The Treachery of Saruman Diorama

[Radagaster]

Gandalf's sculpt and paint app on his beard reminds me of a Christmas tree ornament. If Saruman was by his lonesome and Gandalf removed from the dio, perhaps this may look better. From the looks of it, it's hard to tell whether that peg is on Gandalf or the base. I bought it, but I'm on the fence whether to keep it.

And I agree, Saruman's eyes in brown makes a big difference. Let's see . . .how many Saruman and GTG representations do I already have . . .

 

[Captain Faramir]

Man, looking at that incredible likeness of Saruman I really hope we get to see him in 1:6 format real soon . . .

 

[FrodoEyes]

The Weta Saruman with the Palantir is still the best likeness.
If I'm honest, I'm hesitant. Saruman looks too stiff and Gandalf seems too near to Saruman. The base does look 'waxy', HOWEVER I have learnt by now not to trust pics, as with the first two I'm confident it'll look first rate in person.
I've got alot of hope for this line so will trust SS and order it

 

[FelMar]

Yea..

SS please fix Saruman's eyes !

He looks MUCH MUCH better with dark eyes

 

[Seretur]

I believe the only announcement this week that didn't inspire an eye-changing thread was the Green Goblin bust.

But that's probably just because it was shown in profile.

SSF is slowly turning into the Eyedentiscan Device from Minority Report.

I guess I'll have to start wearing shades to this board.

 

[NASEDO]

Wearing shades might fix the eye color, but I think the problem is that the standards have risen. A few years ago this would of been the new balrog, but theres so much top quaility stuff coming out that it has spoiled our comments.

 

[Seretur]

But not even the new Balrog is the new Balrog...

You know what's the new Balrog for me? The Anakin vs. Obi-Wan diorama. I like it as much as any SS/W piece. I'm not getting the Saruman vs. Gandalf, but it's quite possible someone might feel that way about it too.

 

[The Josh]

Wearing shades

Was thinking about this last night and the first part of this post kind of fits that. The wearing shades that is. I've read multiple comments that people aren't getting this or other LOTR pieces cause SSW did them. That's all fine in good and I do understand but I'm not going to hold that against any piece in the Diorama line. I have the SSW GTG statue along with the Saruman and I plan on getting this piece. Why? Well, this piece captures a moment those two can't.

If you don't want one of the Dio's because you just don't like it, price, space, etc I can totally understand that. I just won't let the fact SSW did it be the reason I do or don't get something. That could potentially keep me from getting something really cool. I'll let money, space, or other factors determine that.

 

[woodsy]

Was thinking about this last night and the first part of this post kind of fits that. The wearing shades that is. I've read multiple comments that people aren't getting this or other LOTR pieces cause SSW did them. That's all fine in good and I do understand but I'm not going to hold that against any piece in the Diorama line. I have the SSW GTG statue along with the Saruman and I plan on getting this piece. Why? Well, this piece captures a moment those two can't.

If you don't want one of the Dio's because you just don't like it, price, space, etc I can totally understand that. I just won't let the fact SSW did it be the reason I do or don't get something. That could potentially keep me from getting something really cool. I'll let money, space, or other factors determine that.

My feelings exactly. If you just don't like, can't afford it , etc...then that is totally understandable. I just find the "Weta's already done it" or "nothing can compare with's Weta's version" lines a bit puzzling. Obviously most LOTR item's we are seeing were done previously by Weta but alot of the new SS pieces greatly compliment the Weta collections we already have. I would actually say the new SS LSB and diorama lines not only compliment Weta but exceed them in artistic value and quality.
Let's face it , for the most part of the last 2 years of the SS/Weta partnership we got alot more misses a than hits from Weta. It was pretty clear the artistic spark was gone and Weta seemed more often than not to just be going through the motions. Mercifully, they finally did the right thing and pull the plug on their LOTR lines.
Yes, Weta did it first but that doesn't mean they did it better and it's becoming more and more apparent as time goes by that they obviously didn't do it better at all.

 

[FrodoEyes]

I agree with you both on the Weta argument, even though I did say the Weta Saruman statue likeness is the best so far - because to me it is. It was just likeness that was being talked about there.
But lost their creativity? Come on, would you call the sculpts of Legolas and Gimli on Arod lacking in creativity? Or Aragorn or Gandalf on horseback? The Warg, which is one of the most detailed creature sculpts?

Also, I've asked SS a question on the line if anyone is interested in lending their voice...

https://sideshowcollectors.com/forums/showthread.php?p=653654#post653654

 

[gideon]

I pretty much agree with the last three posts. The one exception is the mention of The Warg with Gothmog astride. It always looked off to me and I watched the film again today and noticed that Gothmogs feet extend down to the bottom of the tummy of the beast. on the statue, Gothmog looks like somebody chopped half of his legs off or gave him a transplant from the waist down with an orc midget.

