Alright Val, you asked for it. Prepare to be floored. Honestly, I can't stop laughing at the gargantuan size of it:







Compliments to Pordey from the S+F for the photos. I'll let ya'll know as soon as this thing is up for preoder.

By the way, just some general info: it's not actually twice the size of Orthanc. It's on a higher platform. It's about 22 inches tall though, I guess that's Weta giving SS's premium format line the middle finger. The base is almost as big as Rivendell's. No word yet as to a removable eye or the apparent lighting in the base, but I'll keep this thread updated as I hear things.

I was wondering how I was going to swing the cost of all the statues I've seen and want and now this!

Where the heck would you put that thing?!?!? I mean you would literally have to buy it its own coffee table. Not for me, I only got 450 sq ft to live out of as it is. Looks awesome though!

[quote=""Fingolfin""]By the way, just some general info: it's not actually twice the size of Orthanc. It's on a higher platform. It's about 22 inches tall though, I guess that's Weta giving SS's premium format line the middle finger. The base is almost as big as Rivendell's. No word yet as to a removable eye or the apparent lighting in the base, but I'll keep this thread updated as I hear things.[/quote]

So has it already been mentioned (or published) how much this thing is going to cost?
I can't imagine it going for less than the price of Rivendell, if not more.

Sweet mother of....!!!!



Ok, so maybe it's not as big as I was imagining it would be, but that's still pretty awesome and so darn frickin' cool! Probably a good thing for the health of my wallet that it is not bigger.

I did notice the perspective with the nearby Orthanc was off, but the base does indeed look gargantuan. Please, no eye, and if there is one, make it so there is no visible cue that something should be there, like with the current Danbury version. Also, are you sure the lava moat is lit or is that just a particularly good and vivid paint-job?

Thanks for posting, Fin, you rock! I was drawn to the forums tonight by the sound of trumpets, so I knew it had to be you.

[quote=""Deimos""]So has it already been mentioned (or published) how much this thing is going to cost?
I can't imagine it going for less than the price of Rivendell, if not more.[/quote]

Nothing as of yet, but speculation is around $350-$400.

[quote=""Valkrist""]
Thanks for posting, Fin, you rock! I was drawn to the forums tonight by the sound of trumpets, so I knew it had to be you. [/quote]

Uh thank you, uh thank you very much.

It could just be an awesome paint job, after all, it's an awesome sculpt. And yes, Deimos, I'm probably going to let this massive hunk of evil into my collection. I have to splurge: this thing ROCKS!

Whoop whoop hate to double post but a quick update from the Flame:

Barad-dur has no electronics in it. They just messed with some new, hardcore paints to make it really bright. Also, the base IS the same base as Rivendell. That's how wide it is.

O...M...G!

That thing is SPECTACULARLY FANTASTIC! I have to have it, but I am going to be completely afraid of the price!

[quote=""Fingolfin""]....It could just be an awesome paint job, after all, it's an awesome sculpt. And yes, Deimos, I'm probably going to let this massive hunk of evil into my collection. I have to splurge: this thing ROCKS! [/quote]

Despite my sentiments and convictions about having evil things in my collection I agree with you... It is an awesome work of art; the detail is incredible.

The whole towering edifice radiates unmitigated menace and malevolent power.

I find it hypnotically attractive in the same way the One Ring (in its etched version especially) is attractive.

And I desire to own it as I have always desired to own the One Ring.

But...must...resist...allure....of....evil.

Not going to buy it.

Lol or must resist the destruction of your credit score! I don't even want to fathom the price tag!

Barad-dur launches on July 31st! I'll link the article later, but thought I'd let ya know now.

As in that's when pre-ordering opens? Sweet, good to know. Any word on goodies for the first 300 or 400 kinda thing?

i am scared of the price tag!!!!!

[quote=""BladeCollector""]i am scared of the price tag!!!!![/quote]
I don't blame you there BC. I don't buy these items because I know they're WAY over priced and I don't like it when they got paid in the first place to make them before a single order is placed.

[quote=""Thranduil""]I don't like it when they got paid in the first place to make them before a single order is placed.[/quote]

Could you clarify what you mean here...?

[quote=""Valkrist""]Could you clarify what you mean here...? [/quote]
It's computer scan of the 18' Barad-dur from the film (which they were paid to make for the film). Reduced to cut a smaller version (big deal in this age), make silicone molds, pour polystone, done.
At whatever the price, it's not worth it to me.
People speculating that if it's only 500 pieces in the edition, $600 would be okay? $300,000 for a weeks work?
Yeah that's commerce & marketing, but it's a cheat to the buyer in my opinion.
Make 5000 and sell them for a hundred bucks each, maybe I'd buy that.

