Great Balance, A Very Animated Look: Hallmark's 2009 Wonder Woman Ornament Stands Up!

The Good: GREAT sculpt, Lasso is neat, Good balance
The Bad: Very animated look, Cape is an atypical look for the heroine.
The Basics: In 2009, Hallmark Keepsake produced a Wonder Woman ornament that holds up even now, despite having a slightly cartoonish quality to it!


As many of my loyal readers know, 2010 was my Wonder Woman Year (stay tuned for the announcement of this year's hero I'll study!) and my wife was remarkably supportive of that exploration. So, for Christmas, she surprised me with an addition to my small collection of Wonder Woman collectibles when she presented me with the 2009 Wonder Woman Hallmark Keepsake ornament. My wife knows of my collection of ornaments and thought it would be a nice way to commemorate my Wonder Woman Year by adding an ornament to my collection. And she's right; the Wonder Woman ornament is nice.

There is a little irony to my critique of Hallmark's Wonder Woman ornament that might seem awkward to those with less-high standards than me. Given recent action figure quality - most notably the Wonder Woman Series 1 figures (Diana Prince is reviewed here!) - it has been clearly illustrated to fans and collectors that Wonder Woman need not have a particularly cartoonish look to her. But with the Hallmark ornament, there is not an animated look to the sculpt, there is a blandly cartoonish look to the face and detailing on the costume. While this is not nearly as devastating as the animated look to the Edward and Bella Twilight ornament (reviewed here!), it is still less likely to thrill more mature collectors the way Hallmark undoubtedly hoped it would.

Basics

The Wonder Woman ornament faithfully presents Wonder Woman, the iconic DC super hero in her bustier outfit with the knee-high red boots and golden tiara she is known for. She carries in her right hand her Lasso of Truth and her bracelets - used to deflect bullets - are clearly sculpted on as well. This version of Wonder Woman seems to be more the ambassadorial model as her battle suit is not all she is wearing; she has a red cape with blue and white trim on it. The cape is flared out, as if it were blowing in the wind. It is an interesting creative choice from Hallmark and sculptor Joanne Eschrich as Wonder Woman very seldom wears a cape. That said, the ornament looks pretty good with Wonder Woman standing with her left hand on her hip looking fairly regal.

The ornament, released in 2009, is a generally good work in terms of the amount of surface details and coloring. Measuring three and seven-eighths inches tall, two and three-quarters inches wide and one and three-quarters of an inch deep, the Wonder Woman ornament is one of the few DC super hero-based ornaments released by Hallmark. Wonder Woman came with an original retail price of $15.00 and it seems it did not sell out at its full price in most venues.

The Hallmark Wonder Woman ornament is made of durable plastic and real fabric (it looks like embroidery floss) for the Lasso. Wonder Woman's costume is colored in bright red and yellow with very little detailing on the breastplate and belt area. This version of Wonder Woman has the double W symbol on her bustline, instead of the eagle symbol some of her costumes featured. The tiara is the same bright yellow color, instead of gold but it looks fine. The cape is monotonally red, save the trim which continues the blue with white stars motif of the bottom of her outfit. Hallmark made the boots look great with the white stripe running up the front of each boot.

As for the rest of Wonder Woman, she looks like an animated character. Her face is sculpted a little rounder than one might expect, making her look younger and less mature than the comic book character. Similarly, while her hair is sculpted to look full and wavy, it is almost monotonally colored. I write "almost monotonally" because instead of just being black, mine seems to have bluish highlights. Whether this was by choice or the black paint is already denaturing, it makes for a disturbing cartoonish look to the character. The skintones are monotonal as well with a nice peach color to them.

Features

As a Hallmark Keepsake ornament, the Wonder Woman could have a sound chip or, I suppose, a light-up function. She has neither. The closest she has is her Lasso Of Truth and that twists slightly without using a stiffener to keep it straight in its loop.

Balance

As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake Wonder Woman ornament is to be hung on a Christmas Tree. And for those creating the ultimate super hero Christmas Tree, the Wonder Woman ornament is an essential piece. The ornament has the standard brass hook loop embedded into the top of Wonder Woman's head. As a result, the ornament, when affixed to a tree with a hook, hangs perfectly balanced from that loop. The loop is as unobtrusive as possible and does not distract from the overall look of the ornament.

Collectibility

Hallmark Keepsake began delving into the collectibles market in 1991 with Star Trek when it introduced the exceptionally limited edition U.S.S. Enterprise ornament (reviewed here!). Since then, they have made ornament replicas of almost all major franchises like DC comics, The Wizard Of Oz and Harry Potter. The Wonder Woman ornament was not an exceptional commercial draw; fans bought it, but the general public did not seem willing to invest in it. The result was that it was overproduced and when dealers and collectors gobbled them up, they became readily available (and still are) on the secondary market, at about the same price - or less! - as it was originally issued at. In other words, this is not an ideal investment piece!

Overview

Fans of Wonder Woman and DC comics characters are likely to be happy to have a Wonder Woman ornament (I know I am!), but this is not the perfect ornament some might have hoped it would be. Even so, most fans and collectors will be happy with it and will hang it with pride on their trees or display cases!

For other genre Hallmark ornaments, please check out my reviews of:
2010 A Gift For Dobby Harry Potter ornament
2009 Retrieving The Idol Indiana Jones ornament
2010 Defender Of Justice Iron Man ornament

6/10

For other ornament reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2011 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.


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"Mr. Plow" Might Well Be A Perfect Ornament!

The Good: Good detailing, Good balance, Generally affordable, Sound chip works
The Bad: Sound effect is a bit long.
The Basics: A fun ornament, Hallmark's "Mr. Plow" is great for fans of The Simpsons and will keep consumers entertained all through the holiday season.


I tend to be a tough reviewer when it comes to the Christmas ornaments I review. I like to think I have very high standards and I try to rate everything objectively from a strong sense of consistent criteria. So, when I rate an ornament with a ten out of ten, it is truly a rare thing and it means that the ornament is perfect or very close to it. In the case of holiday ornaments, balance, effects, price and realism of the sculpt are all factors I consider. So, it's not just that I like The Simpsons that I recommend enthusiastically the "Mr. Plow" ornament.

For those unfamiliar with "Mr. Plow," in the fourth season of The Simpsons, Homer takes a job plowing in Springfield. Homer takes on the persona of "Mr. Plow," drives his plow truck around and advertises until Barney moves in on his territory. The "Mr. Plow" ornament is not simply Homer Simpson in his jacket (which gets Marge hot), it's Homer in his "Mr. Plow" truck and it is a decent ornament that looks perfectly appropriate, colored brightly as it is. To add extra value to this ornament, Hallmark provided the "Mr. Plow" ornament with a pretty decent sound chip.

Basics

The "Mr. Plow" ornament recreates Homer Simpson in his Mr. Plow truck. The ornament includes the truck, with the plow on the front of it, lopsided, with Homer in the driver's seat and a Christmas tree in the bed of the truck. The ornament, released in 2009, is as authentic as it can be considering it is based upon an animated work for the source material. Because everything in The Simpsons is colored in simple solid colors (without human shading or details), the ornament appropriately does not have any coloring depth or shading to it.