 

[Oxfordian]

Sideshow Weta = Classic

All else after = bolt on's

Not to say the 'bolt on's' are not good, they clearly are extemely good but to compare the two in the same category is futile. The weta stuff was 'original' the Sideshow stuff being produced now is 'seeking to be original'. There is a difference.

ps. the only original stat that Sideshow have come up with is the Faramir 12" and look what has happened to that!

 

[The Josh]

Sideshow Weta = Classic

All else after = bolt on's

Not to say the 'bolt on's' are not good, they clearly are extemely good but to compare the two in the same category is futile. The weta stuff was 'original' the Sideshow stuff being produced now is 'seeking to be original'. There is a difference.

ps. the only original stat that Sideshow have come up with is the Faramir 12" and look what has happened to that!

Bolt on's?

Both lines are original. They're not the same. The dio lines are an original line of polystone pieces from SS. If they where just statues then I'd agree with you it was just adding on. This is a whole new original niche to polystone pieces and LOTR. As far as I'm concered I'm as impressed with the SS Dio pieces as have

 

[woodsy]

Bolt on's?

Both lines are original. They're not the same. The dio lines are an original line of polystone pieces from SS. If they where just statues then I'd agree with you it was just adding on. This is a whole new original niche to polystone pieces and LOTR. As far as I'm concered I'm as impressed with the SS Dio pieces as have

Agreed, Weta never did a line that featured the interaction [and creativity] of the vs line which clearly makes it an original LOTR line. Weta never did a 1/4 scale line of PF's either, which again makes this an original line.

Ya, I love that "bolt on" line too. When I compare SS's LS Gandalf, CT and Sauron to Weta's version's it becomes pretty clear which one [Weta]should get the "bolt on" label. When I look at the dio. likenesses of Frodo, Gollum and Aragorn and compare them to the likenesses of any Weta version's it again becomes pretty clear who deserves the "bolt on" label.

If there was ever a case of the student [SS] surpassing the master[ Weta] this is it.

 

[Fritz]

Best LotR diorama so far...

...Stone Trolls

 

[The Josh]

Well, I think personally the best Aragorn likeness goes to the Elessar statue.

I just don't approach the new SS LOTR lines with the Weta already did it. I approach it that its a LOTR line and if I like it I'll get it. I don't care if its a character that's been done 1k times or not. Sure, I want to see Faramir, Eomer, etc done but I'm not going to put restrictions on buying or not buying a line by what's been done before.

I also don't look at either lines as bolt on's. I look at it as on continuous chain of great LOTR products that gives us as fans all kinds of options.

 

[The Josh]

Best LotR diorama so far...

...Stone Trolls

That was never one of my favorite pieces. Its pretty cool but just was not one I had to get.

 

[Seretur]

While I agree that the spark was gone -- to an extent, and not always -- by the time of the ROTK lineup of the SS/W pieces, this does not automatically mean that the Sideshow-only efforts somehow managed to recapture the spark.

The LSB line started out by licensing previously-available kits, and is so different in scale and quality as to be anything but uniform. The PF line is... let's not go there. The 12" line is a completely different beast. And the diorama line, so far, is pushing the subject matter into a very conflict-based teritory that, again, isn't organically representative of the subject matter.

There is undoubted skill here, but so far, it hasn't bottled the lightning again. I'll remain cautiously optimistic about its future, of course. Right now, though, I feel no urge to own any of the three announced and released pieces.

And the Stone Trolls are a masterpiece.

 

[The Josh]

The LSB line started out by licensing previously-available kits, and is so different in scale and quality as to be anything but uniform. The PF line is... let's not go there. The 12" line is a completely different beast. And the diorama line, so far, is pushing the subject matter into a very conflict-based teritory that, again, isn't organically representative of the subject matter.

Its still original and so far as done a pretty good job (WKTF not withstanding), the PF's haven't been bad (Yes, even including Frodo), and the 1:6th are different but add a very nice niche to the LOTR lines out there. There's plenty of conflict in LOTR and these three pieces have captured three of those moments. Frodo/Gollum did fight at the Crack of Doom (Movie version which is what the piece is based on), Aragorn did do battle @ Helm's Deep, and Saruman/GTG did have a bit of a struggle in LOTR as well. So they're not off the beaten path yet. I dont want 1k pieces of everyone holding hands singing camp fire songs either so a few pieces capturing the moments of struggle are ok. There will be a nice balance I'm sure.

There is undoubted skill here, but so far, it hasn't bottled the lightning again. I'll remain cautiously optimistic about its future, of course. Right now, though, I feel no urge to own any of the three announced and released pieces.

I don't know if any LOTR lines will bottle the lightning again the way the SSW stuff had for a while. That was a truly magic time where EVERYONE was into LOTR. It probably will happen again when The Hobbit comes out but who knows. I do know that the Dio line (especially) and the 1:6th have made me really look forward to adding more LOTR items to my collection. So they have at least sparked some interest with collectors (if you use me as an example).

 

[Seretur]

And may they ever. Tolkien's work deserves a long shelf life -- on my shelves too.