I'm a Lladro fan and have a book about how they're made; Worth every penny.
Plastic? Yeah I'm thinking of making a new edition of the Eomer Helm, making a silicone mold, and doing it in plastic. Only so it's more affordable to more people.

I admit I have an attitude about such things, but it's $15 bucks worth of resin and about an hour in labor. Totally unfair when compared to a limited edition Faberge egg made by Faberge for $2500.

It's a product comparison issue. Materials & labor in this compared to Lladro or Faberge, it's just a total cheat in my book.

And quality control? Hah! There is none.

I don't think it was quit as simple as you may think. Here is link to the article from the builder himself. http://www.wetanz.com/overcoming-the-fe ... of-sauron/ and I think I also read somewhere else that there were over 1100 hours combined efforts put into this between cutting,sculpting, molding and assembling. I do agree with you on the price point for this as this and all of Weta recent stuff is getting a little out of hand. Just look at the new line of Hobbit 1/6 statues costing $250 each. So if you want all the dwarfs, Bilbo and Gandalf it would be at least $3750 which is rather high. I could buy the entire UC line for that.

Ok, thanks for e xp laining, Thrand, even if I disagree on some points. I had read the article N2 is referring to and was going to point that out but he beat me to it.

I suppose in the end they will continue to charge high because people keep buying them. But is the price really too high if these things keep selling out? Obviously there's enough people out there that don't think so, otherwise they wouldn't sell. It's a catch 22.

At any rate, the price point argument does have merit, especially in Weta's case. It's not really a question any more of collecting everything they put out because that's impossible unless you have a money tree in your backyard, but rather about being very selective about what you can afford, and what you decide you can't live without. Overpriced or not, Barad-dur falls into the category of the latter for me, personally. We do have a choice here, and no one is putting a gun to anyone else's head.

However, for the high prices alone, and simply because I'm not super keen on a whole line of plastic weapons, I will very likely be avoiding Weta's upcoming line of props, unless there is an item or two that I want very much that UC is not reproducing. As for the statues, my priorities are becoming very narrow and selective.

I really want to get it... the first thing I said to myself when i opened my Orthanc a couple months ago was "I need the Barad-dur" I am anxiously nervous about the pricing but if they have the same deal coming up later this month that you dont pay until it is released, unless its 6,7,800-1000 dollars, I should be able to afford it.

Even when they were partnered with Sideshow, I don't recall Weta ever charging on a pre-order until the item actually shipped. Someone will correct me if my memory is faulty.

I have never had a pre-order on anything that was charged prior to shipping.

I'm rather afraid of the Barad-dur price tag too. Considering I already have a very good one from Danbury and have a lot of pricey Bluray sets preordered that will be coming my way in the next few months (including the Harry Potter's Wizard's Collection, no less) it's pretty unlikely I will take the plunge on this.

As for limited edition collectible, it will probably be something like a cheesy poster of how they made it....

Yes I've seen those photos that N2 posted and I'm aware of the article, and their claims.
Maybe it's all true, but I find it hard to believe, with scanning technologies these days and what the NC machines can do.
I'm not trying to discredit Weta, but why make a model when you've already got one?

Guys, when I worked in the auto industry I had a title:
Model Maker.
I was right in the middle of the whole process. Worked directly with the designers at the clay level, and also those making the actual tools that mass produce the parts. I worked with the CAD guys & the CAM guys.

Some of the claims Weta makes cause me to shake my head.
What's a Corvette made of? Most say fiberglass. The truth is it is fiberglass reinforced resin, (sound like a helm?).

My gripe about price has to do with other fine collectibles, how they are made, and what they cost.

I think they have hot items that sell & people pay their price because they don't know.

When resin figures first came out, it was so they could make them ine xp ensive as compared to ceramics. The Lladro family would be thoroughly insulted if they were asked to switch to resin castings. I'm quite sure they would consider resin figures to be cheap crap.

Barad-dur made of ceramic? Yes, absolutely, $800 and worth every penny.
I'm just too familiar with these materials and processes, have done these things myself, both ceramics & resin cast in silicone molds. The latter is a piece of cake compared to the former.

The bottom line is I feel it's unfair to the buyers. But who cares, they do sell, don't they. And they're making a killing on them.

The UC swords offer a big bang for the buck. Good materials made quite well.

Plastic figurines for the price of ceramic? PffffT!

One more quick note of why I doubt Weta's claims. Is the model made for the film 18 feet or 7.5 meters? Cause there's a HUGE difference in those two claims.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... 8txQbjmics

1500 hours or 1100 hours? 400 hours difference in their claims.

