Your Thoughts: Authentic Animal Replica

[LeanneRivett]

With stuff like that being sold is it any wonder that Piggy merchandise doesn't sell well anymore. Compare that to the Fisher Price toys of the 70's and there is no contest.

Here, Here!

 

[Ilikemuppets]

Animals a bute! Can't wait for them to do another one!

 

[Ignohippo]

Uh, they have. He's called Gonzo and he rocks!

 

[Convincing John]

Hi folks, this is a GENUINE appeal. My cats have attacked Animal (I assume they just see him as a big red bird) and there are now some noticable bald spots. Can anyone tell me where I can get some replacement feathers from? I love him 2 bits and need to restore him to his former glory. Shaving the rest of his head is not an option!

Try this link. I've had good luck with this company. I don't know what glue you should use, although I did see a bottle of "Arlene's Tacky Glue" in a Muppet Workshop photo once. You can get it at Wal-Mart. hope this helps.

Convincing John

 

[Kevin Knight]

With te disputes we've al had concerning animal's eye placement? If I can direct your attention to the drawings on each of your Animal boxes? WOW how blatent is that. "Sorry we know Disney wants them to be here, but where do we put the hinge'?" Am I right?

Kevin

 

[muppetperson]

Sorry, dont catch what you are saying.Eye placement, drawings on boxes, hinges?

 

[muppet baby]

yep i am not catching that either
wantig to know what he means to

 

[Kevin Knight]

What I was saying was based on the drawings on the box, that come right from the disney designs for Animal. The eyes should've been closer together, as it has been disputed. I imagine based on "well how to we keep the brow straight if not hinged in the middle also?" They had to make concessions to the design by seperating the eyes. Phew! I don't rememebr being on the sauce today?

KK
Kevin

 

[muppetperson]

Just that you seemed to be asking questions, when it was more a statement and then I had to read the next sentence to complete the first sentence.So basically you are refering to the stencil drawings and instructions saying the factory havent followed them.Yes, the eyes should of been closer and they still could have worked out the closing eyelids.Look at the Palisades Animal for example.The nose states that it should not be circular, but it is.By the way, I think these illistrations date back to Hensons, not Disney.

 

[frogboy4]

Hope this helps.

The drawings on Animal’s box are from some of the Muppet licensor art intended to demonstrate the correct ways to illustrate the characters. These aren't the puppet building instructions. Those designs are entirely different and are considered more of a trade secret.

These drawings do date back to Henson and I never really favored a lot of the drawn source material from their archives (with the exception of the Frith and Jim Henson conceptual art, of course). These drawings tend to be too cartoonish for my taste and needlessly erase much of what make the characters interesting and Muppety. I've seen good cartoon representations of the characters but they are rare.

The eye focus and jaw hinge placement were factory quality control issues that has the MR/Corgi team seeking a manufacturing source with better skills in the subtleties of Muppet building for Fozzie Bear. There are enough source images on Animal to have achieved a more accurate Animal, but it really depends on the factory.

The Henson Company has great committed, friendly folk, but they didn't keep the most comprehensive, organized records on their characters the way most other such companies would. Disney appears to be remedying this. They have a lot of thanks to give to Ken Lilly, the Palisades team and Muppet enthusiasts on this forum for helping out in recent years. Sometimes Disney has been a bit clumsy, but they are trying and more products are reflecting that.