The Godfather

[Agent23]

Got mine in today from Adam (DarkShadowCollectibles). # 40 / 600. I really like this piece. It's a great p.f. , I always wanted a Godfather p.f. in my collection. Nice job Sideshow.

Here's some pictures I took with my out-dated digital camera (my wife has the new one with her at work). But, I wanted to get a couple shots outside without the flash.

 

[praxitas]

Nice pics and great low number!!

 

[choopie]

He looks sweet! Congrats! Another winner from Sideshow.

 

[Rumsfield]

#47 showed up to my house yesterday... I love it!

I was going to cancel this one and I actually e-mailed Alter Ego on the day of its shipping. I'm glad Marc works so fast because I would be very disappointed to not have this PF in my collection.

I'd post pics but I have a lousy camera and all the pictures I've seen of this statue so far just do not do it any justice.

It's a great entry into the PF collection, in my opinion.

Jeff

 

[Collector Freak]

I really wish they put more effort into this.

 

[GuruAskew]

At least both Sideshow and McFarlane got the rose on the correct side (Vito's left, our right) unlike whoever uploaded that flopped pic you posted.

Is that what's bothering you?

 

[KitFisto]

I ended up with # 86. I really like it except for the cheap cardboard shirt and collar. They could have done a better job than that. The full shirt underneath the cheap cardboard "front" is fine. They should have made a better collar piece than cardboard.

Overall I really like it though.

 

[Collector Freak]

Sideshow has incredible nerve to do that. The only cardboard that should be associated with these high end statues is the packing material.

 

[Collector Freak]

Welcome back Collector Freak.

Am I wrong? I don't think anyone can argue with me on this one.

 

[tomandshell]

I ended up with # 86. I really like it except for the cheap cardboard shirt and collar. They could have done a better job than that. The full shirt underneath the cheap cardboard "front" is fine. They should have made a better collar piece than cardboard.

Overall I really like it though.

It sounds like they were intentionally trying to reproduce the look and feel of the old style tux approach where an actual cardboard or supremely starched white collar piece (or full dickey) was worn on top of the cotton shirt. Some of these were referred to as "boiled shirts" because they were so supersaturated with starch that they had to be boiled first to remove enough starch to wash the shirt properly, and some were made of a material that was literally laminated onto cardboard to keep it rigid. Have you seen the old Bugs Bunny cartoon where the opera singer's cardboard dickey goes flapping up out from under his belt?

Now Sideshow wouldn't just use cardboard to be cheap--they had a reason for it and I think they were trying to approximate the look and feel (and in some cases the actual materials) of an antiquated approach to tuxedo tailoring. Notice that none of the contemporary Bond PFs have gone this route--they know how to make a 1:4 scale tux, and in this case it is a specific period look and feel that they were trying to reproduce in scale, and they weren't just being cheap. However, I can certainly sympathize with those who don't like the approach. But they were probably limited in options when it came time to find a cardboard-starched equivalent in this smaller size that would give the appropriate rigidity.

 

[Darklord Dave]

Thanks for articulating that so well Tom. I don't have the PF, but I figured that the cardboard look was to better emulate the original costume.

 

[Collector Freak]

It sounds like they were intentionally trying to reproduce the look and feel of the old style tux approach where an actual cardboard or supremely starched white collar piece (or full dickey) was worn on top of the cotton shirt. Some of these were referred to as "boiled shirts" because they were so supersaturated with starch that they had to be boiled first to remove enough starch to wash the shirt properly, and some were made of a material that was literally laminated onto cardboard to keep it rigid. Have you seen the old Bugs Bunny cartoon where the opera singer's cardboard dickey goes flapping up out from under his belt?

Now Sideshow wouldn't just use cardboard to be cheap--they had a reason for it and I think they were trying to approximate the look and feel (and in some cases the actual materials) of an antiquated approach to tuxedo tailoring. Notice that none of the contemporary Bond PFs have gone this route--they know how to make a 1:4 scale tux, and in this case it is a specific period look and feel that they were trying to reproduce in scale, and they weren't just being cheap. However, I can certainly sympathize with those who don't like the approach. But they were probably limited in options when it came time to find a cardboard-starched equivalent in this smaller size that would give the appropriate rigidity.

Interesting...

 

[King Darkness]

The hair line looks pretty bad. Its perfectly clear that they painted some of the hair with skin tone. Thats not really acceptable on a PF piece. I would expect to see that one the 12" line, not PF.

Other than that it looks like a fine piece.

 

[Vader AL]

that's what I was thinking too Tom...i mean how else could you represent the highly starched shirt? you couldn't use plastic and you don't want to sculpt the shirt on because it wouldn't look right so i think it was really the only option as bad as it sounds to say it is cardboard.

 

[Polystoner]

Saw this on ebay:

No, isn't that supposed to be The Don from Godfather III?

 

[mindbook]

I did some touch-up paint work on the head, I plan to also replace the white tuxedo shirt with real clothe, the original shirt from the factory was white cardboard, odd choice??? I inserted the REAL tuxedo shirt from the movie in the photo for reference.

 

[The Mike]

Wow Mindbook. Your stuff is always absolutely amazing.

 

[LOTRFan]

So the sculpt was always there.

 

[mindbook]

Wow Mindbook. Your stuff is always absolutely amazing.

THANKS Mike!
The sculpt has a few angles where the resemblance is slightly off, but most sculpts have that problem IMHO, but overall I think Brando is definitely present under all that paint. I think the factory paint applications does a lot to distort the likeness.

 

[LOTRFan]

I am still waiting for the 1:1 bust ..........