Poker Party

Ever wonder what the Universal monster gang does while the grips and gaffers are getting the next set ready? Well, I often have and this diorama represents such a time and such a place. The inspiration for this piece came from those famous C.M. Coolidge paintings of dogs playing poker that are indelibly etched into the US consciousness. If dogs can play poker then our favorite Universal monsters can certainly play too! Each figure has his own personality and this is reflected in the overall look of the diorama. We all know that Larry Talbot was a blue collar type so the Wolf Man loves his beer and to satisfy his appetite he is munching on his hoagie sandwich and some delicious fudge brownies are within reach. With his hand of five Kings (!) the Wolf Man thinks, through the fog of inebriation, that he has won!

The poor ol’ Mummy has been dead so long he is completely lost and not of his time. Not familiar with poker he doesn’t know that the cards in his hand are worthless. Furthermore, since he has been drinking the hard stuff and can’t see very well with that one bloodshot eye he is just not sure what is going on or happening. Dracula being Dracula is as cool, suave, and charming as ever. And always in his dinner jacket with that ever present smile. Dracula loves to cheat at cards (and everything else in life; he is a vampire after all). Nevertheless, how can you not like a guy who proudly shows off his five aces? And being the ladies man he is flirtatiously grabbing the Bride’s behind in his attempt to pay her a compliment. And in doing so, the Bride is spilling the glass of milk she is pouring for her man. Appropriate for such a poker party scene, the monster has, of course, the famous “dead man’s hand” of aces and eights. To add interesting items to the scene I scattered numerous things about here and there such as the fish tank and the hourglass on the fireplace.