Review: Master Replicas: The Great Gonzo Photo Puppet Replica
Review by: Erin and Lindsay
There are a lot of people who set out to change the world, and a few even succeed. But Jim Henson changed the world with fabric and felt. If that's not awesome, I just don't know what is. Sesame Street transformed our expectations about what children's television could - and should - accomplish, particularly for low income kids. The first American-produced show ever broadcast in Russia was Fraggle Rock, a television series that began with Henson's plan to make a program that could bring about world peace.
All that led to "Muppet Diplomacy," the systematic (and government sponsored) use of Muppetry to reduce violence and educate the world. Fabric. Felt.
None of this has much of anything to do with what we're looking at today: I just think it's cool. At any rate, it seems somewhat unnecessary to profess a love for The Muppets. Isn't it assumed that everyone loves The Muppets? Come on, they're THE MUPPETS.
What we're looking at today is a little tricky to explain. It's a replica of a "photo puppet", which is itself something of a replica. Real Muppets don't have much in the way of legs, since there's a Muppeteer under them. And, without a human hand to support them, they tend to revert to a heap of fabric. That's fine and good for the show and movies, but every now and then they need something for publicity shots.
That's where photo puppets come in. If you want a picture of Kermit sitting on a director's chair or Gonzo standing beside a canon, a normal puppet won't do the trick. You need something that's more a cross between an action figure and a stuffed animal. So they made some.
And, since you've figured out how to do that, why not make more and market them to collectors? Master Replicas produced a few such life-sized Muppets, including Kermit and Animal. And, of course, Gonzo, who we're looking at today.
At two feet tall and with a SRP of $300, this is, incidentally, the largest and most expensive item ever reviewed at The Clearance Bin. That isn't to say I had to pay retail price: for reasons I can't fathom, Master Replicas was unable to sell all of these at retail price, and a few made their way onto clearance.
I'm drafting my wife as a co-writer, because (unlike me) she's qualified to discuss the costuming, materials, and construction here.
All that led to "Muppet Diplomacy," the systematic (and government sponsored) use of Muppetry to reduce violence and educate the world. Fabric. Felt.
None of this has much of anything to do with what we're looking at today: I just think it's cool. At any rate, it seems somewhat unnecessary to profess a love for The Muppets. Isn't it assumed that everyone loves The Muppets? Come on, they're THE MUPPETS.
What we're looking at today is a little tricky to explain. It's a replica of a "photo puppet", which is itself something of a replica. Real Muppets don't have much in the way of legs, since there's a Muppeteer under them. And, without a human hand to support them, they tend to revert to a heap of fabric. That's fine and good for the show and movies, but every now and then they need something for publicity shots.
That's where photo puppets come in. If you want a picture of Kermit sitting on a director's chair or Gonzo standing beside a canon, a normal puppet won't do the trick. You need something that's more a cross between an action figure and a stuffed animal. So they made some.
And, since you've figured out how to do that, why not make more and market them to collectors? Master Replicas produced a few such life-sized Muppets, including Kermit and Animal. And, of course, Gonzo, who we're looking at today.
At two feet tall and with a SRP of $300, this is, incidentally, the largest and most expensive item ever reviewed at The Clearance Bin. That isn't to say I had to pay retail price: for reasons I can't fathom, Master Replicas was unable to sell all of these at retail price, and a few made their way onto clearance.
I'm drafting my wife as a co-writer, because (unlike me) she's qualified to discuss the costuming, materials, and construction here.
Appearance and Construction: 9/10
This is, ultimately, a replica based on a photo puppet of a character who's been around for years and has undergone numerous redesigns and changes.
Should he look like the character on the show? Should he be a perfect facsimile of the photo puppet? I don't think there's a single answer here.
From the standpoint of an overall impression, he's stunning. At two feet, he's "actual size" and they've retained a lot of personality.
Let's get into the details. Gonzo's face is, frankly, adorable. There are a lot of complaints online about the eyes. The way the pupils are aligned creates the illusion he's focusing on something about six feet away. Apparently, this is likely a production error, because the "real" Gonzo is looking at something closer.
