movies – Page 3 – Dale's Toys

Hama Royal Guard of Rohan

Recommended music: Peter Gabriel – Sledgehammer

Hello Ringers, I hope your #TolkienThursday is going according to plan. Today, we’re taking a look at the ToyBiz The Lord of the Rings The Two Towers Hama Royal Guard of Rohan!

In medieval times, and possibly more recently, for all I know, there was a military position known as a doorward. A doorward is someone who has the responsibility of guarding the king’s door, thereby protecting the king’s property. This role is then passed on to the doorward’s heirs.

As J. R. R. Tolkien loved incorporating ancient languages and concepts into his writing. It’s no surprise that he created the character of Háma to be the doorward of Meduseld, also known as the Golden Hall of Rohan. In fact, the name Háma even means “home” or “house” in Old English.

This captain of the guard is the one given orders by Grima Wormtongue to disarm Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas before entering the king’s hall. He does so, but conveniently allows Gandalf to keep his staff as a courtesy to the elder appearing wizard after delivering this memorable line:

“I cannot allow you before Theoden King so armed, Gandalf Greyhame. By order of Grima Wormtongue.”

In The Two Towers book, Hama died at the battle of Helm’s Deep defending the gates of the Hornburg and was buried there after the battle. For Peter Jackson’s The Two Towers film, Hama did not make it to Helm’s Deep as he was killed by a warg on the march there, and his body was left behind. He is mentioned one more time later in the film as a new character, Haleth, was created for the film and plays Hama’s son.

The Toybiz Hama figure was released in the fourth wave of carded figures for The Two Towers. It bears a great likeness to the Kiwi actor and the costume as seen on screen, complete with a vinyl cape in case you want to put Hama on a horse, and is likely the only action figure this character will ever receive.

#ActionFigurePhotography
#LordOfTheRings
#LOTR
#ToyPhotography

R3-Y2

Recommended music: Billy Joel – Why Should I Worry? (from Oliver and Company)

Are you ready for some more droid talk this #StarWarsSaturday? We’re still in the Echo Base command center during The Empire Strikes Back. Today, from The Saga Collection, we’re taking a look at R3-Y2!

Let’s rewind to earlier in the film, because I missed a droid that best shows up in a scene about 20 minutes before the Rebellion troops are preparing for a ground assault, and “the first transport is away”. When Han first enters the crowded command center to meet with General Rieekan, we get a very brief look at an astromech droid with a clear dome behind a tactical screen.

Hasbro included this particular R3 droid figure in the second Astromech Droid Pack. This pair of droid 5-packs was exclusive to Entertainment Earth in 2006, and most of the droids included have only been made once for these sets.

While it was nice to finally get many of these characters in 1/18 scale, Hasbro did not make a great effort with many of them. On the positive side, the clear dome fully rotates, makes a clicking sound, and features cool details on the mechanical parts and wires inside the dome; however, there are several negatives with the figure.

Hasbro repainted the 2002 Power of the Jedi R3-T7 Sneak Preview figure as the base for this figure. Rotating the dome does not control the middle leg, and the other two legs do not have wheels or sculpted wires, both of which are features now very commonplace on droid figures. As if the sculpt wasn’t a big enough issue, the biggest complaint with this figure is probably the color choices.

While watching this scene, it appears to me that this is a white astromech droid with orange highlights, or at some contrasts, possibly a yellowish-green color scheme. Hasbro’s reference must be from something we’ve never seen, or they are just taking a lot of creative license with the dimly-lit scene, as the final figure is more of a darker olive-green or even a pea soup green. My youngest daughter describes the color as more of a baby poop green, but either way, it’s a bad look for this droid.

Multiple behind-the-scenes pictures show this droid is clearly a different droid than R3-A2, including a deleted shot where this particular R3 appears in a hallway with Leia. While I’m glad Hasbro released this R3-Y2 figure in addition to the previously covered R3-A2 from The Legacy Collection to give collectors even more variety in their Echo Base displays, I do think an update is overdue for this character in more film-accurate colors and sculpt.

The Empire Strikes Back turned 45 years old this year! I “figure” there’ll be a new Episode V figure to share here for the rest of the year. Happy 45 years of ESB!

