ta, I know what you mean dude. When I saw the pics coming out of San Diego last year, I assumed they were resin (which the pieces they had on display might have been). Comparing those pics with the shots I'm seeing on eBay right now, there's definitely a drop off in quality. Sigh.
I guess it wasn't deemed cost effective to produce $150-$200 statues of these characters... which is too bad. I love Harryhausen's work and this flick made an impact on me as a kid. His designs for these creatures still fascinate me.
I'd like to have a better look at them before deciding on a purchase though. A vinyl, articulated Kraken may be better than none, I guess