But this doesn't bother me, and my wife actually prefers the effect. One of Gonzo's most iconic scenes is his solo in The Muppet Movie where he looks wistfully into the night sky and wonders where he comes from. His expression here evokes that moment and, intentional or not, we're not deducting anything.
Should he look like the character on the show? Should he be a perfect facsimile of the photo puppet? I don't think there's a single answer here.
From the standpoint of an overall impression, he's stunning. At two feet, he's "actual size" and they've retained a lot of personality.
Let's get into the details. Gonzo's face is, frankly, adorable. There are a lot of complaints online about the eyes. The way the pupils are aligned creates the illusion he's focusing on something about six feet away. Apparently, this is likely a production error, because the "real" Gonzo is looking at something closer.
But this doesn't bother me, and my wife actually prefers the effect. One of Gonzo's most iconic scenes is his solo in The Muppet Movie where he looks wistfully into the night sky and wonders where he comes from. His expression here evokes that moment and, intentional or not, we're not deducting anything.
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Another point of contention is the nose and face. This is the area where Master Replicas seems to have gone the farthest off model, but they had a good reason. Real Muppets aren't made to last: the foam used by the Workshop deteriorates over time. Master Replicas used foam covered by netting to create a similar - but not identical - visual effect that would be sturdy.
This works well on most of Gonzo's face, but there's some obvious stitching on the cheeks and right under his nose where the netting meets his mouth. The inside of his mouth, by the way, is absolutely perfect. The feathers in back are a bit underwhelming. This is another tough one, though: it looks like Master Replicas was trying to stay as accurate as possible. The issue is that they all got crushed to one side in shipping, and I haven't been able to coax them to stand straight yet. Also, without the constant movement of the puppet, the feathers tend to lay still instead of hanging in the air. |
Moving on, we come to his costume. The tailoring is fantastic, and the jacket is lined, a level of detail that you wouldn't necessarily expect, even at this price point. The pockets aren't real - they're just flaps of fabric - but that helps them sit right. The bow-tie is nothing exceptional, but it looks good.
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The white shirt is a pleated tux shirt, just one of several areas Master Replicas could have cut corners and didn't.
The flower on his coat isn't as impressive. This is a small detail, but one worth mentioning. It's better than nothing, but a larger, more realistic one would be more like what he wore in the show. The pants look good and include the requisite satin stripe. Even nicer are the shoes, which are about as good as they could be. And, in case you were wondering, he's got socks on, as well. Construction is an area where Gonzo really shines. The blue fur he's covered in looks awesome. This is another area where Master Replicas passed up an opportunity to cut corners: the fur covers Gonzo's entire body. |
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This is well designed and well made. The various minor issues - the stitching on the netting, the feathers, and the flower - prevent him from a perfect 10, but he's an impressive figure.
Packaging and Extras: -1
Gonzo comes packaged in a large box decorated with illustrations of the character. I found the drawings a bit cartoonish, but Lindsay likes the design sketches quite a bit. Decide for yourself:
As you can see from the picture on the right, the box is lined with satin. It's certainly a nice touch, but it's not going to win him any points, nor is the sturdy box he comes in.
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The only extras Gonzo come with are his plastic stand and a certificate of authenticity, both of which are really required in situations like this.
The stand comes in a few pieces. You put the backing into the base and attach the little metal plaque. I like that the number and edition size are printed right on the front - ours is 2334 of 2500, so I guess there aren't many left. The stand works well enough, and I don't really have any complaints about it. My issue is with the fact it's all you're getting. Gonzo was originally priced at $300, which is (last time I checked) a lot of money. For that kind of cash, you should get something else beyond a plastic base. Maybe a chair or a scale chicken or an alternate suit or, even better, a trumpet. Given the price tag, we really could have hit Gonzo harder, but it just doesn't feel right. On some level, once you get into this kind of money, accessories become minor. If you're willing to pay this much for the collectible you want, what's another fifty or sixty for a toy trumpet or stuffed chicken? |
Play and Display: +1
You can pretty much ignore the "Play" aspect of this figure. You don't play with $300 collectibles, no matter how adorable they are.
