[SpasticPlastic]

The render of Indy on the box is perfect. But, somehow he aged 30 years from render to plastic. Have they been working on this line for that long? Poor guy got all grizzled inside that windowless box.

[Kang]

I'm the retro collection target audience, so grabbing that one for sure and interested to see how the line develops.

I was thinking more about the never-ending debate on plastic-free packaging, I know people keep bringing up being able to inspect the paint. While that's nice, to me it's always been more about the nostalgic tradition of what an action figure is (hence why I like retro cards so much), and the display bubble/window is just ingrained in my mind.

BUT...there's another plastic free option that checks that box for me that honestly I'd probably prefer. I'm an OG Star Wars collector (there at the start), and sometimes you'd get the normal carded figures, but there were also times when cool stuff might just come in a plain white mailer box. Sometimes it was stuff like little JC Penney 4-packs, or mailaway stuff like Boba Fett and other figures. Loose figures in a box, no cards. I think I've seen that format with other figures over the years as well, so the concept is probably no stranger to many.

Obviously that's not fully compatible with the residual brick and mortar sales that still exist today at places like Walmart where you need some visual packaging that induces sales. But if I'm buying online, I'd rather get a proper blister card or a plain mailer. And if the answer to that is, why the heck would I care then if I get a plain mailer versus a sealed "plastic-free card/box" since the figure is coming out anyways...purely the principle of the matter, it was a forced move on customers for their own interests.

[Tarkin]

You have to preorder because you can’t find them in stores. the only legitimate reason you are preordering non premium figures from Hasbro

[Raine24]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr Kain

Not doing double jointed knees and arms is unacceptable in 2022. Just look at the new Spider-Man. He is utter perfection and can pull off practically any pose you want.

Meanwhile, my NECA Horror movie monsters are so limited as fuck it's pissing me off. It makes taking pictures of them not very fun. I want to take pictures of them, especially this month, but they've been low on my priority list because there's not much I can do with them.

Well, there's a difference right there regarding our ideas of "fun": for you it's pics, for me it's play. And the current Hasbro double knee is quite counter to the latter, aggressively so IMO.

If they were to switch over to their Spider-Man 3 knees, I'd have no problems, those were the best double knees they've ever done, and that was 15 years ago. Not just best for me, either, but I think they'd be ace for photographers too. I mean, a double knee where you didn't have to rock the joint back and forth to ensure an even gap between the top and bottom of the knee, only to find that the ratchets force you to make the gaps uneven to make the foot flat or some such garbage?

[User897]

Since hasblo elected to not paint the Ark, they should have vac-metalized it. Aside from the retro figure, I guess they won't be re-releasing any of the 2008 stuff, which is unfortunate. Many of us won't be able to collect all of the 6" figures on price alone, not to mention availability. So there will be Ark pieces rattling around in windowless boxes for sure.

[Raine24]

Quote:

Originally Posted by User897

Since hasblo elected to not paint the Ark, they should have vac-metalized it.

They are painting it, they were emphatic about the importance of doing that over gold plastic during the stream.

[ShabbyBlue]

Saw someone on Facebook suggesting using the Toht body with one of those nice quality 3D printed hooded Cobra Commander heads on Ebay to make a Cobra Commander in business suit. I might have to try that.

[User897]

Since the boxes have no windows, I get to save money by only getting one of each figure. Thanks, hasblo.

[GizmoTron]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr Kain

No idea what "fugaf" means, but I disagree. Not doing double jointed knees and arms is unacceptable in 2022. Just look at the new Spider-Man. He is utter perfection and can pull off practically any pose you want.

Meanwhile, my NECA Horror movie monsters are so limited as fuck it's pissing me off. It makes taking pictures of them not very fun. I want to take pictures of them, especially this month, but they've been low on my priority list because there's not much I can do with them.

Well stiff figures aren't the most fun, but to be fair, those monsters aren't always the most dynamic even in their own movies.

[dukefett]

Super happy to see what they've got so far, I'm getting them all including the retro stuff.

The elbows/knees don't bother me too much. The articulation breaks on the knees on Hasbro figures are pretty ugly usually.

[Dr Kain]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GizmoTron

Well stiff figures aren't the most fun, but to be fair, those monsters aren't always the most dynamic even in their own movies.

True, which is why I give NECA some leeway with them, but I'd still like to be able to pull off Dragonball-like poses just for the sake of it.

