Museum Replicas Obi and Anakin - Anyone Seen These In Person?

[jme3]

I'm curious about how these look in person as opposed to just the photos on their website... I know only prototypes are out yet, but to anyone who's seen them with their own eyes, does the quality of the finished pieces support the hype? Are the fabrics heavy and of high quality or do they seem more cheesy in person? At this point I'm not trying to nitpick their ultimate screen accuracy as it's a foregone conclusion that something on them will be wrong somewhere, but unless and until someone with the requisite reference info comes forth with an uber-precise offering of their own, these from MR seem to be the most hopeful so far. And for me, costuming is not an issue at all, just static display, so I'd appreciate some honest, unbiased insight into what we should expect.

Also, the Emperor Palpatine robes recently shown in San Diego...? I can tell that there are issues with the cut and assembly of the outer robe where that aspect is not faithful to the original. I already have a set of Emperor robes from a fellow board member and the screen accuracy on those is not in question, nor am I looking for a replacement. But there's something about the way these MR robes photograph that seems a great deal more in tune to the look and "feel" of the original that pretty much all other attempts at this display have failed to recreate, so maybe a good one of these is finally available to the masses...

Comments?

 

[Anakinos]

I have seen these up close and before I say anymore it all depends on what you are looking to achieve from these costumes. If you are looking for a Halloween costume or slightly better I suppose they will be fine. If you are looking for screen accurate or close to that effect. You better do some more research and piece it together yourself. Good luck. If you have any questions let me know and I can try and help

Thad

 

[jme3]

Thanks Thad.

I'm really only trying to get a feel for what to expect out of the final product. As I had mentioned, I'm not into costuming, but I would really like a proper Obi and Anakin static display. I had expected that whatever finally comes from MR in the final versions wouldn't be exact to the originals as nothing commercial ever is, but for the price I wasn't expecting Rubies either. It seems, though, that you've seen differently in person... :confused If you don't care to comment here you can pm me.

Thanks again.

 

[Jinyo]

These outfits aren't shipping yet. Also, they didn't have their prototypes on display at Comic-Con this year. So short of stopping by their showroom in Conyers, I think that the most recent view of these products would have been from Dragon*Con last year. These outfits were originally slated for release at the start of this year. When companies keep pushing back their release date, it's often because they are still tweaking their design in order to get approval from Lucasfilm, or they are still working with their manufacturers to get their products to meet their standards.

Basically, what I'm saying is you may as well wait until these outfits have been released before you decide if you want them. The products they ultimately release will have changed in many ways from what they had on display a year ago.

Also, the accuracy of these products is largely subjective. One fan may think they look very very close to the movie costumes, while another may be able to pick out lots of tiny details that look different. Even judging from their year-old prototypes, I can tell you that the outfits are well outside any comparison to a Rubies product. The manufacturing quality of their prototypes looks decent. It really comes down to a question of whether you think their accuracy is up to your personal standards.

It is definitely possible for a fan to make a more accurate costume than mass-produced, licensed products intended to be somewhat affordable. That said, I've seen a lot of costumes made by a lot of fans, and really screen-accurate Anakins and Obi-Wans are still pretty rare.

 

[sebastian]

Saw these suits in action at Jedi Space Camp at Huntsville, Alabama last week.

Material was a little gauzy and the tabbards were too long in my opinion. However, the overall look was pretty cool because all the 'masters' at the camp were wearing them. Belt was decent as were the pouches, but folks wearing the Obi-wan styled boots said they were very uncomfortable. Undertunic was a white basic garmet (looked snug) with attached brown sleeves and color. The robe looked good although a little lighter brown that I liked.

As the folks at the camp were wearing/trooping in the suits for every weekend this summer, I was impressed how well they were holding up.

Maybe some mixed messages from me. If I did not have a few Jedi Kits already and one that I am very pleased with, I would be tempted to buy one of these. However, I know that you could make your own or hire someone to make a more SA one for less money.

What I am afraid of is that there will be more Imperial Officers running around after these are release. What about the rebellion, where are the pilot/soldier outfits?

Cheers

Sebastian

 

[jcoffman99]

Saw these suits in action at Jedi Space Camp at Huntsville, Alabama last week.

