The Craw
Super Freak
cant wit for these guys now that ive seen the finished versions. they look great and im sure they will look 10 times better in hand. sorry to say it, but i never saw a SS pic that i liked.
FRODO & SAMWISE 1/6th
- Thread starter Wor-Gar
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Captain Faramir
Super Freak
They do look great! The only disappointments for me are that Frodo's paint job is slightly less powerful, though still good, and Sam's outer jacket doesn't look as film-accurate as the prototype. But, I'll without judgement until I get them in hand! 
MANDO
Super Freak
Frodo doesn't look as good as the proto, especially in the eyes which I think really sold the likeness. I'm still gonna hold on to him though. In the midst of the Indiana Jones rush come May, Frodo will be a nice break.
inuka
Super Freak
The paint apps on Frodo's face looks disappointing. I hope this is due to poor lighting for the photoshoot.
Captain Faramir
Super Freak
I think it's just that the eyes aren't as profound as the original. They need that purity and sorrow that the original somehow managed to convey. And Sam's jacket is the wrong color--like Faramir, they went brown, when it should have stayed grey. This trend must stop at once!
Captain Faramir
Super Freak
Oh, and it looks almost as though the faces are simply cast in a flesh tone without having painted the skin colors on, ala medicom and some Hot Toys figures. I hope this is not so!
I love this Series and will certainly buy these two - but I haven't seen one good paint Job from Sideshow yet - they all need a repaint and some weathering - but that's the fun in collecting for me
devilof76
Super Freak
I'm not too excited about the paint on either of them. They seem way too monochromatic, and it almost looks thick. Like Bespin Han. But it's not enough to make me cancel. There's a lot of shadow in both 360's, so there's still a chance they'll be better than they look now.
Except that Frodo was perfect before...
Oh well. The wait is almost over.
Except that Frodo was perfect before...
Oh well. The wait is almost over.
thamesvalidude
Super Freak
Got to admit I'm somewhat disappointed with Frodo, but Sam still looks good.
I've gone and spoilt myself by buying Hot Toys, Enterbay and Takara figures recently and although they are expensive they are bloody good.
Don't suppose any of those guys will do LOTR so I'll just have to put up with a Frodo that isn't quite Elijah Wood. Oh well!
I've gone and spoilt myself by buying Hot Toys, Enterbay and Takara figures recently and although they are expensive they are bloody good.
Don't suppose any of those guys will do LOTR so I'll just have to put up with a Frodo that isn't quite Elijah Wood. Oh well!
I know it's due to the layers of clothing but Frodo looks like he has no neck. I'll definitely be addressing that when I get him.
As for the paint aps, they will never be like the proto-type. They never are. Even the nicer factory paint aps fail to meet the one-of-a-kind paint aps of the prototypes. We know the sculpt is there so depending on the in-hand appearance, a repaint may be in order.
As for the paint aps, they will never be like the proto-type. They never are. Even the nicer factory paint aps fail to meet the one-of-a-kind paint aps of the prototypes. We know the sculpt is there so depending on the in-hand appearance, a repaint may be in order.
That is true and expected, however, I don't think anyone's issue in here is the quality of apps persay. Both Sam and Frodo are painted very well. The trouble is, Frodo's likeness is now lost in the paint. While some figures have had similar happen, Aragorn for example, most figures, even if not as stellar as the proto, still show the likeness. Old Ben's paint apps are not as nice as the prototype, but he still looks amazingly like Alec Guinness, the dropoff didn't impact the likeness at all. Sam still looks like Sam, it's just that Frodo doesn't resemble Elijah Wood like the Prototype did and all it takes is attention to things like the sizing and placement of his iris' and it looks almost like his eyebrows are the same dark shade as his hair and that's a bit too dark. A factory painter could easily accomplish the small details that define the portrait. The weird thing for me is that these are approved samples, so I'm hoping maybe Frodo looks better than he's translating in the QTVR file, I wouldn't think if he's just like the video shows he'd get approved unless that's the best the factory could do, in which case it might be time to change up factories.
