3
Aug
Jumanji Life Sized Lion Movie Costume Conservation
Restoring the original, life sized lion movie costume from the Robin Williams classic, Jumanji!
This gallery features a life sized lion movie costume from the 90’s film Jumanji, which we refurbished for a private movie prop collector. Originally made by the amazing folks at ADI and worn by veteran FX artist and creature suit performer, Tom Woodruff, this full scale lion costume featured a mix of animatronic and more traditional elements.
As you can see from the photos with the crate, the lion costume was quite large! We addressed quite a number of issues in our restoration work. We repaired some foam latex deterioration around the eyes nose and mouth. These areas were carefully patched, covering any gaps in the skin and bringing the eyes into a more pleasing/displayable pose. We painted each repair locally, being sure not to cover original material, while seamlessly matching the aged foam latex surrounding the repairs. In addition, several claws were missing from the life sized lion costume’s paws. We recreated those missing claws by sculpting them in clay, then casting in a resin and matching the texture and paint of the remaining original, screen used ones.
The completed restoration of this movie prop costume is somewhat subtle, if only due to the relative sizes of the repairs and the lion itself! But our restoration work made a nice difference in how the piece displays and its sense of character. Our client was thrilled once the large crate arrived at his home! We hear he displays it with a Jumanji game board under one of his paws, which is probably for the best, as playing that game could be dangerous!
Do you have an original movie or television prop that is in need of restoration or display? Email or call today and let’s discuss your project!
Want to relive this Robin Williams classic?
