No, this is not one of Captain America’s bathtub toys. It’s a genuine special effects shot from “Damnation Alley” (1977).
After having a full-size, fully-functional “Landmaster” custom-built for the film, at a cost of $350,000 (in 2021 dollars, $1,643,623.93), 20th Century Fox cheaped-out in post-production, syphoning off much of the effects budget so that it could complete “Star Wars.”
So “Damnation Alley” is a showcase for every man’s dream of a 12-wheeled, articulated, post-apocalyptic, all-weather, amphibious, armored beast of a juggernaut, complete with machine guns and missile-launchers, only in the end to have this beautiful fantasy undone by the image of a $1.98 model, assembled from a Revell kit.
In any case, we’ll have fun talking about it, as we make a third attempt at “Damnation Alley.” Covid shots and technical difficulties be damned, on the next Roy’s Tie-Dye Sci-Fi Corner. Leave your comments, or forever hold your peace, as we livestream on Facebook. The third time’s a charm, this Friday evening at 7:00 EDT!