Followers

"What Were They Thinking?" Award - 2010 Urban Vita Dolls

Up first is "Inferno." Since when do black circles around the eyes and the fiery orange streaks in the hair qualify as design?
It looks like a child got a hold of a black Sharpie pen and traced around her eyes. The gray shredded thing around her shoulders looks like it came out of a trash bin. The gown is literally ugly. This doll should not have been let out of the gate.

The other offerings of Urban Vita dolls for 2010 aren't much better. I get the overall impression of a confused designer who doesn't know what direction in which to take these dolls.

For example, Aquabella:This doll's face was peeled from a cartoon page. I do like her hair even though it was done with a heavy hand.

Then there's Breeze. She appears to be in a trance-like state with her partially closed lids and requisite toussled white hair. The outfit and the face do not work together. One would think 'angelic' until one sees the silver hot pants and tall boots. Oy.


Finally, Terra, the best of the four but the strange face remains.
I'm hoping to be able to actually see and handle one in person at IDEX in a few days.
Will you pay $160. for one?

PS
The manufacturer ought to hire a professional photographer while they're at it. The lighting is amateurish and makes the dolls look even worse.

Life Before Dolls

My son was married on Saturday to a wonderful woman. We are extremely happy. I did not have the time to choose a Picture of the Week for this week. Next Sunday I will have attended IDEX so there may not be a winner for two weeks in a row. But, there will be plenty of words and pictures. Stay tuned, dear readers!

Let's hear it from the man! Timeless Treasures Clark Gable as Rhett Butler


       Image from worldballoonpodcast.wordpress.com

Story of the Old South "Gone With The Wind" Rhett Butler, as portrayed by Clark Gable, "The Rescue from Atlanta." Incredible sculpting and intricate face paint capture the suave essence of the character Rhett Butler in the legendary film Gone With the Wind. Doll cannot hold hat as shown.

Forever dashing in his famous cream-colored suit with long coat and matching hat, your Rhett Butler doll is realistically rendered in the likeness of handsome actor, Clark Gable, who brought the character of Rhett to life in the movie. A multi-stripe vest, white shirt with decorative collar, and attached bow tie, and black boots add elegant style to his chivalrous demeanor. (photo and description from Entertainment Earth)



How can we forget the man? 
This is just my personal view on it. The sculpt is superb!! Undeniably Gable. Although the gloss on the lips (on extreme close up is something inevitable). Every inch of this 11 1/2 figure is Rhett Butler. I like the balance of salt and pepper color on the hair. 



The suit has wonderful details: collar print,  the tie, the stripes on the vest, and the dress shirt (long sleeves all the way), lined suit, the belt and even "square-toed" boots, pockets on the pants, the striped vest -- all of this make this a Clark Gable collector's dream! 





I think no manufacturer of GWTW dolls has captured this likeness -- not only in features but also in character. There is a smirk there that can be teasing on his Scarlett, there is the broad shoulders too. The doll is articulated at the elbows that allows you to put the Butler "hand-in-pocket" pose. 



Some wishes though. They should made him a little taller than their Scarlett  -- at least one head higher. And the suit should have been a more snug. 


However, Mattel did well on this last in the series of their Timeless Treasures GWTW. Frankly my dear, I did give a damn!

Mattel's Timeless Treasures Vivien Leigh as Scarlett: Barbeque at Twelve Oaks



The 2nd press release photo of Scarlett. I couldn't find the first one which really captured the doll's real likeness. 


This was the first crazy moment I had for a Scarlett doll. Doing overtime in the office, waiting for clearances from the writers and artists, surfing, searching: "Scarlett O' Hara doll". The universe must have heard, for lo and behold appearing on screen was this beautiful picture of Mattel's Timeless Treasures -- finally Vivien Leigh as Scarlett. I wasn't aware of FM's Scarlett at that time and was rather wanting of a Viv as Scarlett, rather than Barbie as Scarlett (which by the way has great hairstyling -- you should see Mattel's version of the white and black honeymoon dress).



I've read somewhere (perhaps still in the internet) that the prints for this dress were actual scans of the textile used on the fabric. If this is true, it adds once again to the great details of this doll.



The factory paint on this is subtler than the "drapery version". Mattel did well by creating the disparity between the woman in the curtains, and the dreamy, deluded girl in an afternoon party.  What I like about this face paint is the Scarlett "pout".  During the premiere of GWTW, it took almost a few minutes of Vivien's interpretation of Scarlett to make Margaret Mitchell say: "She is mah Scawhlett."  And we all know how belligerent the character was, unlike Tonner and FM's version where the doll is seen in a half-smile.  Hairsyle seems to have followed the parting of Hazel Roger's/Guilaroff's style (dunno if I got those names right). The hair color is dark brown -- I think almost chestnut, not stark black -- although that was how Mitchell described Scarlett in the novel.

Amazing jewelry that follows the look of the film.



The doll comes with gloves, shawl and (white?!) ankle boots (which I think was still appropriate for the doll, though not in color). There some things that are hard to capture on this scale specifically those "pinched hankies" (a wonderful term coined by  Nikki of the Scarlett Yahoo Groups) that surround the shoulders. Unlike the Barbie as Scarlett, this dress has more flow and thank heaven, not in "organza".  The hat has a green velvet ribbon -- which is difficult to tie because of its thickness.

The doll you see is the one I display. I was so smitten by this version that I got 2 (one is still mint in the box -- and someday when I'm crazier I will take her out).


In the coming week Tonner will launch its 2010 line, among them the overheard "What's my lamb gonna wear?" For something that has been said to be overdone, the Barbeque dress is still a signature of Scarlett as she wears this in 2 settings on film. It still is a must-have -- at least for me.


