Still, Hallmark clearly made an effort on the "Mr. Plow" ornament and almost everything about the ornament looks good and functions well. Homer Simpson has adequate detailing in his eyes and in his jacket. The truck even has the Mr. Plow logos all over it. Measuring twelve and a half centimeters long, seven and a half centimeters wide and five and a half centimeters tall, the "Mr. Plow" ornament is one of the larger Hallmark ornaments this year and with the sound feature, it seems to be almost reasonable that Hallmark charges a little over twenty bucks for it.

The Hallmark "Mr. Plow" ornament is made of a durable plastic, but because it is colored in simple bright colors, it looks a little cheaper, though it is just as strong as other Hallmark ornaments. This ornament remains fairly easy to find at Hallmark stores, so there is no reason (yet) to look for it in the secondary market, despite the fact that The Simpsons and sound chip are pretty popular. This ornament features a battery to power the sound effects.

Features

As a Hallmark Keepsake ornament, "Mr. Plow" has a sound effect, but no light effect. On the bottom of the truck, there is a well-concealed button. This makes for the only real problem with the ornament; the button is on the bottom and it is very difficult to find. The button, when pressed, activates the sound chip. The sound chip actually contains a single sound clip from The Simpsons. Rather surprisingly, this sound clip is not just the "Mr. Plow" jingle, but rather the whole "Mr. Plow" infomercial. As a result, this ornament begins with Homer speaking - quite clearly - about the potential dangers of shoveling snow before singing the "Mr. Plow" song. Fans of The Simpsons will instantly recognize the song. Those who are not fans will still be amused by the whole preamble Homer gives.

The only other "feature" is the wire Christmas tree in the truck's flatbed. The tree does not come out of the ornament, though, so it is hard to consider this anything other than part of the ornament.

Balance

As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake "Mr. Plow" ornament is to be hung on a Christmas Tree. And for those creating the ultimate Christmas Tree for The Simpsons, the "Mr. Plow" ornament is a necessary addition and arguably one of the most appropriately Christmas-themed ornaments from the line. The ornament has the standard brass hook loop embedded into the top center of the truck's cab. This is fairly obvious and necessary for the ornament.

This is a disarmingly light ornament and for the size it truly seems light. This is a perfectly balanced ornament. When hung from the embedded loop, this hangs flat, like a truck ought to.

Collectibility

Hallmark Keepsake began delving into the collectibles market in 1991 with Star Trek when it introduced the exceptionally limited edition original U.S.S. Enterprise ornament (click here for that review!). Within a few years, Fox jumped on the bandwagon and began merchandising The Simpsons in the Christmas ornaments. "Mr. Plow" was the only The Simpsons ornament released last year and fans seem to like it, though it is quite common. Even so, this ornament appears to be more than adequately produced and is not likely to be a great investment piece.

Overview

Fans of the The Simpsons franchise, Home Simpson (a.k.a. Mr. Plow), and Hallmark ornaments are likely to find this to be a funny and well-made ornament that is entertaining, even if the sound clip does play a clip that is a bit longer than most.

For other Hallmark ornaments from different genre works, please check out my reviews of:
2009 "Frankly, My Dear" Gone With The Wind ornament
2010 “Gift For Dobby” (Limited Edition!) Harry Potter ornament
2009 Retrieving The Idol Indiana Jones ornament

10/10

For other ornament and toy reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2010, 2009 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Hallmark's Annual Exploitation Of Trekkers Yields A Wonderful Ornament In 2009: Klingon Battlecruiser!

The Good: Amazing detail, Good light effects, Excellent balance
The Bad: No sound chip, A bit obscure for casual fans, Expensive!
The Basics: Fans of science fiction will be able to flesh out their Christmas tree with Hallmark's wonderful Star Trek starship ornament, the overpriced Klingon Battlecruiser ornament!


I have very little in the way of cultural identification, yet I am an avid Trekker and in the last few years, I have found that I have become strangely protective of my culture. I look for ways that the mainstream exploits the group I most closely associate with and lately, there have been some disturbingly obvious ways this happens. Last year, when I was shopping for Christmas ornaments, I could not help but notice that the first one I wanted to get and review was almost ten dollars more than every comparable ornament. While CBS/Paramount has outrageous licensing fees, I know this is only part of the story and that Hallmark Keepsake, which is the maker of the Klingon Battlecruiser ornament, is out to make money off Star Trek fans in a way that they aren't convinced they can make it off Star Wars, Harry Potter, or Gone With The Wind fans.

For those unfamiliar with the Klingon Battlecruiser, this version of the Klingon starship was introduced at the very beginning of Star Trek: The Motion Picture (click here for my review of the film!). Last year was the 30th anniversary of the theatrical release of that film, which is why the Klingon Battlecruiser got ornament treatment before the NX-01 Enterprise. The Klingon Battlecruiser was commanded by a Klingon played by Mark Lenard and this was a vastly more detailed starship than the blockish initial Klingon ship from the Star Trek television show. Hallmark Keepsake does an amazing job of creating a detailed, well-colored ornament, even if they do make the consumer pay through the nose for it.

Basics

The "Klingon Battlecruiser" ornament faithfully recreates the cinematic Klingon starship in solid gray plastic. Highlighted almost every few millimeters, the Klingon Battlecruiser looks heavily armored and assembled. The ornament, released in 2009, is an impressive casting of the somewhat obscure starship with an immaculate paint job and decent-enough light feature. Measuring thirteen and a half centimeters long, nine centimeters wide and four centimeters tall, the Klingon Battlecruiser ornament is a welcome addition to the Star Trek ornament line, though only true fans of the franchise will easily recognize it. Hallmark, like many manufacturers, seems to have failed to anticipate how huge last year's Star Trek was going to be and as a result went with this ship instead of the new cinematic Enterprise as seen in the new film. As a result, even as they charge an arm and a leg for this ornament (retail is $32.00!), the ship has a light effect, but no sound chip. Given how conservatively even Star Trek fans seem to be buying this before the holidays, it might be better to wait until after Christmas and get this one on clearance!

The Hallmark "Klingon Battlecruiser" ornament is made of a durable plastic and has the starship on its own, as is typical for Hallmark's starship line of Star Trek ornaments. Like the previous Star Trek ornament releases, this one has the date stamped on it, though this year it was actually molded subtly into the ship. The 2009 date is subtly visible on the bottom, aft section of the ship's engineering section. Stamped as it is, it it thoroughly unobtrusive. This ornament includes the 1.5V LR41 batteries to power the ship for the light effect.

The Klingon Battlecruiser is detailed incredibly, at least as much as is appropriate. The Klingon Battlecruiser had a few sections of baffle panels and nooks and crannies and the Klingon Battlecruiser has each and every one meticulously detailed on the ornament. This ship looks powerful and durable and appropriately colored all over. Hallmark got this ship absolutely right! As well, the Klingon Battlecruiser has all of the appropriate markings, like the Klingon symbol and writing on the upper "wings."

