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August Megaparty #13: Robin Hood?

I can't remember if Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves was any good, because I only saw it once, in theaters, on some long ago Saturday afternoon with friends I haven't talked to in years. The theater was virtually empty for some reason, giving mah crew carte blanche to just roast the holy hell out of whatever was happening onscreen. As I recall, taunts thrown at Azeem were prevalent. We left early and went bowling.

What I do remember are all of the foolhardy attempts to turn the film into a full-on kiddy franchise, with action figures and games and all sorts of stuff that nobody wanted. I know the effort has to be made, because hey, the fact that some of these flicks find funding often has as much to do with promises of earnings from things other than ticket sales than the actual ticket sales. Still, in a sea of Ninja Turtles and the like, who the fuck wanted Robin Hood?

It's almost unfortunate, because Kenner's collection of Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves toys very surprisingly did not suck. The action figures were well detailed, and came with so many cool accessories that you halfway forgot that you didn't give a shit about the characters. Best of all, though, was the "Sherwood Forest" playset. Why? Because it was a remodeled Star Wars "Ewok Village." THE Ewok Village. The toy I would've moved into if I was small enough. "Sherwood Forest" used the same exact mold -- it had the three trees, the platform...everything. Even the swinging rock and the capture net. The only real difference was the addition of plastic foliage to the formerly bare trees, but in some ways, that was an improvement to an already perfect toy.

I guess what I'm getting at is, I wish I held anything besides apathy for Robin Hood in the early '90s, because this was an awesome revival. Click here to download the Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves Kenner toy commercial, starring a few nobodies and an Ewok Village in new clothes.

EDIT: Invader Norbert's comment turns this into a survey: Name a movie or two that never got its own toy line, but should've. And what would the toys be?

Posted by Matt on 08/13/2006. E-mail me!



Discussion Thread: 130 comments
1 2 3 … 6

:)

Chestnuts roasted by NoName @ 08/13/2006 11:39 PM

Thanks for the commercial, Matt. I’ve been sort of collecting the Robin Hood toy line (not actively, but just whenever I come across an item) for a while now, but I’ve never seen the commercial.

As I recall, Kenner also recycled the body mold from the SW Gamorrean Guard figure for Friar Tuck, as well as the Ewok Battle Wagon for Robin Hood’s Battle Wagon.

Best thing about the line? Real firing bows-and-arrows. That’s got ‘Rocket-firing Boba Fett’ written all over it.

Chestnuts roasted by Daniel85 @ 08/13/2006 11:43 PM

You are correct sir!

Also worth mentioning is the old Robin Hood PoT cereal brand, infamous for what I once referred to as "cornmeal cocks." The cereal was composed of sweet bits meant to look like arrows, but uh…

Chestnuts roasted by Matt @ 08/13/2006 11:44 PM

did I have these figures? I didn’t see the movie but the figures look really familiar.

Chestnuts roasted by dohopoki @ 08/13/2006 11:45 PM

I don’t think that I ever saw the movie but I did get a Robin Hood action figure. That was the only thing though because, as you said, no one including me gave a fuck. I do wish that I had gotten that Ewok/Sherwood Forrest playset.

Chestnuts roasted by Darth Poop @ 08/13/2006 11:47 PM

I believe the mold for the Will Scarlet figure was taken from a Super Powers Robin. Yippee!
Why aren’t they playing that awesome Bryan Adams song in the commercial?

Chestnuts roasted by Commander Awesome @ 08/13/2006 11:47 PM

Oh, that reminds me. Did you ever get into Mattel’s figure line for Hook?

I don’t recall if it was really popular at the time, but it was pretty much the most important thing in the universe for me and my friend Brad for a few months in 1991. I remember hating the bastard for getting the elusive Rufio figure that I was never able to find. I’ve got two of the suckers now, thanks to eBay!

Chestnuts roasted by Daniel85 @ 08/13/2006 11:50 PM

I plead guilty to buying the Robin Hood figure back in the day, if only to rearm Ollie Queen from Super Powers with much needed arrows. I swear.