So, let's talk about display. Gonzo is made with a wire armature, which allows him to hold a variety of poses. The instructions are pretty clear, though, that you want to move him carefully and in moderation if you want him to last, which we do.
The neck turns side to side fairly well, and the jaw is adjustable. Unfortunately, his mouth won't entirely close, a pity, since that would open up some interesting options.
The arms move all over the place, and the fingers will move, as well. Likewise, you can move the legs however you want. Just don't expect him to stand on his own.
The only real disappointment is with the eyes: if you could turn them a bit it would make any debate/issues with the pupils irrelevant. The costume is tailored to allow quite a bit of movement, which is nice.
The question, of course, is whether or not Gonzo should get a bonus point for all this, and that comes down to what you think he is. On one level, he's a highly developed stuffed animal. Under that interpretation, he absolutely deserves to be rewarded, since those don't generally hold elaborate poses.
On the other hand, you could just as easily look at him like a doll, which generally has some articulation. In that case, you'd be forgiven for holding back, because he can't stand up without support.
Ultimately, he's neither a doll or a stuffed animal: he's a replica photo puppet. What finally pushed him over the line was the costume. Rather than attach it to the figure, Master Replicas constructed it as separate pieces, which means it can be removed and replaced with children's clothing, giving you a huge variety of display options. This would have been easier to justify if they'd included another outfit in the box, but we went over that above.
So, let's talk about display. Gonzo is made with a wire armature, which allows him to hold a variety of poses. The instructions are pretty clear, though, that you want to move him carefully and in moderation if you want him to last, which we do.
The neck turns side to side fairly well, and the jaw is adjustable. Unfortunately, his mouth won't entirely close, a pity, since that would open up some interesting options.
The arms move all over the place, and the fingers will move, as well. Likewise, you can move the legs however you want. Just don't expect him to stand on his own.
The only real disappointment is with the eyes: if you could turn them a bit it would make any debate/issues with the pupils irrelevant. The costume is tailored to allow quite a bit of movement, which is nice.
The question, of course, is whether or not Gonzo should get a bonus point for all this, and that comes down to what you think he is. On one level, he's a highly developed stuffed animal. Under that interpretation, he absolutely deserves to be rewarded, since those don't generally hold elaborate poses.
On the other hand, you could just as easily look at him like a doll, which generally has some articulation. In that case, you'd be forgiven for holding back, because he can't stand up without support.
Ultimately, he's neither a doll or a stuffed animal: he's a replica photo puppet. What finally pushed him over the line was the costume. Rather than attach it to the figure, Master Replicas constructed it as separate pieces, which means it can be removed and replaced with children's clothing, giving you a huge variety of display options. This would have been easier to justify if they'd included another outfit in the box, but we went over that above.
Price Tag and Final Analysis: 9/10
The big issue with Master Replica's line was price. We love Gonzo, but three hundred bucks is a lot to ask, even for something of this quality. Gonzo is awesome, but I have a hard time understanding why he cost so much to produce. Given his size, I'd expect a price tag about half what Master Replicas was originally asking.
We got lucky, though: a little before Christmas, Amazon was letting these go for about ninety bucks. At that price, he's a bargain.
Gonzo has immediately become one of the centerpieces of our collection. He's a full-size, film accurate Muppet, and he's got us wishing we'd found a way to get a Kermit when we had the chance.
Actually, we might get that chance again - eFX has picked up the license and is supposedly going to release another Kermit. If they can keep the price from getting out of hand, we might have to look into it.
We got lucky, though: a little before Christmas, Amazon was letting these go for about ninety bucks. At that price, he's a bargain.
Gonzo has immediately become one of the centerpieces of our collection. He's a full-size, film accurate Muppet, and he's got us wishing we'd found a way to get a Kermit when we had the chance.
Actually, we might get that chance again - eFX has picked up the license and is supposedly going to release another Kermit. If they can keep the price from getting out of hand, we might have to look into it.
You can read about Lindsay's toy customizing here, while Erin's got a blog you might want to see here.
