Mattel - New for 2023

[Gwangi]

Probably would be best to compare it with the Jurassic Park Mamenchisaurus.

https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/jurassicpark/images/4/47/Mamenchisaurus_2.jpg/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/1000?cb=20140201201626

https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/jurassicpark/images/5/51/Mamenchisaurus-1-.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20120730212310

I like the Mattel Mamenchisaurus more than the Apatosaurus but unless I can get it for about 50% off then I probably won't get it at all. The only reason I got the Apatosaurus was because it was 50% off. I'm not a completionist and the fantastic Dreadnoughtus and Brachiosaurus somewhat negates the need for big Mattel sauropods of lesser quality.

[Stegotyranno420]

@suspsy obviously. But does the JP Raptor look enough like an actual dromaeosaur?
The iteration in the movie looks diplodocid. So for the sake of continuity the model would look as such.
Now if this was PNSO I'd understand your sentiments. And this is JP canon as well, not like the Eocarchia and Bisaviersor for examples

[suspsy]

And? Still looks ugly and ungainly, especially compared to the Brachiosaurus and the Dreadnoughtus. Although I suppose the Apatosaurus is still the most grotesque.

[Faelrin]

@Stegotyranno420 For starters the creatures in the film are based on Deinonychus. In fact aside from some of the concept art pieces labeled as such (which can be found at Jurassic Vault, if not elsewhere), there's also this article which delves into the making of the film, which is worth taking a look at.

As it was based on Deinonychus, one would need to look at the available reconstructions from the time since its description in 1969, and prior to the release of the film in 1993. There are skeletal reconstructions in the 1969 paper "Osteology of Deinonychus antirrhopus, an unusual theropod from the Lower Cretaceous of Montana", by Ostrom, particularly the restoration of the skull on page 15, and the full skeletal restorations on page 142. An updated version of that reconstruction is also on page 3 of the 1976 "On a new specimen of the Lower Cretaceous theropod dinosaur Deinonychus antirrhopus", also by Ostrom. There's also Bakker's famous life reconstruction after the title page/cover of the former paper. There's yet another different skeletal reconstruction that bares similarity to the former one, published in the 1993 paper, "The Evolution of the Avian Shoulder Joint", by Farish A. Jenkins, a few months shy from the film's release in June.

Here are the links to the first paper, the second, and the third:

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/10658785#page/7/mode/1up
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/3189704#page/51/mode/1up
https://earth.geology.yale.edu/~ajs/1993/11.1993.09Jenkins.pdf

It's also worth checking out the 1969 "A new theropod dinosaur from the Lower Cretaceous of Montana", and the 1970 "Stratigraphy and paleontology of the Cloverly Formation (Lower Cretaceous) of the Bighorn Basin area, Wyoming and Montana" again both by Ostrom.

Here are the links to those:
https://elischolar.library.yale.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1127&context=peabody_museum_natural_history_postilla
https://elischolar.library.yale.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1034&context=peabody_museum_natural_history_bulletin

It wasn't until 1996, 3 years after the first film released, and a year before its sequel, before better material of the skull was found. Unfortunately both of the papers pertaining to that don't seem accessible/paywalled. Those are:

Maxwell, W. D. & Witmer, L. M. (1996). "New Material of Deinonychus (Dinosauria, Theropoda)". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.
Witmer, Lawrence M. & Maxwell, William D. (1996). "The skull of Deinonychus (Dinosauria:Theropoda): New insights and implications". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology

Here's Ostrom's original 1969 skeletal, and with the modern 2022 skeletal by Dr. Scott Hartman for comparison:

[Stegotyranno420]

this isnt about raptors, @Faelrin , and I said dromaeosaurs, not Dromaeosaurus nor Velociraptor
@suspsy that is what I donr understand, I deem it to be fine. Better than most of the garbage Mattel makes. Sure its expensive, but the figure is large enough.

[andrewsaurus rex]

@suspsy obviously. But does the JP Raptor look enough like an actual dromaeosaur?
The iteration in the movie looks diplodocid. So for the sake of continuity the model would look as such.
Now if this was PNSO I'd understand your sentiments. And this is JP canon as well, not like the Eocarchia and Bisaviersor for examples

For me, i'm not concerned if a Mattel dinosaur toy looks like the one in the movie, i'm concerned if it looks like a reasonable representation of the animal as understood today by science.  I'm flexible on details, but the overall appearance has to be there.  And in my view, it's not with Mamench.  I don't even think it looks all that much like the one in the movie, either, other than its coloration, because of the too short neck.  The Mattel Brach and Dread were pretty nice and i'm happy to have them but unless a review of Mamench knocks my socks off, i'll be passing on it, and very disappointed to do so.

I agree that Mattel's Brontosaurus/Apatosaurus is their worst big sauropod, but it does look like that one in the movie, which was poorly designed imo.

