VooDoo Heads on Camera

[Hapori Tohu]

The Faber Files blog has been updated once again, this time with possibly some of the coolest content yet. In Turaga Files - Unboxing the Legend - Exhibit 023 - Video 1, Christian Faber takes out some video tapes and a camera that I'm guessing can't even be connected to a modern computer to show us some of the early concept models for the VooDoo Heads. Those sets, of course, would go on to become Bionicle, and you can already see some of the similarities like masks and functions (and one model that looks like a blue Muaka). This is a must-watch for any Bionicle fan and shows off the origins of the line!

 

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[Zidonaro]

These guys are actually really terrifying.

Nice to know that the Muaka "survived" the process.

[Toa Smoke Monster]

Its really interesting seeing these sets that would later become the Bionicle we all now know. Their functions looked really cool too, especially for the one that was walking on its own. 

 

I'm not the biggest fan of their heads though. I don't know why, but I just don't like them. They look too weird to me, I guess. I still wonder how many were made at the time, and if anyone outside of the Lego Company ever got their hands on one of them. It would be very cool to see someone own one of these heads.

[Rooster Nui]

They may be terrifying, but I find their appearances rather cool. The last one at the end reminds me of the Boxor design. Oh, and that first one slices quickly. I don't think it'd succeed in the eyes of parents. 

 

I can't wait for the next installment, possibly showing more models.

[sydorack]

Dang these are so cool looking. You can totally see how they got to the bionicle sets from there.

[Rahkshi Lalonde]

i am deeply intimidated by the knowledge that there is a DooHead that can walk on its own. I fear it is coming for us all.

[Naota Takizawa]

This is awesome, I can't believe that there is footage of the Voodoo Heads in action! If Mr. Faber has archived footage of the Dooheads, who knows what else he could have in his files...

[JungleSlizer]

They are quite scary, but I love them. They look so like the Slizers.

[PrimoUltimo]

I have found VooDoo head in one of Bionicle videos with concept arts. Beside that, VooDoo Heads could be nice enemies for Toa (for me they are better then that skeletons which come out soon).

 

Edited April 23, 2015 by PrimoUltimo

[evil_jaga_genius]

That one walking one with the flail is positively frightening... It's like a Manas, except worse...

[emily]

Disappointed the video doesn't demonstrate the head pop-off feature that terrified children. Maybe that was already out in this iteration.

 

But this is seriously awesome. Incredibly so.

Edited April 23, 2015 by Pereki

[admiraltyphoon]

True nightmare fuel, but...

 

-fangirl scream-

It's amazing how we finally get to see something about these voodoo guys!

[Bambi]

The sets actually look pretty cool. Not too big on the heads though.

[Naota Takizawa]

Another thing, why do their heads look strangely like the G2 toa's faces underneath their masks of power? 

[masterchirox580]

These things are...interesting, I can see the resemblance to the Rahi in the bigger sets, but the main canister sets look nothing like what would become Tahu, Gali, Lewa (etc etc). The heads aren't appealing at all and I imagined they would have scared me as a child (heck they creep me out even now), and the functions whilst cool and ambitious look like they would had to have many pieces (many more then the final product) and thus would have inflated the prices (thus meaning less success). At the end of the day I'm happy these things were cancelled, they looked like they had some cool ideas but the whole concept of voodoo heads looks like it lacked the character and world that made bio so appealing to me and many others.

 

On an off-topic note I noticed that he has other tapes lined up, the ones I can read say "bionicle 2004" (then something beginning with an M), "bionicle 2005", "bionicle (behind)", and behind the something (I can't read what it says after behind the), I wonder what else he has in store for us?

Edited April 23, 2015 by masterchirox580

[Ehksidian]

Some of these concepts look really, really cool, like the Manas equivalent. However...uh yeah those heads are outright terrifying and i'm very glad LEGO didn't stick with those. Still kinda funny that the Muaka almost matches perfectly with the final, Bionicle version.

[Bfahome]

i am deeply intimidated by the knowledge that there is a DooHead that can walk on its own. I fear it is coming for us all.

Don't worry, from the looks of it it'd be able to chase you about a foot and then fall over and flail wildly.

[Iver]

In interviews the developers said that the prototypes were considered "too scary". I had no Idea how horrifying they actually were. Now I know. But in all honesty, they do look quite interesting. I wonder how long it will be till we get Doo Heads MOCs or fan art...

@Bfahome: Somehow, that's even worse.

Edited April 23, 2015 by Jovan2

[Rahkshi Lalonde]

 

i am deeply intimidated by the knowledge that there is a DooHead that can walk on its own. I fear it is coming for us all.

Don't worry, from the looks of it it'd be able to chase you about a foot and then fall over and flail wildly.

 

 

it has so much pent up rage, no wonder they could never sell it.

