What's more important to your collection, the movie or the character design?

[Khev]

When deciding what figures to own, do you just like having whatever the coolest looking character is or do you like your figures to represent great movies? Obviously both factors are considerations, but what would you say is *more* important?

I'm guessing its the character design for most but maybe I'm wrong.

For me the quality of the movie referenced in the piece is the greater appeal. I'm much more looking forward to owning PF Dagobah Luke than any rendition of Darth Maul. I like both TPM and Maul, but the character of Luke and much greater affinity I have always had for ESB give it the edge.

What about you?

 

[Darth Loki]

At these prices, BOTH!

I don't really care about a cool looking character from a crappy movie. That's what makes LOTR and SW so great is they encompass both a great movie and very interesting characters.

 

[CookieMonster]

I'd have to partially agree with Loki on this one.

I suppose people will feel that as they are paying top doller for many statues/collectibles, they should be more 'likeness' then 'iconic'.
I think sometimes a figure can be brought out that has a similar likeness but captures a specific/iconic moment from a film. The appeal will vary amongst collectors. I personnaly DO go for likeness first over iconic poses although both can eventually capture your imagination. For example, I bought the PF Luke as my 1st SW piece. Some people said at the time the face expression was not the best but the pose was iconic from the film. Over the past couple of months I have come to really like his statue as my SW collection grows. Because of this I cancelled the Luke/Yoda statue. I would prefer to pick up Yoda on his own too.

 

[Icemizer]

I would have to say Character design is more important than the movie. There have been many average(in my opinion) movies that have great characters that I would love to see translated into PF or 1/6 form. I would like to see the Lord Marshall from Chronicles of Riddick as a PF. Not a great movie but it would make a great looking PF.

Resident Evil: Nemesis has the title creature Nemesis that would make a great PF. The movie itself will never be considered great but just having that character standing next to the PF of Jason would look very cool.

So I would have to say the character is far more important than the movie it comes from.

 

[Josette]

Assuming I'm understanding this right....my choice would be "movie". I have to be a fan of something, a rather big one I might add, to buy collectibles of it. I easily and without a second thought pass on a figure of a character I don't care for in a movie or if the character is in a movie I didn't like - no matter how detailed or accurate the figure is. I have to be a fan of the movie, and most importantly, a fan of the character to buy a figure of it. I've always been that way.

I can think a figure looks cool, but if I'm not a fan of the movie/character to begin with, I'll never buy it. In my collection, every figure I have I own because I'm a fan of the show/movie and I love that character. Every single one. So it isn't based on how "cool" a figure looks, it's based on who that figure represents.

 

[Khev]

The main reason I asked the question is because of the people who have Pumpkinhead and Highlander figures in their collection or would rather have Jango Fett or Darth Maul than Bespin Luke.

 

[Josette]

It's an interesting question.

I've met people on both sides of the collecting coin when it comes to this.

 

[Bannister]

The main reason I asked the question is because of the people who have Pumpkinhead and Highlander figures in their collection or would rather have Jango Fett or Darth Maul than Bespin Luke.

For me it is a combination of both. In the case of Highlander, I want a Medieval Kurgan because I think it is a cool character from a good movie. In the case of Star Wars, I enjoyed the prequels and while not as good as the ot, they are still decent movies that I want characters from. In some cases, however I have bought figures from movies I haven't even seen, just because I liked the character design, which is why I said it is a combination of both for me.

 

[Darklord Dave]

I buy all the Freddies and Jasons even though I didn't like most of the films. With SW, Maul is a just a cool character and even though I didn't like PM that much, I think everyone can agree that was a pretty good battle.

 

[pixletwin]

I would movie. If they movie is good (or I like a specific character) I will buy. If not, I won't.

 

[Turgon]

I also collect AVP stuff, so there's your answer.

 

[TheObsoleteMan]

It's all about the quality of the source material for me. If I don't have some sort of emotional connection to the character then it doesn't interest me.

The upcoming Cordelia and Giles figures are perfect examples. Based solely on character design they're both rather dull, but the characters themselves mean a lot to me so I have to have them.

 

[Josette]

^ That's a great way to put it! I feel the same about Giles. He's wearing ordinary clothes, sure, but he's one of my very favorite Buffy characters if not my actual favorite, and he will be a favorite figure of mine once he's in my collection.

 

[KitFisto]

I can't vote for one or the other because I agree with Loki...BOTH.

I don't buy "cool" pieces unless I really like the movie and I don't buy crappy pieces anymore ( cough hasbro cough ) because I really like the movie.

 

[Seaward]

It generally has to be both for me too, some combination of the movie being something that I have an emotional connection with. The character design isn't as important, but it certainly can play a part. For example, I love Wes Anderson movies, and I would love toys from Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, Royal Tenenbaums, and Life Aquatic. While the characters get more visually interesting with each film, I would like a Dignan figure from Bottle rocket as much as I would Steve Zissou!

 

[doesitmatter]

Definitely quality of the movie. You talk about Giles being a guy in a suit, between Bond and the X Files, just about ALL my Sideshow is guys in suits!

And looking at my Universal monsters, I have more Frankenstein than any other movie, because it was the best. I don't even own a Mummy or Wolf Man!

 

[galactiboy]

I also collect AVP stuff, so there's your answer.

Nicely put

I think that a lot of times it is more about the character than the movie/license. Sometimes you will have real crap films, but someone or some character really sticks out and then I'll pick up a figure.

But then for movies, etc that I like it can be more important to how much I like the character (not just the property) that influences me. For instance I love SW... but that doesn't mean I'll buy every unique figure or incarnation of a character. But I'll definitely buy the characters I like... and I would prefer a Bespin Luke over Jango anyday! But Bespin against Boba might be more difficult

 

[Gruson]

I have to REALLY like the movie and the character to buy the piece.

Some pieces look really cool but do not really mean anything to me so they do not join my collection.

The piece itself also has to be "the best" in terms of quality.

Quality over quantity any day.

The only exception I have considered is Pumpkinhead. I did not really like the movie but as a fan of 80s horror, I have really thought about buying it.

 

[DarkArtist81]

I think it's a combo of both for me.... I have to love the movie, true... But sometimes a character comes along that his mere presence in the film makes it more awesome. Kurgan was exactly that for Highlander, he made that movie so much more sweet IMO.

Character design is always nice, but the emotional connection from a movie I loved makes it cooler to me.

 

[King Darkness]

I think it's a combo of both for me.... I have to love the movie, true... But sometimes a character comes along that his mere presence in the film makes it more awesome. Kurgan was exactly that for Highlander, he made that movie so much more sweet IMO.

Character design is always nice, but the emotional connection from a movie I loved makes it cooler to me.

I agree 100%....The quality from a movie is always important to me but often a movie can be sub par and still warrent getting figures from...case in point I own a HT Scar Predator from AVP, which,IMO, was not a good movie.