I understand what you're saying, but it really sounds like you've got a bone to pick here.

You're not giving them any of your money, so what does it matter in the end? Short of calling us all fools and how quickly we are parted with our money, I think we can all decide for ourselves what our own personal limitations are in what we will spend or not spend for a collectible we want.

Everyone has different thresholds when it comes to these things. Say it does cost $400: to some that is over their personal limit and they will say no; to some it will be right at the limit and they will be thankful it is not a penny more; and to a few others it will be no obstacle. That's just how things are and always will be.

I appreciate your knowledge and e xp erience on the subject, but it really changes nothing for me. I'm not buying Barad-dur for what it is made out of, or for how many work hours it took to make. I'm buying it for what it represents to me as a collector and for the personal enjoyment that I will derive in owning another small and special part of Middle-earth. Not really things you can put a price on, can you? Or if you can, it will be a price that varies as surely as we are all individuals.

[quote=""Valkrist""]Even when they were partnered with Sideshow, I don't recall Weta ever charging on a pre-order until the item actually shipped. Someone will correct me if my memory is faulty.[/quote]

You are correct, sir. And this will be totally limited-edition, so no bonuses. Your door prize is that you get a limited edition Barad-dur! Yes, preorders are on the 31st, and we'll probably get a little more information on it before the magic day. I'm e xp ecting an ES of at least 1,000 but honestly they could do 2,000 and sell them all. I'd like to see 1,500 personally and keep the price around $300 but I doubt it will work that way.

[quote=""Valkrist""]I understand what you're saying, but it really sounds like you've got a bone to pick here.

You're not giving them any of your money, so what does it matter in the end? Short of calling us all fools and how quickly we are parted with our money, I think we can all decide for ourselves what our own personal limitations are in what we will spend or not spend for a collectible we want.

Everyone has different thresholds when it comes to these things. Say it does cost $400: to some that is over their personal limit and they will say no; to some it will be right at the limit and they will be thankful it is not a penny more; and to a few others it will be no obstacle. That's just how things are and always will be.

I appreciate your knowledge and e xp erience on the subject, but it really changes nothing for me. I'm not buying Barad-dur for what it is made out of, or for how many work hours it took to make. I'm buying it for what it represents to me as a collector and for the personal enjoyment that I will derive in owning another small and special part of Middle-earth. Not really things you can put a price on, can you? Or if you can, it will be a price that varies as surely as we are all individuals.[/quote]
Totally understood. It is a personal decision and I understand each persons budgetary boundaries play a role. Yes, each buys because of what it means to them as a collector. I meant no disrespect, nor to imply anyone a fool. I say again it's on their side I feel the wrong is being committed, they should offer a bigger bang for your buck rather than prey on your desire to collect and suck your wallet dry.

[quote=""Thranduil""]prey on your desire to collect and suck your wallet dry.[/quote]

No truer words have ever been spoken.

I would almost call it an addiction rather than a desire, but I dislike the negative connotations of that word and like to think that I have enough self-control to choose when and what to buy and what not to.

This is really no different than any other discussion on this subject. Remember the old UCF joke about the MC Rusty Meat Cleaver and how everyone would rush out to buy it even though no one asked UC to make it? It kinda plays along the same lines that Weta knows they can put out a polystone statue of a turd, say that it was 'deposited' on the floor of Balin's Tomb by the cave troll, and people will still buy it.

It's all about where your priorities are and how much you are willing to give in. Weta is a business and their job is to make money; I can't really fault them for that, though I agree that I wish at times that they would just slow it down a little, or put a little more care and thought into what they put out and how much they charge. Ultimately though, if you are broke in the end, there's no one to blame but yourself.

Well, personally, I like the fact that Weta is on a roll. The collecting community waited from 2005 to 2009 to get something, anything new from Weta. And now they're giving us what we want, their business is booming, and we're seeing a lot of pieces we never thought would see the light of day. But at the end of the day, they gots bills to pay. Remember our discussion about the Tolkien Estate? They want their cut, as does New Line/MGM (whoever holds the chain these days), and PJ and Co, along with all the employees whose job it is to see that this business runs smoothly. Honestly, Weta has one of the better track records for customer service I've seen. What other company's Head Figure shows up to a forum moot halfway across the world to meet and greet members of his company's fan club? Whereas SS makes 35 second sneak peaks and proceeds to charge you an arm and a leg, Weta asks you what you want, then makes it and blows you out of the water with it, and gives you newsletters full of series of updates and photos about the production of your piece. That is a company who loves what they do, what they make, and the people they sell it to. We're all titled to our opinion, but I guess I'm just a little too optimistic to get down on them.