Material was a little gauzy and the tabbards were too long in my opinion. However, the overall look was pretty cool because all the 'masters' at the camp were wearing them. Belt was decent as were the pouches, but folks wearing the Obi-wan styled boots said they were very uncomfortable. Undertunic was a white basic garmet (looked snug) with attached brown sleeves and color. The robe looked good although a little lighter brown that I liked.

As the folks at the camp were wearing/trooping in the suits for every weekend this summer, I was impressed how well they were holding up.

Maybe some mixed messages from me. If I did not have a few Jedi Kits already and one that I am very pleased with, I would be tempted to buy one of these. However, I know that you could make your own or hire someone to make a more SA one for less money.

What I am afraid of is that there will be more Imperial Officers running around after these are release. What about the rebellion, where are the pilot/soldier outfits?

Cheers

Sebastian

According to the MR website these aren't shipping until Fall. How could the folks in 'bama have them already?

 

[Sakara]

Undertunic was a white basic garmet (looked snug) with attached brown sleeves and color. The robe looked good although a little lighter brown that I liked.



Cheers

Sebastian

Exactly as was done in the films..there is a photo going round that shows Ewan resting between teakes without his outer tunics on and you can see the white top with attached collar and sleeves. Makes movement easier.

 

[sebastian]

Not sure how they got them before they were for sale to the public, but that is where they said they came from. There was also a display of the Anakin and Obi sets along with the Imperial Officer's set near the Star Wars Prop/Costume exhibits.

Cheers

Sebastian

 

[Don93]

This nice thing about the Huntsville Where Science Meets Imagination exhibit is that they have the actual costumes on display. And the Museum Replicas pieces were there on display as well. (outside the gift shop ) Made it very easy to compare without camera and lighting issues. I'd say all in all they are pretty close to the real deal.
The camp counselors Obi-Wan costumes looked good to considering the amount of time they were being worn.

 

[Jinyo]

Saw these suits in action at Jedi Space Camp at Huntsville, Alabama last week.
...

What I am afraid of is that there will be more Imperial Officers running around after these are release. What about the rebellion, where are the pilot/soldier outfits?

Sebastian

Haha, you're right about more Imperial Officers.
I plan to have a good look at their Imp outfits up close during Dragon*Con, and if they satisfy me, I plan to grab one up on the spot. After years of wearing Rebellion, Republic, and Separatist costumes, I'll finally step over the line to an Imperial!
But, just to keep the Force in balance, I'll also get a good guy ensemble (assuming it lives up to my expectations in person).

I also plan to ask them how those 'Bama Jedi got pre-release outfits.
According to the booth reps at Comic-Con, Museum Replicas' second wave is slated to ship in December, and there are a couple of ensembles in that set that I would love to get my hands on early, if possible.

This nice thing about the Huntsville Where Science Meets Imagination exhibit is that they have the actual costumes on display. And the Museum Replicas pieces were there on display as well. (outside the gift shop ) Made it very easy to compare without camera and lighting issues.

Wow, that must have been a great chance to really examine the accuracy of the outfits. There has been so much internet chatter, comparisons to photos in varied lighting, and general b.s., I would have loved to have been able to see them side by side, in person, for myself.

 

[Don93]

I also plan to ask them how those 'Bama Jedi got pre-release outfits.
According to the booth reps at Comic-Con, Museum Replicas' second wave is slated to ship in December, and there are a couple of ensembles in that set that I would love to get my hands on early, if possible.

Supposedly it was some sort of arrangement between LFL and the space center. From what I understand the counselors got to wear them as part of their work at the centers' 'Jedi Camp' summer experience for kids.

 

[Sakara]

Considering MR got the chance to go to the Lucas Archives and study the actual costumes from the images ive seen they are pretty spot on for a semi mass produced costume. The Padme packing gown for example with the beaded panel is fantastic.

 

[jme3]

So the general consensus then is so far so good.

If these only tend to improve with the final versions then not bad at all. I'm not handy with needle and thread myself and so far haven't heard from anyone who is about their plans to do the gold-standard versions of these replicas, so MR may be the way to go.

 

[Jinyo]

If these only tend to improve with the final versions then not bad at all.

I think it would be a bit optimistic to say "these only tend to improve with the final versions."

I'm no expert, but an over-simplified summary of the development process would go kind of like this:

1 - The licensee examines the original screen-used costumes, then makes a prototype that is as close as possible to the originals. But because of the costs associated with mass production, certain changes will be made to the design, to make it easier (cheaper) to manufacture. Also, some materials will be substituted because the original materials are no longer in existence, or too expensive.

