Something a little different here, and one for the dino fans amongst you:
The T-Rex diorama (Ltd Edition of 950) is produced by Studio Oxmox, run by Marc and Gaby Klinnert from their base in Australia, and who specialize in the production of high quality lifesize promotional statues for movie and games companies. (Some of you may have seen the full size Halo 2 Master Chief statue in stores).
The T-Rex is currently the only dino they produce in less than full 1:1 scale - though it's still enormous! - more on that later -- and the dinosaur range also includes 2 versions of Deinonychus (the beast that Jurassic Park's Velociraptor was based on) and a full size T-Rex head that will take up a whole wall.
The first thing to note about this diorama is the size: at 1:10 scale it comes in at a full 4-feet long! The size alone gives it instant 'wow' factor. I suspect it also gave the poor Fedex guy a hernia as he struggled up the steps with it. The box for this item is BIG - it even makes WETA's Kong vs V-Rex box look puny!
The diorama comes pre-painted and ready to assemble in 5 separate pieces, the T-Rex himself needing to have his tail fixed by locating in on two screws on the body. I was a little concerned that this would look a little obvious when in place but in fact the join is done really well and is invisible from most angles.
The one point that I have to stress about the piece is that the sculpt is just sensational. The Rex himself is recognizable as the bad boy of Jurassic Park and this dynamic pose, which depicts the creature fighting off two Deinonychus scavengers from their Parasaurolophus meal is visual dynamite. It really looks like a frozen moment from pre-history. (It can of course be posed without the smaller dinosaurs, which some may prefer to do.)
Paint app is very nice, with a great colour scheme for the Rex. The head is predominantly red, indicating that his snout has been buried in the innards of the Parasaurolophus. The finish is satiny-matt, perfectly suiting the texture of the dinosaur's skin. Some owners might prefer to add a little gloss lacquer to the eyes to bring out the shine a little more. Same perhaps for the blood and guts.
And that brings me to the only real negative of this museum-quality piece: this isn't one for dinosaur-loving youngsters to enjoy -- it's just a bit too gory and visceral for that. This is T-Rex as he was, not as some lovable Barney character. Parents with impressionable kids beware.
Having said that, the visual impact of the diorama can't be understated - it really does dominate a collection space in the way few other statues can. Highly recommended for all dinosaur, Jurassic Park and T-Rex fans!
Studio Oxmox can be contacted through their website
www.studiooxmox.com (where there are more pictures of the diorama).
