NECA: Alien Movie Franchise Figures

[ZE_501]

[...] The Alien Warriors were awful - as Warrior Aliens from NECA often are I hate to say - every release of that particular Alien has been susceptible to breakage due to stuck joints and the Ultimate was no exception. Add to that the soft plastic in the legs - anyone get a Warrior Alien that wasn't severely bow-legged? I got 4 Ultimates from BBTS, same story with each one of them. The back tubes could also be warped. It sucks because the sculpt is fantastic.

I've *almost* pulled the trigger on NECA warriors so many times since they first came out, but each time the QC and paint apps stopped me. The Warrior is one of my favourite creature designs but no one seems to do it justice ... the HT one seems to static.

On a sidenote: just re-watched Alien, Aliens, and tried Prometheus and Covenant for the first time. Aliens remains a perfect film, couldn't get through Prometheus, finished Covenant in a so-bad-it's-good way...and Alien...well...it's not as frightening as I remember, but that comes from dated FX and knowing what's going to happen I guess. But I have to hand it to Scott back in the day ... the film is so tightly edited and puts so much atmosphere and story into such a compact little package. There are stretches where nothing happens but it doesn't feel like nothing's happening. I feel like we don't see that very often these days.

 

[abake]

Funny how different things work for different people. To me, Aliens looks/feels more dated than Alien. The stop-motion queen and green screens in Aliens are more distracting to me than the man-in-a-suit last shot of Alien. Also, I find that the 80's one-liners of the Sulaco crew have aged worse than the "class struggle" of the Nostromo crew. Doesn't mean I don't enjoy Aliens, I love the movie, it's just that I find Alien has more staying power. Although Aliens is a more fun movie to watch, because of all the action.
There's a few things in Prometheus that just take me out of the movie, but it's pretty good. Covenant isn't really bad IMHO, I think it works pretty well until the third act, that's where I think Scott just gave up... it's just so over the top and gratuitous in the gore and blood that it just gets silly. It seems to me he just didn't believe he could make it scary anymore. Sad really.

 

[ZE_501]

Funny how different things work for different people. To me, Aliens looks/feels more dated than Alien. The stop-motion queen and green screens in Aliens are more distracting to me than the man-in-a-suit last shot of Alien.

Huh..I don't even notice the stop-motion and green screen.

Also, I find that the 80's one-liners of the Sulaco crew have aged worse than the "class struggle" of the Nostromo crew.

I can see that; to me the one-liners fall firmly into genre-movie territory so they don't bother me.

[...]There's a few things in Prometheus that just take me out of the movie, but it's pretty good.

Two things kept me from sitting through Prometheus: it strained my suspension of disbelief way too far in terms of how these people acted on an unknown planet (bio-hazards, operating procedure, lack of discipline, splitting up etc.) and I didn't want to wait around to see what happened because this wasn't a 'classic' Xenomorph outing; no favourite monster = no incentive to wade through what was bothering me.

Covenant isn't really bad IMHO, I think it works pretty well until the third act, that's where I think Scott just gave up... it's just so over the top and gratuitous in the gore and blood that it just gets silly. It seems to me he just didn't believe he could make it scary anymore. Sad really.

The gore was so over-the-top it reached absurd and unintentionally funny levels, which is likely what kept me watching to the end. I still found the actions of the characters absurd and implausible given their impromptu mission, just as in Prometheus, which is why I call it 'bad'.

"Let's divert to check out this unknown planet after training for YEARS to go to the other one, and while we're at it, who needs spacesuits? What could possibly go wrong in an alien biotope?"


There were *bad decisions* in both Alien and Aliens, but they got by with help from good writing and tight editing. The only things that really stick out for me in Alien are Kane acting like a cowboy, going it alone and being cavalier about investigating the eggs, and the way Parker and Lambert split up from Ripley at the end; I get that they were trying to be efficient and move fast, it just struck me as a thing you don't do when people are getting picked off by a lurking monster.

Lambert is usually portrayed as 'weak' and in some ways she was, but she was the only one who made any damn sense when she sees a GIANT ALIEN SPACECRAFT ON A HOSTILE PLANET and says "Let's get the **** out of here." She was a navigator on a mining craft, not a freaking space marine and she knew it.

