Aragorn and Arwen Barbie Dolls!

[Gorwingel]

Here is the first picture of the Arwen and Aragorn Wedding gift set by Mattel!<P><A HREF="http://www.theonering.net/scrapbook/view/7971" TARGET=_blank>TheOneRing.net</A><P>Enjoy!

[Lord of Angmar]

Awful. Simply awful.

[Gorothlammothiel]

I'm afraid i'm inclined to agree with Lord of Angmar. Why would Mattel want to bring out a LotR set of Barbie/Ken dolls - they aren't the typically perfect, stereotypical couple that they are persistant to promote. And more importantly, why would New Line/Saul Zantez/Tolkien Enterprises allow them to do so?!

[Cinderella]

I want to die.<BR><I>Who allowed such a thing!</I> And to make it worse, Aragorn's crown is ALL wrong... Arwen Barbie and Aragorn Ken...what is this world coming too!

[Finwe]

*shudders and falls over unconscious* <P>Need I say any more?

[Naurwen_of_Lothlorien]

Please, PLEASE tell me this is a joke.<BR>A very SICK joke, but a joke. Please.<P>Dear Eru...Barbie Arwen and King 'Elessar' Ken...<P>Tolkien would be ... less then happy.<P>Excuse me, I must now throw up and hit myself repeatedly on the head until I forget that image...<P>***shudders***

[Silmiel of Imladris]

Is it me or does Aragorn look too much like Brad Pitt? Man can Mattel keep their paws off of anything. <P>I heard one of you complain about the crown and unfortunatly these dolls are forshadowing for the movie because I have seen pictures of Liv in that outfit so I think what we see here is what we are going to get. I love Arwen's dress but Aragorn's outfit is yuck. Darn that PJ!

[The Only Real Estel]

Aragorn does look like Brad Pitt. He also looks scared (almost). I guess that's what happens when the reality finally sets in that your going to marry <I>Arwen</I>, & can't go flirting with girls who like long walks to old fortresses.

[HCIsland]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR> He also looks scared (almost). <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>I heard you can get a companion Elrond with shotgun. <P>H.C.

[The Only Real Estel]

*Lol HC.<BR> Maybe you can get a stoned Celeborn as well...

[Iarwain]

That's even funnier than what PJ did with the story. At least it's clearly and agreeably ridiculous. That is, unless someone comes up with an argument to defend the wonderful Ringer Barbie Dolls, and argues that it will attract the intrest of thousands of little girls out there. <P>Iarwain

[Gorwingel]

I am glad you are all responding wonderfully to this news <P>I had actually found out about these dolls a little bit before the picture came out. I personally think that the Aragorn doll has to be one of the ugliest dolls I have ever seen (neither of the dolls look anything like the actors), and additionally I think this is a terrible idea.<P>But from what I have heard this is not a joke, they are scheduled to come either before ROTK comes out or after (I don't recall correctly).

[The Saucepan Man]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR> That is, unless someone comes up with an argument to defend the wonderful Ringer Barbie Dolls, and argues that it will attract the intrest of thousands of little girls out there. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>Well, as an admirer of Tolkien's works, I do of course agree with everything that has been said on this thread.<P>But as the father of a 5 year old girl upon whom Barbie has worked her pink perfidious wiles, I have to admit that there is bound to be a <I>massive</I> market for this kind of thing. <P>And they do look kinda cute ...

[Arwen Eruantale]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Aragorn doll has to be one of the ugliest dolls I have ever seen<HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>*laughs* Oh yes. No offense to any fangirls out there but, doesn't that Ken look like Brad Pitt if he had tried -and of course, failed- to be Aragorn? <P>That is sad. I had about a week of Barbie when I was like six -because all my cousins were into it- before going back to Tonka and Hotwheels and Army Men in the mud with my brother. These dolls -assuming they are not a joke- are a somewhat hilarious attempt by Mattel to get "in on the action" (if you will) that RotK will bring to the markets. Especially during the Holiday Season. <P>*laughing* Ah, they are funny...

[Goldberry]

I think it is absolutely sickening. "King Elessar/Ken"? That's funny...in a very, very sick sort of way. That Arwen doll looks a bit like a distorted victim of a plastic surgery disaster. I don't know, it's something about the face, and, I suppose the whole body. It just looks too overly fake to me, even for Barbie-dolls.

[Horse-Maiden of the Shire]

You just had to show me that. Do you want me to cry? Really. Ugh...why must Barbie corrupt everything?!

[Goldberry]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR> These dolls -assuming they are not a joke- are a somewhat hilarious attempt by Mattel to get "in on the action" (if you will) that RotK will bring to the markets. Especially during the Holiday Season. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>Ah, I suppose you are right there. I've just always had this strange hatred of Barbie-dolls. It's something about the shockingly pink colour of the packaging. I'll be in the store, and suddenly I'll come to the toy department, and that blinding pink will just knock me off my feet! I guess I just don't want Aragorn and Arwen to be brought to the level of the hot-pink Barbie doll. It's rather disturbing, once I start to think about it...so I guess I'll be going now.