[MeLikeJinx]

I hope this line makes it to Temple of Doom... at another forum they were talking about the leaked D23 Indy 4 trailer and were discussing the first 3 Indy movies and consensus opinion there was that Temple of Doom was a bad Indy movie and I was completely stunned... like I couldn't believe it... I guess younger people don't like Temple of Doom as much as people who saw it at the time. I don't really care about Last Crusade figures though even though I adore that movie.

[En Sabah Nerd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MeLikeJinx

I hope this line makes it to Temple of Doom... at another forum they were talking about the leaked D23 Indy 4 trailer and were discussing the first 3 Indy movies and consensus opinion there was that Temple of Doom was a bad Indy movie and I was completely stunned... like I couldn't believe it... I guess younger people don't like Temple of Doom as much as people who saw it at the time. I don't really care about Last Crusade figures though even though I adore that movie.

I've always thought that Temple of Doom was the weak link of the trilogy (I tend not to even acknowledge Crystal Skull, seriously I sometimes forget it even happened) and in my experience this opinion isn't that uncommon. I'm not saying it's bad, there's definitely some entertaining and memorable parts, but compared to Raiders and Last Crusade it's the one I don't regularly choose to watch at this point. With the kid sidekick (no offense to Ke Huy Quan) and more overt efforts at comical moments it felt like it was pandering to a younger audience, y'know before swinging over to Fatalities and shit.

[Raine24]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MeLikeJinx

I guess younger people don't like Temple of Doom as much as people who saw it at the time.

There's lot to like in it, and it even edges out Last Crusade when it comes to... I don't know, vitality? There's a life there that's missing from the otherwise much better Crusade.

That said, you're honestly the first fan I've ever heard be surprised by the general consensus on Temple, that movie has always been Indy's Return of Jedi.

[deecee4]

I genuinely love temple of doom. Saw it as a kid in the theater and it was the theatrical equivalent to a wild roller coaster ride. Was surprised people didnt like it when i first started going online in 2000. Some of the complaints were its too dark and not fun (what?!).
Imo, id put it even with last crusade. Never cared for Last Crusade's ham fisted opening where every identifiable trait about Indy originates in that one brief adventure.
So yeah, hope theres a temple of doom wave with a build a minecart gimmick. Overall, those figures will be a bit more toyetic than this wave..always liked the one sleeve look for Indy.

[Raine24]

I like it too, it's got great energy and Ford seems like he's having fun, two things missing from most of Crusade. It's a great drunk movie, imo. But we're a minority, and believe me when I say that's nothing new, because us dorks were posting about these movies online back when they came out and the same complaints were coming out our mouths then, too.

From what I've seen, few genre films of the '80s have had significant reappraisal from their core audiences in the years since. If anything, it's been mainstream critics flipping around, because us dorks always thought The Empire Strikes Back and The Thing were awesome while they were savaged by critics of the time. But Return of the Jedi was always weak, that Klingon BoP matte painting in Star Trek IV was always embarrassing, and people have always hated Willie (even when they like "Anything Goes")

[Kang]

I saw all of the Indy movies in the theater when they first came out, I would say the perception that Temple of Doom was the least well received is right. I think it goes a little beyond the "darkness" that's commonly attributed to it, though no doubt it was noticeably harsh in contrast to what had come before. As is well documented, Lucas and Spielberg were having issues in their personal lives at the time, and the added intensity of the content even ended up helping drive the creation of the PG-13 rating.

I think another key consideration is Raiders just set the bar massively high. Take the iconic opening scene...it's like a mini movie in itself, lovingly referenced, spoofed/parodied, countless times over the years. The opening scene to Temple of Doom wasn't "bad", but just not nearly as memorable to many.

I also think cast chemistry for Raiders was lightning in a bottle. It wasn't just Ford still riding the high of his most classic Star Wars performances, but Karen Allen absolutely killing it as Marion, the perfect arch-nemesis in Belloq, the ever charistmatic John Rhys-Davies. In Temple, I think Kate Capshaw did perfectly fine, but again, how are you really going to top Marion?

Last Crusade didn't really approach the level of the first one either, but it just brought back a little more fun and honestly, I give a lot of credit to Sean Connery for that one, who else could give Indy a run for his money as an even larger than life "dad"?

