They'll Really Tie the Room Together

I never thought I would see the day when you could have your very own Jeff Bridges action figure, at least one that came with his own cocktail instead of a day-glo frisbee.

The latest in Big Lebowski-ness are these two "Urban Achiever" figures of The Dude himself and his brawny sidekick Walter Sobchak, played by John Goodman in the movie (love the removable tinted sunglasses, big guy).

Bowling balls, an ex-wife's dog and a can of coffee complete the ensemble, although, just like in the movie, they're missing a rug.

Click here to purchase from Entertainment Earth: Big Lebowski Urban Achiever 8-Inch Figures Wave 1 Set.
Links via SciFi.com and Imdb.com.

Boxing Leonidas

For all you parents out there wondering where to find school supplies for your little Spartan warrior, leather clad dominatrix or zombie killer, then EntertainmentEarth.com has the lunch boxes for you.

The way-cool toy company has these kick ass metal lunch boxes based on the R-rated slaughterfests 300, Sin City and Grindhouse, complete with matching thermoses!

I especially like the 300 one, with the oh-so-appropriate-for-a-lunch-box-if-not-the-schoolyard tagline "Tonight, we dine in Hell!" emblazoned on it for all the kiddies and uptight PTA-ers to see.

Hey, if anything, they're better then some of the lame-ass ones we had as kids. Bobby Sherman? The Flying Nun? The Osmonds???

Click here to purchase from Entertainment Earth: the Sin City Lunch Box, Grindhouse Double Feature Lunch Box or the 300 Lunch Box
Link via RetroCrush.buzznet.com.

Valley of the Dolls, Part 2

This edition of Valley of the Dolls takes a look at two of Tom Tierney's Glamorous Movie Stars paper doll books:

Glamorous Movie Stars of the Sixties
How's that for a cover: Jane Fonda in her plastic Barbarella bra, Natalie Wood vamping it up as Gypsy Rose Lee and Barbra Streisand, in full Dolly drag, looking like she's preparing to swallow something very large and very long.

And certainly Kim Novak belongs here, and I can even understand Julie Andrews in her various nanny uniforms, but ... Anne Bancroft? As Annie Sullivan ??? Sure, because being upstaged by Patty Duke is so glamorous ...

Glamorous Movie Stars of the Seventies
Don't you just love how Liza Minnelli looks so ... well, Liza-y? The collection also includes Diane Keaton (in her Annie Hall duds), Sally Field (in a shorty robe from Hooper) and Faye Dunaway (as a bullet-ridden Bonnie Parker? One can hope).

The odd one out seems to be Meryl Streep, who wasn't exactly glamorous in her 70's films like Manhattan or Kramer vs. Kramer. Of course, they could fill a whole book now with her fabulous ensembles from The Devil Wears Prada alone.

Click the above links to purchase the books from Amazon.com.

Goonies 'R' Good Enough

I guess I was too old when I first saw The Goonies to get wrapped up in its fledgling cult status. However, I appear to be in the minority when it comes to this movie, which, even twenty years later, continues to fascinate its fans.

In addition to the ever-present rumors of a sequel, the kiddie adventure has inspired its own line of action figures. The first series includes the four main "Goonies", plus the Quasimodo-ish Sloth.

Each of the figures is modeled after the movie characters, and they did get the "Chunk" squat down, but "Mouth" doesn't look much like Corey Feldman (which may be a good thing). Accessories include an inhaler for Sean Astin's "Mikey", a "sticky dart" (?) for "Data" and not only a milkshake and a piece of pizza for "Chunk", but also ... a "statue of David"???

No word on a second batch of figures, but I would love a little Martha Plimpton doll, especially if it is a talking one that says her immortal Mosquito Coast line, "I think about you when I go to the bathroom."

Click here to purchase from Entertainment Earth: Goonies Action Figures Wave 1
Links via Imdb.com, MoviesBlog.MTV.com and Wikipedia.org.

Dirty Duds

First of all, who knew there was so much Dirty Dancing merchandise?

