Note: This classic review page preserves the original review links. Once all classic reviews have been updated, we will update the links.
Click here to go back to the new Minimates Central
Dr Egon Spengler and Library Ghost
The Toys R Us exclusive Ghostbusters Minimates have been flying off the shelves. Here is a review of the wave 1 set of Dr Egon Spengler and the first ghost seen in the Ghostbusters film, the Library Ghost.
Packaging
The packaging for this set is very typical fare at this point, with control art-type drawings on the front of the box, photos of either figure on the sides, and pictures of the entire Toys R Us set and a blurb about each figure on the back.
The Figures
Dr. Egon Spengler
[editor's note: This is the same Egon Minimate which appeared in the first Ghostbusters boxset. I reviewed that set, and we thought it would be good to give the character another look over with a different reviewer.]
Portrayed by co-writer of the film Harold Ramis, Egon is the brains of the Ghostbusters team. This Minimate is clearly Egon, but only because of the glasses. Apart from this, as with the other Minimate Ghostbusters, I personally don’t see much of Ramis here. The hair is combed straight back, and is a bit "poofy", but is way too conventional for Egon. In the films, his high, crazy professor hair is one of Egon’s defining characteristics, but the hairpiece for this Minimate is not extreme enough. Further, the hairpiece should reveal more of Egon’s forehead. The modified control art picture of him on the front of the box shows more forehead, and the likeness really improves because of this. This figure has extremely thick, dark eyebrows. Whereas Ramis also has dark eyebrows in the film, they were never Groucho Marx-extreme as they appear on the Minimate. Egon’s expression is stern and focused, befitting the character, and his glasses are a tampo on the face (mostly black), not a separate piece.
Egon’s uniform is similar to Gooey Ray’s, but with different paint apps obviously, being mostly light gray with a darker gray representing the Proton pack straps and his belt. This uniform is also is a different sculpt from Ray’s. First, it reflects a much skinnier character, since Ray had a slight gut and a thinner belt that curves down under his stomach. Additionally, there are different parts sculpted around the belt area. Ray has a radio sculpted on and a hook for his goggles (these goggles are included with later Ray releases, but was not released with the "gooey" incarnation previously reviewed), but Egon does not. Instead, Egon has a different tab for connecting a PKE Meter on his right side, and some coiled wire on his left side. Egon has black hands (representing his black gloves), the Ghostbusters symbol on his right arm, the word "SPENGLER" on his name tag on the front, and extra, sculpted, darker gray elbow pads. Egon is wearing a black t-shirt under his suit, and unlike Ray, you can see Egon’s black boots pretty well, which have laces on the front.
The Proton pack is precisely the same as the one previously reviewed with Courtroom Venkman, only this time being attached to the Ghostbusters "flight suit" instead of the formal suit that Courtroom Venkman wears. This is a very cool, incredibly detailed representation of the Proton pack, and really is a highlight of this line. The PKE Meter is another cool addition to Egon’s Minimate, being a very recognizable interpretation of this well known ghost detecting device. As mentioned above, the PKE Meter slips onto a peg on Egon’s belt, if you don’t want to put it in his hand.
In conclusion, the likeness issue (including the hair) is the main problem with this Minimate. This is a great-looking toy, he just does not look much like Ramis. Of course, this can be excused with Minimates, which by their nature are exaggerated caricatures of existing characters and people. However, I can’t help thinking that a crazier, more exaggerated hairpiece revealing more of his forehead would significantly improve this figure’s likeness to the actor it is meant to represent.
MMC Score - 7 out of 10
More pictures
Library Ghost
The ghost packed with Egon is perhaps the 3rd most well known ghost from the film (after Slimer and Mr. Stay Puft) - the Library Ghost from the opening scene at the New York Public Library.
This is the Library Ghost after the Ghostbusters attempt to "Get her!", with the evil, teeth-gnashing face. I was initially hoping that she would have a reversible head, with a more serene face on the other side representing this ghost as she was reading or shushing the Ghostbusters. However, the head of this Minimate is translucent (with a purple tint), and so a tampo on the other side might show through, creating a distraction. As such, this is probably the best move by DST. Surely, if you had to pick one of the expressions we saw Library Ghost with for a toy, the evil, monstrous one is the way to go. The face is really evil-looking, with exaggerated eyes, mouth, canine teeth, and protruding eyebrows representing the famous shot when she attacks. Library Ghost has an appropriate, old woman hairpiece that is tied into a bun on the back and which is sculpted in an almost translucent white color.
Library Ghost is mostly cast in translucent purple, with the exception of the head and claw hands, which are cast in a clearer, purple-tinted plastic. She has a very basic tampo on her chest block that gives her a little bit of detail. The Human Torch "flaming" shoulder piece comes with Library Ghost, cast in the same color purple as her body, and fits around her neck. This represents either ectoplasmic residue, or her shirt being tattered and floating. She also comes with a purple dress piece that fits over her legs. Her sole accessory is the book that she is reading when the Ghostbusters encounter her.
In conclusion, this is a very nice Minimate, and is really essential if you are a fan of the Ghostbusters film. As I noted earlier, she is amongst the most well-known ghosts from the film, but she also looks great and gives the Ghostbuster Minimates another superb ghost menace to be posed with.
MMC Score - 8 out of 10
More pictures
Review and pictures by karamazov80
Discuss this review at the Minimate Multiverse
Back to Film/TV Reviews Index Click here to go back to the new Minimates Central