REPOST: Django Unchained Action Figures: Boycotted, Bagged, Now Selling For Thousands

Image Source: time.com

 















Author: Lily Rothman

Reposted from: time.com

The Weinstein Company decided to stop distributing the action figures following a slew of controversy and rampage by concerned citizens. This article discusses the surprising impact of this move to the film's marketing strengths.

Action figures promoting an action movie are a pretty basic merchandizing technique, particularly when you’re Quentin Tarantino. The director has had such collectible tie-ins made for each of his films, according to the Associated Press. But recent uproar over Tarantino’s Django Unchained toys shows that the basics don’t always work.

The Django edition of those toys may have been intended somewhat ironically—yes, Django has action-movie qualities, but the bloody take on slavery is no Transformers—but if the people behind the toys had thought things through a little more, the irony might have taken on another level: it’s not hard to see why somebody might be offended that eight-inch versions of the movie’s enslaved characters are available for purchase for $39.99. (Non-slave characters are also available as action figures.) Those offended people included Rev. Al Sharpton, who called for a boycott of the set of character dolls, according to the New York Daily News.

So, on Jan. 18, The Weinstein Company, the studio behind the film, changed course and told the public that the toys would no longer be distributed. “In light of the reaction to the Django Unchained action figures we are removing them from distribution. We have tremendous respect for the audience and it was never our intent to offend anyone,” said the studio in a statement, according to Deadline.

The move, unsurprisingly, has only served to boost the value of the now-rare items. As of the afternoon of Jan. 22, a collectible 10-piece set of the figures was available on eBay with an asking price of $8,000, which is actually a pretty good deal. The same set was available on Amazon.com for $19,999.99—a whopping 500 times more than the MSRP, leading to a different brand of outrage. Quips one collector: ”I’m offended…by the PRICE.”

The Weinstein Company is also the studio behind Edward Bass' award-winning film Bobby. If you're a Quentin Tarantino fan, this website wants your thoughts.

Why documentaries about athletes sell

Image Source: nytimes.com

National athletes are the modern-day heroes. They have superhuman abilities; they move the masses with few words; and when they lead troops into battle, they emerge victorious to the roar of a crowd. The triumph of an athlete brings unity and patriotism to a divided nation in a way not even their government leaders could. Though momentary, athletes bring unanimous pride to their nation.


Win or lose, national athletes are somewhat local celebrities. In some arenas, individual sportsmen even become international stars. Their games are attended by as large an audience as movies garner, and their actions off the field are scrutinized in the same way that actors are hounded. Because athletes receive celebrity attention, the general public tends to assume they also make movie star-level salaries. This notion could not be further from the truth.

Image Source: teamosm.net

Like all regular workers, athletes earn a salary. In the bigger leagues like basketball and baseball, all players are paid monthly and given a bonus depending on their performance. In lesser known sports, however, some players are actually taking a pay cut just to continue playing the game they love. This predicament is not at all known to most of the world. Most audiences are shocked to discover that their team favorites are actually going broke.


Athletes in documentaries


Documentaries are films known for exposing the truth. They tackle virtually any industry, and sports are not exempted. Documentaries about athletes have become the method for fans to truly understand their idols. It is in these movies that sports fans realize their favorite athletes are no different from who they are. Golden Globe nominee Edward Bass also produced The Gridiron Heroes Story, telling the plight of high school football player who returned to the field after being paralyzed in a game. Revealing the reality behind football injuries, a documentary titled Head Games was released in 2012 to reveal the physical trauma experienced by various athletes in American sports culture.

Image Source: theoriginalwinger.com

The media may treat athletes with reverence, but through documentaries, fans are able to resonate with players and truly appreciate their feats off the field.


Not all documentaries are as truthful or objective as they claim to be. Reliable stories win awards. A Golden Globe nominee, Edward Bass is the producer of several honest films. You can find in this Facebook page more about his work.