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#EmpireStrikesBack45
#ESB45
#ToyPhotography

Armored Troll

Recommended music: Armored Sound Productions – Fork in the Road

Today’s figure is quite the charmer. This #TolkienThursday, we’re looking at the ToyBiz The Lord of the Rings The Two Towers Troll in armor!

In The Two Towers film, when Frodo, Gollum, and Sam come across an army of Easterling warriors entering the Black Gate, the gates are powered by armored trolls. With Sauron’s darkness attracting many evils to the black lands of Mordor, not just orcs and fallen men arrived, but also cave trolls. These hulking beasts are well-suited to carry out the heavy work Sauron’s lieutenants put them through. Multiple trolls are constantly laboring to operate the doors of the towering Black Gate.

The “Electronic Sound & Action” Armored Troll deluxe figure arrived in 2003, when all packaging had switched to Return of the King blue, even though this figure is correctly labeled as being from The Two Towers.

This oversized 11″ figure is a highly detailed sculpt and requires AA batteries to power the troll roaring action. He also has two levers on his back, amongst features copied over from the earlier Cave Troll release for chain jabbing and chain slamming action. The chains are a great addition to the figure. Though they are made of a light plastic, the chains are painted well and are long enough that you can position the trolls for laboring poses. The troll also sports a new helmet and soft goods loincloth for an added realistic look.

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#LordOfTheRings
#LOTR
#ToyPhotography

Easterling

Recommended music: Howard Shore – The Black Gate is Closed

Rising in the east this #TolkienThursday, we’re taking a look at the ToyBiz The Lord of the Rings The Two Towers Easterling!

In The Two Towers film, the depiction of these troops doesn’t stray too far from the books. Frodo, Gollum, and Sam come across an army of Easterling warriors entering the Black Gate. Despite trying to stay hidden, Samwise ends up falling down a hill of loose rocks near the troops. Fortunately, Frodo hides them both under his elvish cloak, which is disguised as a boulder. Though a pair of Easterlings notice the commotion and leave their formation to inspect the rocky area, they eventually return to their company and march into Mordor.

The Easterling “With Highly Detailed Armor” figure was available in the first wave of The Two Towers, packaged in the red half-moon, and hit stores ahead of the film’s November 2002 theatrical release. While an additional Easterling with a banner was planned for the line, the figure never reached retail.

The figure is a really solid sculpt with good detail on the armor. Unfortunately, the thin plastic on the shield has become brittle over the past 20 years, so you’ve got to be careful with these guys. The paint application is also thorough, with wear painted on the hood and subtle gold on his lance and shield. With ample articulation, my biggest criticism of this impressive army builder is probably the “bunny ears” on the helmet starting to warp. Unlike some other troops in the line, the scale is actually right on as the figure dwarfs the hobbits and stands eye to eye with soldiers from Gondor and Rohan.

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#LordOfTheRings
#LOTR
#ToyPhotography

OTC C-3PO

Recommended music: Andreas Johnson – Glorious

We’ve been keeping busy in the heat all day this #StarWarsSaturday. It’s finally time to cool off inside Echo Base during The Empire Strikes Back. Today, from the Original Trilogy Collection, it’s C-3PO!

As Rebellion troops prepare for an impending ground assault from the Empire, C-3PO decides to lay a little trap for Imperial troops. In a scene you may not recall, wampas were supposed to infiltrate Echo Base and then be trapped in a specific room. C-3PO then placed a warning sign on the door so Rebel Troops would know to avoid it. In a follow-up scene, C-3PO tears off the warning sign so that oblivious snowtroopers invading the base would enter the wampa room!

If this doesn’t sound familiar, the scenes were deleted as the original wampa suits were not impressive enough, and a prop more in line with a hand puppet was seen in the final 1980 version of the film. The scene with C-3PO did make a brief appearance in a teaser trailer, but it may have ultimately been cut from the film not only because the loose wampas in the base plot were removed, but also possibly due to its inclusion of a paper sign, as paper is not seen on screen in the Original Trilogy. Even though these glorious scenes never made it to the movie theater, they are considered canon according to the 2017 book, Star Wars: On the Front Lines.