[Arwen Eruantale]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>I just don't want Aragorn and Arwen to be brought to the level of the hot-pink Barbie doll.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>Hear! Hear, Goldberry!

[Gorwingel]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>You just had to show me that. Do you want me to cry? Really. Ugh...why must Barbie corrupt everything?!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>Oh, I'm sorry I just thought that it would be something that people would be interested in taking a look at.<P>Oh, and these dolls are not going to be part of the kids play line. They are going to be part of the collectibles line, where they have some rather beautiful dolls. Additionally these dolls will not come in pink pakaging because the higher up collectible dolls don't come that way.

[Rilarien884]

Just a question: what little girl(6-10 years old) will have even <I>watched</I> the movies?!?!<BR>Grrr...this is almost as bad as the cheap bobble-heads they're giving away with the Two Towers movie!<BR>I'm going to be ill...

[Helín Anyára]

I was reading through all these interestingly disgusted posts, but it was not until I actually went back and looked at the picture that I felt inclined to join in. <P>These are <B>horrible</B>!!! The "Aragorn" doll looks so much like Brad Pitt, whose name I already had in my mind, that when I first looked at it, I actually forgot for a fleeting moment that it <I>wasn't</I> him.<P>They are truly the most decided insult I've yet seen to Tolkien's noble characters. Although, I never had a special affinity (actually- the opposite) for *Barbie* so perhaps I'm slightly biased when it comes to my opinion of seeing Aragorn and Arwen demoted into the plastic molds of Barbie and Ken. <P>But that opinion, my friends, is anything but uncommon, isn't it?

[Gorwingel]

They are not going to be marketed towards 6-10 year olds. The collectible dolls are marketed towards adults. These are the kind of dolls which you stand on a shelf and look at them, you don't play with them.<BR>Here is the Barbie Collectibles site if you want to take a look: <A HREF="http://www.barbiecollectibles.com/index-home.asp" TARGET=_blank>Barbie Collectibles</A><P>I will stop talking now

[Rilarien884]

Even though they might be for collectors, they are still probably going to be in the toy section of most stores. Despite all good intentions, it's a strange idea<P>AL

[Gimli stonesheild]

i know that this will probaly get me kicked so i will try t osay it nicly whom ever thouht up these dolls need a pair on nicly fittd e\cement boots for their Imaginations, jsut that small part that thought this up

[Elentári]

Well I think they look quite pretty really...*ducks to avoid flying tomatoes*...although I do wish they weren't Barbie...King Elessar/Ken? What an insult!!! An I know Arwen doesn't exactly do much, but she deserves more than to be turned into a Barbie doll!!!!!!!

[Mariska Greenleaf]

<P>(stages I've been going through)

[The Squatter of Amon Rûdh]

Surely this line has been brought out solely for the benefit of loyal Tolkien fans, just like every other aspect of the predictably hugely profitable films. It can't have anything to do with the fact that some people will buy absolutely anything, or that Mattel can offer New Line Cinema an obscene amount of money for the right to use the characters in their films. No, just like the mass of other cheesy figurines, including those that McDonald's were giving away, they're all created just for us, the fans.<P>Look at those DVDs: some people would have released the film, then video and DVD versions; but just for us, New Line have been releasing special editions and special special editions. I'm not one of those cynics who thinks that's all aimed at making people buy more than one copy of the same film: they're doing it just so that we can all enjoy the works of that guy who wrote the books, whatever his name was. Anyway there's a full documentary about the making of the 'making of <I>The Two Towers</I>' documentary on <I>The Two Towers</I> Extended Version Special VIP Edition that mentions him twice. That's out in a couple of months and will feature a new and larger price tag.<P>We should stop complaining about these products and jolly well bow down and worship the people who so altruistically created them out of sheer love of whatsisname, the author. By the way, isn't it great how they're using the same names that are in the books? It shows how much they care about getting it just right.

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Is it safe to be unable to look at something without laughing? I mean, even with everybody warning that they are awful, I still screamed and scared the heck out of my dog when I saw them!!!!! That has got to be the single worst.... ugh. AHHHHHHHHH!!!! What were they thinking??????? I mean, I have plans to get them as a gag gift for my brother, but what self-respecting person who's even glanced at the books would buy those???? And how many guys do you know that take an unsheathed sword to their wedding? I don't see Arwen with her knitting needles... Forgive me- although I played with Barbies for years, the scenarios always involved the G.I. Joe Cobra Commander taking them as hostage, having the good guys save them, and then parachuting (with grocery bags) out my brother's upstairs window! (You wouldn't believe how often the bags didn't open!)... But still: Barbie Arwen??????? AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!<BR>What is the world coming to?<P><BR>*****<BR>EDIT: Sorry Feanor -- that long scream of despair was jacking up the thread, so I had to cut it down to size. <P>-Mister Underhill<P>[ August 26, 2003: Message edited by: Mister Underhill ]<P>EDIT: Sorry 'bout my scream... Honestly. It's just rather upsetting to see how commercialized they're making the best books (and movies) on Earth.<p>[ August 27, 2003: Message edited by: Feanor of the Peredhil ]

