available exclusively from HalloweenCostumes.com.
Shop the biggest and best selection of costumes, accessories, and decor at HalloweenCostumes.com
Assembling the 2.75FT Ghostbusters Animatronic Terror Dog Decoration
The Terror Dog is a freestanding animatronic that is mostly very easy to assemble. The legs are clearly labeled, and they plug into the joints in the body and then you twist them to lock into place.
As you can see from the above picture, the control box is embedded in the chest of the Terror Dog. You can also see the two different sets of horns.
Like the legs, the tail attaches with a simple insert and twist motion. The head connects a little differently, as it is the one part of the animatronic that will have motion. It pairs with another metal pole inside of the body, in a fashion familiar to anyone that’s assembled Halloween animatronics before.
I was very surprised at first to find that the head of the Terror Dog is covered with what seems to be latex, as opposed to the solid plastic of the rest of the decoration. While I found this choice odd at first, the paint job matches perfectly so you can’t even tell unless you look closely. Additionally, the latex of the neck extends over the joint, so that it actually gives the animatronic a much more natural appearance when in motion.
Here’s a look at the Terror Dog, with all the limbs assembled:
The next step is to connect the sensor on the chest piece to the control box, as well as the cord from the head. These plug in quite easily at the cavity in the chest.
Once the electronics are connected, you fit the chest panel into place and secure it with the attached screw. This is the one part of the assembly that I didn’t care for. There is not a pre-drilled hole in the chest for the screw, so you have to work at getting it into the thick plastic on the chest. I found that the chest panel also didn’t align quite as well with the body as I would have liked, producing small gaps. However, thanks to the design of the Terror Dog, you won’t see much of the chest. This is also a much superior design choice than the panel that covered up access to the electronics with the Slimer animatronic, as it doesn’t interfere with breaking down the prop for storage.
The final step of assembly is to insert a pair of horns. To accurately represent both of the two Terror Dogs in Ghostbusters, there are two sets of horns included. The horns, like the limbs, get inserted, then twisted to lock into place. Here are the horns attached to recreate Zuul:
And here is the Terror Dog set up as Vinz Clortho:
Here’s a look at the fully assembled Terror Dog:
Of course, the real magic happens once you plug the Terror Dog in and run him (or her). The eyes light up, the head turns, and the Terror Dog growls, as you can see from this video:
The 2.75FT Ghostbusters Animatronic Terror Dog Decoration – Final Thoughts
If you read my review of Slimer from last year, you know that I had a few issues with that decoration’s design. And judging from the improved quality of the Terror Dog, the prop designers at HalloweenCostumes.com were paying attention. Gaps are much less noticeable, in part due to the latex neck piece on the Terror Dog’s head. The plastic where the single screw secures the chest piece to the body is nice and thick, so that it should allow for screwing and unscrewing the panel without losing the integrity of the plastic.
I don’t love how the chest panel fits, but as previously mentioned, this is something that won’t be readily visible thanks to the positioning of the chest itself. So really, that’s a pretty minor quibble.
And the good news is, much like with Slimer, the 2.75FT Ghostbusters Animatronic Terror Dog Decoration is life-sized and looks dead-on like its counterpart in the film. I appreciate that the two sets of horns are included, so that you can choose which version of the Terror Dog you wish to display. And of course, if you’re planning a Ghostbusters display for Halloween, ideally you’ll have two of the Terror Dogs, so that you can have both a Zuul and a Vince Clortho flanking Gozer. I’ll have just the one, but he’ll look great alongside Slimer.
The 2.75FT Ghostbusters Animatronic Terror Dog Decoration is another great-looking licensed animatronic from HalloweenCostumes.com, and any Ghostbusters fan will be happy to have it as part of their Halloween display, or guarding their front door in their home. Just be warned: your dog may be a little unsure as to the new addition to your household!
For more information or to make a purchase, head over to HalloweenCostumes.com!
Shop the biggest and best selection of costumes, accessories, and decor at HalloweenCostumes.com
HalloweenCostumes.com sent a Terror Dog for evaluation, but had no input into this review. As an affiliate, I may earn a small commission on qualified purchases.
Fonte: GeekDad - Leia mais