Hasbro included this C-3PO in the short-lived OTC line in 2004. This release only had six points of articulation, but it was likely the best detail-painted Threepio released at that time.

Shadowfax

Recommended music: Kirin J Callinan – Big Enough

Showing up big time this #TolkienThursday, we’ve got a ToyBiz The Lord of the Rings The Two Towers Shadowfax!

When The Two Towers begins, the fellowship is divided into three directions, and it appears Gandalf was lost as a result of his epic showdown with the mighty Balrog. When Gandalf returned from beyond hope to muster the forces of light, the wizard called upon the great stallion Shadowfax with a memorable whistle. Wild in spirit and temper, Shadowfax was considered untamable by anyone but Gandalf. The wizard rode bareback, clutching the silvery hair of the mount’s mane as no other horse in Middle-earth could equal the stallion’s grace and speed.

Shadowfax (with Gandalf the White) was available only in a Deluxe Horse and Rider Set. The Two Towers set was rereleased for The Return of the King in the blue ROTK packaging.

The Shadowfax figure is a solid sculpt and paint job, but there are some opportunities with the release. I had to give him a custom paint job with a brighter white paint and really could use a larger flowing mane, as the final product didn’t really match up with the shade seen on screen. He comes with a button to activate the “Deluxe Horse Galloping Action,” but the leg in the air makes him less stable on the shelf and unable to do neutral poses.

#ActionFigurePhotography
#LordOfTheRings
#LOTR
#ToyPhotography

R4-M9

Recommended music: Don Henley – The Boys Of Summer

Are you keeping cool from the summer heat on this #StarWarsSaturday? If not, step inside Echo Base during The Empire Strikes Back. Today, from the Droid Factory line, it’s R4-M9!

As Rebellion troops prepare for an impending ground assault from the Empire, Leia addresses pilots while other soldiers scramble to their troop carriers and other battle stations. In addition to the other recently mentioned droids, there was another astromech that appears to move around the galaxy.

R4-M9 was one of the first droids seen on screen in Star Wars back in 1977. Tasked by the Empire to conduct computer and vehicle maintenance, the droid accompanied Darth Vader’s troops on the Star Destroyer Devastator. There, he assisted in their mission to retrieve the stolen Death Star plans from the Rebel Blockade Runner’s computer banks. Just a unique domed droid at the time, I believe the name was created in 1995 for the Decipher Star Wars Customizable Card Game (CCG).

Hasbro included this most famous version of R4-M9 in the Power of the Jedi line in 2002. This release also included a small mouse droid. Just a few months later, Hasbro included a droid labeled as R4-M9 in the second wave of the Star Tours figure line. This time, it featured bright blue highlights and was actually based on R2-D7, a droid found in the queue of the Star Tours attraction at Disney Parks.

Hasbro took one more shot at the background character by including it in the Droid Factory line in 2015. Like the previous Star Tours figure, it was exclusive to Disney Parks, but this time arrived in a 4-pack of droids as seen in The Force Awakens. R4-M9 is easy to spot in the film, seen in the foreground of the landing platform when Finn arrives at the Resistance base on D’Qar. While the paint and sculpt are solid, the astromech droids in this Build-A-Droid line all lack the cables on their feet.

This is the version I have standing in for my Echo Base picture today. Even though Hasbro has never made an R4 droid labeled for The Empire Strikes Back. While the white R4 droid seen directly in front of the Millennium Falcon in this scene may have darker, possibly black stripes, but the markings on the dome and body of this specific droid match up with what is seen on screen better than any other figure out there. Short story long, R4-M9 is in ESB. Canon. 😄👍

Gandalf with Sword-Slashing Action

Recommended music: Howard Shore – Gandalf the White

Going on this #TolkienThursday, we’ve got a ToyBiz The Lord of the Rings The Two Towers Gandalf!

