The LEGO community’s unending crusade to turn every pop fiction character into a BrickHeadz figure continues today with both Vincent Vega and Jules Winnfield; John Stephens did an exceptional job getting these character’s traits into the blocky style. Jules’ hair, while a simple build, does so much to identify him and the cigarette, collars and earrings are more great touches which make this duo so good in this format.
By now we’ve seen almost every scene from the Star Wars franchise meticulously and repeatedly recreated as a LEGO diorama, except for one… When Luke receives the Empire’s calling card, in the form of the still-smoking remains of his Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru in Star Wars: A New Hope. So I thought I’d rectify this glaring oversight by the LEGO community!
I’ve found no satisfactory explanation for this surprisingly graphic scene in a seemingly PG movie franchise …which to be fair does feature its share of bodily dismemberment and a pretty significant body count. And while you might argue that this is an important moment of gravitas that propels Luke on his journey against the evil Empire, it’s interesting that he never once later mentions the demise of his only living relatives, who in all likelihood died guarding the whereabouts of their whiney nephew!
On the other hand, this sad event does furnish Luke with the perfect excuse to finally leave his godforsaken home planet in search of the adventure he had always dreamed of. So maybe he wasn’t that cut up about it after all. Then again, who cares – it’s just Star Wars, where nothing really makes that much sense. It’s all just a vehicle for a lotta big space battles and waving of laser swords by a bunch of space wizards!
Last month we featured Patrick B.‘s lovely version of Bag End, Bilbo’s house in the Hobbit and later Frodo’s in The Lord of the Rings. It turns out Patrick wasn’t done making cheery hobbit holes, though, as now he’s followed up with Samwise Gamgee’s home on Bagshot End, which is just as welcoming and snug.
It’s loaded with details, including lots of clever uses for unusual elements, such as the unusual Scala flower pot and vase paired together along with mini-doll Belle’s light yellow dress as large garden jars. Each section of this homely dwelling bears close scrutiny to tease out all the shrewd techniques. Continue reading
As the last place to buy a few essentials or enjoy a good nights sleep before continuing on your journey, Minnie’s Haberdashery is a key location in Quentin Tarantino’s movie, The Hateful Eight. Marion has built a replica view of the haberdashery in LEGO and it really is an amazing likeness. There are hanging dried herbs and vegetable swaying from the ceiling, a huge assortment of jugs, boxes, barrels, lamps and mugs scattered across tables, shelves and chests of drawers. I love the placement of certain key features; the large beam frames our view to the left and the stool and table are in the forefront with a chest of drawers and open wooden shutters on the right.
Comparison with the actual set from the movie is a must, although Marion has added a few blood spots as we would expect in a Tarantino film.
Photo: Andrew Cooper, SMPSP © 2015 The Weinstein
Mary and the Witch’s Flower is the first feature from Studio Ponoc, an anime production house formed from the ashes of the legendary Studio Ghibli. Based on the Mary Stewart book The Little Broomstick and directed by the very accomplished Hiromasa Yonebayashi (including his directorial debut with The Secret World of Arrietty), this movie easily matches the charm of any Miyazaki production. I enjoyed it immensely, and even listened to the soundtrack while building this LEGO version of Mary on her broomstick:
The above layout takes inspiration from the pivotal scene where Mary first takes flight on her broomstick. Observant readers will notice the inclusion of Tib the cat, a few Fly-by-Night seeds, and a background made entirely from LEGO bricks.
The 2017 game Star Wars Battlefront II allows players to experience Star Wars battles unlike what is seen on the big screen. First Order Lego captures a snapshot of such freedom with a diorama of the Battle of Crait. The layer of salt carpeting the red soil and crystal underneath is textured well, with cracks and unevenness throughout upon closer look.
Click to see more of the Battle of Crait
The iconic Star Wars TIE Fighter is a frequent subject for LEGO creations — both in official sets and fan-built models. Each iteration and interpretation is unique, but this TIE by Jerac may be one of the most detailed renditions I’ve seen. Familiar with the craft from countless hours of enjoying Star Wars films and games, it appears to me that no detail on Jerac’s model is out of place. Even little touches weren’t overlooked, such as the red dots and hexagonal hole in the rear of the cockpit.
Jerac also presents an equally stunning, screen-accurate model of the TIE Interceptor…
The Empire Strikes Back was released back in 1980 and is still one of the most popular Star Wars films to date. Josephine Monterosso has captured the likeness of two of the main characters from the movie, Luke Skywalker and Han Solo, as BrickHeadz. Each character has some great little details to enjoy that are a step beyond the official Brickheadz style, but there are no rules when it comes to building your own characters. Luke’s flak vest with its tubing is a lovely touch and, along with the helmet and visor, really makes this character recognisable.
Han Solo’s fur-lined hood works well with simply some studs on show to give texture. I love the use of a palisade brick to give the clinched-in appearance to his parka waist — it really adds some flair.
See more 1980s movie characters built in this style
The Adventures of Robin Hood is a 1938 American swashbuckler film that starred the suave Errol Flynn in the title role. One of the most famous scenes from this movie is the final sword fight between Robin Hood and Sir Guy of Gisborne. Eggy Pop has built a fantastic LEGO version of this scene that will be instantly recognisable to those who have seen the reference movie. I love the candlestick in the corner and the specially constructed doors under the arches The real eye-catching design element is the use of larger brick-built stones to construct the elegant, curved staircase.
Don Figueroa is a Filipino-American artist and a toy designer whose is best known for his work on many different Transformers designs. An early concept drawing of Rolling Thunder Optimus Prime by Don Figueroa was produced for a Transformers/GI Joe crossover comic, but it never came into fruition. Alex Jones has used the concept drawing to create a LEGO version of Rolling Thunder Optimus Prime using Olive Green, a challenge in itself as this colour has limited parts.
Rolling Thunder Optimus Prime transforms from robot mode, complete with a rolling weapons system, to vehicle mode, aka Supreme Tactical Commander Grand Patriot
Click to see more views and Don Figueroa’s original concept artwork
Arriving just in time for the holidays, The LEGO Ninjago Movie is now available for purchase on Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital. We reviewed the movie back when it premiered in September, giving it points for some awesome parts usage, cool tie-in sets and a unique take on an existing LEGO-owned property. There are few different versions of the movie available, so we’ve listed all your buying options after the jump.
If you enjoyed seeing a porg in peril in my recent LEGO vignette Porg: The Other White Meat then why not build your very own LEGO porg, using my new Build-a-Porg building guide? It would make a great Holiday gift for the Star Wars obsessed LEGO fan in your life – there’s still time!
Click here for a preview of the building guide