As well, there are molded details, like the top weapon's array having extraordinary boning! This starship looks great; Hallmark did a pretty impressive job with getting the details on this ornament just right for the exacting collectors and fans.

Features

As a Hallmark Keepsake ornament, the "Klingon Battlecruiser" has a light function, but sadly, no audio one. This was one of the many Star Trek ornaments to light up, but not play a sound clip. The ship is powered by 1.5V batteries which fit into the engineering hull. There is a panel that requires a screwdriver to open. The ornament comes with the appropriate batteries and I spoke with a clerk at the store who said that they have not had to change the batteries in their display ship despite the fact that the ornament has been on the shelves since July (of last year, when these were new and I actually had the conversation)! Given how many times I poked and prodded the display, I think this is one of the more energy-efficient Hallmark Star Trek ornaments!

After the batteries are installed and the battery compartment is closed, there is a button on the underside of the aft section of the ship that lights the Klingon Battlecruiser up. Pressing the button activates the light effects for the Klingon Battlecruiser and as it is individually powered, it does a pretty decent job of lighting the whole ship up well. The light effects on this starship ornament are remarkably simple; the photon torpedo tube at the ship's front, the aft section box (aft-section phaser array, if I'm not mistaken), and the impulse engine lights in the back all light up red. Given that the Klingon Battlecruiser had little else in the way of running lights, this one looks quite good and brutally efficient with its solid red lighting.

It is a little disappointing with the Klingon Battlecruiser not having any sound effect, but it is still a pretty cool ornament and the lighting accents the military darkness of the ship well.

Balance

As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake "Klingon Battlecruiser" ornament is to be hung on a Christmas Tree. And for those creating the ultimate Star Trek Christmas Tree, the "Klingon Battlecruiser" ornament is a great addition, despite its under-representation within the franchise. The ornament has the standard brass hook loop embedded into the top center of the craft, right on the engineering hull.

Fortunately, the Klingon Battlecruiser is perfectly balanced. Hung from the hook, it hangs almost perfectly level and it looks great as it does. The only time it is likely to rock, wobble or move is when the button is pushed to activate the light effect.

Collectibility

Hallmark Keepsake began delving into the collectibles market in 1991 with Star Trek when it introduced the exceptionally limited edition original U.S.S. Enterprise ornament (click here for that review!). Since then, they have made ornament replicas of almost all of the major starships from the franchise- as well as some real minor ones - and they have all been more mass produced than that first one. The "Klingon Battlecruiser" ornament seems to be fairly overproduced and while Hallmark may have overestimated the interest in the obscure starship in the general populace, it is likely to get bought up by the end of the season. One suspects, though, this will not be one of the Star Trek ornaments that appreciates well for some time, especially given its initial expense.

Overview

Star Trek fans are truly being exploited with the price of this obscure starship ornament (the average price of other major-franchise ornaments that made sounds were still under twenty-five dollars!), but fans get a lot for their money in terms of quality. Despite the problems with it, it is rare to find a detailed ornament that is this well-balanced and well-made. Worth the attention of fans, if not the general populace.

For other ship ornaments from Hallmark, please check out my reviews of:
2010 U.S.S. Enterprise (Star Trek refit)
2005 U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-A
1992 Shuttlecraft Galileo

7.5/10

For other ornament reviews, please be sure to visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2010, 2009 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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"Frankly, My Dear," The Best Ornament I Refuse To Recommend!

The Good: Good balance, Good detailing, Good sound chip
The Bad: Sound clip is ridiculously inappropriate for Christmas.
The Basics: The “Frankly, My Dear” Gone With The Wind ornament may be a technically decent Hallmark Christmas ornament, but the sound clip features the worst possible clip for the holidays!


I’ve never been one of those people who complains that Christmas has become too commercial, nor one who kvetches extensively about things being inappropriate. But in the case of the Gone With The Wind “Frankly, My Dear” Hallmark ornament, I think Hallmark has gone too far and created one of the most poorly conceived, if wonderfully detailed ornaments from last holiday season. So, I shall draw my line in the sand and say this is too far! Truth be told, I’ve never been much of a fan of Gone With The Wind and the artistry of the “Frankly, My Dear” ornament is decent; it is, of all things, the sound chip that makes this an utterly offensive ornament. So, unlike my gripe with the 2010 Scarlett O’Hara ornament (click here for that review!), my issue is not with the craftsmanship of the ornament.

For those unfamiliar with the film, Gone With The Wind (click here for my review!) includes an iconic scene wherein Clark Gable’s character Rhett Butler decides he has had enough of his love, Scarlett O’Hara. At that moment, he walks to the door and as she begs for him to keep the relationship viable, he turns and leaves, refusing her wish. It is a key moment in the film, it is one that has been alluded to many times and it is one that makes for an absolutely terrible Christmas ornament. After all, at the time when people are supposed to be coming together, this depicts a terribly unromantic separation.

It is Rhett Butler, preparing to walk out the door while Scarlett reaches for him, that is the subject of the “Frankly, My Dear” Hallmark Ornament. To add extra value to this one, Hallmark provided this ornament with a very impressive sound chip.

Basics

The “Frankly, My Dear” ornament recreates the moment before Rhett Butler walks out. The ornament includes the door, Rhett, Scarlett and wood floor from the mansion all cast in solid plastic. The ornament, released in 2009, is a mixed bag as it has a decent and generally accurate sculpt of the characters, amazing detailing on the stained glass windows and decent costuming details. But the faces of both characters are lacking in detailing and realistic shading, which makes the characters look a little more like animated versions of themselves as opposed to real live people.

Still, Hallmark clearly made an effort on both Rhett and Scarlett as their costumes and even hair have pretty incredible molding and painted details. Still, Scarlett has no rouge to her cheeks and Butler’s eyes do not have any of the color or vivacity of Clark Gable’s actual eyes. Measuring nine and a quarter centimeters tall, thirteen centimeters wide and three and three-quarters centimeters deep, the “Frankly, My Dear” ornament is a decent-sized Hallmark ornament and one that actually seems reasonably priced at the $24.00 original issue price.

The Hallmark “Frankly, My Dear” ornament is made of a durable plastic and has Rhett Butler, bag in hand, with Scarlett reaching out to him. The characters are molded to the floor and the ornate doors to the mansion are included in the little diorama ornament, accurately capturing a sense of drama and movement in the piece. Both characters and the setting are colored properly, with the muted browns of the wood giving it a realistic look and the blacks of both outfits looks vivid and deep. The truly intricate element to the sculpt is the stained glass windows on the doors. These might just be translucent decals, but they look just like they are supposed to, mimicking the doorway of in a recognizable fashion with a level of detail that is extraordinary.

However, the faces are recognizably sculpted, but poorly colored. Neither Rhett nor Scarlett looks quite like Clark Gable or Vivian Leigh. They look like caricatures of their characters with minimal facial detailing or coloring. Even Rhett’s mustache seems a little too pronounced. This is odd when one considers that both characters have folds in their clothing and enough molded detailing to the hair that neither figure looks like they are wearing a helmet. Instead, both look like they have real hair, but have skin that has been bleached of depth or shading. The molding is not flawless, either; Scarlett’s hand clearly does not have detailing for her fingernails. This ornament remains fairly easy to find at Hallmark stores, so there is no reason (yet) to look for it in the secondary market, despite the fact that the scene and sound chip are pretty popular. This ornament features a battery to power the sound effects.