Really. The tiny suede vests meant nothing to me. (shifty eyes)

Chestnuts roasted by Terror Claws Cole @ 08/14/2006 12:07 PM

I think I remember seeing this and other commercials for Robin Hood toys on Saturday Mornings.

I thought it was odd back then too. Frankly, I think they’d have had better luck basing a toy line on "The Way We Were".

Chestnuts roasted by Tetsu Deinonychus @ 08/14/2006 12:10 PM

dohopoki: Yes, you did.

I’d go into the twisted tale of how I can know this with such certaintly, but I just spent way more time that I should have skimming through Geocities-hosted lists of McDonald’s Happy Meal in an attempt to put a name to a line of toy monster trucks with fangs. As it turns out, the Attack Pack toys made the scene about four years too late for the joke I had in mind, and since apparently I’m the only one who had them, it probably wouldn’t have gone over anyway.

In any case, bedways is rightways now. Right-right.

Chestnuts roasted by Jedoc @ 08/14/2006 12:11 PM

This isn’t quite related, but is anyone else peeved that Robin Hood: Men in Tights still isn’t out on DVD? I guess I can’t complain because it’s actually due in a few weeks, but there’s something wrong with a world where we get box sets of Joey before a Mel Brooks movie.

Chestnuts roasted by Paul @ 08/14/2006 12:14 PM

I loved these toys! I still have Robin Hood, Azeem, the Sheriff (who’se mold SUCKED incidentally) and Will Scarlett.

It had NOTHING to do with me being violently in love with Will Scarlett at the time.

I swear!

Chestnuts roasted by LemonWitch @ 08/14/2006 12:18 PM

Hells yeah. That playset looks awesome. All of my toys would get involved in that thing. Its multipurpose and shit.

Chestnuts roasted by mudogramx @ 08/14/2006 12:31 PM

I never had or even saw any of those action figures but did I ever love that movie. I was about 10 at the time and it was just purely awesome. it is the ONLY movie that I can ever recall watching and then going right back into the theater to see it again. i also loved the bryan adams song that was made for the movie… weirdly enough I have the dvd but never watched it. Hmmm

Chestnuts roasted by Kittycatgirl @ 08/14/2006 12:32 PM

Jedoc, I remember the Attack Pack. Those things were awesome. They sold those in stores, too. I had a tiger striped one that roared when you pulled down on a lever on its back. I totally forgot about those. Memories…like the corners of my mind.

Chestnuts roasted by mudogramx @ 08/14/2006 12:44 PM

Gee, I was just thinking about the Robin Hood merchandise blitz the other day–GET OUTTA MY HEAD!!

Speaking of which, remember those booklets that came with all Kenner playsets and vehicles showing the different Kenner toylines like Batman, Ghostbusters, Beetlejuice, and of course Robin Hood.

Chestnuts roasted by Luap @ 08/14/2006 12:57 PM

Thank you Jedoc. That was going to drive me nuts.

Chestnuts roasted by dohopoki @ 08/14/2006 1:02 AM

Oh, that reminds me. Did you ever get into Mattel’s figure line for Hook?

I didn’t get the Mattel’s version but I have 2 (out of 4) of the Happy Meal Hook Toys. I have the Rufio toy that squirts water at your foe, and the Captain Hook toy, which to this day I have no clue what it does. Well it floats pretty well.

I’m only saying this because Hook is my favorite movie.

Chestnuts roasted by Brett @ 08/14/2006 1:20 AM

This discussion about unsuccessful toy tie ins to movies kinda reminds me of the My Dinner With Andre action figures from the end of Waiting For Guffman.

And now I just got an idea for a topic: What movies that don’t have toys from it should? And what would those toys/acessories/vehicles be? DISCUSS!

Chestnuts roasted by Invader Norbert @ 08/14/2006 1:21 AM

Citizen Kane and his quick action cane.

