Some constructive criticism...

[Agent23]

I like the base on this one actually. I like how it says "Fellowship of the Ring" as well...

This piece rocks. After being on the fence, and then seeing the pictures, how can I not order it? I hate to say it, but, it's right up there with the Weta pieces, in my opinion.

In fact the only complaint I have is that I wasn't home to get the "Exclusive" version. I will order the "Regular" edition and still be happy. I am on the wait list for the other, and since we have at least 8 or 9 months till it ships, maybe I will get one off the wait list. We'll see...

I will more then likely order this from one of our trusted dealers (if they are getting them)....

 

[SnapJimmy]

I think it would be better if they add some mudd splashes and
darken the colour of leather armor.
Other than that, everything looks perfect to me.

 

[Beren]

Top of the food chain baby!!!



Weta who????......

Jesse

Weta Workshop! And don't you forget it, they didn't just make sculpts, they designed these things. Ungrateful little...

I for one have often been disappointed with statues and busts because the likeness with the actors portraying the roles wasn't very good (yes, Legolas Statue and bust likeness SUCK and I personally wish it looked like O.Bloom), but how many people on this board actually realize that that was for the most part DELIBERATE??!

Richard Taylor has said they wanted to make pieces of art that would outlive the movies and not be recreated clones. So they tried to capture the essence of the character without cloning the actor's features.

And dammit, I ordered the Lurtz, I never would have dreamed amassing such a collection, I've got about 85 SSW pieces, with more being added every month, if not almost weekly sometimes. Aaaaahhhhh......

And why are so many asking for PF versions of characters that we already have in statue and bust form? Give us something we haven't had before, like Faramir!
Beren

 

[daelith]

Based on the high res pics, I still think the arms a bit skinny, specifically his biceps. Is it off by much? No. Does it bug me? Yes. His head is slightly big as well, which makes him look stumpy. Again, not off by much. Does it bug me? Yes. Does it bug me enough to keep me from purchasing it? No. Overall, it's a great sculpt, with great details. As I mentioned when I started this thread, it's a great price for a combination of reasons and hence the lowest grade I gave it was an B+.

Lemme see if I can dig up some pics to illustrate, as I just got home =/

 

[daelith]

 

[Viking28]

Kind of hard to compare that picture with the SS one because is it in the same scale? Lurtz head is pointed down not straight looking ahead. Arms are actually the correct size.

 

[Scar]

Firstly, I can't say that I even recognize the b&w of Lurtz that was just posted. It looks like a horrid mock cross between newborn and armored, sort of a transitional state; it also looks like like an empty suit than one brought to life by an actor (doesn't have the broad Lawrence Makoare shoulders embodied in the PF figure).

Also, while I'm not a fan of nameplates either, I actually like this one. It has a rustic, primitive, yet industrial feel that makes it seem like it was stamped on in the caverns of Isengard (even though it was mentioned earlier that the name "Lurtz" was not even said in FOTR, just largely made public through books, toys, and other assorted sources made available to the fans). The proportions on Lurtz seem nothing if not perfect to me.

My breath was simply taken away when I saw the Sideshow order page with the picture of the Lurtz that I and countless other fans have always dreamed of having in our collections. I don't think there's any ground for the complaints about a flawed likeness. I tend to be compulsively nitpicky, particularly with collectibles (I've been known to sit and stare at what I consider to be defects for hours trying to remedy the situations). Even the slightest flaws have kept me from getting many a statue (and what has often led me to move largely towards bust collecting). Ergo, with a fairly fastidious nature, I adore this piece, and 3rd quarter 2006 cannot come soon enough .

 

[larbob]

I did not order Lurtz but I think SS did a great job on it.
Really like the base and statue itself is impressive.

 

[GrimaSnailTongue]

Honestly, I knew Sideshow would get this right. Their roots go back into the early days of resin Garage Kits, and they have some of the best sculptors and artists currently working for them. Not to knock Weta, but I wish SS ahd done the LOTR polystone line themselves.Congratulations Sideshow, you guys knocked this one out of the ballpark! (ps- Steve West is the man!)

 

[speedracer]

I just feel that some proportions should really be up to the sculptor...if the sculptor feels lurtz would look better with a bigger or smaller noggin..then i'm sure its warranted..a lifesize subject with all it's proportions sometimes don't translate well in different sizes..

That being said i think the tweaks they did to this lutrz if any don't bother me at all it's a beautiful peice..=)

 

[daelith]

That B&W Pic is of Laurence Makoare. Lurtz's lowered head was taken into account.

 

[Jesseawilson]

Weta Workshop! And don't you forget it, they didn't just make sculpts, they designed these things. Ungrateful little...

I have plenty of Weta products left but I can admit when I find something better.....

I for one have often been disappointed with statues and busts because the likeness with the actors portraying the roles wasn't very good (yes, Legolas Statue and bust likeness SUCK and I personally wish it looked like O.Bloom), but how many people on this board actually realize that that was for the most part DELIBERATE??!

Richard Taylor has said they wanted to make pieces of art that would outlive the movies and not be recreated clones. So they tried to capture the essence of the character without cloning the actor's features.

