MINAS TIRITH ARRIVED!!!

[FlyAndFight]

The Barad-Dur name plate is actually less of an eye-sore than the Minas Tirith one. Perhaps it's the yuck-green paint that they used to outline the thing, but it really detracts from the piece.

I'm a collector of the SS/Weta environment line and always liked the small MT. I thought it looked great for a mass-produced item. But the DM version simply blows it away in terms of size and detailing. The one weakness of the DM version, in my opinion, is the paint job. It looks presentable in a lower lit room but if lit up directly and if looked at up close, the paint job is a bit messy.

BUT

The detailing is amazing. I looked at a screen capture pic of the scene where Gandalf & pip are riding Shadowfax up the different levels and go through a gate on the left side of the city and compared it to the statue and it was pretty much exactly accurate (with the obvious loss of fidelity of detail in the DM piece).

The lighting feature is irrelevant on this one, though.

 

[Radagaster]

F&F, you don't feel that the gold/green roof tower paint scheme detracts or cheapens the DM version? For some reason, I don't recall any movie pics showing them roofs that way.

 

[LOTRFan]

The Barad-Dur name plate is actually less of an eye-sore than the Minas Tirith one. Perhaps it's the yuck-green paint that they used to outline the thing, but it really detracts from the piece.

You don't like the puffy paint they used.

 

[FlyAndFight]

F&F, you don't feel that the gold/green roof tower paint scheme detracts or cheapens the DM version? For some reason, I don't recall any movie pics showing them roofs that way.

Most definitely, Radagaster! I've been studying screen captures in order to do a repaint and have yet to find a golden dome in the "bigature" used in the film. There are some grey/blue domes found throughout, though mostly grey with a hint of blue.

You don't like the puffy paint they used.

Matt, my nameplate looks like the decoration on a birthday cake!

 

[RoboDad]

I just received mine, and it it gorgeous. Unfortunately, it is also broken.

One of the columns that flank the main gate is completely snapped off, and nowhere to be found in the packaging. Looks like it was either damaged at the factory, or while it was being packed for shipment. Now I get to see how DM compares to Sideshow in the customer service department.

It seems my run of incredibly bad luck with damaged LOTR statues is still with me, even after all this time. Now I'm really dreading the arrival of Lurtz. Wish me luck, everyone.

 

[RoboDad]

I've been studying screen captures in order to do a repaint and have yet to find a golden dome in the "bigature" used in the film. There are some grey/blue domes found throughout, though mostly grey with a hint of blue.

I haven't looked at the bigature pics, but I do know that the domes on the Sideshow/Weta version are also gold (although more muted that the DM version), so someone must have had the idea that they were supposed to be that color.

 

[FlyAndFight]

I'll have to check mine out tonight. I don't remember noticing that.

 

[RoboDad]

I'll have to check mine out tonight. I don't remember noticing that.

I had to check too, to be sure, but that's just one of the benefits of working from home. My statues are only a few feet away (literally) from my desk.

 

[Radagaster]

If anything those gold domes look reminiscent of Arabian towers. Does someone have a screencap of one of those domes for comparison?

 

[FlyAndFight]

RoboDad, I just hit the SS/Weta Minas Tirith with a lightbeam from my trusty Surefire flashlight and I did see that some of the domes were painted a different color from the "grey" that dominates my piece. I think it was a light brown color but it's definitely a different color.

Rad, here are a couple of screenshots showing the domes:






By the way, this second pic is the one that I referred to earlier as being accurate to the the DM piece. Look for the above gate area on the left side of the city about halfway up. It's definitely found on the DM piece!

 

[RoboDad]

RoboDad, I just hit the SS/Weta Minas Tirith with a lightbeam from my trusty Surefire flashlight and I did see that some of the domes were painted a different color from the "grey" that dominates my piece. I think it was a light brown color but it's definitely a different color.

Interesting. It could be different factory painters, I guess, but when I shine a light on mine, many of the domes are definitely gold. There is a metallic sheen to them that stands out from all of the other paints used. But still, they aren't nearly as bright of a gold as on the DM piece, and I don't see anything like that color in your screencaps from the film.

By the way, this second pic is the one that I referred to earlier as being accurate to the the DM piece. Look for the above gate area on the left side of the city about halfway up. It's definitely found on the DM piece!

I've been wondering about that myself. There are quite a few subtle (and some not-so-subtle) differences between the SSW and DM pieces, and I wonder which is more screen-accurate. In this gate detail at least, it certainly looks like DM got it right.

 

[Darth Loki]

Holy crap this is a thing of beauty. The Dark Tower is nice but the White City is amazing. Can't wait to explore all the detail of this work of art tonight.

 

[KAOSINLA]

Posted by FellmarWeta on S&F......

https://cgi.ebay.com/DANBURY-MINT-S...9QQihZ005QQcategoryZ86935QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[goliath]

I would (somewhat) understand if he was trying to sell it to regions where DB doesn't ship - but he ships to the US only, so

EDIT: I see somebody has already bought it, even more

 

[Radagaster]

Looks like a case of "a fool and his money are soon parted".

 

[Eleventy1]

Thanks Josh for the comparison. If only Weta had done MT this size. The city looks fantastic with all the extra details. I personally still prefer the texture and rock formations with their muted tones and colours done by Weta.
But no doubt, the city looks so much more extraordinary this size.

 

[The Josh]

I agree. I truly wish Weta had the chance to do MT in the same size and like you I prefer the Weta one more. However the DBM one is really a nice piece .

 

[Anakin]

,.. i like the dm much more,.. more details,.. bigger,.. better

 

[noelleon69]

Posted by FellmarWeta on S&F......

https://cgi.ebay.com/DANBURY-MINT-S...9QQihZ005QQcategoryZ86935QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

wow... well i won't exactly say the buyer's a fool but then he or she definately isn't that smart when it comes to buying. i mean if this is the first time that he heard about DM, that's ok. but he could do a search online and easily find out DM's site and see that it is still available for purchase and much lower than what he just paid for. he does make quite a good sucker for the seller.

 

[Darth Caedus]

wow... well i won't exactly say the buyer's a fool but then he or she definately isn't that smart when it comes to buying. i mean if this is the first time that he heard about DM, that's ok. but he could do a search online and easily find out DM's site and see that it is still available for purchase and much lower than what he just paid for. he does make quite a good sucker for the seller.

I might just try to buy another DM to sell on the evilbay. Damn, that's like triple the profit. I would hate to rip people off like that, but that's good money.....I want to send the buyer a message saying that you can still buy the same piece for $99.