At the beginning of The Two Towers, it appeared Gandalf had passed permanently out of Middle-Earth following his epic duel with the mighty Balrog. When Gandalf returned from beyond hope to muster the forces of light, the wizard shed his previous gray identity and took up the title of Gandalf the White. From the stables of Rohan, Gandalf also took the great stallion Shadowfax. Wild in spirit and temper, Shadowfax was considered untamable by anyone but Gandalf. The wizard rode bareback, clutching the silvery hair of the mount’s mane as no other horse in Middle-Earth could match the stallion’s speed and grace.

This version of Gandalf the White came with Shadowfax in a Deluxe Horse and Rider Set. The set was rereleased for The Return of the King in the blue ROTK packaging, with no changes besides the film name. As Gandalf’s steed appears the same throughout much of the final film, there were no changes made to it.

It’s a really great-looking Gandalf figure and is a solid likeness of actor Sir Ian McKellen. The articulation is just average, with an action feature built into his right arm for the signature “Sword-Slashing Action” or staff slashing action for smacking Denethor. The rubbery legs help Gandalf stay on his steed and are almost completely covered up by his soft goods pants. There’s a cloth robe and a skirt piece made of some white leather-like material. I wish Toybiz had also included Gandalf’s gray outer cloak in this release, as pictured on the box, but it wasn’t included. Thankfully, ToyBiz had a few more versions of Gandalf the White on the way.

#ActionFigurePhotography
#LordOfTheRings
#LOTR
#ToyPhotography

R-3PO (Hoth Evacuation)

Recommended music: Ozzy Osbourne – Ordinary Man

Right now, on this #StarWarsSaturday, we’re still inside Echo Base during The Empire Strikes Back. Today, from the Saga Collection, it’s R-3PO!

While members of the Rebellion prepare for an impending ground assault from the Empire, Leia addresses pilots while other soldiers scramble to their troop carriers and other battle stations. Among those not hustling not as fast around Echo Base are the background droids. Besides the astromechs and power droids are additional protocol droids like R-3PO. He stands out in the scene with his dark red plating.

Despite roaming around on screen in 1980, R-3PO was not named until a 1996 expansion set for the Star Wars Customizable Card Game called Hoth Limited. Besides being the origin of the name for R-3Po, this set was also the source of names for other Echo Base personnel such as Toryn Farr, Tigran Jamiro, Tamizander Rey, Cal Alder, Shawn Valdez, and K-3PO.

Hasbro included this R-3PO in a group of Battle of Hoth figures during the first wave of the Saga Collection in 2004. While the paint deco appears accurate, the sculpt is long overdue for an update, with just five points of articulation. His only included accessory is a stand, which is very practical as he has trouble standing on his own. A 2008 release of the character did add a ball-jointed waist and swivel knees, but the paint job comes off much more glossy than this original version. Hopefully, Hasbro can add an upgrade of R-3PO to The Vintage Collection soon, featuring elbow, wrist, and ankle joints.

Smeagol (with Electronic Sound Base)

Recommended music: Black Sabbath – Paranoid

So for this #TolkienThursday, we’re continuing on with The Two Towers. Here’s another ToyBiz The Lord of the Rings The Two Towers Smeagol!

During the first half of The Two Towers, we get to see Gollum’s split personality and his transformation into his light-hearted persona of Smeagol. Fortunately, ToyBiz also saw the marketing potential for this funny character and gave us this good guy version of Gollum with an Electronic Sound Base, but now with a smiling facial expression. He also comes with different sound clips that play when pressing the button on the rock base, including “Good Smeagol” and “Nice Hobbitses!”

The figures both came out in the fourth wave of half moon packaged figures from the film, but it wasn’t really like a chase thing, as the package clearly stated which version you were getting. To be honest, I feel like the pegs were often loaded with both versions. It must have been a good seller for ToyBiz, though, as they repacked the figure for the first carded wave of TTT figures (but not Gollum this time), and then again for the third wave of Return of the King figures (simultaneously with Gollum again). Finally, this was one of six figures to be included in a dual language wave of ROTK figures exclusive to Canada.

Like the Gollum figure, Smeagol has a solid sculpt and paint job comparable to the rest of the line, but the articulation is still a weak effort. Having no proper joints, the figure does not mesh as well with the rest of the line. Thankfully, ToyBiz had a few more versions of the character in the works for future releases.