Features

As a Hallmark Keepsake ornament, “Frankly, My Dear” has a sound effect, but no light effect. On the bottom and back of the floor, there is a well-concealed button. The button, when pressed, activates the sound chip. The sound chip actually contains a single sound clip from Gone With The Wind. Rather extraordinarily, the chip has several seconds of actual dialogue from the scene the ornament represents that plays with sufficient volume out the bottom of the ornament. As a result, when one depresses the button, Vivian Leigh as Scarlett begs Rhett Butler to not leave her. The ornament utters the classic lines “Rhett... if you go, where shall I go, what shall I do?” (Vivian) to which Rhett Butler says, “Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn.” There is a bit more to the quote and the sound chip than just that quick exchange and Scarlett begs Rhett to stay and he walks out on her.

Here is where I take my stand. What a horrible ornament! Seriously, how much do you have to hate your family or loved ones to want them to hear a woman begging for her partner’s love and being told “no” on Christmas?! Is there no one at Hallmark that thought (or said) “Yeah, this is a classic moment in cinematic history, but it makes for a terrible holiday-themed ornament?!” Blowing the shark up in Jaws or the heart attack of Vito Corleone are equally significant to cinephiles, but they would make for poor ornaments. I cannot think who would truly love this on Christmas Day coming from a loved one; it seems like the cruelest way to break up with a partner during the holidays. As a result, I cannot recommend this one; if Hallmark thought the moment were so iconic, this would have been fine without a sound chip. As it is, the sound chip has an extensive clip that might be the worst Christmas message ever.

Balance

As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake “Frankly, My Dear” ornament is to be hung on a Christmas Tree. And for those creating the ultimate movie nostalgia Christmas Tree, the “Frankly, My Dear” ornament is a surprisingly affordable option that looks good beside ornaments from The Wizard Of Oz and prior Gone With The Wind ornaments. The ornament has the standard brass hook loop embedded into the top center of the doors and it looks fine there. This is fairly unobtrusive and necessary for the ornament. The “Frankly, My Dear” ornament is surprisingly light and it sways slightly when hung from a hook on the brass loop. In addition to being quite light, the balance for the ornament is perfect. The floor weighs down the ornament so it hangs perfectly level, making for an ideal holiday ornament as far as balance goes.

Collectibility

Hallmark Keepsake began delving into the collectibles market in 1991 with Star Trek when it introduced the exceptionally limited edition original U.S.S. Enterprise ornament (click here for that review!). Within a few years, virtually every classic film franchise jumped on the bandwagon and began merchandising with Hallmark as well. Classic properties like Marilyn Monroe, Elvis, The Wizard Of Oz and Gone With The Wind have been made into Hallmark Keepsake Christmas ornaments. “Frankly, My Dear” is one of the only Gone With The Wind ornaments on the market and the only one mass produced for the franchise in 2009 (there was an exceptionally limited one as well). Fans of the book and film seem to be appropriately lukewarm to the “Frankly, My Dear” ornament and perhaps they, too think the sound clip is a bit much (though, I suppose the people who buy Christmas ornaments hoping they will have a woman begging for her – emotional – life have found this to be a particularly delightful collectible. Regardless of the reason, this seems to be more than adequately produced and is not likely to be a great investment piece.

Overview

Fans of Gone With The Wind, Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, and Hallmark ornaments are likely to be split on this ornament. But for me, the sound clip makes it very easy for me to steer clear of this ornament and recommend others do the same. After all, think carefully about what the ornament actually says and it is a remarkably tough sell!

For other Hallmark ornaments reviewed by me, please check out my reviews of:
2010 The Pensieve Harry Potter ornament
2009 Just The Right Tree Peanuts Ornament
2009 Retrieving The Idol Indiana Jones ornament

8/10 recommend against buying!

For other ornament reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2010, 2009 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Less Popular Movie, Limited Edition Ornament, The Ilia Probe Hallmark Ornament Is Surprisingly Cool!

The Good: Collectible, Well-balanced, Good casting of the character
The Bad: A bit pricey, No special features
The Basics: Exceptionally detailed and well-balanced, the Hallmark limited edition Ilia Probe ornament is a surprise winner!


Sometimes, I manage to get a surprise by going out and looking around in the world. I had heard rumors, for example, of a limited edition Hallmark ornament from Star Trek in 2009 and by the time I had heard about it, they were long gone from the stores. And yet, the week before Christmas last year, I found myself at a Hallmark store in Syracuse, NY and what did I see staring back at me from the shelf? Yes, it was the Lieutenant Ilia Probe ornament that had not been there the other twenty times I had looked! And better than that, there were two, one in a mint box, the other in a banged up box (which made it perfect for taking out and hanging up on the tree!)

The Ilia Probe is a limited edition, exclusive Hallmark ornament, and it is not one of the usual mass produced ornaments from the series. Because of its limited nature, the best place to find it is on-line; trying to find it in stores is an almost impossible task given that they sold out at virtually every location that they were shipped to . . . last year. Though, every now and then there is the Christmas miracle of one or two being returned or resurfacing!

Hallmark Keepsake has a line of collectible ornaments from major franchises, like Star Trek. From the Star Trek line comes the Ilia Probe limited edition ornament. Fans of the Star Trek franchise will easily recall the Ilia Probe. After the Deltan officer was abducted by V'Ger in Star Trek: The Motion Picture (click here for my review of that film!), she was returned as an incredibly intricate machine. The gem on her throat - depicted on this ornament with a little plastic jewel - indicated the probe. Hallmark resurrects the character for the thirtieth anniversary of Star Trek: The Motion Picture and she looks great from her blank stare to the costume!

Basics

The Ilia Probe ornament recreates the replaced officer in solid plastic. The ornament, released in 2009, is a fairly recognizable female character, at least for those who sat through Star Trek: The Motion Picture. She has somewhat tanned skin, faint rouge on the cheeks and a bald head. Her body is cast in a very neutral position, which is appropriate for the emotionless probe. Hallmark insisted on $15.00 for the ornament originally and it sold out surprisingly fast at that price. I write "surprisingly fast" because many Star Trek fans get collectibles to get signed and this is one which, unfortunately, fans will never be able to get autographed as actress Persis Khambatta who played Lt. Ilia has been dead for years. Given that the ornament was designed for fans, this is an ornament that appeals to collectors and the Ilia Probe is easily recognizable to them.

The Hallmark Ilia Probe ornament is made of a durable plastic and has her with her hands at her side and a blank expression on her face. In fact, this might be the best ornament where the eyes have a dead look to them! She is standing on a hexagon of V'Ger platform tile. Her feet are arranged in a solid stance and she looks good in her high heels.

The Ilia Probe is detailed exceptionally in the body, throat gem and on the costume. The Ilia Probe looks like she did in the movie, including a touch of color to her cheeks and the color of her eyes. She looks elegant and the red gem in her throat looks realistic in its detailing. Hallmark took a lot of care in decorating the Ilia Probe ornament.

