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Re: New Weta everywhere you look!

Thanks Kit. Ok, well that's dumb of Weta, but oh well. Probably, but if you can't see the warp when it is assembled, it does not bother me. Unlike the mini arrows on nearly every Weta statue I purchased that had a bow and arrow. I had to re-bend and correct all of those except the one that came wit...

Re: New Weta everywhere you look!

Guys, have either of you tried the blow dryer trick on the spear shaft? Curious of that will work. It worked like a charm for me on Sauron's helm spikes. Yes, and it would be easy to correct. I think it would just bend the same again over time though. It's the cape wrapping around it that that forc...

Re: New Weta everywhere you look!

After looking at the statue a bit more, the only weak area I can see is the orc blood. Not a lot of effort was put into painting it, especially on the spear blade. The sculptural detail and accuracy to the costume is incredible however. The dead orc and severed limb on the ground was a nice touch. I...

Re: New Weta everywhere you look!

I received Gil-Galad yesterday. Very detailed piece and painted beautifully. Few very minor nit picks. The piece is extremely light, most of it is made of some sort of plastic and not polystone. Mostly to cut down on breakage of all the cloth elements. Even the base feels hollow cast. Aeglos also h...

Re: New Weta everywhere you look!

I definitely can't have them all due to space, but the White Tree and Fountain guard is piece that screams "Middle-Earth" and feels like a must have. It definitely looks like a needed addition to your collection. Are the small branches the more flexible material? Mine should be here today...

Re: New Weta everywhere you look!

The MC line is fully advertised as using different materials. The regular line is too, although Weta is not consistent in specifying materials for either line. Sometimes they say polyurethane or polyresin is used for some parts, in addition to polystone. Other times they nothing at all, like in the...

Re: New Weta everywhere you look!

There are different grades of poly that go from very flexible, to extremely brittle. The eagle had some softer, lighter parts as well. All the separate feather parts were like that, but I'm kind of happy they are, as those are so thin they would be very easy to break if they were the typical polyres...

Re: Denis Villeneuve's Dune

So, I think I'd say his movies might have emotionally complex endings rather than gut wrenching. At least they were not wrenching to my gut, in any case. ;) Give Incendies a watch ;) Paul will have both a wife and a concubine. In the book, the wife was purely for the political connection, but I cou...

Re: Denis Villeneuve's Dune

I'm not fishing for spoilers here but you allude to Part 2's abrupt ending. I think the average moviegoer wants movies to have a happy ending, and while Dune proper seems to have that, the main character winning, DM is a sandworm of a different color. Perhaps DV will color the story in such a way t...

Re: Denis Villeneuve's Dune

There is a third book yet to be made into a film that delves deeply into that theme of Herbert's story, so there was no need to alter a main character, and in turn her people, to such a blatant degree in this film. Maybe Spaith's and DV and have some plan to circle back around in film 3 with her. SP...

Re: Denis Villeneuve's Dune

As for the other change, one that fundamentally alters a major character, I was of mixed feelings yesterday, thinking that it did feel more appropriate somehow, but this morning as I think on it more, I'm catching more of a whiff of modern sensibilities playing a role in the change, and an 'update'...

Re: Denis Villeneuve's Dune

With Dune, I'm not as into the book as I was with LOTR, but having read it probably 3 or so times, I know the story well enough to detect any major changes made by the adaptation. And if they're minor changes, I guess they don't matter that much. So I was able to enjoy Part 1 reasonably well on its...

Re: New Weta everywhere you look!

It's even better at night. http://www.kitrae.net/fantasy/images/Hobbit%201/IMG_9360.jpeg http://www.kitrae.net/fantasy/images/Hobbit%201/IMG_9369s.jpg I moved it to a permanent location, which is high on a wall. http://www.kitrae.net/fantasy/images/Hobbit%201/IMG_9387.jpeg Of course, after getting t...

Re: Denis Villeneuve's Dune

As for the other change, one that fundamentally alters a major character, I was of mixed feelings yesterday, thinking that it did feel more appropriate somehow, but this morning as I think on it more, I'm catching more of a whiff of modern sensibilities playing a role in the change, and an 'update'...

Re: New Weta everywhere you look!