It still looks like EW 2 me but his skin tone appears to be lighter now than the proto which I somewhat expect anyways. I'm a little let down because of the paint and it hiding a touch of Tim's sculpt but overall they still look nice.
Frodo looks nice, but as Cap Faramir pointed out eloquently, there essence of Frodo, which translated so much through his eyes, was totally captured in the prototype's eye paint, but it's not showing in the new 360 so the portrait just looks like a well painted human face now. The good point is knowing who sculpted it and what he's capable of, I've been impressed with every sculpt by Tim so I know the Elijah portrait lies beneath there and can be saved with a new paint job, but I always prefer if it can just come out of the factory correctly. Plus, 90% of Hot Toys human portraits come out just the same as the prototype, so it can be achieved to match pretty well, not necessarily dead on like highlights in hair and skin blending, but just to get the size and placement of eyes and the colors right enough to maintain the likeness would be great. My perception is probably a bit skewed because of the wait for these figures, had it been a normal timeframe from proto to in hand, I might think differently but when pieces are delayed, I think it's natural you build up an expectation that the delay is for the best and what you get is beyond your hope. Thankfully at least, I find the quality of manufacturing on the clothes to be superb and worth the delay. I'm not so into LOTR that I know all the colors things should be so I don't pick up on the colors and materials, but I can spot made well or sloppy and these look very well made.
It's just off period. Don't look nearly as good as the proto EW is gone for the most part. Is it so bad that people should cancel? I don't think so.
I'm hoping it's the harsh light with a dark background that's washing out Frodo's face. Hoping....
I'm with you on the "hoping side", I'd feel different if the Proto pictures weren't shot in similar lighting. We'll find out soon enough. Pictures would actually be better than a 360 right now, the lighting for the 360 has to be a certain way so that from every angle you get in the spin you get the best lighting, so some angles may be perfect lighting, which ANH Luke has some angles where the light really favors him, but from other angles no so good and it could be the dead on angle with Frodo isn't good lighting. With pictures, they can just use the lighting that's best for capturing the piece in that one shot.
Ok, so I'm going to go back to the nerdery with my fellow nerds and our calculators
Sorry, I just enjoy participating in discussion of photography and videography
The more I look at it and sorta crop things out, the eyes don't look too bad, the eyebrows I think are what's throwing it all off, too dark, too thick, I can't put my finger on what it is but something about them totally changes the look of the eyes but if you kinda look at the eyes with the eyebrows blocked out, looks better.
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Captain Faramir
Super Freak
Ok, so I'm going to go back to the nerdery with my fellow nerds and our calculators
Sorry, I just enjoy participating in discussion of photography and videography
No worries dude; at least you're not as bad as I, whose every shelf is covered with books on Tolkien and the films, especially those which cover the props, costumes, and details of the movies. Sadly I've read all of them at least a few times over and usually I browse them whenever I'm eating; combine that with a photographic memory and it adds a whole new meaning to "nerdiness." I'd recognize an error in something as miniscule as a button.
It's just hard to capture Elijah Wood because his acting style is unlike those of most actors, who depend on their facial character and expression to convey emotions. Their looks and the way they use their faces are what they rely on to convey their feelings and personalities. Elijah Wood is different; every emotion, every feeling, and every quality is expressed solely in his eyes and the area around them. It's the heart of both his technique and his characters. Get those wrong, and you don't get Frodo. Hit the nail dead on, and you can forgive almost any other discrepency. The prototype captured his eyes perfectly. They were large, innocent, and believing, and yet still conveyed that sense of being apart which defines Frodo's character. They new paintjob (from what we can see of it, mind you) has big blue eyes, sure, but they aren't deep nor profound nor emotional. It becomes, as has been noted, like Harry Potter--just a young kid to whom things happen. The burden of homelessness and sorrow which makes Frodo unique has been lost.
Of course, that's my opinion. Feel as you will.
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