[Morquesse]

Feanor, we have sympathy towards your anguish, and we would appreciate it if you would shorten your lengthy word. Thank you. <P>Actually, I think the dolls are hilarious. I'm not going to buy them, but I can't stop laughing at the poeple who made the dolls. I'm waiting to see if they make Hobbit dolls with the Todd mold. <BR>We all know that Tolkien would dislike them to bits (I would) but let's just live with it and laugh. At least these are NOT for the general kiddie population like some other junk.<BR>Read this: Ha ha ha he he. See? did that not make you feel better? <BR>See you later!<BR>~M

[Thalionmar]

Holy Iluvatar in a hobbit hole! The real world sinks to a new low.<P>Coming soon - Tickle Me Durins Bane!!

[Mister Underhill]

Questions of commercialism aside, I'm sure these dolls will only cloud lingering questions about <A HREF="http://forum.barrowdowns.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=002029" TARGET=_blank>Elvish Reproduction</A>.<p>[ August 26, 2003: Message edited by: Mister Underhill ]

[Susan Delgado]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR> They are going to be part of the collectibles line, where they have some rather beautiful dolls. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> No. No Barbie ever created was anything but disgusting. The entire idea of Barbie is hideous beyond words and Mattel using LOTR for this sort of marketing is moneygrubbing at its worst. It's just greed, and it's despicable.<P>And having gotten that off my chest, I would like to applaud Squatter for being able to look at it in such a way. Cheers, Squatter.

[Lord of Angmar]

I wonder when the line of Orlando Bloom (er, I mean, Legolas) posable action figures is going to come out.

[The Only Real Estel]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Coming soon - Tickle Me Durins Bane!! <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Ouch, now that would be a trillion times worse than this, seriously. I don't think they're all <I>that</I> bad. Not that I'd buy them or anything, but I join Morquesse in thinking that it's more along the lines of funny. It only goes to show that LotR popularity is spreading at an alarming rate. & that's not a bad thing at all.

[Diamond18]

Ah. When I first looked at this thread I thought it was a joke and rolled my eyes. And it's not so much the fact that Mattel is getting in on the action, it's that the dolls look so lame. The least they could possibly do would have been to make them look like the characters. I have to admit, though, that I don't think this is as bad as the bobble-head dolls.<P>Now, when <I>I</I> played with Barbie dolls, my brother and I would pretend that half were detectives and half were bad guys, and after having car chases in the basement and other such adventures, the bad guys would capture the detectives and torture them. This ranged from dropping them down the clothes chute, tying them to the fan blades (then turning the fan ON! what fun) and... well, lots lots more. This explains why one of my Ken dolls had no legs and the other had only one arm.<P>What?<P>Anyway, so cheer up and just think of them as ugly Aragorn and Arwen action figures. Ha. Ha. Ha.

[Tinuviel of Denton]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR> what little (6-10 years old) will have even watched the movies?!?! <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>I just had to reply to that. My sisters (aged 3, 9, and 11, respectively) have seen and enjoyed the movies. (Well, the three-year-old was a bit scared in a few bits, like Helm's Deep, but other than that...)<P>I didn't get to see the dolls. They removed the picture at the request of Mattel, but I don't know that I <I>want</I> to see them from the comments on this thread.

[Rilarien884]

No offence meant by me using 6-10 year olds as examples. I'm just saying that when I was that old (and playing with Barbie dolls) I wouldnt have spent three hours sitting still for anything. I applaude your sisters (esp. the three year old) for watching the movies. They would have scared the hair straight up on my barbies when I was that young <P>AL

[Elentári]

True...I was easily terrified at that age...and I eagerly await these Orlando Bloom posable figures with the Lord of Angmar...hang on I mean Legolas figures, of course...<P>I think it is simply hilarious how much Lord of the Rings has spread...when I first read it, no one I knew had heard of it...and now you see the posters everywhere, especially for the DVD...although admittedly the publicity is only for the films...but still, 'all publicity is good publicity' or so 'tis said.

[Lord of Angmar]

I decline to agree that all publicity is good publicity. Look no further than the Kobe Bryant scandal for an example. However, I must say that since the movies have come out, book sales have sharpely risen and interest in the Professor's works has spiked, but I do not think it is generally good for the books or its true, longtime fans. Still, I suppose, the more the merrier.

[The Only Real Estel]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>I didn't get to see the dolls. They removed the picture at the request of Mattel, but I don't know that I want to see them from the comments on this thread.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> There not all <B>that</B> bad. They don't look like Balrogs or anything. Although Mattel could've teawked them a little to make them look better. But come on, how many 'dolls' that are made to look like something actually look like that thing? Not many.<P> <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>I decline to agree that all publicity is good publicity. Look no further than the Kobe Bryant scandal for an example.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> You've made your point, albiet strangely. Obviously it's bad pub for Kobe because he's in a bad situation for some bad choices that he made himself. But I don't see how any extra LotR stuff can give it 'bad pub'. I just thought it was strange you drew your analogy to Kobe's case.