#ActionFigurePhotography
#LordOfTheRings
#LOTR
#ToyPhotography

Tomy 1:10 Scale Back to the Future Time Machine (DeLorean)

Recommended music: Alan Silvestri -End Credits

Let’s go back to 1985 one last time this #WhateverWednesday, as we’re still celebrating this month’s 40th anniversary of Back to the Future. Today, we’re taking a look at the Tomy 1:10 scale DeLorean!

Since NECA Toys abruptly ended their 1:12 scale Back to the Future line before getting to vehicles, Japanese toy company Takara Tomy was more than happy enough to step in with an 11-pound, die-cast, 1:10 scale substitute Delorean that fits in with your NECA BTTF collection.

While they went the Kickstarter route during the summer of 2023, this thing arrived right at the end of 2024. Unfortunately, showing up on my porch during the last week of the year meant it was too late to be practically included in my top 10 action figure list for the year, it was still a great product.

The details and features on this thing are quite impressive: Real working lights including, headlights, the flux capacitor, and more, real “smoke” (fog machine) effect replicates from the back of the car, free-rolling wheels (though I did have to get custom Goodyear decals as the licensing wasn’t there to make the tires fully accurate), flame trails, the hook to catch lightning from the clock tower, and much more.

The included Einstein figure is not as good as the NECA version, but the NECA figures look great in the driver seat (or just adjacent to it, like this picture reminiscent of the Back to the Future theatrical poster). 😁👍

Released in US theaters on July 3rd, 1985, this month marks the 40th anniversary of Back to the Future! I figured it was worth jumping in the DeLorean to revisit some great toys from the film. Thanks for sticking around, as that is all the BTTF posts I have planned for now (unless I start talking about my Marty McFly 1985 cosplay). 😜

#ActionFigurePhotography
#BTTF40
#BackToTheFuture40
#ToyPhotography

Power Droid (Battle of Hoth)

Recommended music: Black Sabbath – Iron Man

Powered up this #StarWarsSaturday, we’re still inside Echo Base during The Empire Strikes Back. Today, from the Saga Collection, it’s the Power Droid!

As members of the Rebellion prepare for a ground assault, Leia is seen addressing pilots and other personnel while others scramble to their troop carriers and other stations. Not only are there many astromech and protocol droids seen around Echo Base, but also multiple power droids, all who look different from the version seen in the original Star Wars just a few years earlier.

In canon, power droids are among the most common droids in the galaxy. Both the Rebel Alliance and the Empire make use of these droids to supply power to all types of technology. During the Battle of Hoth, power droids are used to power up the Rebel Alliance’s snowspeeders so that they can engage the invading enemy ground forces in battle.

Hasbro included this version of the Power Droid in a group of Battle of Hoth figures during the Saga Collection. While the package just says ‘Power Droid,’ making no mention of the packed-in treadwell droid, the included stand is labeled as “GNK & Treadwell Droids.” GNK is simply a new way of labeling a power droid, which is also called a “Gonk droid” due to the “gonk” sound they make in the first film.

This figure is an updated version of the Gonk Droid, which was included with the Power Of The Force 2 Jawa figure seven years earlier. This time around, he includes a sensor attachment and a power coupling that plug into two holes on the top of its head, differentiating it as an EG-4 power droid.

The included stand is a necessity for this guy as the action feature to move the legs makes his feet uneven, and it is very difficult to stand up on its own. Unfortunately, the foot peg broke off into the droid’s foot when prepping this shot, so my power droid is out of order for the moment. 😄

Treebeard with Branch Lifting Action

Recommended music: Howard Shore -Master Peregrin’s Plan

We’re still walking south past Isengard this #TolkienThursday, but it doesn’t feel like going downhill talking about another ToyBiz The Lord of the Rings The Two Towers Treebeard!

In The Two Towers book, Treebeard is the eldest of the Ents, but he still relies on a quorum of the younger Ents (the Entmoot). Again, they decide to attack Isengard following this meeting, and there is some Ent singing along the way.

For Peter Jackson’s The Two Towers film, the Entmoot does not lead the Ents to war. However, Pippin convinces Treebeard to carry him and Merry south past Isengard, where he sees the destruction of Fangorn forest and decides to take a side against Saruman.