2 - Lucasfilm examines the prototype, and tells the licensee what changes must be made. The licensee makes the changes, or tries to make them work within the strictures of the manufacturing process. This can go back and forth for a long time.

3 - The licensee, with an approved prototype, breaks the elements fo the costume down, creating patterns for different sizes. Then the licensee finds manufacturers who can make the outfits cheaply enough to hit their target price.

4 - Because the manufacturers want to maximize their own profits, and complicated = time-consuming = expensive for them, manufacturers will try to make some changes, or even substitute cheaper materials.

5 - When the licensee gets the mass-production "samples" back from the manufacturer, he will examine them to see if they are close enough to what they want, or if the changes made by the manufacturer make the quality of the product unacceptable. If the licensee "catches" the manufacturer making a product that isn't good enough, they will demand changes that are closer to the original specs. "Why did you change the stitching in the cuffs? That's not what we're paying you for!" The manufacturer will push back, because they want to make a profit. "Thi stitching is just as good! If we do it your way it will cost three times as much!" This process can go back and forth for a long time. If the licensee and the manufacturer reach an impasse and neither is willing to budge, the licensee may have to start over with a new manufacturer (if they can even find another one who is good enough). This back-and-forth between the licensee and the manufacturer is often the reason why products you have seen on display at a convention in prototype form sometimes end up being delayed or cancelled.

6 - Lucasfilm examines the samples from the manufacturer, noting what changes they require. This takes things back to step 5. This final approval step can take a while too.

7 - products are finally released to market

As you can see, it's not a simple process, and at every stage, the product could improve or get worse. That's why, even if the prototypes were absolutely spot-on perfect reproductions of the screen-used costumes, I would still recommend that you wait to see the final product before buying one. Getting a prototype approved by Lucasfilm isn't easy, but it's only half of the headache.

 

[encased]

I've seen the MR's in person while also seeing the originals up close as well. The MR's fabric feels cheap in comparison to the excellent materials used in the films. The film costumes were incredibly rich in texture and detail (most of which is not viewable in the film).

The MR material in comparison felt thin and coarse. This may or may not change for the final mass produced versions. I have not heard many good things in regards to the cloaks that went out though.

I had/have hopes for these yet still.

 

[Bryanakin]

I've seen the display at least three times in person at various conventions that I can recall. The fabric has the correct texture overall, but the Anakin prototype is much better developed than the Obi-Wan prototype.

The Obi-Wan tunic has too much of the yellow-ish tinge to it IMO than it should. The belt buckle is much too oversized.

The boots for both hero costuems are acceptable. The robes for both hero costumes are acceptable.

 

[jme3]

That sounds like a good plan to me. :thumbsup

... I would still recommend that you wait to see the final product before buying one.

 

[Sakara]

the film fabric were also incredibly expensive...mostly silk and couture wools. i know two of the shops they sourced the fabric from - the sand people were all in silk!

to make a mass produced film accurate to look costume takes two options -
1 - make utterly accurate using film accurate fabrics and charge what its worth and maybe sell a few to some die hard fans who could afford it
2 - make it look as accurate as possible whilst still making it of a sellable price to make back what you spent in research and development.

 

[encased]

Well, that sounds good in theory but when you call them a replica and advertise as the most research done to match the film garb it doesn't add up. Plus these aren't cheap for a complete set. They can still get good deals on more expensive material just based on the bulk ordered.

The material I felt didn't make me want to put it on. It felt itchy. You can't label something as the most accurate and use different material. I can only hope that I saw prelim outfits that are still being worked on. Maybe the patterns are there but the display has incorrect material?

I would hope they turn out great as I was interested from the get go. Just saying what I felt based on seeing real vs. replica.

the film fabric were also incredibly expensive...mostly silk and couture wools. i know two of the shops they sourced the fabric from - the sand people were all in silk!

to make a mass produced film accurate to look costume takes two options -
1 - make utterly accurate using film accurate fabrics and charge what its worth and maybe sell a few to some die hard fans who could afford it
2 - make it look as accurate as possible whilst still making it of a sellable price to make back what you spent in research and development.

 

[Sakara]

Heres an example of the fabric used - silk used for sandpeople garb. outer tunic - £70 a metre. (think that works out at $120 a yard)