Author Topic: Sphinx design - the face!  (Read 5943 times)

Offline Luis

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Sphinx design - the face!
« on: February 10, 2011, 06:14:56 »
i did a little search prior to posting this thread and apparenly it hasn't yet been discussed - does anyone agree with me that the sphynx (4242) is kind of odd-looking because of the fact that his face is that of a human?! ;D

i LOVE this set, and probably a sphinx with a playmo face would've been still (or maybe even more) weird looking, but what do you all think? :) :lol:

http://store.playmobilusa.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-US-Site/en_US/Product-Show?pid=4242&cgid=Aegypter

this thought hadn't even crossed my mind until tonight when a friend of mine pointed it out and i couldn't stop cracking up to realize he was right, lol
i still like this set though, i love the entire egyptian theme
« Last Edit: February 10, 2011, 06:21:23 by Luis »
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Offline Wolf Knight

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Re: Sphinx design - the face!
« Reply #1 on: February 10, 2011, 06:19:30 »
well , as one who dreamt about becoming an archaelogist and specialise in egyptiology... (but that never happened  :()
I really love it!!! Only problem is, its scale is quite small... I expected it bigger...

Offline Luis

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Re: Sphinx design - the face!
« Reply #2 on: February 10, 2011, 06:26:08 »
Only problem is, its scale is quite small... I expected it bigger...

lego released an egyptian theme many years ago and i loved all their sets (yes, i was a lego fan for some time during my childhood when -for an unknown reason- i got tired of playmobil :-[ :-[ :-[)

the lego sphinx didn't match the lego scale either (relatively small as well) - i guess toy companies don't like to make unaffordable and extremely big toys
Enjoy the elegance and fun of 1900 with The Victorians photo story! :gent: ;D :sherlock:

Offline socrates

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Re: Sphinx design - the face!
« Reply #3 on: February 10, 2011, 08:14:11 »
Well, addressing the scale, I think they focussed on having a sphinx-like secret chamber, I guess.  ???
It is a reasonable sized set, I like it, even though I have to admit that this is the only one I did not buy, actually.  :-[

And to the face... Well, they decided to not make it playmobil-style. Maybe their first drafts did not look cool enough?
Also in the pyramid, the reliefs on the side walls show a pharao with a human and not a klicky face.  :)

Maybe evolution drove them into their nowadays shape and 4000 years ago the klickies looked like human?  :P

best,
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Offline Giorginetto

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Re: Sphinx design - the face!
« Reply #4 on: February 10, 2011, 09:00:38 »
I agree with Sir Wolf , I think the Sphinx ought to be about 50% bigger . With reference to the human face i think since the Sphinx is referring to an iconic symbol of a civilation and a country of today , out of resepct to say the least it would be incorrect to put a playmobil face on it , i dont think that this would be appropriate,  :hmm: :hmm: :hmm:

I think Playmobil was very carefull with this and they ought to be praised for their choice . Putting a  toy - Playmobil face on something that depicts a nation's cultural history and is a symbol of that nation would be offensive to say the least .
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Offline playmofire

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Re: Sphinx design - the face!
« Reply #5 on: February 10, 2011, 09:44:34 »
It's a matter of accuracy - the Sphinx has a human face and so a model of it should as well.

As to its size in Playmobil, you come back to the practicalities of cost, portability and storage, both when manufacturing and buying and when playing with it.
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Offline bonniebeth

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Re: Sphinx design - the face!
« Reply #6 on: February 10, 2011, 13:39:00 »
I think a klicky face on the sphinx would look so crazy! Just the thought of how that would look makes me laugh!!  :lol: :lol: :lol:
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Offline Giorginetto

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Re: Sphinx design - the face!
« Reply #7 on: February 10, 2011, 13:41:19 »
I think a klicky face on the sphinx would look so crazy! Just the thought of how that would look makes me laugh!!  :lol: :lol: :lol:

Probably it would be funny, but most likely also offensive to some people for whom this is an icon of their country and heritage  :)
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Offline bonniebeth

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Re: Sphinx design - the face!
« Reply #8 on: February 10, 2011, 13:42:51 »
Yes, I agree. I think making it look like the original was the right thing to do.
« Last Edit: February 10, 2011, 17:47:06 by bonniebeth »
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Offline Alison01326

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Re: Sphinx design - the face!
« Reply #9 on: February 10, 2011, 20:25:23 »
I too couldn't imagine why anyone would want to make the Sphinx anything other than it is supposed to be. Not only would it probably offend the Egyptians and a lot of other people, it wouldn't do a lot to educate children about the Sphinx either.

Learning through play, and all that  :)