[J46 Nui]

I love seeing prototype sets. Hopefully he has more videos of other prototypes lying around. But I have to agree with the general opinion on this thread; it is pretty clear why these never got released. Still, at least the proto-Rahi designs were solid enough to have recognizable elements remain in the final figures.

[Pomegranate]

That was absolutely terrifying. It's like the alternate timeline in Back to the Future: Part II. Can you imagine these things on store shelves? I knew the Boneheads were a reach and didn't pan out, but I had no clue they were that horrifying. I wasn't mentally prepared. I'm gonna have nightmares about these things beating up my Bionicle collection Small Soldiers style and then coming for me   

That being said, some of those designs are pretty wicked and they definitely succeeded at getting a very clear theme and atmosphere with 'em; it's amazing how advanced those designs and functions were. It looks like all the parts except for the heads are existing molds; somebody has to try and rebuild them!

I'm thrilled that the Faber Files are digging up some real ancient, behind-the-scenes things. I want more. I want everything he's found in that storage unit. Maybe just warn us to sit down for some of 'em next time

Edited April 23, 2015 by Pomegranate

[Ford]

I have a feeling that the heads would have been produced with prints if this ever got a future. They would probably be even more terrifying than what was seen in this video.

[Pohatu: Uniter of Stone]

I actually would have liked to see some of these sets with the 2001 sets... Some of them are better, IMO. (Pohatu still rocks though.)

[The 1st Shadow]

Hm... I like what I see. Blue Muaka FTW!

 

And a walking Boxor-like character? That's cool! How come we never got that?

 

And it looks like a couple of those things were a combination of the Tarakava and the Manas. Interesting.

[V-N]

Very neat, especially the focus on functions, even if some (the walking one) are a bit awkward. 

[Toa Chuck]

Be right back, gotta go MOC something.

[Fry]

I didn't realize how much I actually wanted this

[Xabla]

i am deeply intimidated by the knowledge that there is a DooHead that can walk on its own. I fear it is coming for us all.

I believe that it is.

 

These will give me nightmares.

[Underscore]

So those were VooDoo Heads...

 

They looked pretty cool, save the head-things with googly eyes. I'm glad they switched to masks. I especially liked the recolored muaka with limbs that fell off. That was a nice feature

[dotcom]

This really is pretty cool, actually. Great, varied functions...creepy, but cool stuff. Kinda wish they had actually come out, actually...

[Iver]

If they had come out, you would have had to tell everyone that you liked "VooDoo Heads" instead of "Bionicle."

[Lenny7092]

Wow! These are some neat prototypes! The little blue Muaka is cute, and I can see that it was originally designed to grab heads, not masks, in terms of VooDoo Heads. Who knew these head pieces are giant! There are also some cool-looking canisters that fit these huge heads in them. Them set look like that they are school robotics made of Technic pieces.

Edited April 27, 2015 by Lenny7092

[CaT in Rogue]

Welp, I just had an existential heart attack.

 

If these had come out as-is, we would most likely remember Lego as that one building block company that died out by giving kids nightmares.

[Daler99]

This is actually pretty cool! I like the neat functions and the uniqueness. Also, you can clearly tell at some points that the music is a remixed "Bye bye Babylon" by Cryoshell.

[J46 Nui]

So those were VooDoo Heads...

 

They looked pretty cool, save the head-things with googly eyes. I'm glad they switched to masks. I especially liked the recolored muaka with limbs that fell off. That was a nice feature

But the final version of the Muaka retained that feature. I personally never liked it and added some pieces to the set so that the set wouldn't fall apart when I played with it.

[Nidhiki of the Shadows]

Wow. While the Faber Files have been consistently good lately, if he can top this then we've really got something.

 

Seeing the original "Bionicle" sets is just... well, surreal. These Boneheads of Voodoo Island are so uncanny. Familiar yet not. Doesn't help that their faces are absolutely terrifying.

 

Interesting designs that seem more reminiscent of Slizer... also the functions are pretty cool. Found it interesting how the Rahi were clearly recycled from some of the bigger sets seen. Muaka looks pretty much the same, I saw a Tarakava-like set, and it seems the Mana's took inspiration from the walking thing.

 

Super cool. Can't wait for some more quality Faber Files.

 

-NotS

[Mehku]

These are definitely some very creepy prototypes, that's for sure. I'm glad they came out with Bionicle instead.

[Owlexander]

...what if the skull warriors get masks of power too and this is what they look like? o_o

[Nuile the Paracosmic Tulpa]

If they had come out, you would have had to tell everyone that you liked "VooDoo Heads" instead of "Bionicle."

 

. . . You just shed a very frightening light on how different my childhood would have been if they'd stuck with VooDoo Heads.

 

Vale, Nuile

[Space: Ocean of Awe]

Seeing this was...an experience. They were so...so very creepy. But still cool. The walking dude looked legitimately imposing, swinging that chain around, his creepy, unsteady gait. And those heads, oh my. If they came out with this instead of Bionicle, I would have gotten nightmares.

 

=)