Features

As a Hallmark Keepsake ornament, the Ilia Probe could have a function like a sound chip or light effect, but does not. This is just an ornament, a low-cost (comparatively) option for those who might not want to shell out for the starship series of Star Trek ornaments. This is the Ilia Probe simply hangs. The Ilia Probe's gem may not be removed from her throat (easily and without leaving an awkward gap) and there are no additional accessories for the ornament.

If this ornament included the usual trading card, it was not present in the two I found on a lark.

Balance

As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake Ilia Probe ornament is to be hung on a Christmas Tree. And for those creating the ultimate Star Trek Christmas Tree, the Ilia Probe is very much a luxury; the Ilia Probe was not an essential character in the cinematic Star Trek by any means and any merchandising of the Ilia Probe is very much for the die-hard fans. The ornament has a brass hook loop embedded into the top center, slightly back, of the character's skull. From that hook, the Ilia Probe ornament hangs perfectly balanced. It is impressive and the ornament sways when rocked, but otherwise sits stable in the right position!

Collectibility

Hallmark Keepsake began delving into the collectibles market in 1991 with Star Trek when it introduced the exceptionally limited edition original U.S.S. Enterprise ornament (click here for my review of that!). The Ilia Probe ornament is very limited and has already increased in price by about a third in the secondary market. At this point in the Star Trek ornament collections, the primary characters have all been done and the popular secondary characters are being explored. Ilia Probe was short-produced, though the exact numbers have not been released, but it's pretty hard to meet the demand of all the Star Trek fans.

This is a great investment piece and it is already appreciating, so one suspects that even buying it now would be a good investment.

Overview

The Ilia Probe is surprisingly cool, which is something I did not expect from this ornament. It makes me glad I managed to snag two. Anyone looking to make a science fiction Christmas Tree might enjoy this one . . . good luck getting it out of the hands of the Trekkers who snagged them early!

For other Star Trek Hallmark ornaments, please check out my reviews of:
2010 U.S.S. Enterprise (Star Trek film refit)
2005 Khan
1992 Galileo

8.5/10

For other ornament and toy reviews, please check out my index page!

© 2010, 2009 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Not Nearly As Disguised As He Ought To Be: Han Solo As A Stormtrooper Ornament!

The Good: Good balance, Good general detailing
The Bad: Light on facial detailing, No helmet
The Basics: A good, but very average ornament, the Han Solo As A Stormtrooper ornament is underdetailed on the face, but otherwise wonderful.


In the pantheon of Star Wars collectibles, there are few characters who have been more overmerchandised than the four principle characters from the original Trilogy: Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia Organa, Darth Vader (as unlikely as it might seem given how monolithic the costume and character was) and Han Solo. Han Solo made it through the first Star Wars film with only two costume changes, while Luke had four, but Han manages to pick up the slack in the other installments. In the first film, the second outfit the smuggler wore was that of a Stormtrooper, one of the generic soldiers of the Empire. It is that outfit that the new Han Solo ornament wears.

From the Star Wars line comes the Han Solo As A Stormtrooper ornament, the thirteenth in the series of character ornaments from Star Wars. Fans of the Star Wars Trilogy will easily recall Han Solo as he appeared disguised as a stormtrooper. When the Millennium Falcon arrived at the Death Star in A New Hope (click here for my review!), Han Solo and Luke Skywalker donned stormtrooper armor in order to blend in and move freely about the space station. Hallmark captures Han Solo with an imperial blaster in his hands, ready to shoot!

This is a very typical, very average Star Wars ornament with no bells and whistles, which is also why it is one of the more affordable ornaments in the line.

Basics

The Han Solo ornament recreates the disguised smuggler in solid plastic. The ornament, released in 2009, is the smuggler holding an imperial blaster in a two-handed grip. As a result, most of Han Solo's body is covered in durable-looking white armor. The ornament has the character with his helmet off and this is the only way one may tell that it is Han Solo underneath the armor. Hallmark managed to get $15.00 originally for this ornament and it sold fairly well at that price. Han Solo As A Stormtrooper is in the same scale as the other ornaments of people from the Star Wars films. This character ornament is ten centimeters tall, five and a half centimeters wide and four centimeters deep. Given that the ornament was designed for fans, this is an ornament that appeals to collectors and those who like Harrison Ford might well enjoy this as well, though collectors do not seem to be making this a sellout.

The Hallmark Han Solo ornament is made of a durable plastic and has him holding a blaster in both hands. His feet are arranged in a solid stance, as if he is prepared for attacks coming from any direction. Han Solo, so adorned looks just like he did when he shot open the grate into the garbage chute. The armor looks good and Hallmark also included such worthwhile details as the holsters hanging from his belt.

Han Solo is detailed exceptionally in the body and in the accessory, which makes sense because it is a monolithic black and white armor. Han Solo looks like he did in the movie, save that the skin tones are monotonal and the eyes lack the depth of Ford's eyes. In fact, this character looks more like an animated version of Han Solo than a recreation of the live-action character.

Features

As a Hallmark Keepsake ornament, Han Solo could have a function like a sound chip or light effect, but does not. This is just an ornament, a low-cost (comparatively) option for those who might not want to shell out for the ship or diorama series' of Star Wars ornaments. This is Han Solo simply hangs. Han Solo's gun may not be removed from his hands and there are no additional weapons nor a stormtrooper helmet to cover his head.

This ornament does come with a collectible trading card featuring the picture from the front of the box on it. This is a cute gimmick and it appeals to trading card enthusiasts as it does to ornament collectors.

Balance

As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake Han Solo ornament is to be hung on a Christmas Tree. And for those creating the ultimate Star Wars Christmas Tree, the Han Solo As A Stormtrooper is very much a luxury; this version of Han Solo was hardly an essential character. The ornament has a brass hook loop embedded into the top center, slightly back, of the character's skull. From that hook, the Han Solo ornament hangs perfectly balanced. It is impressive and the ornament sways when rocked, but otherwise sits stable in the right position! This, also, explains why the character cannot be adorned with a helmet.

Collectibility

Hallmark Keepsake began delving into the collectibles market in 1991 with Star Trek when it introduced the exceptionally limited edition original U.S.S. Enterprise ornament (click here for that review!). Since then, they have branched out into other popular franchises like Star Wars and The Wizard Of Oz. The Han Solo As A Stormtrooper ornament is very common and one suspects more will sell on clearance after the holiday is over. At this point in the Star Wars ornament collections, the primary characters have all been done and the popular secondary characters are being explored, as well as alternate versions of principle characters.

This is not a great investment piece and it is unlikely to appreciate for some time.

Overview

The Han Solo As A Stormtrooper ornament is a good one, but not an extraordinary subject. In addition to having nothing to do with Christmas, this ornament is redundant for those who have been collecting the Star Wars ornaments from the beginning. This is the second Han Solo ornament and if you missed the first, then this becomes an easy way to get a Han Solo. Even disguised, one is better than none!

