MOVIE DOLLS AIMED
AT COLLECTORS
Copyright 2001 www.tombraiderchronicles.com Source:
Yahoo!
[ June 21st 2001 ]
The
new line of curvaceous Lara Croft action figures
currently on sale across the U.S. and featuring
Tomb Raider star Angelina Jolie and her evil adversaries
has been aimed at collectors rather than young
children, Anthony Breznican tells the Associated
Press today.
"We decided
to aim these at young adults - men and women who
have played the video game," said Nancy Bassett,
a marketing executive at Paramount, referring
to the popular game "Tomb Raider. And if kids
do buy the figures, they probably won't play with
them. These are toys that will mostly sell to
collectors." Dave Gerardi, senior editor of Playthings
magazine, a toy-industry publication, said that
when the game first came out, Lara wasn't quite
so curvy. "Now she's a bombshell with a bust-line
increased to Playboy proportions. That makes the
toys a little tricky."
Movies
such as "Star Wars," "Batman" and "Toy Story"
have launched successful lines of toys, but despite
the prevalence of female action heroes on movies
and television, studio marketers say it's a tough
sell getting little boys to play with a girl doll
- even one with two hip-clinging handguns. The
dolls also hold little appeal to young girls,
Gerardi said. The clothes are detailed, but the
head and hair are just plastic. There are no "Tomb
Raider" vehicles, playsets or other characters.
The movie
toy line includes seven 6-inch plastic action-figures:
five models of Lara in different outfits and firearms,
a "Stone Monkey" and robot S.I.M.O.N., both of
whom attack her in the movie.
Two 12-inch
Lara dolls come dressed in "Motor Cycle Gear"
or "Combat Gear," with an aqua-green bra painted
on underneath. See in store for details.
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