Hairy Backs, Mop Buckets, and "What Color Are Their Hands Now?"
Written: Apr 03 '04 (Updated Apr 10 '04)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Great sculpt, disturbingly accurate accessories, obscure character.
Cons: Not much articulation...but he's got enough for his job.
The Bottom Line: Will I ever give a Muppet Figure less than five stars? Stay tuned...
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| JediKermit's Full Review: Jim Henson's Muppets Beauregard Action Figure |
We all know Quinn is obsessed with the Muppets. My Epinions moniker is “JediKermit,” I used to think I shared genetic material with Gonzo, I used to WANT to share genetic material with Miss Piggy, and Kermit is what I aspire to become. Not an amphibian per se, but tolerant, well-mannered, naked…you know. Anyway, I’m obsessed. And when a company like Palisades comes along that showcases even the most obscure members of the Muppet menagerie as action figures—well, that’s unprecedented in my lifetime of fandom.
Now that all of the A and B-list characters from The Muppet Show have been made, Palisades is going a step further, and giving us (well, SELLING us) figures of characters I never thought I’d see. One of those is the genial, somewhat dim, strong as an ox stagehand, Beauregard. I’m pretty sure Beauregard is a mole. Maybe. He’s brown and furry with squinty eyes. Beauregard (Bo, for short) emerged as a character halfway through the run of The Muppet Show, and had memorable scenes in episodes starring Senor Wences (doing a puppet show…for the Muppets), Gene Kelly (obsessed with the idea that the universe was going to end) and stole scenes in The Great Muppet Caper (“what color are their hands now?”) Although he’s never been as high profile as other characters, he’s a sweet guy, and I’m glad he’s a part of my collection.
The action figure itself is outstanding, but, as with many of the Muppet action figures, it’s put over the top with highly detailed accessories. More on those later. Bo is one of the larger, heftier Muppets…which makes him not only a good toy for collectors, but a great weapon for children. He’s comparable in size to the Fozzie Bear and Sam Eagle figures from Palisades, and I find that having these larger characters mixed in with the smaller ones makes for a dynamic display. Bo’s wearing light gray pants and a work jacket—sorta “Members Only,” but more 70’s than 80’s. Good call. I appreciate the extra detail in the texturing of his pants—there’s nothing quite like the texture of double-knit polyester, and Bo’s ready to get down and dirty backstage with these pants.
His face seems it would be harder to get right than some of the other, more elementary Muppets, and Palisades nailed it. He doesn’t have a conventional “Muppet nose” and it’s more subtle than other characters—but it looks perfect. He’s got a sort of “beetle brow” that shades his eyes, and his blue eyes have just the right focus to be sincere, hopeful…but not quite getting it. His hair and the collar of his jacket are made of a softer
PVC plastic that leaves them flexible and much more “Muppety” than earlier figures had, and his now-standard magnetic cap tops Bo quite nicely. It hangs a bit far forward when on straight, but if you make it a little crooked, it’s perfect.
Beauregard doesn’t have the joint articulation that some of the other Muppet figures have had, but I don’t anticipate him needing it, either. The most important points of articulation for him are in his arms, and he’s got those: shoulder, bicep, elbow, and wrists. Palisades has ensured that he’ll be able to do what he does best: sweep.
Which brings me to his accessories. Beauregard was a stagehand for the Muppet Theatre, and was usually seen either with pieces of scenery, anvils, stage equipment…or cleaning up. So the toy gets saddled with what should by all rights be the lamest accessories of all time…but are somehow the coolest. A broom, mop, and bucket. They don’t scream “Make toys out of ME!” but buddy, they’re awesome. The broom is a standard push broom, nearly as tall as Bo, and he’s able to hold it perfectly against the floor with both hands. And the broom is nice—the plastic is a little more pliable than other accessories, so you can fit it into his paw-hands without snapping it in two. The real highlight is the mop and bucket. Really. Sometimes toy accessories are cartoony, but Palisades usually opts for more realistic pieces. These look like they got put in a miniaturization machine and shrunk down to a six inch scale. The mop has individually sculpted strands, gray an frayed from months of use, all in a soft plastic that flexes just enough. The bucket has working casters, a metal handle, and wringer apparatus that perches on one end. All of it has just enough schmutz that it looks dirty, but not neglected…not enough to make you sick, but enough to know that Bo takes his job seriously. The mop bucket at MY house is perfectly clean, because we never use it. This—this has been well-loved.
Okay, so I’ve moved from obsessing over Muppets to Mops. It’s all in the same file drawer.
Too-long review short, this is a great, obscure Muppet character who has a lot of appeal. Collectors should snatch him up, and more casual fans (or doll/dollhouse collectors) should give him a second look. If you ever needed a big guy with very little brain, Beauregard could be the guy for you. If you can handle a hairy back.
Where can you buy Jim Henson’s Muppets action figures? There are a lot of places, and the list is growing. These are already on the shelves at Suncoast, Sam Goody and Media Play stores, as well as EB and EBX. They’ll be rolling them out at Toys R Us within a few weeks, and if it’s more convenient, there are many online sources as well. I happened to get mine from www.boxingcow.com, and they had competitive prices and fantastic customer service.
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Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 8.99
Type of Toy: Action Figure
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Epinions.com ID:
JediKermit
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 in Movies, Kids & Family, Books |
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Member: Quinn
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Reviews written: 2166
Trusted by: 601 members
About Me:
Books, Movies, and Toys. Is there more to life?
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