I don't remember if any of you ordered the Salvation a Mount Doom statue, but I did and it just arrived. Wow! Pictures do not do it justice. I knew it was big, but you really don't realize how big until it's right in front of you. This has to be one of the coolest collectibles I own. It really is a ...

Re: Denis Villeneuve's Dune

Since I'm not going to hyperventilate if the movie doesn't follow the book (whether by alterations/additions/omissions) do you still recommend skipping the reread prior to seeing the movies? That's up to you. I'm just going by the reaction of two friends who re-read Dune before seeing it, and wishe...

Re: Denis Villeneuve's Dune

Whatever notes Frank Herbert left, his son and son's coauthor have certainly managed to parlay into quite the cottage industry. I don't think Frank's Dune 7 notes really were much of anything, or if they were, I don't think they were followed. I just can't see Frank coming up with any of those ham ...

Re: Denis Villeneuve's Dune

I read Machine Crusade and the other two books in that trilogy, as Herbert and Anderson said it helped to read those books before reading their two Dune sequels that were supposed to take up where Herbert's last book left off, finishing his story. They were not terrible, but they were not particular...

Re: Denis Villeneuve's Dune

Speaking of Dune, I gather that the streaming series has had its name changed from Dune: The Sisterhood to Dune: Prophecy. Supposedly it will premiere late this year but given the development hell it's been in, I'm going to consider it vaporware until I see it appear on my screen. Is it based on th...

Re: Denis Villeneuve's Dune

Oh I wouldn't be quite so harsh, personally. Yes there's a lot of wacky stuff in the '84 movie, and it is clearly a product of its time, but there is a certain beauty and majesty to its grandiose aesthetic Definitely. There are parts of that film I love hate. Overall what was released was a complet...

Re: Denis Villeneuve's Dune

Deimos wrote: Sat Mar 09, 2024 11:31 am I decided I'm going to re-read it before I watch the DV movies.
Just a suggestion, but I would do the the opposite. Having the book fresh in your head before seeing the films will just make the condensed parts, omissions, and changes from the book more distracting.

Re: Denis Villeneuve's Dune

I thought the opening montage and VO from Chani right at the beginning of Part 1 explained the spice and its importance quite well. It was touched on a few more times later in the film, but not as directly as the way Chani stated at the beginning. One area I thought could have used more explanation,...

Re: Denis Villeneuve's Dune

It's disappointing to hear about changes that, if I'm hearing you right, detract from the source material rather than add to it. As we've gone through LOTR ad nauseum, we fully understand how and why some things have to be adapted for the change in medium and run time. However, it's when the change...

Re: Denis Villeneuve's Dune

I saw part 2 Thursday in an Imax laser theater with the 1.90:1 aspect ratio. Not as big as the true 70mm Imax 1.43:1 screens, but more height in the image than you get in a standard theater, and the 4k detail was incredible. Except for one thing Villeneuve changed, I thought it was really good. Actu...

Re: Denis Villeneuve's Dune

Definitely seeing that one in the theater. We have a fake Imax near here. It's not the full sized screen, but at least it is the correct aspect ratio for the way the film was shot, so that is how I will be seeing it. It's a shame part 1 was not released on Blu Ray in that aspect ratio, because there...

Re: United Cutlery's - LOTR & The Hobbit - Movie Props!

It's always unfortunate when this happens, but it almost feels like UC is becoming like Weta in a way when it comes to pre-ordering stuff: wait and see until the first shipment of product lands in the hands of the few overeager and unsuspecting collectors, and then find out from reviews and comment...

Re: United Cutlery's - LOTR & The Hobbit - Movie Props!

Do you get to do remote video walk throughs with the other factories as well? Or just email correspondence and samples sent back and forth? Sometimes, but it is rare these days. It's only when there is a problem I am asked to help with. It's always faster to to be able to see things live or on vide...

Re: United Cutlery's - LOTR & The Hobbit - Movie Props!

Sounds like there's a chance we'll see them being sold by late Spring then. Does UC have its containers shipped to the west coast, or do they go the longer overseas route to the east coast? With all the hassles going on in the Red Sea, I'm curious if that would have an impact if that's the route th...

Re: United Cutlery's - LOTR & The Hobbit - Movie Props!

lol... looks like an armoury in Lindon, just before the Last Alliance elves come in to suit up for their long march to Mordor! :coolsmile Can't wait to finally get my hands on a proper White Staff. Based on how far along they are, when do you guess most retailers might be seeing them (knowing that ...

