By its very nature, science fiction is meant to be a bit ‘out there’. Since Star Wars showed how much money could be made from merchandise in the late seventies and early eighties, the machine has not stopped. If anyone is willing to pay for a license, you can often find a whole array of weird and wonderful objects that even the hardiest of fans don’t really want. Below, we provide the top five unique items of science fiction merchandise that were actually produced.
C-3PO Tape Dispenser
As the brand that started it all, there seems to be no item that Star Wars characters have not adorned. Thus, this item of office paraphernalia is not that weird in the scheme of things. It is more the application.
If android C-3PO had been holding the tape it may have worked. However, he is in a laid-back position seated in what looks like a bathtub. The amazing thing is that because people did not want these at the time, they are now quite rare. Being ceramic, many broke quite easily. You can expect to pay upwards of $200 for one.
Robocop Slot Game
The uber-violent and dystopian tale of Robocop has a legacy of odd tie-ins. Many would say a children’s animation, line of action figures and toddler-sized gattling guns were pushing it a bit far. Yet Robocop knows no bounds and has also ventured into slot games. Yes, the android created for law enforcement has somehow managed to cement a place in the casinos of Las Vegas.
Well, not quite. This is an online slot game which is surprisingly good. It has plenty of great cut scenes and features like wilds to keep you entertained. It is one of many great slot movie tie-ins, including movies like Rocky and Jurassic Park. These have become popular due to providers who offer a casino sign up bonus, then use popular franchises to offer familiarity to those who are new to the world of slot games.
Jar-Jar Binks Tongue Pop
Jar Jar Binks was always a polarising character. He arrived in the fourth Star Wars instalment and was instantly disliked, with many calling him the most annoying character in the franchise. This grotesque piece of merchandise can not have helped his cause.
It was based on the push pop concept, which was a plastic case that you pushed from the bottom to reveal the candy, much like lipstick. This merchandise, created for The Phantom Menace in 1999, had Jar Jar placed upside down. You pushed the bottom of the pop and his candy tongue would shoot out. It was bobbled, a fleshy pink colour and wholly unappealing.
Dune Colouring Book
Before Dune was the modern sci-fi blockbuster we know today, it had a fairly expensive flop that was released in 1984. Directed by master of the weird David Lynch, it was the tale of Paul Atreides, who becomes embroiled in a battle for the planet Arrakis as a member of his noble family.
The book by Frank Herbert, on which the movie is based, is quite odd anyway and is not one themed for children. It centres on the trade of s commodity known as spice and the war for its trade and cultivation. Quite who thought a colouring book tie-in would be a good idea remains to be seen. It also has a recipe for no-bake spice cookies, which are a simple cinnamon cookie.
Avengers Aftershave
Most people would love to be an Avenger, but wanting to smell like them may be a step too far. One is from the 1940s and has been frozen in ice for 80 years. One is a Viking, who were not known for their hygiene. The other is a mutated green beast who runs around in his ripped trunks and is unlikely to shower that often. If you get these as a gift, pray you get the one based on the millionaire industrialist.
As more movies arrive and more ways to make money from them abound, more of these odd items will appear. Keep an eye out for them, as holding onto them could be worthwhile in the future.