Don't get me wrong, I love a lot of the stuff they put out and you'll see me at the front of the line to buy some of it. The problem lies where you pointed out: for a few years we had nothing, and now suddenly there's enough stuff coming out to make your head spin. I'm all for it except that when you start to run into limited edition items that you really want, you're hard pressed to pass it up. If you don't, you're spending a ton of money as all these things come out, and if you do, then you're stuck living with regret or trying to buy them second-hand for even more than what they cost originally.

I agree with most of what Fin said and as well as Val. I own quite a bit of Weta stuff, both Sideshow and Weta and for the most part have been very happy with everything. Most recently there have been a few issues with a few of there products such as John Howe's Smaug which they took care of wonderfully and I totally respect them all for that. I also ran into issues with Rivendell as did a few other people and that was not handled very well if you as me being the only option I got with my so call defect was to accept the issues with the piece since they said all of them would have some sort of problem I wouldn't be happy with or get a refund which I chose to do. I really think bending backwards and eating there mistake on the whole Smaug issue really made them gun shy and as a result have changed many of there previous customer service practices and raised costs considerably.

We will see how quality control goes from here on out as that is my greatest concern spending this kind of money on a collectible is how well its made and painted.

I guess I would have to say I'm in recovery. The only piece I've bought in years was Rivendell, and that was because I had wanted such a thing for years. Beyond the fact that those heady days in the early 2000s steeped in movie excitement are over, I live in a different house now with a mortgage payment twice as big as my old one. I have to be more picky about what I blow money on, and these days it seems much more likely to be blown on Bluray sets.

Back in the days when the movies were new and there were lots of collectibles, I bought a bunch of them and sad to say, with the exception of the LE Anduril, they are all sitting in their boxes in my unfinished basement. Someday I would love to finish the basement, put in a dedicated home theater, and have a "lobby" area that would be my collectibles room. However, that will cost tens of thousands of dollars and consequently, it will quite likely never happen. Thus, most of what remaining desire I have to buy collectibles is tempered by the knowledge that they'll just end up sitting in the basement.

Regardless of the materials used or man hours spent etc, the collectible market dictates the price. I am proud to own one of very limited number of Orthancs in the world. As long as they sell out every single time then Weta can ask whatever they want. I really.want Barad-dur but I just have to see the price first

Aye, Val, tough calls have to be made on LE pieces that come out left and right. I kicked myself in the foot the past year for passing up on the Prancing Pony, because it's so e xp ensive on the aftermarket now. Thank god I got one from a Flame member for $225!

An unfortunate update:

[quote=""Weta""]Hi Everyone
Sorry, we need to delay the launch of Barad-dur, due to some serious staff sickness issues.
We will not be launching on 31 July. We hope to launch at the end of next week. I will update you on Monday. We will send out a newsletter with the details a few days beforehand
Apologies
Kind regards
Tim[/quote]

Dang it!

Keep us posted, Fin. I'm too lazy to check the Weta site on a regular basis, but I am here everyday. I would hate to miss out on this release by not knowing when it came out.

I also hope their servers are in better shape this time around. Pre-ordering Orthanc was not fun.

[quote=""Fingolfin""]Aye, Val, tough calls have to be made on LE pieces that come out left and right. I kicked myself in the foot the past year for passing up on the Prancing Pony, because it's so e xp ensive on the aftermarket now. Thank god I got one from a Flame member for $225![/quote]
$ 225 for the Prancing Pony congrats with it Fing and i know the person who sell it to you.
In fact i was the first person who asked for the reservation for that beauty but i let it go the the second person(you)because i decide to stop collecting.
Anyway congrats again,i'm happy you bought that beauty.

[quote=""Dark Shadow""]$ 225 for the Prancing Pony congrats with it Fing and i know the person who sell it to you.
In fact i was the first person who asked for the reservation for that beauty but i let it go the the second person(you)because i decide to stop collecting.
Anyway congrats again,i'm happy you bought that beauty. [/quote]

Yeah, I saw you had put your name in. I owe you for that! I love the piece.

Decided to check for myself, and it's a good thing I did.

For folks on the West Coast, like myself, pre-orders for Barad-dur begin this Sunday at 1 PM. Here is the list of times, which accounting for time zones, is pretty much the same moment all around the world.

Barad-dûr - Fortress of Sauron opens for pre-orders:

• Los Angeles: Sunday 5 August at 1PM
• New York: Sunday 5 August at 4PM
• London: Sunday 5 August at 9PM
• Paris: Sunday 5 August at 10PM
• Sydney: Monday 6 August at 6AM
• Wellington: Monday 6 August at 8AM

You beat me to it, Val. Good luck! Did you read the list of things you can do to make the transaction easier? Pretty helpful.

