Statue Weta Workshop Smaug the Terrible Statue

[Pork Chop Express]

I think Smaug also has a good chance of enticing dragon lovers like me and monster collectors so maybe there would be more demand?

Yah, I could see someone buying that WOW dragon for the same reason.

 

[DaveMac]

On a pure sculpt level, Smaug seemingly lacks a lot of what Azog had to offer. He should be priced accordingly on that basis which means less or the same price, certainly not more.
As for the Balrog as a sculpt, I have long said that a solid form Balrog is against the description of Balrog's in general and the sculpts are just winged demons aka Disneys Gargoyles

 

[SurlyJ]

On a pure sculpt level, Smaug seemingly lacks a lot of what Azog had to offer. He should be priced accordingly on that basis which means less or the same price, certainly not more.
As for the Balrog as a sculpt, I have long said that a solid form Balrog is against the description of Balrog's in general and the sculpts are just winged demons aka Disneys Gargoyles

So would you prefer Weta just burn a tire, capture the black smoke in a jar, stick it on a shelf and call it a Balrog?

 

[The Josh]

On a pure sculpt level, Smaug seemingly lacks a lot of what Azog had to offer. He should be priced accordingly on that basis which means less or the same price, certainly not more.
As for the Balrog as a sculpt, I have long said that a solid form Balrog is against the description of Balrog's in general and the sculpts are just winged demons aka Disneys Gargoyles

I can only speak to what I think the photos show and what I saw at Comic-Con but I think Smaug is every bit as detailed as Azog. There is a lot of tiny little bits of detail going on and I think the pictures show that as well as I think when people have it they will see. That of course is on top of how big this piece is and the paint job that we will be getting. This IMO is every bit as good as Azog. Not to mention I expect he is going to maybe be more fragile than Azog. Depending on ES and all that I think the $700-750 is the high end of the ballpark. If he hits like $800 I'd be a little surprised just because that's as high as anything I've seen for a statue in a line of this scale.

I totally disagree about the Balrogs. Tolkien never said they did not have a solid form just that they were like what we saw in the movie covered in shadow. You can't do that with these statues so the wings become solid instead of the smokey nature we saw in FOTR.

 

[finarfin]

I totally disagree about the Balrogs. Tolkien never said they did not have a solid form just that they were like what we saw in the movie covered in shadow. You can't do that with these statues so the wings become solid instead of the smokey nature we saw in FOTR.

I agree. The Balrogs were creatures that could be fought against and be killed with a sword. IMO the Weta and SS Balrog representations are awesome.

 

[SurlyJ]

The Balrogs are kind of different every time they are mentioned. The Fellowship mention is different than others. Jackson's Balrog represents the Fellowship writing well.

 

[Adolfo]

On a pure sculpt level, Smaug seemingly lacks a lot of what Azog had to offer. He should be priced accordingly on that basis which means less or the same price, certainly not more.
As for the Balrog as a sculpt, I have long said that a solid form Balrog is against the description of Balrog's in general and the sculpts are just winged demons aka Disneys Gargoyles

So would you prefer Weta just burn a tire, capture the black smoke in a jar, stick it on a shelf and call it a Balrog?

I can only speak to what I think the photos show and what I saw at Comic-Con but I think Smaug is every bit as detailed as Azog. There is a lot of tiny little bits of detail going on and I think the pictures show that as well as I think when people have it they will see. That of course is on top of how big this piece is and the paint job that we will be getting. This IMO is every bit as good as Azog. Not to mention I expect he is going to maybe be more fragile than Azog. Depending on ES and all that I think the $700-750 is the high end of the ballpark. If he hits like $800 I'd be a little surprised just because that's as high as anything I've seen for a statue in a line of this scale.

I totally disagree about the Balrogs. Tolkien never said they did not have a solid form just that they were like what we saw in the movie covered in shadow. You can't do that with these statues so the wings become solid instead of the smokey nature we saw in FOTR.

I agree. The Balrogs were creatures that could be fought against and be killed with a sword. IMO the Weta and SS Balrog representations are awesome.

The Balrogs are kind of different every time they are mentioned. The Fellowship mention is different than others. Jackson's Balrog represents the Fellowship writing well.

For me this was always the best Balrog...from 1977..wish I still had the game

 

[SurlyJ]

Interesting choice... all I can see is this in shadow with wings and a whip.

 

[Pork Chop Express]

I agree. The Balrogs were creatures that could be fought against and be killed with a sword. IMO the Weta and SS Balrog representations are awesome.