Re: United Cutlery's - LOTR & The Hobbit - Movie Props!

No, remotely. Those are snapshots from a video walk through of production earlier today. I wanted to see the Elf helms up close to confirm they actually completed all the paint steps on the unfinished helms that were sent back to the factory, so someone walked through the production line while video...

Re: United Cutlery's - LOTR & The Hobbit - Movie Props!

I saw these today. This version is looking good so far, or at least what I saw did. I got to see the corrected High Eleven Helms too, with the paint actually finished this time. http://www.kitrae.net/fantasy/images/Hobbit%201/UC1386_2024%20Production_1.jpg http://www.kitrae.net/fantasy/images/Hobbit...

Re: United Cutlery's - LOTR & The Hobbit - Movie Props!

You must have helped or designed hundreds if not over a thousand pieces so far in your career? So many projects that I can barely remember half of them. How many of the Factory X pieces did you work on? I always wanted and still occasionally look for for the Hessian sword from Sleepy Hallow. Always...

Re: United Cutlery's - LOTR & The Hobbit - Movie Props!

That would have been great and years ahead of what Master Replicas eventually did. Ours would have been hilts only. MR did a great job with the blade LEDs and sound. We could not have done that back then. I remember the Samurai 3000 line, they really reminded me of the katana Blade used in the Marv...

Re: United Cutlery's - LOTR & The Hobbit - Movie Props!

Seems like even back then you were ready to make prop replicas and more then just bladed weapons. It would have been a good time to have created a sub-company that made other props so they weren't focused on selling through just knife and sword retailers. Definitely. UC was already selling to the c...

Re: United Cutlery's - LOTR & The Hobbit - Movie Props!

Kind of a missed opportunity to not make the Temple of Doom machete though, no? I'm sure we would have sold a few, but I think that would have bombed quick. It was not really his machete. He just grabbed it and used it in that one scene. Plus, I hated that movie :) Prop replicas of the head piece t...

Re: United Cutlery's - LOTR & The Hobbit - Movie Props!

Edit: I just looked at it. Which prop is that based on? Obviously, it's not the one Indy cuts the bridge with. Is it from Temple of Doom? Or is it an "inspired by" type knife (in other words, not an actual replica)? Was it funtional? It was not really based on anything. That was back in t...

Re: United Cutlery's - LOTR & The Hobbit - Movie Props!

Kit, I've always wondered just how many of some of these swords are out there. Not sure if you can, but do you have a rough idea of how many official UC Anduril swords there are out in the world? When I ran the LOTR program at the old UC, we made around 20k from the time it was released until the e...

Re: United Cutlery's - LOTR & The Hobbit - Movie Props!

I didn't expect the Strider knife to be back in stock so soon. I've been counting the days for his scabbard to be in stock but I guess I can hold off for another month before ordering :) So soon? It's been out of production for 15 or 16 years :) Hopefully there won't be any snafus like the last two...

Re: United Cutlery's - LOTR & The Hobbit - Movie Props!

I'm curious as to how much of an increase in shipping it would be to have the bow made into two pieces vs one. Are we talking double, or triple the price compared to say a sword? The sales for steel swords vs polyresin prop replicas are night and day. Anduril is considered extra large and gets hit ...

Re: United Cutlery's - LOTR & The Hobbit - Movie Props!

Has there ever been a polyresin piece that needs to be assembled by the end user where 2 pieces need to connect like this? I can't think of one. No, UC has not done anything like that before. I tried it for one of the Hobbit replicas, but their factory could not do it. Now they think they can. We w...

Re: United Cutlery's - LOTR & The Hobbit - Movie Props!

Wow, that's a difficult challenge! I know it's a large piece almost 70 inches tall. But there really isn't a very good place to put a seam, no handle to separate the 2 halves. All things you are all very well aware of, and probably facing the same issue on the Gil-Galad shield. There is actually a ...

Re: United Cutlery's - LOTR & The Hobbit - Movie Props!

We hear "in development" but I'm sure that can mean all sorts of things. From drawing up plans to see if something is actually viable to produce and even making a prototype, to just talking about it and nothing ever going forward. I don't know about anyone else, but when I say in developm...

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