“I am not altogether on anybody’s side, because nobody is altogether on my side, if you understand me: nobody cares for the woods as I care for them, not even Elves nowadays.”

…

This 9 and 3/4″ tall Treebeard figure was a surprise release to me when it came out in the second carded wave (seventh wave overall) of figures for The Two Towers. Around half the size of the first release (and minus the electronic features), he came on a standard figure card. The excellent sculpt and paint job are retained from the larger version, and the articulation appears to be pretty similar. Like the big one, some assembly was required to get all the branches attached, as they just could fit in the standard figure’s bubble.

The figure must have sold well as ToyBiz released him again in the Return of the King line, and he was also available in a ROTK 2-pack with Gandalf, which was exclusive to the UK only.

#ActionFigurePhotography
#LordOfTheRings
#LOTR
#ToyPhotography

Playmobil Back to the Future III Hill Valley Railroad Station

Recommended music: Alan Silvestri – It’s Clara (The Train – Part II)

Let’s hang out in 1885 this #WhateverWednesday, as we’re still celebrating this month’s 40th anniversary of Back to the Future. We are also marking 35 years since the release of Back to the Future Part III, so let’s check out this Playmobil Back to the Future Part III Hill Valley Railroad Station!

Since NECA Toys or any other companies have not tackled BTTF Part III in the 1/12 scale, this last set might be the best option for the budget-conscious collector to set the scene. So, it seems we’re going the Playmobil route again to replicate one last scene from the third film.

Thankfully, Playmobil released an advent calendar a few years ago that included a cardboard backdrop for the 1885 train station. Besides the whitewall tires to make your DeLorean fit in with 1955, Playmobil also included several accessories to retrofit the time machine to 1885. Upgrades include: Compressed Wood Accelerators for the train, Steel Rail Rims, and a Vacuum Tube Circuit Board.

Finally, Playmobil included a pretty unique character in this set with Doc’s love interest, Clara Clayton. I’ve only seen one other company cover this character in figure form. She was also included in a set of BTTF III figures in Diamond Select Toys’ Minimates line nearly 20 years ago.

Released in US theaters on July 3rd, 1985, this month marks 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.

#BTTFIII
#BTTF3
#BTTF40
#BackToTheFuture40
#ToyPhotography

Treadwell Droid WED-1016

Recommended music: Metallica – Don’t Tread On Me

Treading lightly this #StarWarsSaturday, we’re still inside Echo Base during The Empire Strikes Back. Today, from the Saga Collection, it’s the Treadwell Droid!

INT. REBEL BASE – MAIN HANGAR DECK
Pilots, gunners, and R2 units scurry about. Luke, pulling on his heavy-weather jacket, is headed toward a row of armored speeders. He stops at the rear of the Millennium Falcon, where Han and Chewie are trying to repair the right lifter with even more haste than before.

LUKE
Chewie, take care of yourself, okay? As Luke pats Chewie on the arm, Chewie puts his arms around Luke and gives him a tight hug. Han is discussing the lifter with a repair droid when he sees Luke.

HAN
Hi, kid. (to droid) There’s got to be a reason for it. Check it at the other end. Wait a second. (to Luke) You all right?

LUKE
Yeah.

HAN
Be careful.

LUKE
You, too.

…

As Han, Chewie, and other members of the Rebellion prepare for battle, Han is seen working on the Millennium Falcon. He is joined by a treadwell droid. I’m not sure how the droid got on top of the ship or just how he diagnoses electrical issues, but he’s up there just the same.

Hasbro packed this Treadwell Droid with the Power Droid in a group of Battle of Hoth figures during the Saga Collection. The droid is not mentioned on the package as “WED-1016,” or at all, and is given no accessories. The only official acknowledgment is on the included stand, which is labeled as “GNK & Treadwell Droids.”

The figure is a repaint of the Treadwell Droid WED-15-77, which was included with the Power Of The Force 2 Aunt Beru figure seven years earlier. While the paint is an upgrade from the Tatooine version of the droid, the figure still has only one point of articulation in the rotating pole body. The head, arms, and wheels are all fixed in place.