For other Hallmark ornaments of Star Wars characters, please check out my reviews of:
2010 Lando Calrissian Limited Edition ornament
2009 Greedo Limited Edition ornament
2008 Emperor Palpatine ornament
2005 Slave Leia ornament
1999 Max Rebo Band mini-ornament set

6.5/10

For other ornament reviews, please be sure to visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2010, 2009 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Odd Problems, Great Sculpt: The Raiders Of The Lost Ark "Retrieving The Idol" Ornament Fizzles!

The Good: Great sculpt, Good sound function, Comparatively inexpensive
The Bad: Heavy on tree, Poor balance, To optimally arrange for the sound, the button is obscured.
The Basics: Affordable with a cool sound chip, the "Retrieving The Idol" ornament is poorly balanced and poorly detailed in the facial features.


With all of the Christmas ornaments on the market last year, it seemed Lucasfilm was raking it in in their attempt to corner the market with merchandising their properties. In addition to the usual line-up of Star Wars ornaments, last year Lucasfilm had a Raiders Of The Lost Ark ornament, the "Retrieving The Idol" ornament. While Lucasfilm is obviously out to make money, the level of care and quality put into this ornament is a real mixed bag. While no one expects an ornament from Lucasfilm, to be terribly Christmas-oriented, the "Retrieving The Idol" ornament is a great concept with a problematic execution. In the end, it shall come down to a cointoss as to whether or not I recommend this one!

For those unfamiliar with the film, Raiders Of The Lost Ark (click here for my review of the film!) opens with the heroic Indiana Jones on a mission to try to recover an artifact, which is then stolen by his rival archaeologist. In order to try to keep the boobytraps from going off, Indiana Jones swaps a heavy bag of sand with the golden idol he is removing from a pedestal. Unfortunately for Indiana Jones, the traps still go off and he is left running for his life. It is a rousing scene which has become a classic scene, oft alluded to, in action-adventure cinema.

It is Indiana Jones, preparing to make the swap with the bag for the idol that is the subject of the "Retrieving The Idol" Hallmark Ornament. To add extra value to this one, Hallmark provided this ornament with a pretty decent sound chip.

Basics

The "Retrieving The Idol" ornament recreates the moment before Indiana Jones makes the switch with Indiana Jones hunched over the pedestal. The ornament includes the pedestal, Indiana Jones and a small patch of ground all cast in solid plastic. The ornament, released in 2009, is a mixed bag as it has a very cool and accurate sculpt of the column and idol, but Indiana Jones is lacking in detailing and realistic shading.

Still, Hallmark clearly made an effort on Indiana Jones as he has decent detailing like the buckle on his hat and on his belt. Measuring nine centimeters tall, six and a half centimeters wide and nine centimeters deep, the "Retrieving The Idol" ornament is one of the larger Hallmark ornaments this year and with the sound feature, it seems to be almost reasonable that Hallmark charges a little over twenty bucks for it.

The Hallmark "Retrieving The Idol" ornament is made of a durable plastic and has Indiana Jones about to grab the gold plastic idol off the center of the column. The ruins and the archaeologist are generally colored properly, with the muted browns and grays of Indiana Jones's outfit contrasting with the bright gold of the idol and the green moss on the pedestal.

However, the face is mediocre at best, with the ornament looking more like an animated version of Harrison Ford. The coloring for the eyes and cheeks is not quite right and the sculpt seems a bit rounder than Ford's more angular face. There is no realism to the flesh color and the eyes and this is baffling, given how detailed the rest of the ornament is. The pedestal and idol are detailed adequately, both in sculpt and color. This ornament remains fairly easy to find at Hallmark stores, so there is no reason (yet) to look for it in the secondary market, despite the fact that the scene and sound chip are pretty popular. This ornament features a battery to power the sound effects.

Features

As a Hallmark Keepsake ornament, "Retrieving The Idol" has a sound effect, but no light effect. On the back of the pedestal, there is a well-concealed button. This makes for the first problem with the ornament. To have the ideal view of Indiana Jones squaring off with the idol, the button ends up behind the viewer and it becomes hard to find by touch. As well, with the ornament oriented so that the button is obscured, the sound comes out muffled. And with the button at the front, Indiana Jones has his back to the consumer!

The button, when pressed, activates the sound chip. The sound chip actually contains a single sound clip from Raiders Of The Lost Ark. Rather extraordinarily, the chip has several seconds of music from the scene the ornament is based upon. While this is not the most recognizable bit of music, the rousing theme is fun and it adds additional value to the ornament.

Balance

As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake "Retrieving The Idol" ornament is to be hung on a Christmas Tree. And for those creating the ultimate movie nostalgia Christmas Tree, the "Retrieving The Idol" ornament is a surprisingly affordable option that can only enhance the tree of those who like a lot of lights and sounds. The ornament has the standard brass hook loop embedded into the top center of Indiana Jones's hat This is fairly unobtrusive and necessary for the ornament. The first hanging problem with the "Retrieving The Idol" is that it is surprisingly heavy. This ornament requires a very strong branch to support it.

In addition to being quite heavy, the balance is off for the ornament. The pedestal is heavier than Indiana Jones and hung as it is, the ornament essentially acts as a lever and the pedestal weighs down the ornament, causing it to sag at a thirty to forty degree angle. This is a tough sell on balance and pressing the button only agitates the balance issue.

Collectibility

Hallmark Keepsake began delving into the collectibles market in 1991 with Star Trek when it introduced the exceptionally limited edition original U.S.S. Enterprise ornament (click here for that review!). Within a few years, Lucasfilm jumped on the bandwagon and began merchandising Star Wars in the Christmas ornaments. "Retrieving The Idol" is one of only a few Indiana Jones ornaments on the market. Harrison Ford fans and fans of the Indiana Jones movies seem to be surprisingly lukewarm to the "Retrieving The Idol" ornament and it seems odd because the balance and weight problems are not entirely evident until one hangs the ornament up. One assumes that fans have been unimpressed by the sculpt and detailing of the ornament. Either way, this seems to be more than adequately produced and is not likely to be a great investment piece.

Overview

Fans of the Indiana Jones franchise, Harrison Ford, and Hallmark ornaments are likely to be split on this ornament. Ultimately, a cointoss led me to the "recommend," so this is a very weak recommend for a very average ornament!

For other Hallmark ornaments reviewed by me, please check out my reviews of:
2009 Just The Right Tree Peanuts Ornament
2009 "Welcome To Christmastown" The Nightmare Before Christmas ornament
2010 "The Pensieve" Harry Potter ornament

5/10

© 2010, 2009 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Surprisingly Cool (Not Just Because He's Limited) The Greedo Ornament Is A Hallmark Success!

The Good: Collectible, Well-balanced, Good casting of the character
The Bad: A bit pricey, No special features
The Basics: A decent ornament, the limited edition Greedo hangs on the tree looking badass . . . for those who want to risk an investment piece on their tree!