[Sean C]

Aside from deconstructing Indy to a gifted hat, a scar he gave himself and naming himself after a dog (all feels like foreshadowing to SOLO), I felt Last Crusade was too much self-parody. Indiana Jones was already a homage to old adventure serials and their cliches. To have Indy's dad show up and make fun of our hero...I never cared for it. It's kind of realistic though, who's going to drop your cool points more than a parent along for the ride? There's no strong lead villain in Last Crusade, the most memorable thing Donovan does is die horribly. Only Raiders wins in the villain department, as Belloq manages out maneuver Jones and wins (and loses by winning). Mola Ram doesn't show up until half way through Temple of Doom. Kate Blanchett in Crystal Skull...doing her Natasha Fatale impression. Nah.

I think Indiana Jones movies need some darkness. That complaint about Temple of Doom seemed disingenuous when the first movie ends with faces melting. CHILD SLAVERY BAD. Well, NOT-ZEES BAD...and Spielberg reduced them to action movie villains...so much he had to makes Schindler's List to remind us they weren't comic book baddies.

[Testrian]

I'm tickled they did did face melty Toht. I supposed Belloq's 'sploded neck stump wouldn't be easy to do with how toys work.

[IzzyTipsy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sean C

Aside from deconstructing Indy to a gifted hat, a scar he gave himself and naming himself after a dog (all feels like foreshadowing to SOLO), I felt Last Crusade was too much self-parody. Indiana Jones was already a homage to old adventure serials and their cliches. To have Indy's dad show up and make fun of our hero...I never cared for it. It's kind of realistic though, who's going to drop your cool points more than a parent along for the ride? There's no strong lead villain in Last Crusade, the most memorable thing Donovan does is die horribly. Only Raiders wins in the villain department, as Belloq manages out maneuver Jones and wins (and loses by winning). Mola Ram doesn't show up until half way through Temple of Doom. Kate Blanchett in Crystal Skull...doing her Natasha Fatale impression. Nah.

I think Indiana Jones movies need some darkness. That complaint about Temple of Doom seemed disingenuous when the first movie ends with faces melting. CHILD SLAVERY BAD. Well, NOT-ZEES BAD...and Spielberg reduced them to action movie villains...so much he had to makes Schindler's List to remind us they weren't comic book baddies.

I thought Elsa was the strong villain of Crusade. Donovan and Vogel were OK but it was great to see how Elsa manipulated both Joneses, played to Donovan's pride and killed him, and showed a valuable lesson to Indy when he too tried to reach for the Grail over everything else in the end.

[MeLikeJinx]

I know Temple of Doom is considered the weakest of the 3 by most, but that doesn't mean it's bad. Everyone at that forum was putting it in the bad camp... which meant the Indy franchise had 2 good Indy movies and 2 bad Indy movies and Indy 5 was gonna be the tie breaker for them.

And I misspoke before... I meant the leaked Indy 5 D23 trailer... which looked really good to me btw, except the phone camera footage looked too blurry to tell how good Harrison Ford's de-aging looked onscreen. And since the rumor is the story involves time travel I am assuming we will mostly be seeing a de-aged Harrison Ford throughout the movie.

But anyway... to me Temple of Doom is the only Indy movie that truly feels like an over the top fun 80's movie along the lines of Big Trouble in Little China and Goonies. I don't think there is a single point in Temple of Doom where it ever takes itself seriously... which is what I loved about it.

[Slackr]

Quote:

Originally Posted by User897

Since the boxes have no windows, I get to save money by only getting one of each figure. Thanks, hasblo.

Not sure I am understanding your correlation here. Are you saying that if the boxes had windows, you would buy more of that figure?

[MeLikeJinx]

^ Lots of people buy two... one to display MIB/MOC and one to open up and play with... no point in just displaying a box though when you can't even see the figure inside... plus you will never know if the contents were switched out without actually opening it too.

[Cyclopswc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MeLikeJinx

^ Lots of people buy two... one to display MIB/MOC and one to open up and play with... no point in just displaying a box though when you can't even see the figure inside... plus you will never know if the contents were switched out without actually opening it too.

Yup, I'm one of those people. Now I'm only buying 1 of each instead of my typical 2.

On top of that, my shelves have themes, so sometimes even figures that I wasn't planning on opening, I'd buy 1 just to display in box because either it's a beautiful figure or the packaging design is really nice. I don't do that anymore either. Especially now the boxes don't even have box arts anymore, just a picture/render of the toy inside.

So yeah, Hasbro is saving me a LOT of money!

[deecee4]

Would've prefered the Amsel movie poster art on the front of the package. Or at least artwork of the character painted in a Amsel/Struzan style.