1/6 Hot Toys-MMS 217-The Lone Ranger-Tonto 1/6th Scale Collectible Figure
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Personally, I think Hot Toys targets college students and people in their late twenties and early thirties. Basically, I really don't think they are targeting the people who would feel nostalgic over the licenses. Rather, I think they target people who WANT to feel nostalgic over it. The kind of people who go on Netflix and watch 80s movies to feel cool or to enjoy the kinds of things they couldn't have grown up with because they are too young. To me this explains why they go for licenses like Bruce Lee and Terminator and Robocop while also pressing on summer action movies and fads like Iron Man, the kind of thing I think older people wouldn't care as much for.
These are also the kind of people who have disposable income due to not having too many ties yet. Probably living with family or a roommate or living in an apartment so they aren't worrying about paying off their house. The kind of people that do not have kids and are probably not married yet, etc... I think people like to assume these kinds of hobbies are for the rich and privileged, but to me that really isn't the case and release schedules seem to support my assertion as well. It's like with the Sideshow statues. People end up hyped and discussing them year round, but the reality is that they get probably at the most three or four statues a year, something I think a lot of young people could most certainly afford so long as they put some aside in forego the designer clothes and such. Same with Hot Toys.
That's just my two cents on the matter. To me it is what explains Hot Toys very gimmicky/milky business model and also why they have little interest in completing most lines or pursuing a lot of lines. I think it also explains their lack of Japanese appeal and why they can never get much out of their Japanese licenses. It just is not what Hot Toys fans care about.
These are also the kind of people who have disposable income due to not having too many ties yet. Probably living with family or a roommate or living in an apartment so they aren't worrying about paying off their house. The kind of people that do not have kids and are probably not married yet, etc... I think people like to assume these kinds of hobbies are for the rich and privileged, but to me that really isn't the case and release schedules seem to support my assertion as well. It's like with the Sideshow statues. People end up hyped and discussing them year round, but the reality is that they get probably at the most three or four statues a year, something I think a lot of young people could most certainly afford so long as they put some aside in forego the designer clothes and such. Same with Hot Toys.
That's just my two cents on the matter. To me it is what explains Hot Toys very gimmicky/milky business model and also why they have little interest in completing most lines or pursuing a lot of lines. I think it also explains their lack of Japanese appeal and why they can never get much out of their Japanese licenses. It just is not what Hot Toys fans care about.
spindrift
Super Freak
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I agree. I'm actually a little turned off by HT after the armory release. I'm tired of their lack of communication and now that I'm getting older I don't think I want to give any more of my money to a company that refuses to communicate. I spent a decent amount of money building a custom Bruce and Alfred and then they release it out of nowhere. Now the LR is MIA and Batman Returns is just lost. They won't even say a word.
JediJones
Super Freak
I would definitely grab this figure if they announce Lone Ranger. I'd be happy to grab Lone Ranger by himself if they didn't make Tonto, but I can't see doing it the other way around. Lone Ranger is the more iconic of the two characters after all. And I was burned by the Watchmen line already...
I'm 37 and was never a western fan. Watched a few but couldn't get into them as a kid or an adult. I didn't even like Back to the Future III. But I was very surprised at how much I enjoyed the Lone Ranger film. I saw it at the theater and watched it about 4 more times at home this month. The character of the Lone Ranger is really one of the granddaddies of the superhero genre. He's one of the modern characters where the mythic stuff about masks, secret identities, vigilante justice and sidekicks got started, which the first superheroes then fed off of. So this worked as a superhero movie for me perhaps more than as a western (and it was far better made, better written, better acted, better shot, better edited and more entertaining than Iron Man 3, Thor 2, Wolverine 2, Star Trek 2, G.I. Joe 2 and, except for its great special effects, Pacific Rim).
I know westerns in general inspired Star Wars and Indiana Jones, but this movie looped back and reminded me of those series too. Tonto plays Obi-Wan to John's Luke here and Butch and Cole remind me of the gutter sleaze of Jabba and the sneaky machinations of Palpatine. Old-fashioned, low-tech action scenes are something we rarely see now, and were just as well done here as in the Indiana Jones movies. There's none of the over-produced feeling of a Michael Bay action scene and none of the hamfisted attempts at action by all these recent no-name superhero movie directors who simply don't have a clue what they're doing. Verbinski is now in the action directors club with Lucas, Spielberg, Jackson and Cameron. The movie might've also had the best combination of music scoring and visuals since Star Wars, Indy and Superman.
The writing was a cut above most other recent genre films. This didn't give you cardboard characters, but really got into the thought process of why someone would decide to be a vigilante hero at a level approaching Spider-Man 2 and Batman Begins. It creates a debate between Tonto and John about where the boundaries of vigilantism need to be drawn. This movie also remembered to establish the evil of the villains by their ACTIONS and not just having them standing around snarling and giving long-winded speeches. I can't remember the last time I was cheering inside as much at the idea of seeing the baddies vanquished.
Yet the movie still managed to avoid having a dark pall hanging over it like almost every genre movie's tried to have since Dark Knight. It was full of fun, humor, bright scenery, a sense of hope and optimism. I also love that there was nothing cool, hip, trendy or pandering about it in any way. There was no pop music running over the credits. The movie was full of greasy, grimy, dirty, ugly characters, not "Orlando Bloom" types trying to get the teen girl audience. This movie definitely deserves to gain more of a following as the years go by. The box office truly got screwed by unfairly bad reviews (which were overwhelmingly positive in the U.K. but not in the U.S. for some reason).
