Category: Misc

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Ultimate Griff Tannen

Recommended music: Alan Silvestri – A Flying DeLorean?

Flying around 2015 this #WhateverWednesday, and looking at the NECA Back to the Future Part II Griff Tannen!

For Back to the Future Part II, “Griff” Tannen is the grandson of Biff Tannen seen in 2015. He has characteristics similar to the younger bully version of his grandfather. However, Griff’s traits are even more extreme, and he has bionic implants.

“Hey, Gramps, I told you two coats of wax on my car, not just one! GRAMPS! What the hell am I paying you for?!” – Griff Tannen

Marty (in disguise as Marty Jr.) ended up falling in the pond in front of the Hill Valley Courthouse, and his hoverboard failed to work on water. Griff missed out on smacking Marty with his his telescoping bat and ended up hitting a rock with his own hoverboard, spinning him and his gang into the courthouse. This changed the course of history and the newspaper story of Marty Jr.’s arrest was erased from the timeline.

This version of Griff does a good job of looking like a late 1980s Tom Wilson. The figure includes an extra non-helmeted head, which looks a lot like the previously released Biff Tannen head. He also comes with a telescoping bat (that doesn’t actually telescope), his trademark “Pit Bull” hoverboard, and a flight stand to give it that flying look.

We’re just three weeks away from the 40th anniversary of Back to the Future! I figure it’s worth jumping in the DeLorean to revisit some great toys from the film.

#BTTF40
#BackToTheFuture40
#ToyPhotography

Polly Lobster

Recommended music: Pixie & The Partygrass Boys – Cabin Fever [No, it’s not the Cabin Fever from the film, but is still a fun song – DM]

Popping up this #SomethingElseSunday, we’re still celebrating 70 years of the Muppets! From the Palisades Toys Muppets line, it’s Polly Lobster!

One of the more obscure Muppets to be acknowledged this year (that also received an action figure around 20 years ago) is “As fine a crustacean as a man could ask for” according to Long John Silver. Whereas Long John Silver and other fictional pirates may typically be seen with a pet parrot, this version portrayed by Tim Curry in the film Muppet Treasure Island has a talking pet lobster.

Given lines like “What’s next? A singing, dancing mouse with his own amusement park?” Polly fits in well with typical Muppet humor that borders on breaking the fourth wall. Kevin Clash, best known for performing Elmo for years, performed Polly in the film.

Following his debut in the 1996 film, Polly has been sparingly used in live action outside of promoting the film. He appeared on just seven episodes of Muppets Tonight during that series’s brief run, and then was seemingly forgotten about for 17 years until he had a quick appearance in a Russian prison labor camp, Gulag 38B, in Muppets Most Wanted.

For the Palisades Muppet toy line, Polly appeared in series 7, packed in with the Kermit the Frog as Captain Abraham Smollett. This was the second Muppet Treasure Island figure included in the line, after Sam Arrow. Polly doesn’t really make a ton of sense to be included with this character, but the more Muppet characters made in proper action figure form, the better, in my opinion.

#TheMuppets70
#ToyPhotography

From the Archives: “Ready To Believe You” Peter Venkman

Recommended music: Sci-Fried – We’re Ready To Believe You

On this #SomethingElseSunday from the archives, we’re still ready to believe you with the Mattel “Matty Collector” Peter Venkman!

“Have you or your family ever seen a spook, spectre, or ghost?”

This month marks the 41st anniversary of the original Ghostbusters film first hitting theaters, and 36 years of Ghostbusters II. This figure is a decent likeness of Bill Murray, and I tried to recreate the on-screen look of DOCTOR Venkman as best I could as he casually holds a video camera and sniffer with a PKE Meyer and one hand in his pocket.😄

“We’re ready to believe you!”☝️

#Ghostbusters
#actionfigurephotography