Master Replicas Gonzo Photo Puppet

[doc hopper]

even if you stipple, paint or touch up, you can't hide the texture of that panty.

 

[Telly]

I can think of a way to help make Gonzo look perfect!

MR can make a Rizzo photo replica!

please?

 

[frogboy4]

The eyes, man...the eyes!

The factory has such a big target to hit for pupil placement. At $300 a pop the eye focus is not okay. I believe that Master Replicas should allow its customers to alter the pupils without voiding the warranty. I don't know what they could have been thinking there? I don't feel like the honest answer has been stated and that reduces my confidence.

The stocking nose is a choice I disagree with, but the pupil placement (if it's as bad as it appears) should result in the company fixing it before it goes out. I know these are limited production pieces accounting for the price, but man, the (also in limited number) Mega Gonzos got this right.

The very thing that makes the Muppet - eye focus - has not been quality controlled. There is no excuse for it. I fear that this product is going to collect warehouse dust because of this one inexpensive alteration. It shows a lack of caring from the manufacturing standpoint.

I sure wish that they'd gone back and fixed Gonzo again and bumped up Fozzie. It simply isn't enough that some non-fans see the poser in person and find him "cute" because they are not the ones buying him. I fear that too many true fans won't be buying him either. I will buy him, but geez...the more I think about it the more I feel that Gonzo should come with some sort of apology letter about the eye focus and tips on how to alter it and keep the warranty.

Just frustrated as I said. This should have happened with the eye focus. They really need to include additional felt replacement dots with every Gonzo and I'll feel better.

Edit instead of an additional post:
I just remember die-hard fans skipping $9.99 action figures for tiny paint application and minor scultural issues. It makes me think that somebody didn't have the right handle on what was most important in making a successful Gonzo. Again, I think he will be this line's "Series One Hair Up Miss Piggy" and hope that doesn't nix post Fozzie plans.

 

[Telly]

I think he will be this line's "Series One Hair Up Miss Piggy" and hope that doesn't nix post Fozzie plans.

I'm totally with you on that one Jamie! MR really is doing a great thing by bring these home to us. I've always my picture taken with the Muppets! I think these are as close as I'll ever get! I loved the "Wish List" he had and would probably get everyone. I haven't gotten Animal yet, but that's because my MAIN priority is Gonzo and Fozzie right now (plus the fact that I'm struggling with credit card late fees and such! Moving twice in a month and a half ain't no walk in the park on the credit card bills!)

 

[MuppetCaper]

Edit instead of an additional post:
I just remember die-hard fans skipping $9.99 action figures for tiny paint application and minor scultural issues. It makes me think that somebody didn't have the right handle on what was most important in making a successful Gonzo. Again, I think he will be this line's "Series One Hair Up Miss Piggy" and hope that doesn't nix post Fozzie plans.

I think that is too over the top just for a little piece of plastic. It's just an action figure. I remember way before I was on this board and I was going through the Toys R Us isles. I remember seeing the little Muppet action figures and thought how cute. I would have never overlooked a color was off or this and that was off. You could not tell a ten year old kid who wants these that something is wrong cause they honestly didn't really care. The only ones that would care about every little tiny detail is the diehard fans. But I wouldn't go histerical over a 10 dollar action figure that sat on a toyshelf for gaud knows how long. 10 dollars from 300 dollars makes a big difference. I can live with a paint flaw on a piece of plastic, you can always go and buy some paint and fix that...anyone can do that. But there people out there that can't alter the Gonzo photo puppet and paying for that much, people would be affraid to do that if they really didn't know how.

 

[frogboy4]

One last rant...

That's the deal with these pieces. Muppet fans are unlike many other types of fans. For some reason we are a more fickle bunch and many companies just aren't getting that. Eye focus isn't just an "oh well, close enough" sort of proposition. It's the beating heart of an authentic Muppet.

When figuring expense, these replicas are too expensive for the ball to be dropped by an inexpensive proposition like the eye focus or even the added expense of tooling a correct-looking plastic beak. It is my belief that too many people – who would have gladly paid $50 extra for an authentic looking plastic nose – will not buy Gonzo because of the nose stocking. That should not have been considered an option.

Gonzo has been treated in nose, but especially in pupil-focus as an expensive chotchky, not a replica. Muppets are more than just the sum of their parts. It’s the placement of these parts and the materials utilized! That’s what makes this Gonzo a doll.

When considering fans passed on so many inexpensive action figures (they really should have been priced higher) one can only assume that this Gonzo will not fare well. He has been mishandled. The strategy of passing on plastic molding due to expense is a terrible one. I wish they'd held Gonzo back longer. He's not nearly done baking.

But, man...it's the eyes. It's just not okay. Still stuck on that. Would Ken at Palisades have released this? Even series two Gonzo's eye focus was better. Trying to get off this rant, but don't feel it has been properly addressed by MR yet.

 

[lithiumbrain]

Although a relatively unfair comparison, this kind of reaffirms the point I was trying to make...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/23001839@N02/2234433699/sizes/l/

Haha...ummm yeah...It's pretty bad. I had started a reticulated foam Gonzo head last year that turned out perfect. Being a sculptor professionally, it was not too difficult. I did massive ammounts of research on fur materials and such, down to the dyed ultra suede tongue. I was sent fur samples from 10 different suppliers. And I took over 100 screen grabs from the first 3 dvds. This was to be a full body working puppet with controlable eye lids. I held off on the project for 2 reasons: My busy schedule and I wanted to wait and see how the MR version turns out. I am now going to finish my Gonzo.

 

[uppitymuppity]

Jamie

Plastic nose aside - which was too expensive and not feasible as we were told, don't you think a more muppety texture on the nose would have been more desirable to the market?

They totally dropped the ball on this one, I agree. This whole venture cannot be hinged on one muppet though. Look at Gonzo as a muppet in the making and forget about the warranty. Perhaps this oversight will result in a better end of the line?

 

[MuppetCaper]

It's really hard to find riticulated foam blocks. I looked all over the net for another project I was doing and if you do find them, they can be expensive. I wanted to get this foam in 35 PPI, but like I said, I am not havin any good luck finding it.

 

[Kevin Knight]

Well what's done is done. MR will unlikely be shipping replacement pupils, will not be sending any apologize, and will not be doing anything else with Gonzo. The photo replicas are in their boxes, packaged, in a transport container, waiting to be shipped, across the pacific, by boat, back to the US. What is done is done. The company will not be addressing or answering any questions regarding the nose iussue, tux coloring, pupil placement, or any other Gonzo issue is beating a dead horse. The only thing to do is to look to the future and tell MR that if the choice has to be made again that you would rather them not make that certain character with substitute materials. Keep in mind that enough people are quite happy to have a close enough resemblance for those thoughts to not be taken into consideration. Unfortunate but true.

The issues being brought up are like harassing MR because the Han Solo blaster didn't have Harrison Ford fingerprints on the trigger!

I for one, didn't really ever like Gonzo. He was like the enoying aquaitance of a friend that you tolerated and wished would go away, but you tolerate out of courtesy to your actual friend. Thankfully the bear is on the way.

Kevin