When I saw the Balrog on screen the first time, I really felt the power when he exhaled/howled and lit up like a candle. Enormously tough creatures but still able to be killed. I would even venture to guess they weren't necessarily all identical. The one in FOTR was the only one present at all in the Hobbit & LOTR, all others are long dead or as Gandalf said "There are older and fouler things than Orcs in the deep places of the world."

How bout that Smaug.

 

[The Josh]

Interesting choice... all I can see is this in shadow with wings and a whip.

View attachment 127869

I didn't see this picture and I admit that this was the first thing I thought of when I saw that cover.

 

[theguru1]

I agree. The Balrogs were creatures that could be fought against and be killed with a sword.

Well, sword, in the hands of a Wizard, with a ring of power......... not like some little Hobbit with a letter opener could just poke it and now your dead

 

[finarfin]

Well, sword, in the hands of a Wizard, with a ring of power......... not like some little Hobbit with a letter opener could just poke it and now your dead

No no no, of course not. I am talking about the High Elves of the First Age!

 

[DaveMac]

Ecthelion FTW


Smoke in a jar


Ecthelion FTW

 

[finarfin]

Ecthelion FTW


Smoke in a jar


Ecthelion FTW

What is this statue Dave?

 

[The Josh]

NECA maybe?

 

[DaveMac]

It's the NECA one I modded to look like my idea of a Balrog.

 

[The Josh]

Thought it might be. Looked like it was pretty decent size.

 

[SurlyJ]

That's pretty cool looking. What does it look like with a light right on it?

 

[TD-0488]

Sorry, had to throw this in since I saw Glaurung mentioned...while he is the most important, and Smaug awesome...there was one greater than both!

Ancalagon the Black
Ancalagon: (Sindarin: rushing jaws from anc 'jaw', alag 'impetuous'[2])

Morgoth bred Ancalagon during the First Age to be the greatest and mightiest of all dragons, and the first of the winged ‘fire-drakes’. He arose from the inferno pits of Angband like a storm of wind and fire as a last defence of the realm of Dor Daedeloth. Near the end of the War of Wrath that pitted Morgoth’s hosts against the Host of the Valar, Morgoth sent Ancalagon leading a fleet of winged dragons from the fortress of Angband to destroy the Dark Lord’s enemies. So powerful was the assault of the dragon flight that the Host of the Valar was driven back from the gates of Angband onto the ashy plain of Anfauglith.

From the west, Eärendil 'The Blessed' in his powerfully hallowed Elven airborne ship Vingilot, aided by Thorondor and the great Eagles, dueled with Ancalagon and the dragon fleet for an entire day. At length Eärendil prevailed, casting Ancalagon upon the triple-peaked towers of Thangorodrim and destroying both dragon and towers. With his last and mightiest defender slain, Morgoth was soon utterly defeated and made captive, ending the War of Wrath.

Ancalagon the Black is considered to have been the greatest dragon of Middle-earth, undoubtedly the largest, and is often referred to as the ‘father of the winged-drakes’. He was so large his body was able to crush the volcanic Thangorodrim, the highest peaks in Beleriand. Like all other Urulóki, Ancalagon breathed fire, which was said to be hotter than any other known flame.

 

[finarfin]

Sorry, had to throw this in since I saw Glaurung mentioned...while he is the most important, and Smaug awesome...there was one greater than both!

Ancalagon the Black
Ancalagon: (Sindarin: rushing jaws from anc 'jaw', alag 'impetuous'[2])

Morgoth bred Ancalagon during the First Age to be the greatest and mightiest of all dragons, and the first of the winged ‘fire-drakes’. He arose from the inferno pits of Angband like a storm of wind and fire as a last defence of the realm of Dor Daedeloth. Near the end of the War of Wrath that pitted Morgoth’s hosts against the Host of the Valar, Morgoth sent Ancalagon leading a fleet of winged dragons from the fortress of Angband to destroy the Dark Lord’s enemies. So powerful was the assault of the dragon flight that the Host of the Valar was driven back from the gates of Angband onto the ashy plain of Anfauglith.

From the west, Eärendil 'The Blessed' in his powerfully hallowed Elven airborne ship Vingilot, aided by Thorondor and the great Eagles, dueled with Ancalagon and the dragon fleet for an entire day. At length Eärendil prevailed, casting Ancalagon upon the triple-peaked towers of Thangorodrim and destroying both dragon and towers. With his last and mightiest defender slain, Morgoth was soon utterly defeated and made captive, ending the War of Wrath.

Ancalagon the Black is considered to have been the greatest dragon of Middle-earth, undoubtedly the largest, and is often referred to as the ‘father of the winged-drakes’. He was so large his body was able to crush the volcanic Thangorodrim, the highest peaks in Beleriand. Like all other Urulóki, Ancalagon breathed fire, which was said to be hotter than any other known flame.

Nice!