So much in fact, that Lionsgate is currently suing several companies for trademark infringement. The reason? Mass production of apparel, mostly infant wear, that have the movie's signature phrase "Nobody puts Baby in the corner" (#98 on AFI's top 100 list of best movie quotes of all-time) printed on them.

Now, what kind of parent would dress their poor, helpless infant in such an outfit (pictured)? I'll tell you: the kind that needs to have directions printed directly on the baby. What's next? "This end up"?

Links via Movies.Yahoo.com, AFI.com and CafePress.com.

Gopher Broke ... and Prairie Dogs Too

In the annals of motion picture special effects, you can't get more low tech then the mischievous gopher that terrorizes Bill Murray in Caddyshack.

Little more then a hand puppet (and blissfully, obviously so), the little bugger has become so popular over the years that they even have a toy versionthat dances to Kenny Loggins' "I'm Alright". And considering its meager beginnings, I would have to say that the toy gopher looks exactly like the gopher in the movie. Really, you can't tell them apart.

After all that, I must admit that this is just my meager attempt to connect the Caddyshack gopher to the latest internet video star, the Dramatic Prairie Dog.

Specifically, I wanted to draw your attention to the guys over at Cinematical, who have collected together the various movie-inspired riffs on the "DPG" that have popped up on YouTube since his, well, dramatic debut about a month ago.

So why the gopher? You try finding a movie with a prairie dog in it.

Click here to purchase the Caddyshack Dancing Gopherfrom Amazon.com.
Links via Imdb.com, YouTube.com and Cinematical.com.

Awards Watch: The Musical!

In its fifth week of release, Hairspray continues to dazzle 'em, passing the $100 million mark this past weekend. It is well on its way to become one of the highest-grossing movie musicals of all-time.

The cast of Hairspray has other reasons to celebrate, as they are the recipients of the film's first award. The Hollywood Film Festival is honoring them with an ensemble prize. This should prove the first of many awards for the movie, especially considering that the film's DVD will be released by the end of the year (otherwise known as the height of the awards season), just in time to remind voters how great it is.

Hairspray should rake in the nominations at the Golden Globes, where there are separate categories for Comedy or Musicals. Expect nods for the film itself and star Nikki Blonsky, as well as possible supporting bids for John Travolta and Michelle Pfeiffer. One or both of the film's new songs ("Ladies' Choice" and "Come So Far (Got So Far to Go)") will certainly be nominated as well. From there the next step will be the Oscars, but we'll cross that bridge once we see how well it does at the Globes.

In related news: more Hairspray merchandise! Per the movie's own blog, there will be two calendars (one for the whole movie, one just for Link Larkin, a.k.a. Zac Efron) and several posters (again, with an emphasis on teen dream Efron) to chose from, on sale now ... and on your walls soon.

In fact, you can purchase the Hairspray calendars and postersright here from Amazon.com!

Links via BroadwayWorld.com, HollywoodAwards.com and HairsprayMovie.com.

Valley of the Dolls, Part 1

I'm man enough to admit that I played with paper dolls as a child. I carefully cut them out with my safety scissors and then delicately folded the little white squares back on their various outfits for my own little costume parades on my bedroom floor. And you know you did too.

I had no idea that paper dolls were still made today. In this day and age of Xboxes and Ipods and the whole myriad of high tech devices that flood the market seemingly every day, who would think that such a quaint plaything from days gone by would even find an audience amongst the kids of today?

After stumbling upon the website for Dover Publications and browsing through their alarmingly vast catalog of paper doll books for sale, I came to the conclusion that, no matter who their "official" intended buyers are, the only people that would buy these books fall into two distinct categories: old ladies and middle-aged gay men.

How else to explain not one, but two volumes dedicated to "Broadway Musical Stars"? Who else but your Aunt June or Uncle Steve (the "bachelor") would want Ethel Merman as Annie Oakley, Angela Lansbury as Mame Dennis and two Dolly Levis (Carol and Pearl)? And that's just volume one... volume two has Eve Arden, Nanette Fabray and Shirley-frikkin'-Booth!

