Master Replicas Gonzo Photo Puppet

[Was Once Ernie]

What's the point of any Muppet plush, toy or piece of memorabilia? Purely for people to have and enjoy. Sure there are things that aren't exact but tell me what you have ever bought that HAS been perfect?

My replicas of Jerry Mahoney and Knucklehead Smiff, made from Paul Winchell's original molds, are perfect. The Tom Servo replica that was built for me is perfect.

I expect the Muppet "replicas" to be at least as close as the Kermit and Animal are. Anything less and I'm not buying.

 

[MuppetCaper]

I guess I must be very fortunate about these to the degree that they make me feel good and bring me back to my childhood. I like them for what they are. I have been a collecter for many years as far as Star Wars, Lord of the Rings and now the photo puppet replicas. I have never seen anything that I have collected to look exactly like what the movies or originals have shown. I also know that the people that are making these collectibles are not the people who actually made the real prop, and I can be happy with that much. I just like that fact I can look at that and go WOW that looks so nice in my collection without having to go around it with a magnifying glass and dissect what could have been...which it will never be. So for all it's worth, just sit back stare at it and smile and say.....This is so kewl to have. This is just me though guys. When I was a kid, I always wished I could see a Muppet up close or to actually own one. I remember trying to build one and it never worked and never looked like it. But I kept wishing for one....even a Kermit. To me, this is so close to what I wished for, and now I feel this is my chance or even all your guys chance to have this as well. I would love to see this line go on as far as it will go just to have a gang of Muppets.

 

[Mistersuperstar]

I guess I must be very fortunate about these to the degree that they make me feel good and bring me back to my childhood. I like them for what they are. I have been a collecter for many years as far as Star Wars, Lord of the Rings and now the photo puppet replicas. I have never seen anything that I have collected to look exactly like what the movies or originals have shown. I also know that the people that are making these collectibles are not the people who actually made the real prop, and I can be happy with that much. I just like that fact I can look at that and go WOW that looks so nice in my collection without having to go around it with a magnifying glass and dissect what could have been...which it will never be. So for all it's worth, just sit back stare at it and smile and say.....This is so kewl to have. This is just me though guys. When I was a kid, I always wished I could see a Muppet up close or to actually own one. I remember trying to build one and it never worked and never looked like it. But I kept wishing for one....even a Kermit. To me, this is so close to what I wished for, and now I feel this is my chance or even all your guys chance to have this as well. I would love to see this line go on as far as it will go just to have a gang of Muppets.

Exactly!

 

[antonydavanzo]

agreed with the above!

 

[Luke]

I also know that the people that are making these collectibles are not the people who actually made the real prop, and I can be happy with that much. I just like that fact I can look at that and go WOW that looks so nice in my collection without having to go around it with a magnifying glass and dissect what could have been...which it will never be.

I respect your opinion, except ... it could be. This is down to technical design decisions (and maybe budget) at the moment, it's not that they can't choose to go another way with it or it isn't technically possible to do things better. If you look at Kermit or Fozzie, and to an extent, Animal, you can see how close they can get these. That's why Gonzo sticks out as being pretty poor right now and willl look a little odd in a collection. If we've seen how good these can be i don't see why people should accept poor quality instead of pressing them to sort it out. I fear it's a little late for them to change the major things but i hope they surprise us with some dramatic improvements.

 

[MWoO]

I guess I must be very fortunate about these to the degree that they make me feel good and bring me back to my childhood. I like them for what they are. I have been a collecter for many years as far as Star Wars, Lord of the Rings and now the photo puppet replicas. I have never seen anything that I have collected to look exactly like what the movies or originals have shown. I also know that the people that are making these collectibles are not the people who actually made the real prop, and I can be happy with that much. I just like that fact I can look at that and go WOW that looks so nice in my collection without having to go around it with a magnifying glass and dissect what could have been...which it will never be. So for all it's worth, just sit back stare at it and smile and say.....This is so kewl to have. This is just me though guys. When I was a kid, I always wished I could see a Muppet up close or to actually own one. I remember trying to build one and it never worked and never looked like it. But I kept wishing for one....even a Kermit. To me, this is so close to what I wished for, and now I feel this is my chance or even all your guys chance to have this as well. I would love to see this line go on as far as it will go just to have a gang of Muppets.

The Gonzo issue is not something that you need a magnifying glass to see, it's a glaringly obvious issue. Gonzo has a seam running up his nose. I mean, that's pretty obvious. The original prototype Gonzo was great and it could be done like that. I mean when they have the patterns and an amazing puppet builder doing their prototypes, I don't see why they can't be as perfect as possible. As he is now Gonzo just looks BAD. The nose looks wrong and the seam that is seen in the higher res photos really kills the product for me.

Sorry, but I'm not someone who can ignore stuff like this and happily pay 300 dollars for him and just smile. There are knock off puppets that look better.

 

[MWoO]

If it comes down to using some sort of stocking-covered nose or molding a light weight plasic shnoz - I pick plastic.

There's no way they can use the same materials as the puppets or even the official posers and expect them to last more than a couple years.

That's the hard fact. The solution is what will determine the quality of the final product. Plastic can be molded to include texture and nuance that would be lost in using a stocking-covered nose. That's just an inherent reality of the material. Painting, airbrushing and subtle layer-shading, if attempted, would better work with a plastic textured mold as well.

So plastic gets my vote over a nose sock. My main concerns - are they listening and is there time? I'm prepared to wait for a better-looking Gonzo. Heck, bump him after Fozzie if needed. These are really more observations and options rather than criticisms. After seeing Kermit and the new Animal pictures I have faith in Master Replicas.

I agree. Plastic that looks better would be preferable to this nose sock that might bend but looks like crap. And I still don't see why they can not use foam if they have used foam on his eye lids and mouth. Heck, lets see what a painted high density foam would look like. There has to be foams out there that look close enough.

 

[Luke]

I agree. Plastic that looks better would be preferable to this nose sock that might bend but looks like crap. And I still don't see why they can not use foam if they have used foam on his eye lids and mouth. Heck, lets see what a painted high density foam would look like. There has to be foams out there that look close enough.

The original prototype did look fairly good, i don't see why it couldn't use something like that. If it's anything to do with Disney feeling the stocking stuff will be longer lasting they need to consider it's supposed to be a replica, not a toy, and people have been sold these as using "similar materials". I'm not even sure Master Replicas has much interaction with the customers but i hope they are trying to find another solution that Disney will pass, and oughta have explained to the fans what the problem is rather than just putting out prototype pictures that have these problems. The other issue that Jamie brought up i hope Disney would have spotted in reviewing these but i guess the people reviewing now are less experienced with Muppets than Henson were.

I really hate how they put out these prototype photos with problems and ask people to part with money to pre-order them with vague promises, and not knowing whether problems will be sorted before they arrive - there was a lot of confusion over Animal's mouth articulation and people should have known it wouldn't have any before they paid.

 

[MuppetCaper]

Like Amy said awhile back when the prototypes where shown before presale. MR is working with Disney right now getting this right. So why are we so worried right now? We still have around six months to go before seeing the final product.

 

[MWoO]

We are worried because they HAVEN'T figured it out yet. If you pre-ordered right now for ap roduct that looks like crap and the only thing you know for sure is "they are working on it" you'd worry too. This is why I refuse to pre-order for this kind of thing. I'd rather wait and see how the final product looks. I mean, really, do you think that the company is going to say the final product will look awful?