First photo from BarbieCollector.com
Note: Not seen here are the hat, white hand gloves and the lace shawl

Mattel's Timeless Treasures Vivien Leigh as Scarlett: On Peachtree Street.

"Second in a series featuring Scarlett, as portrayed by Vivien Leigh in the epic film, Gone With the Wind. Scarlett looks stunning in an authentic re-creation of this famous green velvet gown taken from the velvet curtains in Scarlett's home. The gown is a dark green velvet and light green velveteen, with a fitted bodice and full skirt. A green and golden cord with tassels is wrapped around the waist. To complete the ensemble, Scarlett wears a green hat with black feathers and carries a dark green purse. Golden drop earrings with green rhinestones add the finishing touches." (Amazon.com)





 (Photos from Barbiecollector.com and  dollsaga.wordpress.com


It is inevitable to go through Scarlett Fever without mentioning the second phase of Mattel's venture into this unforgettable film . When this was first released, I was unaware of the existence of Franklin Mint's Scarlett. Wanting desperately a doll manufacturer to finally make a Vivien Leigh Scarlett (Mattel's first release was it's Barbie as Scarlett), my dream finally came true one night, during overtime in the office. I first saw the Barbeque at Twelve Oaks and was immediately besotted. Thanks to Margo Rana who helped me get the first Scarlett which in my opinion resembled Vivien Leigh.  Never mind that she shared the same sculpt as Mattel's Elizabeth Taylor. Mattel captured the look! 





Screencap from Screencap Heaven.com


Once one has seen or experienced the draping joys  on a larger sized doll, a 11 1/2 inch doll would lose its appeal (unless of course, the draping is in scale ). My opinion again. However, the cut of the drapery dress on this doll seems to still capture  intention of Plunkett. Colors seem to be right, Green velvet all over, of course those tassels on her hat seem too long and the hat more of a cap; feathers -- I think no one ever got that right and on an 11 1/2 scale how else can one find feathers on a rooster's proportionate to the size of a doll?  The eyes of this doll are very emotive of an adult Scarlett whose war-torn spirit is set out to get her $300 money to pay taxes on her beloved Tara.  Curls go all the way to the back. Lips are of red rose -- for how else does one seduce a playboy millionaire but with that. Mattel's Barbeque at Twelve Oaks Vivien Leigh as Scarlett has a lighter lip paint and looks younger like the 16 year old girl that she was supposed to be in the film. 


"I want $300 dollars to pay the taxes on Tara...I can't let it go, while I have breath in my body!"

Those are real dangling details similar to the film.    The tassels on the cord belt are also in scale.



And there is amazing detail on the accessories. The rooster's feet (which I felt was rather scary) on the cap




Those earrings have dangling chairs similar to the ones in the film. Now, if Mattel was able to do that on their 11 1/2 doll, why couldn't it be done on a larger doll (presumptuous as I haven't seen Tonner's drapery versions). But still it is amazing that such minute details were done. The only thing about this doll -- for me -- was the dress was sewn all the way -- no snaps, no buttons. You can't take it off. To redress the doll would mean to remove the head and put it on another Mattel body. No articulation too save for the ones Barbie has. 


So, is it worth getting. Why not? If you're a serious Scarlett collector. 


Hats off to Mattel on this.  Truly a "timeless treasure".


Pardon the photos, as the doll has been kept well in box and  haven't had the time to iron the dress out. The Tropical weather has not been too kind. 
Thank you to my sister who lent me her camera for these close ups.  

La fée morte 4

Like a queen on her throne...
Comme une reine sur son trône...

Tatiana's Doll House: The Dining Room


The very talented Tatiana has started making a series of rooms in 1/6 scale - all together they will make a big dollhouse. I will be presenting her work here in the blog - one room each month. We start with the dining room. Tatiana was inspired for the table by the dining room from Calvin Klein's Doll House by architect Josh Prince-Ramus (see previous post and photo below) . She liked the "dressy" posh impression conveyed by the dark brown and white colour scheme, and decided to use black & white for her dining room.

Calvin Klein Dollhouse - for photo credit check previous post

The idea to make the whole doll house in black and white with style and colour coordinated rooms came to her after making the dining table from wooden frames, which she purchased on clearance for her craft projects. They are solid wood shadowbox frames with high quality black finish. Her husband kindly cut them to desired height with a mitre saw. She then finally had enough modern looking furniture to make not only the dining room, but also the living room and bedroom. These furniture pieces with their rich feel of solid wood and almost jewellery-box quality finish are her favourites.


Tatiana had several dioramas in foamcore boxes before and after discovering that they don't hold their shape and warp under furniture weight, began looking for something more sturdy. She found oversized double corrugated cardboard in a local art store and decided to give it a try. She scored the sheet with a construction knife, then proceeded to fold and glue it into a box. The result was much better than she had hoped for. Using oversize coverstock for walls and floor added more durability and allowed her to avoid unsightly seams.


The columns are 13-3/4" wedding cake pillars, bought here. The white chairs came with Dynamite Girls convention chair packs. Tatiana purchased some of them on e-bay and some on doll boards. Plates are Gloria accessories that were repainted white. The cutlery, candelabras, wine bucket with bottle and "crystal" glasses are from Gloria play sets too. Vases are by Mattel, except for the clear one, which is a lipstick base.



She cut out placemats from acrylic screen on collectible Barbie box. The white table runner is a candy box ribbon. The Fashion Royalty liquor cabinet was a part of her office diorama, that was disassembled to make room for this one. Tatiana thought that it would look much better as a china cabinet and, after arranging some Re-ment plates and tea sets in it, she was happy with the result. And so are we.