Thats the best excuse I have ever heard of when you screw something up, "I did it on purpose"!!! If they did it so "on purpose" how come the majority of the Weta pieces do actualy very closely resemble the actors?

And dammit, I ordered the Lurtz, I never would have dreamed amassing such a collection, I've got about 85 SSW pieces, with more being added every month, if not almost weekly sometimes. Aaaaahhhhh......

And why are so many asking for PF versions of characters that we already have in statue and bust form? Give us something we haven't had before, like Faramir!
Beren

Because in PF we dont already have anything. These PF are in a whole new league and from my perspective we are starting all over again.


Jesse

 

[Jesseawilson]

That B&W Pic is of Laurence Makoare. Lurtz's lowered head was taken into account.

Looks right on to me. If the PF had his hands opened and hanging down more it would look like an exact match....



Jesse

 

[Gazmog]

The one thing I don't understand is the need for the nameplate.

That's what they mean when they say 'Museum quality'. Each museum artefact has a nameplate...so must these.

 

[Beren]

Thats the best excuse I have ever heard of when you screw something up, "I did it on purpose"!!! If they did it so "on purpose" how come the majority of the Weta pieces do actualy very closely resemble the actors?

Maybe some sculptors didn't listen to Taylor.

And ever notice that it's the older actors that have a better resemblance to the busts than the younger ones? Boromir bust has no aging features, which is why you can't connect it really to Sean Bean, IMO. Theoden on the other hand is an excellent likeness. Or Saruman. Maybe by the time the PFs come out, I've moved into a house, and have more space for my collection.

Just throwing this out here, but the lead figures from Eaglemoss are an excellent collection. I've had an armored Lurtz for about 2 years through it. 60 figures in total, everything SSW has thrown at us is in this collection and lots more. (Faramir, Denethor, Posessed Galadriel, Posessed Theoden, Rose, Mouth of Sauron etc) OK, it's 1/29 scale but it is really cool and takes up very little space compared to the other lines.

Because in PF we dont already have anything. These PF are in a whole new league and from my perspective we are starting all over again.

All... over.... again? Nooooooooooo.............

 

[Beren]

hmmm, how does one post an image?

ok here's the link anyway

https://www.lotr-models.co.uk/index4.html

Lurtz!

And how come the quotes to whom I was replying to disappeared?

 

[The Josh]

I have plenty of Weta products left but I can admit when I find something better.....

Well, this is something I find funny. Now that the Weta line is over lots of people seem to be finding stuff that's "better". Not that there aren't items that are better than the Weta pieces out there in the world, but at least for me I don't feel that way. Its just that now that the SSW LOTR line is really drawing to a close lots of people have found the next "great" thing. I'm not saying you are Jesse just using this quote as an example of thse that I think actually are doing this type of thing. I guess it just reminds me of a kid that gets a new toy for Chirstmas then a couple months later drops it for the next new toy.

As I said yesterday it appears that the SS line is off to a nice start in the PF range and will be everybit as good as the SSW line. However, I personally won't lock myself into that until I get to see Lurtz in person come July at SDCC.

Because in PF we dont already have anything. These PF are in a whole new league and from my perspective we are starting all over again.

Yup, that's why I need my Fellowship now

 

[Daveyjaro]

I will always like the Weta line, all of the statues look very lifelike. Polystone gives that effect. The PF line is unproven, but the first offering Lurtz looks awesome and hopefully is a precursor to other awesome figures.

I won't really know the quality until I see in person. Pics sometimes do not do proper justice (good or bad).

 

[LOTRFan]

Had it been up to me, I would have chosen not to have a name plate, but since they have added one here, they now must continue to have one for every LOTR PF figure.

Exactly my feelings as well, please continue to do them or I think the discontinuity will really show.

 

[Viking28]

Thats the best excuse I have ever heard of when you screw something up, "I did it on purpose"!!! If they did it so "on purpose" how come the majority of the Weta pieces do actualy very closely resemble the actors?

Maybe some sculptors didn't listen to Taylor.

And ever notice that it's the older actors that have a better resemblance to the busts than the younger ones? Boromir bust has no aging features, which is why you can't connect it really to Sean Bean, IMO. Theoden on the other hand is an excellent likeness. Or Saruman. Maybe by the time the PFs come out, I've moved into a house, and have more space for my collection.

Just throwing this out here, but the lead figures from Eaglemoss are an excellent collection. I've had an armored Lurtz for about 2 years through it. 60 figures in total, everything SSW has thrown at us is in this collection and lots more. (Faramir, Denethor, Posessed Galadriel, Posessed Theoden, Rose, Mouth of Sauron etc) OK, it's 1/29 scale but it is really cool and takes up very little space compared to the other lines.

Because in PF we dont already have anything. These PF are in a whole new league and from my perspective we are starting all over again.

All... over.... again? Nooooooooooo.............

I always thought the "we dont want the statue to look to much like the actors" was a excuse also.
Thats what were buying (well myself I can speak of) because of the memories of the movie. It's like buying a prop replica from a movie and the manufactor saying "we changed it well because we thought this was more in line with the story".
That just doesn't sound right or we would see characters made from the book that didn't make it into the movie *cough*Tom*cough.