Primary Resources

In attempting to build a model of the ABC warrior (from the film of Judge Dredd), there are two main resources available, namely, the film itself and the original plastic model released by Tsukuda Hobby.

This post contains links and images associated with these sources.

The film
This information is skimmed from http://www.amazon.co.uk/Judge-Dredd-DVD-Sylvester-Stallone/dp/B00004D08T/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1293960295&sr=1-1

• Actors: Sylvester Stallone, Armand Assante, Rob Schneider, Jürgen Prochnow, Max von Sydow
• Directors: Danny Cannon
• Writers: Carlos Ezquerra, John Wagner, Michael De Luca, Steven E. de Souza, William Wisher Jr.
• Producers: Andrew G. Vajna, Beau Marks
• Format: PAL, Widescreen
• Language English
• Subtitles: English
• Region: Region 2 (This DVD may not be viewable outside Europe.
• Aspect Ratio: 16:9 - 2.35:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Studio: Pathe Distribution
• DVD Release Date: 6 Dec 1999
• Run Time: 92 minutes
• ASIN: B00004D08T

This film played to varied acclaim, some fans saw it as a sell-out and found much fault with the detail (Dredd is seen without his helmet), the choice of actors (Stallone), the plot and the fact that it stomped over much that they held precious in their memories. The uninterested punters failed to find it interesting, which left just a few, perhaps less evangelical fans, to be left feeling that it was a worthwhile effort, for all of its faults.


For myself, I have read a few copies of 2000 AD, I was a fan only in so much as it was a strong contribution to the Science Fiction canon. Stallone is a much maligned actor with whom I have no real axe to grind, after all, no-one forced me to watch all of the Raging Bull franchise. Parts of the film I find dull, but the sequence that begins with the Rico's prison escape and culminates in the re-animation of the ABC Robot is worth viewing, as are many other scenes, not necessarily including the scenes towards the end, which get a bit schmaltzy. Stallone is a good fit in the title role, but for me, the best character is the ABC robot; probably my favourite movie robot and all the better for being a physical model and not just a computerised virtual doll.


The film has been shown on network television, but even so, the DVD currently has quite a high price attached because it is something of a cult object and no-longer available through the original distribution channels.



The model
The original kit of the ABC warrior is out of production, as far as I know, and the remaining examples are even more expensive than the original price, which seems to have been around the $80 mark. Examples are still available, see http://monstersdirect.com/ABC-War-Robot-Judge-Dredd-Model/M/B000P0SIB8.htm.

The original box show the constructed kit from several views, which provide some information on the construction and decoration of the model.

Copies (remoulds) of the original kit are available, but these require additional skill and knowledge to build because they do not come with the same level of instructions and the parts are less well formed than the original, being cast from moulds made from the original parts and not from the original moulds.

Further resources
These primary resources are echoed, and in some cases expanded, by the obvious secondary resources, found by using search engines, youtube, flickr, etc. These include such things as images of the complete head assembly (available full-size for purchase), memoirs from the film crew, including those working on the effects, descriptions of the original model kit and some attempts to recreate portions of the original robot. Other primary resources include magazine images of the ABC warriors, although these are slightly different conceptions of the robot.