I know, this may sound stereotypical, but come on. Show me an eight-year-old little girl who knows who Sarah Bernhardtor Lola Montezis and prove me wrong.

Click on the last four links to purchase those books from Amazon.com.

Dover has such a treasure trove of movie star paper dolls that there was no way I could cover their entire library in one post and do them the justice they deserve. Hence, this is the first in an occasional series within "Hands Off the Merchandise" that will cover this veritable "Valley of the Dolls".

Links via DoverPublications.com.

Smells Like Zac Efron

Disney has always been at the forefront when it comes to merchandising their products. In fact, the famous Mickey Mouse wristwatch was one of the first items ever produced baring the likeness of a movie character.

However, it seems like they are scraping the bottom of the barrel of late. Or maybe that's wine vat.

First came news that Disney would produce an actual brand of wine under the label Ratatouille to tie-in with their current animated hit. Wiser heads prevailed though when someone realized that it might not look so good to have a cartoon rat promoting alcohol (did they learn nothing from Joe Camel?) and the whole deal was scrapped.

Now comes word that Disney is currently test marketing their own brand of cologne for boys. Yep, your own little Johnny can soon smell like Johnny Depp ... as Captain Jack Sparrow from the Pirates of the Caribbean. Other character scents include Cars' Lightning McQueenand Toy Story's Buzz Lightyear.

I am not sure who, regardless of age, would want to smell like a skanky pirate, an automobile or a plastic toy, but I am surprised they didn't think of a High School Musical cologne.

As one can plainly see by the picture of Zac Efron above, I am sure plenty would buy whatever he is selling.

Links via Wikipedia.com, WineSpectator.com, TheDisneyBlog.com and RollingStone.com.

Wake Me Up Before You Ro-Bo

How could anyone resist this: a 10-inch replica of everyone's favorite mechanical butler (and star of Forbidden Planet), Robby the Robot. Why, he is not only a digital alarm clock, but a talking digital alarm clock!

Readers will be happy to note that instead of an annoying clarion, you too can be awakened by the soothing voice of Robbie intoning: "Good morning, gentlemen."

Now, isn't it nice to know that Robbie will warmly greet any gentleman callers one may have invited to a sleepover?

Links via Imdb.com and InventorSpot.com.

Nobody Puts Baby in the ... Video Game?

First a movie. Then a TV show. Then another movie. Then another TV show. And now ... the video game.

Yep, soon you too can play the Dirty Dancing video game. Not that you would want to ... or that there's anything wrong with that.

In related Dirty news: Toronto prepares their own version of the London stage version. And the Dirtyness goes on ...

Links via Imdb.com, Codemasters.com and Playbill.com.

Wack-A-Rat

It is not unusual to see toys inspired by Disney/Pixar movies. It is unusual to see toys that invite physical abuse.

Meet Remy, the star of Ratatouille. Not only does Remy like to cook, he likes to talk. To get him to talk, all you have to do is slap him. Yes, slap him. "Bon Appetit!" he blurts after you clock him in the nose. And you thought Transformers and G.I. Joes promoted violence ...

One good thing about this is that now, apparently, they have the technology to really get those Dynasty dolls right.

Click here to buy the Ratatouille Talking Remydoll from Amazon.com.
Link via LaughingPlace.com.

Hands Off the Merchandise: An Introduction

While preparing my Hairspray articles, I came across this USA Today article announcing a new line of Hairspray Barbies ... oops, I mean dolls (oh crap, now Mattel is going to sue me).

Anyhoo, aren't they fab? From left to right, there's Amber, Link (dreamy), Tracy (love the highlights), Edna (!), Seaweed and Penny. I'm just bummed they didn't do a Motormouth Maybelle one. Just imagine: Queen Latifah with kung-fu grip!

This news also inspired me to create a new section here at Movie Dearest to showcase unique and unusual toys, dolls, lunch boxes and other paraphernalia under the title "Hands Off the Merchandise". Fitting, huh?

Click here to buy the Hairspray dollsfrom Amazon.com.

Link via USAToday.com.