I'm 37 and was never a western fan. Watched a few but couldn't get into them as a kid or an adult. I didn't even like Back to the Future III. But I was very surprised at how much I enjoyed the Lone Ranger film. I saw it at the theater and watched it about 4 more times at home this month. The character of the Lone Ranger is really one of the granddaddies of the superhero genre. He's one of the modern characters where the mythic stuff about masks, secret identities, vigilante justice and sidekicks got started, which the first superheroes then fed off of. So this worked as a superhero movie for me perhaps more than as a western (and it was far better made, better written, better acted, better shot, better edited and more entertaining than Iron Man 3, Thor 2, Wolverine 2, Star Trek 2, G.I. Joe 2 and, except for its great special effects, Pacific Rim).
I know westerns in general inspired Star Wars and Indiana Jones, but this movie looped back and reminded me of those series too. Tonto plays Obi-Wan to John's Luke here and Butch and Cole remind me of the gutter sleaze of Jabba and the sneaky machinations of Palpatine. Old-fashioned, low-tech action scenes are something we rarely see now, and were just as well done here as in the Indiana Jones movies. There's none of the over-produced feeling of a Michael Bay action scene and none of the hamfisted attempts at action by all these recent no-name superhero movie directors who simply don't have a clue what they're doing. Verbinski is now in the action directors club with Lucas, Spielberg, Jackson and Cameron. The movie might've also had the best combination of music scoring and visuals since Star Wars, Indy and Superman.
The writing was a cut above most other recent genre films. This didn't give you cardboard characters, but really got into the thought process of why someone would decide to be a vigilante hero at a level approaching Spider-Man 2 and Batman Begins. It creates a debate between Tonto and John about where the boundaries of vigilantism need to be drawn. This movie also remembered to establish the evil of the villains by their ACTIONS and not just having them standing around snarling and giving long-winded speeches. I can't remember the last time I was cheering inside as much at the idea of seeing the baddies vanquished.
Yet the movie still managed to avoid having a dark pall hanging over it like almost every genre movie's tried to have since Dark Knight. It was full of fun, humor, bright scenery, a sense of hope and optimism. I also love that there was nothing cool, hip, trendy or pandering about it in any way. There was no pop music running over the credits. The movie was full of greasy, grimy, dirty, ugly characters, not "Orlando Bloom" types trying to get the teen girl audience. This movie definitely deserves to gain more of a following as the years go by. The box office truly got screwed by unfairly bad reviews (which were overwhelmingly positive in the U.K. but not in the U.S. for some reason).
ZsaszSays
Super Freak
Im still excited for this figure. Its gonna make one hell of shelf presence after the custom base Ill be making for it.
ZsaszSays
Super Freak
Hmmmm me likey the sounds of that
My brain has been stirring with ideas ever since I saw the movie.
Couldn't agree more, nor could have said it better. It took me till my second viewing to see past all the negative hype around this film. I'm a little ashamed to admit that seeing as I don't usually let reviews sway my position on whether I like or dislike a film. Either way it will be a shame if HT only gives us Tonto. I saw the figure at Comic-Con last year and it is a stunning piece, so to not compliment him with the main character of the film would be nothing short of a travesty. However, if HT sticks to their rule of two, i.e. two from Watchmen, two from Tron Legacy, etc. we should get John as well as Tonto. Here's hoping anyway.
I just finished watching this movie and I really liked it. I also liked Depp's version of Tonto. I wasn't planning on buying this and the Ranger figure, but after seeing the movie, I liked their characters and think they would look great together. I will probably wait to see when they plan on releasing the ranger figure before grabbing this one. Want to make sure the ranger is coming before paying for this one. I want the pair.
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I did have this on order but cancelled. Been debating going back and forth if I should have this or not. I think the issue is if Hot Toys doesn't make The Lone Ranger than I won't be getting this. I'll wait and see if he comes out amazing may just pick up anyways. But Tonto does need his buddy.
No doubt. HT was apparently banking on everyone buying this simply because it was Depp. I need the Ranger too if I'm gonna buy this one.
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I 100% agree. I really do want this but I'm waiting to see if we'll get the Lone Ranger first. Once I see him go up for order than Tonto is so bought.Darth Mangler
Super Freak
I wouldn't be surprised either way with HT. I will not be getting this without the LR. Makes no sense unless you are a huge Depp fan.
I think this is the general consensus with all fans of this movie/HT toy line.
Yea that would be me haha but being honestly I loved Hammer's Lone Ranger way more than I did Depp's Tonto. Hammer did a fantastic job at least for me who's never read or watched anything Lone Ranger and just knew the general info about him
paramoremcr88
Super Freak
Yeah, that'll be me too! I've no interest in a figure of Hammer's LR but Tonto is a definite purchase, purely because I'm a huge Depp fan.
jedijim3002
Super Freak
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I want both but if the Ranger never gets made I'll still buy this and try to make a custom ranger. I think HT would be stupid not to produce it and they would be missing out on a huge opportunity and a lot of money.
