These are
the rare components for the un-produced Men in Black Icons Neuralyzer
prototype.
Icons never
completed that prototype. As you can see, it was “almost” made. Came very
close. It is really interesting in person.
Most of Icons replicas were based upon classic and
cult prototypes, and not new properties at the time, except for the Film
properties Men in Black, Starship Troopers and Independence Day (aka ID-4). And
the Television property Xena. Although the company intended to focus on new
films and TV shows as they were in production. Icons was granted the license
for Men in Black and Starship Troopers by Sony, and Icons staff was thrilled
and excited to be loaned an original MIB “Hero” Noisy Cricket and “Hero”
Neuralyzer. You can view the Icons archival photos of the “Hero” Neuralyzer in
this website entry, adjacent the un-assembled Neuralyzer. No Neuralyzer was
completed at Icons up until the closure of the company, this is as far as the
project got before Icons closed it's doors forever.
The
components are made of cast resin (molded and cast directly off of the
screen-used original(s) ) and machined aluminum, measured directly off of the
screen-used original(s) metal components. Great care was put into the project
to make sure the measurements on the aluminum components were as accurate as
possible in comparing the replica to the “Hero” prop used in the film.
As everyone who reads the Icons Museum website
knows, I am not only a kind of curator and archivist and a collector of Icons,
but I have helped facilitate the restoration of numerous rare prototypes and
done my best to track down and research what happened to rare pieces such as
this one. Which to me, and obviously to others, are of historic value. Danny
Simon of “The Licensing Group” has said that Icons was the pioneer in the field
of high-end collectibles and influenced most companies that existed at the time
of the company (1995-2000) and all of those that followed.
Those pics above are of
the original screen-used prop that was loaned to Icons to disassemble and mold.
As I have continued my
decade long quest to preserve Icons and legacy (in spite of all of the gossip
and negativity) I have interestingly learned a significant amount about prop
and replica prototyping, manufacturing and restoration. Learning about molding,
casting, prep, sanding, painting, etc. This has come in handy when the
occasional piece needed some touch up or parts restored. I've actually enjoyed
this process, and in becoming an Icons “historian” and archivist, it has been a
natural part of my progression. One that I have enjoyed.