 

[lttgtimaatisgdaicfi]

These are the boxes the 40th anniversary waves are coming in. I might get doubles on some of these just because I like the retro packaging.

View attachment 486976

Are these any different than the previous releases? Dallas looks really pink.

 

[Jmek]

Too bad man... well, at least you can return it. If mine's crap, I'm stuck with it, no way can return it all the way from Colombia!
I'm staying positive, hopefully I can get one as good as this one:



The paint apps don't look so great, but that's actually fixable.

Hey Abake, I didn't realise NECA supply was that awkward in Columbia. So if you get a dud figure you're stuck with it? That sucks man. Fingers still crossed that you get a good one. It really is a nice figure if you don't get any QC issues. Did you end up getting the new quarter scale big chap? If you do get a good one it is worth it.

 

[Jmek]

Are these any different than the previous releases? Dallas looks really pink.

I've just received Dallas, Ripley and the prototype Alien today. The paint job on Dallas and Ripley is really good, much better than before and he's not too pink in person. Apart form that Dallas is the same as the previous release. Ripley now comes with a tracker and Jones's cat box as well as the flame thrower. All her accessories are superbly sculpted and painted, well worth the upgrade. Ripley's new head sculpt is better then the previous version, however she is missing the Wetland Yutani badge on her breast, Jones is a new sculpt so he can fit in his cat box. I didn't get the prototype previously and this version is based on the new anniversary edition. And unlike my recent woes with the ultimate Alien this guys joints all work although the waist joint is a little loose, but I can live with that. It's a cool figure and actually has chrome teeth, unlike the previous release. The teeth also have a nice wash that really makes then stand out, which they haven't done on the ultimate version. The Kenner style packaging is really cool too. Can't wait to pick up the rest of the series, especially Parker and Brett.

 

[abake]

Huh..I don't even notice the stop-motion and green screen.




I can see that; to me the one-liners fall firmly into genre-movie territory so they don't bother me.




Two things kept me from sitting through Prometheus: it strained my suspension of disbelief way too far in terms of how these people acted on an unknown planet (bio-hazards, operating procedure, lack of discipline, splitting up etc.) and I didn't want to wait around to see what happened because this wasn't a 'classic' Xenomorph outing; no favourite monster = no incentive to wade through what was bothering me.




The gore was so over-the-top it reached absurd and unintentionally funny levels, which is likely what kept me watching to the end. I still found the actions of the characters absurd and implausible given their impromptu mission, just as in Prometheus, which is why I call it 'bad'.

"Let's divert to check out this unknown planet after training for YEARS to go to the other one, and while we're at it, who needs spacesuits? What could possibly go wrong in an alien biotope?"


There were *bad decisions* in both Alien and Aliens, but they got by with help from good writing and tight editing. The only things that really stick out for me in Alien are Kane acting like a cowboy, going it alone and being cavalier about investigating the eggs, and the way Parker and Lambert split up from Ripley at the end; I get that they were trying to be efficient and move fast, it just struck me as a thing you don't do when people are getting picked off by a lurking monster.

Lambert is usually portrayed as 'weak' and in some ways she was, but she was the only one who made any damn sense when she sees a GIANT ALIEN SPACECRAFT ON A HOSTILE PLANET and says "Let's get the **** out of here." She was a navigator on a mining craft, not a freaking space marine and she knew it.

Good points!

My first big issue with Prometheus was when they start orbiting the damn planet and immediately find the ruins. It was just too ****ing stupid. And yes, the entire disregard with any type of protocols was jarring in both Prometheus and Covenant. And it would've been easily to fix, just a throw away comment along the lines of "we've scanned the atmosphere" or "samples came back negative" or "long range scanners show...", it really wasn't that hard. To be fair though, I think they do make a comment along those lines in Covenant. Still, the Alien universe is "sort of" grounded, so those little things really bother me.
That's also one of my pet-peeves with Aliens: how the hell hadn't they spotted the derelict? I know, I know, the beacon was off, there had been an LV-426-quake yada yada. Still, it makes no sense that you terraform a planetoid but don't survey it exhaustively.

