How Do You Feel About ‘Django Unchained’ Action Figures?
If you haven’t heard, as the Daily Beast’s Karu Daniels reports, the “National Entertainment Collectibles Association, Inc. (NECA), in tandem with the Weinstein Company, announced a full line of consumer products based on characters from the movie. First up are pose-able eight-inch action figures with tailored clothing, weaponry, and accessories in the likeness of characters played by Foxx, Kerry Washington, Samuel L. Jackson, Leonardo DiCaprio, James Remar and Christoph Waltz. The dolls are currently on sale via Amazon.com.”
In a press release, NECA president Joel Weinshanker said the company was “very excited to bring the stellar cast of ‘Django’ to life and honored to be working with another Tarantino masterpiece.”
Well, to put it simply, community leaders are not excited the prospect of the “Django” cast being brought to life.
“Selling slaves as action figures is a slap in the face of our ancestors. Tarantino and Weinstein didn’t have action figures for their movie ” Inglorious Basterds” because they know the Jewish community would never allow it and the African-American community shouldn’t allow anyone to disrespect our ancestors,” stated Najee Ali, Director of Project Islamic Hope.
The action figures are a over the line. It is just crass commercialism and has little educational value. We have Barbie’s house — how about a big TOY southern plantation house too? Why not made some action figures of slave masters…with a whip beating on another black action figure? Where do the ridiculosity and insults end?