I sent this tome out a day or so ago.
Dear Sideshow Product Design Team,
I first read Tolkien's "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings" at age 13 which, no longer being a youngster, was nearly half a century ago. can honestly say that it was a seminal time in my life, not only changing my expectations regarding what constituted great literature but also altering my reading habits for a lifetime. Being a reader of some voracious appetite and now with many years and volumes behind me, I can still without reservation say these books remain my favorites. When I first heard that the trilogy was going to be made into a full-blown movie, as opposed to the animated false start by Ralph Bakshi, I was prepared to forgo the cinema experience altogether fully expecting to be disappointed again and possibly have my entire Tolkien experience permanently ruined. However, after hearing accolades from any number of sources after the release of "The Fellowship of the Ring", and with still significant trepidation, I purchased a ticket. Prepared to run for my life at any point, I was amazed to be drawn in nearly from the moment the epilogue began. I left the theater already counting the days until the release of the second and third installments just as pleased as I could possibly be.
I didn't immediately discover the landslide of merchandise that accompanied the movies’ release, and when I did it was significantly further along before I came across the high quality LOTR collectibles then offered by Sideshow/Weta. A collector of various items all my life, I immediately jumped on the opportunity to acquire these reminders of my now all-time favorite movie experience. Unfortunately I had missed a significant number of releases already and, unwilling to pay much higher prices from sources such as eBay, still have gaps which I would like to fill.
When Sideshow acquired the LOTR license and released the first figure in your flagship Premium Format, it looked as though I had discovered the absolute best renditions of the movie characters that were ever likely to be manufactured. It was also a chance to fill in important items missing from my collection, particularly those of the major characters of the Fellowship. At this point I have nearly all of the LOTR PF releases, certainly with the hope that the entire cast of major characters would eventually appear. It's with more than some concern that I understand that there is significant doubt that this will happen, particularly in the case of the Hobbits. I am supporting the maquette line with enthusiasm, but am disturbed that your BEST line may wind up incomplete.
Please let me add my voice to the very significant number of collectors, whose existence we obviously need to demonstrate, that will be extremely happy to support with their dollars a complete line of Fellowship characters. When the quality you have demonstrated, particularly of late, is there, the sales will absolutely follow. I'm sure the four stout-hearted Hobbit friends will all share a flagon and toast to your success at the Green Dragon.
I appreciate your time in reading this somewhat overlong explanation driven by a significant lifelong passion. I sincerely hope this will urge you in the right direction and help to move things along quickly enough so that other man dressed in black robes doesn't get to me first.
Thank you very much.
George Dill
Here is the e-mail address once again:
[email protected]
Let's "Head 'em up and move 'em out!"