 

[abake]

I've just received Dallas, Ripley and the prototype Alien today. The paint job on Dallas and Ripley is really good, much better than before and he's not too pink in person. Apart form that Dallas is the same as the previous release. Ripley now comes with a tracker and Jones's cat box as well as the flame thrower. All her accessories are superbly sculpted and painted, well worth the upgrade. Ripley's new head sculpt is better then the previous version, however she is missing the Wetland Yutani badge on her breast, Jones is a new sculpt so he can fit in his cat box. I didn't get the prototype previously and this version is based on the new anniversary edition. And unlike my recent woes with the ultimate Alien this guys joints all work although the waist joint is a little loose, but I can live with that. It's a cool figure and actually has chrome teeth, unlike the previous release. The teeth also have a nice wash that really makes then stand out, which they haven't done on the ultimate version. The Kenner style packaging is really cool too. Can't wait to pick up the rest of the series, especially Parker and Brett.

That's awesome!
Where did you order them?
Can you post pics?

 

[Johnny6666]

Funny how different things work for different people. To me, Aliens looks/feels more dated than Alien. The stop-motion queen and green screens in Aliens are more distracting to me...

I don't think the Queen was stop motion. It was miniature work - puppets, etc. Quick cuts and lighting work wonders to obscure that. After seeing the film a zillion times I can spot the difference between shots of the full size marionette and the miniatures, but it was (and still is) pretty amazing to see. I do agree that Aliens feels more of its time than Alien: the blockbuster, roller-coaster action beats and one-liners do betray its 80s logic, whereas the slow pacing and studied approach of Alien feels more timeless.

 

[P.]

To me, Aliens looks/feels more dated than Alien. The stop-motion queen

whaaaat

it was a full-size movable robot!

i really think you didn't see Aliens for a decade or more and remember it wrong. it was a very smoothly moving thing, much better than actually stop-motion microterminator 1 of the same age.

 

[Jmek]

That's awesome!
Where did you order them?
Can you post pics?

Amazon UK, I'll try although I've only got this ageing Kindle fire.

 

[Jmek]

whaaaat

it was a full-size movable robot!

i really think you didn't see Aliens for a decade or more and remember it wrong. it was a very smoothly moving thing, much better than actually stop-motion microterminator 1 of the same age.

They did use a miniature puppet in the power loader battle and the queen being ejected into space. I'm with Abake that Alien holds up better than Aliens, but Aliens is still a brilliant film. In fact I'd go as far to say it's one of the best if not the best action films of all time. Furthermore the effects in the film are exceptional. I was never down with Cameron turning the Alien into an ant though. Really hate that concept, although I love the movie.

 

[abake]

I don't think the Queen was stop motion. It was miniature work - puppets, etc. Quick cuts and lighting work wonders to obscure that. After seeing the film a zillion times I can spot the difference between shots of the full size marionette and the miniatures, but it was (and still is) pretty amazing to see. I do agree that Aliens feels more of its time than Alien: the blockbuster, roller-coaster action beats and one-liners do betray its 80s logic, whereas the slow pacing and studied approach of Alien feels more timeless.

You?re probably right, it probably was a rod puppet like the A3 creature, but there is one specific scene where it moves very awkwardly. Still, it?s great work!


Enviado desde mi iPhone utilizando Tapatalk

 

[abake]

whaaaat

it was a full-size movable robot!

i really think you didn't see Aliens for a decade or more and remember it wrong. it was a very smoothly moving thing, much better than actually stop-motion microterminator 1 of the same age.

Yeah, I know about the life-sized animatronic queen, amazing effects that look so good!


Enviado desde mi iPhone utilizando Tapatalk

 

[abake]

Amazon UK, I'll try although I've only got this ageing Kindle fire.

I?ve been looking everywhere and can?t find them...


Enviado desde mi iPhone utilizando Tapatalk

 

[ZE_501]

Good points!