Every now and then, Hallmark does something special to surprise those who collect their ornaments. Last year, on the premiere weekend when Hallmark released its 2009 line-up of ornaments, they released a limited edition Star Wars ornament that did exactly what Hallmark hoped it would; it was bought up almost immediately and has since begun appreciating surprisingly quickly in the secondary market, much like this year’s Lando Calrissian Limited Edition ornament (click here for that review!). As a collector of trading cards, I am used to limited edition and exclusive items, but this was the first time I managed to get my hands on one of limited edition Hallmark ornaments. That ornament was Greedo.

Greedo is a limited edition, exclusive Hallmark ornament, and it is not one of the usual ornaments considered # in a series. Instead, this is outside the regular numbering and truth-be-told, the best place to find it is on-line; trying to find it in stores is an almost impossible task given that they sold out at virtually every location that they were shipped to.

Hallmark Keepsake has a line of collectible ornaments from major franchises, like Star Wars and Star Trek. From the Star Wars line comes the Greedo limited edition ornament. Fans of the Star Wars Trilogy will easily recall Greedo. He was the bounty hunter in the Cantina in A New Hope (click here for my review of the film!) who met his untimely end when he tried to collect money from Han Solo for Jabba the Hutt. Greedo drew a gun on Solo, but Solo shot first, killing poor Greedo. Hallmark captures Greedo as alive and menacing!

Basics

The Greedo ornament recreates the menacing bounty hunter in solid plastic. The ornament, released in 2009, is a fairly recognizable bounty hunter with his pistol drawn! He has his green skin and bright orange vest and his elongated fingers are half-extended. Hallmark insisted on something like $18.00 for the ornament originally and it easily sold out at that price. Given that the ornament was designed for fans, this is an ornament that appeals to collectors and Greedo is easily recognizable to them.

The Hallmark Greedo ornament is made of a durable plastic and has him holding a small blaster pistol in one hand and his other is open, by his waist. His feet are arranged in a solid stance and if this were an action figure, it would not stand on them. Greedo looks coldly menacing, ready to shoot first and to take what he wants. Given that he is a green lizard-man, this means he is largely inscrutable.

Greedo is detailed exceptionally in the body, in the accessory and on the costume. Greedo looks like he did in the movie when his head was just made of a latex mask. His vest looks puffy and the flightsuit beneath looks sleek. Fans are likely to be excited by the detail of such things as the bumps and antennae on Greedo's head and the glossy green of his eyes. Hallmark took a lot of care in decorating the Greedo ornament, including the blaster pistol.

Features

As a Hallmark Keepsake ornament, Greedo could have a function like a sound chip or light effect, but does not. This is just an ornament, a low-cost (comparatively) option for those who might not want to shell out for the starship series of Star Wars ornaments. This is Greedo simply hangs. Greedo's gun may not be removed from his hand and there are no additional weapons or accessories for the ornament.

This ornament does come with a collectible trading card featuring the picture from the front of the box on it. This is a cute gimmick and it appeals to trading card enthusiasts as it does to ornament collectors.

Balance

As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake Greedo ornament is to be hung on a Christmas Tree. And for those creating the ultimate Star Wars Christmas Tree, the Greedo is very much a luxury; Greedo was not an essential character in the original Star Wars Trilogy by any means and any merchandising of Greedo is very much for the die-hard fans. The ornament has a brass hook loop embedded into the top center, slightly back, of the character's skull. From that hook, the Greedo ornament hangs perfectly balanced. It is impressive and the ornament sways when rocked, but otherwise sits stable in the right position!

Collectibility

Hallmark Keepsake began delving into the collectibles market in 1991 with Star Trek when it introduced the exceptionally limited edition original U.S.S. Enterprise ornament (click here for that review!). Since then, they have branched out into other popular franchises like Star Wars and The Wizard Of Oz. The Greedo ornament is very limited and has already increased in price by about a third in the secondary market. At this point in the Star Wars ornament collections, the primary characters have all been done and the popular secondary characters are being explored. Greedo was short-produced, though the exact numbers have not been released, but it's pretty hard to meet the demand of all the Star Wars fans.

This is a great investment piece and it is already appreciating, so one suspects that even buying it now would be a good investment.

Overview

Sure, Greedo has absolutely nothing to do with Christmas or any winter holiday, but most collectible ornaments do not. Greedo appeals to science fiction fans and while it would be nice to have a sound chip (even with Greedo getting shot) this is an excellent basic ornament that looks precisely like the character it is supposed to. That makes it easy to recommend to anyone who collects the Star Wars or science fiction ornaments!

For other Star Wars Hallmark ornaments, please check out my reviews of:
2008 Emperor Palpatine
2009 Luke’s Landspeeder
2009 “A Deadly Duel”

8/10

For other holiday ornament reviews, please check out my index page by clicking here!

© 2010, 2009 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Nothing Says "Merry Christmas" Like Shooting Your Neighbor: The Phaser Ornament!

The Good: Decent balance, Decent detailing, Decent (if incongruent) sound chip
The Bad: Small and seems expensive as a result
The Basics: A basic ornament with a cool sound effect, the phaser ornament is a tough sell as a Christmas ornament.


Star Trek ornaments are becoming a real mixed bag. As the franchise gets more and more merchandised, Hallmark has been stretching for subjects. A few years ago, they lamely chose the Vulcan Command Ship over other, more popular starships for their starship line of ornaments. This year, the line-up seems generally solid, but the low point of the collection is the Phaser ornament.

Unlike prior years where a character and a starship are featured with another ornament that is a diorama, this year the ornaments are a starship and a scene, but there is no character ornament. Instead, there is a phaser ornament with working lights and sound. This is an overpriced, somewhat unimpressive ornament with a great sound function and a pretty impressive sculpt.

Basics

The phaser ornament recreates the Phaser Type II and having seen some of the actual set-used props, this is a remarkably accurate replication of the Phaser prop. The ornament, released in 2009, is a precise sculpt down to the numbers in the dials to adjust power levels. The ornament features a more advanced than necessary sound chip and a limited light-up effect.

Measuring nine and one quarter centimeters tall, four centimeters wide and two and three-quarters centimeters deep, the phaser ornament is a smaller-sized Star Trek ornament and with the light and sound feature, it seems a bit pricey at the original issue price of $18.00. The Hallmark phaser ornament is made of a durable plastic and has the small beam weapon on its own. Cast in gunmetal, gray and gold plastic the ornament looks just like the seldom-seen weapon of choice for StarFleet officers in the twenty-third century.

This ornament remains exceptionally easy to find in the primary market, and one suspects that it will be a poor seller in the secondary market. Even so, it does seem pretty well-made.

Features

As a Hallmark Keepsake ornament, the phaser ornament has both a light effect and a sound effect. This ornament operates on an independent battery so one does not need to position it near a light strand on their tree. The light effect only works when the button on the trigger of the ornament is pushed or the dial that activates the other sound effect is twisted.

The trigger button, when pressed, activates the basic phaser sound. For as long as one presses down on the trigger, the light at the emitter end lights right up. The other way to activate the phaser effect is by twisting the left dial all the way up. That activates the second sound chip. The sound chip actually contains three different clips from Star Trek, most notably (or obviously) "Arena" (click here for my review of that!). Rather coolly, the chip has several seconds of dialogue between Kirk and Spock. The men talk about firing settings and the dialogue is interesting, if not accurate to the weapon.