[Stegotyranno420]

Why would you expect Mattel to put out models with some regard of science.

[suspsy]

Why would you expect Mattel to put out models with some regard of science.

You asked for an answer and I gave you one.

[Stegotyranno420]

@suspsy yes, you did. But you may/may have not noticed, you are asking MATTEL for accuracy.
I ask for another answer:
Why would you expect MATTEL to deliver accuracy.

[andrewsaurus rex]

@suspsy yes, you did. But you may/may have not noticed, you are asking MATTEL for accuracy.
I ask for another answer:
Why would you expect MATTEL to deliver accuracy.

I don't.  But if they do I will buy the toy.  The Brach and Dread weren't bad.  The Mamench is not good enough in my view so, like the vast majority of Mattel dinos, I won't get it.  It's just disappointing because it's a big sauropod  and they are pretty rare birds.  If the Mattel Memench looked like the one in the movie i'd probably be getting it, even though it's not scientifically accurate by today's standards.  The Brachiosaurus isn't either really but it looks good and is a valid interpretation (of a Giraffatitan, actually)..  But Mattel's Mamench doesn't look like the one in the movie.....the movie one has a longer thicker neck..  Mattel chickened out on making the neck longer, for some reason.....maybe they were afraid the toy would be prone to tip forward?  Or maybe they just goofed.

[suspsy]

@suspsy yes, you did. But you may/may have not noticed, you are asking MATTEL for accuracy.
I ask for another answer:
Why would you expect MATTEL to deliver accuracy.

Go reread what andrewsaurus rex wrote earlier. He summed it up rather nicely.

[Eatmycar]

Mamenchi looks fine, especially for a blink-and-you'll-miss-it dinosaur whose CG model began life as a stretched-out JP Brachiosaurus. And considering nobody else is stepping into the 1/18 articulated sauropod realm (thank goodness), it works. I would've preferred if the eye was entirely black ala Brachiosaurus, but the return of ball-jointed heads for sauropods is a plus if you ask me.

When it comes to expectations for Mattel:

They're stylized. I'm not sure what people want here. 1:1 "paleoaccuracy" for non-film animals? They're not going to do that, clearly. This many years into the line, if you're still expecting that, this is the wrong line for you.

[Prehistory Resurrection]

[andrewsaurus rex]

after watching that video, my opinion of the Mamenchi has improved a bit.  I've always liked the paint scheme and that video hasn't changed that...it looks good..  The neck is a bit longer than I thought it was, still a bit short but better than I thought.  I gather this neck is not flexible like the Hammond Brachiosaurus....if it were and you could take the S curve out of it, it would look longer still. 

My dislike of the skinniness of the neck hasn't changed.  IF the neck were a bit longer and a fair bit thicker this would be the best sauropod figure Mattel has made.   At this point I've gone from no way, to maybe.  Thanks for posting.

[Flaffy]

The rare and elusive Ornithocheirus is available for retail in the UK at the Entertainer! Almost pulled the trigger on getting it from eBay resellers, I'm glad I decided to wait now

[DinoFan2010]

They're stylized. I'm not sure what people want here. 1:1 "paleoaccuracy" for non-film animals? They're not going to do that, clearly. This many years into the line, if you're still expecting that, this is the wrong line for you.

The Mamenchi had a quick cameo in the game trail scene in The Lost World. it's the one that guy on the motorcycle drove under.

[Shane]

I bought the Mamenchi, even though I said I wasn't going to, but there was a $25 coupon off $100 purchase at Target, so I was able to grab a bunch of other stuff I was looking for as well and the Mamenchi.

It's fine. It looks different enough from the others that it stands out. I think I like it better than Dreadnoughtus (the paint on Dreadnoughtus, both in application and color choice, was just not a win for me).

It's probably on par with the Apato, which I like decently enough. Brachio HC is definitely the best, followed by the Legacy Brachio.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

I got my Mamenchi too, it's pretty cool though i sort of feel like its more diplodocus-like which is fine.  I just wonder what they ill do now? Massive sauropod-wise were down to the Male Brach. 

[andrewsaurus rex]

i'm wondering too.  I'm assuming that the big sauropods have been quite successful given how they sell out every year at TRU and the fact that Mattel keeps offering them.   I don't see why they have to stick with what's been in the movies......they certainly don't for many other dino figures they've made, some of which i'd never heard of until the Mattel toy came out. So fingers crossed.

I'm still on the fence about Mamench.   After viewing the video above I like it better but it's more the skinniness of the neck that's bugging me than the length at this point.  As I said earlier, if the neck were longer and especially thicker, this would be the best sauropod Mattel has made.

[Carnoking]

I told myself I'd wait for a sale... between 10 dollars off and extra 15% coupon, I'm sorely tempted...



Must.... resist!