My first big issue with Prometheus was when they start orbiting the damn planet and immediately find the ruins. It was just too ****ing stupid. And yes, the entire disregard with any type of protocols was jarring in both Prometheus and Covenant. And it would've been easily to fix, just a throw away comment along the lines of "we've scanned the atmosphere" or "samples came back negative" or "long range scanners show...", it really wasn't that hard. To be fair though, I think they do make a comment along those lines in Covenant. Still, the Alien universe is "sort of" grounded, so those little things really bother me.
That's also one of my pet-peeves with Aliens: how the hell hadn't they spotted the derelict? I know, I know, the beacon was off, there had been an LV-426-quake yada yada. Still, it makes no sense that you terraform a planetoid but don't survey it exhaustively.

All of that. The technology in the Aliens-universe seems to flip back and forth to only somewhat better than ours to almost magical when convenient, and having seen so many films wherein *operators* and serious scientists are depicted so well, the Star Trek TOS-level of gallivanting about alien planets is too much for me.

[...]I do agree that Aliens feels more of its time than Alien: the blockbuster, roller-coaster action beats and one-liners do betray its 80s logic, whereas the slow pacing and studied approach of Alien feels more timeless.

I'll give you that about the pacing and acting, even though it's not my favourite outing. The mood was amazing though, and so was the scoring.

[...]In fact I'd go as far to say it's one of the best if not the best action films of all time. Furthermore the effects in the film are exceptional. I was never down with Cameron turning the Alien into an ant though. Really hate that concept, although I love the movie.

Agreed on the action chops.

When comparing Alien, the beast in Alien 3, and the hive in Aliens ... not sure where else Cameron could have gone with it. These things in numbers are more scary to me as a hive-mind entity; whereas the lethal, murderous cunning of lone 'assassin bugs' is a different kind of movie and mood entirely.

 

[lttgtimaatisgdaicfi]

I've just received Dallas, Ripley and the prototype Alien today. The paint job on Dallas and Ripley is really good, much better than before and he's not too pink in person. Apart form that Dallas is the same as the previous release. Ripley now comes with a tracker and Jones's cat box as well as the flame thrower. All her accessories are superbly sculpted and painted, well worth the upgrade. Ripley's new head sculpt is better then the previous version, however she is missing the Wetland Yutani badge on her breast, Jones is a new sculpt so he can fit in his cat box. I didn't get the prototype previously and this version is based on the new anniversary edition. And unlike my recent woes with the ultimate Alien this guys joints all work although the waist joint is a little loose, but I can live with that. It's a cool figure and actually has chrome teeth, unlike the previous release. The teeth also have a nice wash that really makes then stand out, which they haven't done on the ultimate version. The Kenner style packaging is really cool too. Can't wait to pick up the rest of the series, especially Parker and Brett.

Thanks for the info! Looks like I'll be upgrading.

 

[KoBE]

I've just received Dallas, Ripley and the prototype Alien today. The paint job on Dallas and Ripley is really good, much better than before and he's not too pink in person. Apart form that Dallas is the same as the previous release. Ripley now comes with a tracker and Jones's cat box as well as the flame thrower. All her accessories are superbly sculpted and painted, well worth the upgrade. Ripley's new head sculpt is better then the previous version, however she is missing the Wetland Yutani badge on her breast, Jones is a new sculpt so he can fit in his cat box. I didn't get the prototype previously and this version is based on the new anniversary edition. And unlike my recent woes with the ultimate Alien this guys joints all work although the waist joint is a little loose, but I can live with that. It's a cool figure and actually has chrome teeth, unlike the previous release. The teeth also have a nice wash that really makes then stand out, which they haven't done on the ultimate version. The Kenner style packaging is really cool too. Can't wait to pick up the rest of the series, especially Parker and Brett.

Where are these being offered? I thought I'd skip this wave but your review has me interested.

 

[Jmek]

Hi Kobe, I got them through Amazon UK.

 

[K1LLJOY]

There is a good review over at Toyark with a lot of pics of the new 40th anniversary wave. Here are some comparison shots.

New one is on the left.

Spoiler

Not a fan of the open mouth expression for Ripley.