I wish they would stick a price on it so the suspense would be relieved.

[quote=""BladeCollector""]I wish they would stick a price on it so the suspense would be relieved.[/quote]

They don't want too many people being rushed to the hospital with heart attacks before ordering day.

Fing, I didn't see the tip list. Where is it, exactly?

[quote=""Valkrist""]They don't want too many people being rushed to the hospital with heart attacks before ordering day.

Fing, I didn't see the tip list. Where is it, exactly? [/quote]

I can answer that for ya.

http://www.wetanz.com/what-can-i-do-to- ... ar-product

Grrrr... my browser is not liking that particular page. It loads absolutely everything on it except for the relevant text to the left of the Rivendelll picture.

"When we launch a new limited edition or numbered edition product at an announced time, there are usually a lot of other customers waiting, eager to order the product.
This naturally puts a bit of pressure on our website, as we never know how many of you there are.
In the past, our website has buckled under the pressure a couple of times and we have spent the last year working on improving the e xp erience. We cannot guarantee that it doesn't happen again, but we have put together a list of tips that will minimise the pressure on our server and hopefully give you a better e xp erience too. We know it can be stressful.
Please read through the list - they're simple things, but can make a lot of difference on the day.

1. Check with your bank that your credit card isn't blocked for international transactions and that there's nothing else that would prevent you from using the card for a pre-authorisation on wetaNZ.com.
2. Update your browser - if you use the latest vesions of Firefox or Google Chrome or Safari as your web browser, you are more likely to get a good e xp erience than with some other browsers.
3. Start with a freshly restarted computer - they always work best.
4. Log in to wetaNZ.com well ahead of time on the day - the more clicks and logins that happen at the same time when sales open, the greater the risk that the site gets overloaded.
5. Check in your profile that your shipping details are correct - no PO boxes, please - and that you have Zip/postal codes, phone numbers, email address and everything else entered correctly.
6. Only click once on buttons - it's a human instinct to do something repeatedly if it doesn't work first time. While it may be a good idea when you're knocking ashes out of a pipe, on a website it's almost never a good idea. Only click again if the website shows you a message that it has timed out or if you have waited for more than a minute for something to happen.
7. When you have submitted your credit card details - wait for the order confirmation. This is important, as that's when your email is sent out, confirming your purchase.
8. Keep Calm and Carry On - The pressure will be the greatest in the first five minutes, so stick with it. Everybody has the same chance of securing an order.
9. If the site DOES fall over - keep an eye on www.facebook.com/wetaworkshop and in the forums on The Shadow & Flame. We will keep you updated.

We look forward to seeing you on the day and we hope you get a pleasant e xp erience."

Thanks! Was just going to post that I managed to read it on my phone because it uses Google Chrome. I have IE on my computer and it didn't like that page for some weird reason. Given that, I may heed their advice and preorder through my phone.

[quote=""Valkrist""]Thanks! Was just going to post that I managed to read it on my phone because it uses Google Chrome. I have IE on my computer and it didn't like that page for some weird reason. Given that, I may heed their advice and preorder through my phone. [/quote]

Mine didn't like it either, but I was able to see the whole page using Firefox.....doesn't matter, though, as I will NOT be ordering that evil thing!

[quote=""BladeCollector""]I wish they would stick a price on it so the suspense would be relieved.[/quote]

I think it's safe to say that the suspense would only turn to panic and despair if they put the price out now.

And thanks, Arwyniel.

You know how you can tell if you are a serious collecting nerd... you plan your day and wait around for the pre order release time of a new WETA item!

I'm sorry if this is already known or has been talked about. But this is regarding the Eye of Sauron and the barad-dur environment!!

I was lucky enough to be able to watch the live stream from theonering.net during Comic Con 2012. While they were making a tour of Weta's Comic Con booth, wouldn't you know it they showed off the barad-dur environment.

There is one thing that specially caught my attention!!

For a couple of quick seconds an ipad/tablet was waved in front of the top of barad-dur tower. AND THERE HE WAS, THE GREAT EYE. I think weta has designed an app or something to be able to view the eye of sauron through a tablet or other multimedia devices. They moved the tablet around at a couple of angles, and the eye was still there. I thought one thing, cool!!!

So I believe barad-dur will come with the eye of sauron! It will just be an electronic form of sauron unlike the banbury mint barad-dur. The details in this thing look amazing. And this is coming from someone who doesn't own an environment yet. Just lucky to see that from the live stream.

Happy drooling

$700 and limited to only 1000