MONSTROUS MASK REVIEWS: Land of the Lost Sleestak Skull by Chuck Jarman
For this entry of MONSTROUS MASK REVIEWS, I am reviewing a display bust as opposed to an actual mask. I am not only reviewing an amazing piece, but an amazing artist as well. Growing up in the 1970s I was a huge fan of the Sid and Marty Kroft show Land of the Lost. I was seven when this show came on and not for nothing, the Sleestak, a race of lizard-type creatures, scared the heck out of me. As an adult, the Sleestak always stood out in the back of my mind as a character that would look great in mask form, if done right. I am here to say that artist Chuck Jarman has done just that with the first of three Sleestak creations that he has made. First up is the Sleestak Skull, seen in the Library of Skulls on the show.
I have been a fan of Chuck Jarman’s work for quite some time. I first became aware of him with the masks he sold through his company Bump in the Night Productions. No matter what you received from him, the quality was always top notch. Between the sculptures themselves and the detailed paint-work, his masks were among the best of what was available. As time went on, Chuck started making Hollywood quality busts and figures that would make collectors drool. That’s what happened to me with his Sleestak series.
I became aware of this series by Chuck posting on his Facebook page that the Sleestak Skull was available. I immediately jumped at the opportunity to add this to my collection. I have been trying to streamline my collecting over the last year or so and to me, this was a must have addition. I bought with confidence too as I have never received something from him that didn’t look at least as good as the photos.
The sculpture is beautiful and very accurate to the original skulls used in Land of the Lost. It has an ominous look to it and it brings back so many memories of my original viewing of this show. It is made of plastic and resin, which means it is made to last. To give a great example of Chuck’s attention to detail, it even comes with a AC powered flame light to add to the effect. This whole piece is just a wonder to behold and if you love the original Land of the Lost, you will want a Sleestak Skull for your own collection.
To grab a Sleestak Skull, or to see his other amazing creations, just check out his shopofhorrors Etsy store! Next up I will be reviewing his Sleestak bust and then his Enik bust. Make sure to check out my other entries in my MONSTROUS MASK REVIEWS series.
~David Albaugh
