I like turtles, too, but where'd this one come from?

November 17, 2008 12:07 PM

Where did this large turtlish head come from? Which movie, television series, or commercial spawned this wise old creature?

My local video store has an extensive collection of movie memorabilia, including a fairly large reptilian head. It was purportedly from Jurassic Park, but after close viewings of the movie, they're pretty darn sure that's not the case. So, then, where's it from? I'm hoping it's something Henson-crafted, but my knowledge of turtle media is weak. Perhaps someone out there recognizes this kindly, craggy soul?

Here's another angle, for scale.

posted by redsparkler to media & arts (17 comments total)

Kinda resembles Morla from The NeverEnding Story.
posted by Sassyfras at 12:15 PM on November 17, 2008

Something from one of the (terrible) live-action Flintstones movies?
posted by MadamM at 12:34 PM on November 17, 2008

i also immediately thought of the never ending story, though i haven't seen it in years, and sassyfras' link isn't working right now.
posted by misanthropicsarah at 12:39 PM on November 17, 2008

Here's another link. Morla
posted by Sassyfras at 12:42 PM on November 17, 2008

No, the brow rides and nose are different from Morla. No idea really, But I do love Neverending Story!!
posted by pearlybob at 12:52 PM on November 17, 2008

The tv series Dinosaurs? (The comedy where the baby dino always says "not the mama"?)
posted by St. Alia of the Bunnies at 12:56 PM on November 17, 2008

As a kid I watched The Never Ending Story probably seven-hundred times. Watched it again recently, and man, it didn't age very well. Falcor, once a magic benevolent dragon, is basically a talking parade float.

I'm thinking that looks like a dinosaur head, not a turtle.

Why is this tagged "Portland"?
posted by sportbucket at 1:00 PM on November 17, 2008

I had the thought that some folks might be aided by knowing what part of the country the item currently resides in, therefore, Portland. Responses could be varied if my local video store was in, say, Tunesia.

The Flinstones live-action movie seems like a reasonable possibility...
posted by redsparkler at 1:10 PM on November 17, 2008

I mean, Tunisia.
posted by redsparkler at 1:12 PM on November 17, 2008

Looks a little like something from The Dark Crystal, which would be a find.
posted by swift at 1:17 PM on November 17, 2008

I know this is probably not correct, but my first thought was the turtle from Finding Nemo. Think his name was Crush?
posted by Rewind at 1:19 PM on November 17, 2008

Oh wait... this is from an actual film. Never mind, then.
posted by Rewind at 1:20 PM on November 17, 2008

My first thought was Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend.
posted by LobsterMitten at 1:24 PM on November 17, 2008

It isn't Dinosaurs ("Not the mama!").

The expressive brow and eyes are very familiar, though.
posted by dhartung at 2:00 PM on November 17, 2008

Dinosaurs! That was the *other* terrible dinosaur-based thing I was trying to remember.
posted by MadamM at 3:08 PM on November 17, 2008

Land Of The Lost? Didn't Holly have a pet baby Brontosaurus?
posted by sourwookie at 5:52 PM on November 17, 2008

Perhaps it could be a secondary character from Dinosaurs, if there are any less-anthropomorphic beings. The way the neck is angled makes me believe that it wouldn't be an upright standing character.

The screenshots from Baby and Land Of The Lost don't seem to have quite the same sort of detailed personality. If there were lots of other types of prehistoric animals that appeared at the end of Baby, it might fit in, but it seems improbably with the plot line.

A character from the Dark Crystal would be rad, but I think there was sort of a limited subset of creatures involved in the story, none of which seemed to be large turtles, to the best of my memory/googling...
posted by redsparkler at 9:12 PM on November 17, 2008