Balance
As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake phaser ornament is to be hung on a Christmas Tree. And for those creating the ultimate Star Trek Christmas Tree, the phaser ornament is a high priced option that most people will be able to live without. The ornament has the standard bronze hook loop embedded into the top center of the weapon. This is fairly unobtrusive and necessary for the ornament. Because it is so light and the gun is symmetrical anyway, it hangs perfectly straight.

Collectibility

Hallmark Keepsake began delving into the collectibles market in 1991 with Star Trek when it introduced the exceptionally limited edition original U.S.S. Enterprise ornament (click here for that review!). Since then, they have made ornament replicas of almost all of the major starships and many of the characters from the franchise and they have all been more mass produced than that first one. The phaser ornament was a slowest seller from the Star Trek assortment, even to fans and not at all a success among the public at large. There were few fans who bought it and almost no investors or general fans of science fiction picked it up. The relative expense of this ornament makes it seem a bit pricey for the quality and size of this ornament, even if it does have a decent sound effect.

Overview

The phaser might be an iconic part of Star Trek, but it is an esoteric choice for an ornament. While Hallmark tries to make this one interesting with additional sound effects, it still seems a bit expensive.

For other Star Trek Hallmark ornaments reviewed by me, please check out my reviews of:
2008 Communicator ornament
2010 "Amok Time" ornament
2005 Khan ornament

4.5/10

For other ornament reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here for an organized listing of them!

© 2010, 2009 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Unbalanced And Underdetailed, "A Deadly Duel" Is A Star Wars Ornament To Avoid!

The Good: Good sound effect
The Bad: Hardly holiday oriented, "Animated" look to characters, Terrible balance, Expensive
The Basics: Sound and light effect or not, I can't possible recommend this horribly balanced, poorly-detailed “A Deadly Duel” ornament!


Last year, to commemorate the tenth anniversary of Star Wars Episode I, Hallmark released "A Deadly Duel." Regardless of one's feelings for the first prequel Star Wars film, this is hardly a fitting tribute and it is an ornament only saved from the lowest depths of rating by the fact that it does have a pretty impressive sound chip and the light effect is decent as well.

For those unfamiliar with such things, Hallmark Keepsake has a line of collectible ornaments from major franchises, like Star Wars and Star Trek. From the Star Wars line comes the "A Deadly Duel" ornament. Fans of the Star Wars films will recall the climactic sequence to The Phantom Menace (click here for my review of the film!) where Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon Jinn battled the Sith apprentice Darth Maul in the Naboo reactor chamber. There, Obi-Wan, separated from his mentor by a force field, watched as Qui-Gon was forced to take on Darth Maul on his own. It is Darth Maul engaged in a lightsaber battle with Qui-Gon while Obi-Wan is trapped on the other side of the barrier that is the focus of this Star Wars ornament.

Basics

The "A Deadly Duel" rather lamely recreates the final battle on Naboo between the Jedi and Sith with a set that looks immaculately detailed, but characters that look like (at best) animated versions of the characters they are supposed to be. The ornament, released in 2009, is an underdetailed piece with one sound and one light effect and characters that look utterly lame. Standing seven centimeters tall, eleven centimeters long and nine centimeters wide, this is essentially a bridge despite the quality, it is easy to see why Hallmark Keepsake thought they could get almost $30 for the ornament.

The Hallmark "A Deadly Duel" ornament is made of a durable plastic, save the lightsabers which have the potential to snap off if the ornament falls of the tree, and has Qui-Gon and Darth Maul battling in action poses while Obi-Wan looks on from behind the force field. The black and silver base looks like the corridor on Naboo where the action took place and it has the figures (which do not move), the battery compartment and the button to activate the sound chip for the ornament.

Unfortunately, outside the force field generator and the floor, none of the ornament is well-detailed. The characters have monotonal skin tones and because the characters are so very small the manufacturer could not get eye, skin or hair details. Darth Maul's facial tattoos are essentially a red blob covering his face! The uniforms are poorly painted as well; the lightsaber on my Qui-Gon had paint from the handle! In short, this is like a thumbnail sketch of the battle and it is entirely disappointing for fans of the film or the Saga.

Features

In addition to the poorly detailed people, the "A Deadly Duel" ornament has the bonus feature of a light and a sound effect! At the center of the base of the ornament, there is a button which – when pushed – lights up the sides of the ornament to illuminate the force field blocking out Obi-Wan. The light effect is subtle and if one has the lights on, it is easy to miss the way the force field begins to shimmer.

But the sound effect – emitted from the bottom of the ornament – is unmistakable. The sound of lightsabers clashing comes out and the music from that scene is played. The ornament plays about thirty seconds of sound and music effects from the film. This is not the most impressive sound effect, nor the most memorable, but it is something that makes this better than a static ornament.

The sound function is powered by three small 1.5V batteries (watch batteries), which are included. The batteries seem to hold out for about forty presses of the button, which I figure is a season or two of entertainment from this ornament, unless one has fans who absolutely love The Phantom Menace.

Balance

As with all ornaments, the intent of the Hallmark Keepsake "A Deadly Duel" ornament is to be hung on a Christmas Tree. And for those creating the ultimate Star Wars Christmas Tree, the "A Deadly Duel" ornament is a complete luxury piece and one that stands out for its lack of quality amid other, better Star Wars ornaments. The ornament has the standard brass hook loop embedded into the top center of the shield generator, which is the highest point on the ornament. Unfortunately, the ornament is essentially a big lever and the hook is at the fulcrum. On one side is Obi-Wan, close to the fulcrum and on the other are the two dueling warriors, who make this ornament sag at a 30 – 45 degree angle! This has terrible balance and it is impossible to get it to sit level unless one has the ornament resting on a branch or other surface.

Collectibility

Hallmark Keepsake began delving into the collectibles market in 1991 with Star Trek when it introduced the exceptionally limited edition original U.S.S. Enterprise ornament (click here for that review!). Within a few years, virtually every classic film franchise jumped on the bandwagon and began merchandising with Hallmark as well. Classic properties like Marilyn Monroe, Elvis, The Wizard Of Oz and Gone With The Wind have been made into Hallmark Keepsake Christmas ornaments.

Hallmark Keepsake ornaments tend to be mass produced, and the "A Deadly Duel" ornament appears to have been drastically overproduced. As a result, this ornament, is looking to be a pegwarmer and most fans would do well to wait until after the holiday season to pick theirs up. If you insist on getting it, get it cheap, no doubt it will filter into the secondary market quite inexpensively.

Overview

This is a poorly detailed, poorly balanced ornament and it does no credit to the scene it is supposed to be glorifying. Not truly worth the time or money fans are likely to have to spend on it.

For other Star Wars Hallmark ornaments, please check out my reviews of:
2009 Luke's Landspeeder
1999 Max Rebo Band mini-ornament set
2006 Imperial AT-AT and Snowspeeder

3/10

For other ornament reviews, please check out my organized listing on the ornament index page by clicking here!

© 2010, 2009 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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