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Hot Toys MMS Vinyl ALIEN "Big Chap"
For those with an affinity for the cute and twisted...
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Hot Toys continues to roll out cool collectibles based on the 1979 sci-fi classic, ALIEN. Following their 1:4 scale bust and 1:6 scale action figure, a new stylized vinyl figure has been release. The latest addition to Hot Toys' MMS Vinyl series, this "super deformed" oddity depicts the main movie monster "Big Chap," though measuring in at stubby 8-inches tall, I prefer to call him "Little Chap". Its unusual design isn't going to appeal to everyone, but for passionate ALIEN fans and collectors of eccentric collectibles, it is guaranteed to please.
Designed by James Khoo of Hot Toys, this vinyl collectible captures all the characteristics of the original ALIEN and blows them all out of proportion. Mr. Khoo focuses on the massive cranium of the beast, no doubt the most iconic feature of the H.R. Giger-designed creature. Here it is inflated to new levels - the monster's head as large, scratch that, LARGER than its biomechanical body and itty bitty limbs. The figure is quite comical in a dark twisted way; a brilliant parody of the violent movie monster.
The ALIEN's horrific trademarks are brought further to light by Mr. Khoo's attention to the creature's skull. Visible through the expertly frosted head dome, the bony structure adds some much appreciated depth and sophistication to the vinyl toy. Of particular note is the spooky human-like skull seen when viewed head-on. The sculpt fools your eyes into seeing two distinct faces: One where its black "eyes" appear closed (the tubing that runs up behind its mouth) and one where it appears wide-eyed and grinning (using the human skull as its face). I much prefer the goofy look of the latter and wish the side "eye" was toned down in size to eliminate the double vision.
Designer vinyl toys aren't known for hyper-articulation and Hot Toys' MMS Vinyl ALIEN is no exception. I was actually quite shocked to see it feature any points at all. Articulation consists of two arms that can be moved up and down and a head that pivots slightly side to side. The amount of poses you can achieve with these points are extremely limited, leaving me to wonder why they were incorporated at all. One point of articulation I wish Hot Toys did include was a pivot allowing you to postion the head back, as opposed to perpetually looking down. As it is, the pose the ALIEN is cast in is classic, but very restricted. For example, that goofy skull look I like so much can only be viewed by picking the figure up or laying it on it's back.
The MMS Vinyl ALIEN retails for a SRP of $79.99. To those uninitiated to the world of designer collectibles, that price may appear pretty steep. Fans familiar with art toys, however, will see it priced about right. It may not have a low limited edition number often associated with high-end vinyl collectibles, but the ALIEN's imported nature alone makes it a rare find.
I like my collectibles serious and realistically sculpted just like the next guy, but also have an affinity for the cute and twisted. The MMS Vinyl ALIEN fits that bill nicely, though I confess to being a little bit let down by its restricted pose. It looks great viewed from the left or right, but that's about it. Fortunately, the MMS Vinyl ALIEN packs a lot of visual punch in those two poses. If looking for some exotic style to add on your collection, the MMS Vinyl ALIEN delivers.
For more images of the Hot Toys MMS Vinyl ALIEN, CLICK HERE.
Review and Photos by Jeff Saylor
Review Sample Courtesy of Hot Toys
