And the next level of commercialization is... - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

blantyr · 01-31-2012, 06:26 PM

Lord of the Rings Lego!

Is this Christopher's fault?

Galadriel55 · 01-31-2012, 07:10 PM

I see the revival of the trend of "I'm Legolas! I've lost my Legos!" jokes...

Boo Radley · 01-31-2012, 07:26 PM

"...and the brick maker has done an outstanding job re-creating the characters' iconic appearances..."

Umm.... no?

Galadriel55 · 01-31-2012, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boo Radley

"...and the brick maker has done an outstanding job re-creating the characters' iconic appearances..."

Umm.... no?

Considering that's it's lego made by the movies, umm... sorta.

Boo Radley · 01-31-2012, 08:29 PM

I just have a problem with the sudden over usage of the term "Iconic". Everything is iconic anymore. I'll bet that if you asked most people who just used the word in a sentence to define it, they be hard pressed to come up with the correct definition. "Well... it's like an icon."

BZZZZ!!!
I'm sorry! Wrong answer, but thanks for playing!

Sorry. It just makes me a wee bit nuts.

Galadriel55 · 01-31-2012, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boo Radley

"Well... it's like an icon."

Well, that definition certainly describes the Legos very well!

Boo Radley · 02-01-2012, 12:04 PM

Bah! Next you will be telling me that a little female "icon" made out of plastic blocks is called a Lego-Lass, and I'll not be having that kind of nonsense around here, young lady!

Galadriel55 · 02-01-2012, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boo Radley

Bah! Next you will be telling me that a little female "icon" made out of plastic blocks is called a Lego-Lass, and I'll not be having that kind of nonsense around here, young lady!

I won't be telling any such thing, though. I prefer Gandalf uncloaking jokes.

And you have to admit, lego people always look a bit like icons with their simplified forms.

Lindale · 02-01-2012, 01:03 PM

The Ringwraith has an uncanny similarity to Vader, or maybe I need to visit the eye clinic again.

Lalwendë · 02-03-2012, 06:30 AM

Some of you have seen my vast collection of action figures/plastic tat* so I will be buying these. Not least because I love LEGO and so does the little fella, but because I have to say the Gollum one is so utterly hideous and sinister it goes beyond the pale and I'm therefore compelled to have it. I have a set of the 11 Doctors (from Doctor Who, if this wasn't obvious) done as 'LEGO' men (from the Character Building range, which is LEGO compatible) and they are quite ugly little things too, but I love them.

I will of course legitimise this and claim they have some educational value for the young sir as he will enjoy playing with them too and I can impart some more subliminal knowledge of Tolkien until such time as he's old enough to read the books. The best thing for a toy collector is having a child and therefore an excuse.

I will be very cross, though, if no proper action figures come out to accompany the films.

*delete according to taste.

Bêthberry · 02-03-2012, 12:20 PM

What I'm (mildly) curious about is that little TM after each name. Who owns the trademark on the characters' names? Lego? New Line etc? The Estate?

Morthoron · 02-03-2012, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

What I'm (mildly) curious about is that little TM after each name. Who owns the trademark on the characters' names? Lego? New Line etc? The Estate?

Those are trademarked by the estate and used under license at Lego. I remember in the 70s or 80s Gary Gygax getting sued by the estate for using the term "Hobbit" in his Dungeons and Dragons game. Gygax had to change the character to "Halfling".

Mithalwen · 02-03-2012, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

What I'm (mildly) curious about is that little TM after each name. Who owns the trademark on the characters' names? Lego? New Line etc? The Estate?

I thought most of the names were the TMs of the Saul Zaentz co trading as Tolkien Entreprises not the estate but that may have changes since last time.

Lalwendë · 02-03-2012, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

What I'm (mildly) curious about is that little TM after each name. Who owns the trademark on the characters' names? Lego? New Line etc? The Estate?

Depends. TMs are usually licensed to the various manufacturers by the creators/brand owners. Most Doctor Who toys are trademarked to the BBC, except Daleks, which are trademarked to Terry Nation. So it depends on whether the Estate have released the rights or not. And it will be different in each country. To further complicate things, LEGO is a Danish company and that's a highly protected brand in itself (LEGO, not Denmark, that is). Character Building toys are made to be LEGO compatible but they cannot say this on any of their packaging.

I remember looking at my brother's D&D books and I used to get confused why they called all the Hobbits 'halflings'!

01-31-2012, 06:26 PM	#1
blantyr Wight Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Settling down in Bree for the winter. Posts: 208	And the next level of commercialization is... Lord of the Rings Lego! Is this Christopher's fault?

01-31-2012, 07:10 PM	#2
Galadriel55 Blossom of Dwimordene Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: The realm of forgotten words Posts: 10,377	I see the revival of the trend of "I'm Legolas! I've lost my Legos!" jokes... __________________ You passed from under darkened dome, you enter now the secret land. - Take me to Finrod's fabled home!... ~ Finrod: The Rock Opera

01-31-2012, 07:26 PM	#3
Boo Radley Wight Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Ohio. Believe it or not. Posts: 145	"...and the brick maker has done an outstanding job re-creating the characters' iconic appearances..." Umm.... no? __________________ Don't believe everything you read on the interwebs. That's how World War 1 got started!

01-31-2012, 08:29 PM	#5
Boo Radley Wight Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Ohio. Believe it or not. Posts: 145	I just have a problem with the sudden over usage of the term "Iconic". Everything is iconic anymore. I'll bet that if you asked most people who just used the word in a sentence to define it, they be hard pressed to come up with the correct definition. "Well... it's like an icon." BZZZZ!!! I'm sorry! Wrong answer, but thanks for playing! Sorry. It just makes me a wee bit nuts. __________________ Don't believe everything you read on the interwebs. That's how World War 1 got started!

02-01-2012, 12:04 PM	#7
Boo Radley Wight Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Ohio. Believe it or not. Posts: 145	Bah! Next you will be telling me that a little female "icon" made out of plastic blocks is called a Lego-Lass, and I'll not be having that kind of nonsense around here, young lady! __________________ Don't believe everything you read on the interwebs. That's how World War 1 got started!

02-01-2012, 01:03 PM	#9
Lindale Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: midway upon... in a forest dark Posts: 975	The Ringwraith has an uncanny similarity to Vader, or maybe I need to visit the eye clinic again. __________________ The heart does things for reasons Reason itself cannot comprehend. - Blaise Pascal Legal Madness.

02-03-2012, 06:30 AM	#10
Lalwendë A Mere Boggart Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: under the bed Posts: 4,737	Some of you have seen my vast collection of action figures/plastic tat* so I will be buying these. Not least because I love LEGO and so does the little fella, but because I have to say the Gollum one is so utterly hideous and sinister it goes beyond the pale and I'm therefore compelled to have it. I have a set of the 11 Doctors (from Doctor Who, if this wasn't obvious) done as 'LEGO' men (from the Character Building range, which is LEGO compatible) and they are quite ugly little things too, but I love them. I will of course legitimise this and claim they have some educational value for the young sir as he will enjoy playing with them too and I can impart some more subliminal knowledge of Tolkien until such time as he's old enough to read the books. The best thing for a toy collector is having a child and therefore an excuse. I will be very cross, though, if no proper action figures come out to accompany the films. delete according to taste. __________________ Gordon's alive!*

02-03-2012, 12:20 PM	#11
Bêthberry Cryptic Aura Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 5,996	What I'm (mildly) curious about is that little TM after each name. Who owns the trademark on the characters' names? Lego? New Line etc? The Estate? __________________ I’ll sing his roots off. I’ll sing a wind up and blow leaf and branch away.