Chestnuts roasted by dohopoki @ 08/14/2006 1:44 AM

You’re totally right about those toys having to take a backseat to the other action figures. Those toys and the Hook toys took a backseat to the Turtles, Ghostbusters, Darkwing Duck,Aladdin, and Mario line (They used to sell these Hard Rubber ones in a defunct store at my Maine Mall), heck even the Mario Movie toyline made those toys take a backseat. Those toys became what we wrestling fans call "jobbers", as there weapons were used for other toys and the toys them self played the role of first line atackers who get defeated easily.

Chestnuts roasted by Ranger Joe @ 08/14/2006 1:52 AM

Hate to double post, but the toyline question seems mad fun. As someone who makes action figure movies the lack of a Marty Mcfly 6 Inch figure bothers me tremendously.

also

Ducktales (That aren’t Cereal size)
Kenan and Kel
Garfield and Friends (WADE DUCK would rule)
Tommy Jarvis from Friday the 13′th (Part 6 edition)

Chestnuts roasted by Ranger Joe @ 08/14/2006 1:56 AM

What about 24 – you’re telling me that Lost gets a toy line before 24?

With so many less-worthy films getting toy lines, what happened to:

1) The Goonies
2) Monster Squad
3) Revenge of the Nerds

And btw, there were "Back to the Future" kubricks – I think those count.

Chestnuts roasted by Frederico Bimmel @ 08/14/2006 2:10 AM

This is a little bit off topic but, I didn’t have the ewok village but i did have an ewok tree house, does anyone remember that? I think i still have it somewhere, it was this big yellow tree that popped open when you pushed the secret button and then your little ewok family lived inside and they even had an elevator…and a horse…yeah. Anyways that was a cool toy and kids these days are deprived.

oh and also, im crossing my fingers and hoping this post works because ive been having some MAJOR issues with greymatter…

Chestnuts roasted by Katella @ 08/14/2006 2:42 AM

Well, for my first-ever X-E post, here’s what would be an awesome list of action figures for the incredible movie, "The Big Lebowski".

The Dude – Naturally, the star of the movie gets top action figure billing. Dude would come with interchangeable hands; one with a built-in joint, the other holding a White Russian. He’d also be packed with the infamous rug-that-held-the-room-together, removable sunglasses, and bowling ball.

Walter – The Dude’s bumbling, over-agressive sidekick would be packed with a gun, decoy bag full of dirty undies, coffee can to hold cremated best friends, and his own bowling ball. Also, he would have interchangeable heads, one normal, one with a bloody tongue hanging out of his mouth.

Donny – Since Steve Buscemi’s character didn’t do a whole lot in the movie, he’d probably just come with a bowling ball. However, a rare Chase Figure in the line would be Donny in Fetal Position, post heart-attack.

Mr. Lebowski w/ Brandt – The wheelchair-bound Big Lewboski himself would come with his plethora of of framed magazine covers, medals, awards, and maybe possibly the ransom note from his wife’s "kidnappers", and a briefcase full of money. Brandt would just be a non-posable PVC figure, because he doesn’t do much but stand there and look like a suck-up with a big grin on his face.

Maude – Mr. Lebowski’s super-femenist daughter would have removable robe, giant canvas with paint splattered on it, record collection, and porno tape.

Bunny Lebowski – The trophy wife herself, would be packed with nail polish, removable cloth cloaths to reveal skimpy bathing suit, and detachable toe.

Nihilist Two-Pack – This would include Uli Kunkel & Kieffer, and would be packed with various weapons, but most importantly, the Marmet! Nice marmet, man. Another rare Chase Figure option would be Uli Kunkel in his "Karl Hungus" attire.

The Stranger – Sam Elliot’s portrayal of the wise cowboy narrator would have a removable cowboy hat, and a Sasperella in one hand.

The Jesus – How could you NOT include this guy? All he would need to be packed with, is his trademark purple bowling ball. Don’t fuck with The Jesus.

And that’s about all for me. Hope you enjoyed…

Chestnuts roasted by BM Punk @ 08/14/2006 2:51 AM

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