CLICK THE PLAYER BELOW FOR SOUND!

For those of you looking for a gallery and review today of the TVC Millennium Falcon (Smuggler’s Run), you’ve got another thing coming.  I mean that literally.  There was no way I was going to have that thing ready in a day.  Mine arrived yesterday, and you’re insane if you thought that would result in you clicking on it today.  I AM VERY BUSY!

Anyway, here’s another treat.  Well, a treat for me, since I just bought this for myself a short while ago.  It was one of those items that I failed to acquire at the time of release, and it was really keeping me up at night ever since.  I couldn’t call myself a real completist without it.  So here it is.

This figure was released as an exclusive to Walt Disney World during its 2007 “Star Wars Weekends” celebration.  It came in TAC packaging, and was generically named “Cantina Band Member”.  There are actually 5 different versions that were available.  They are identical, with the exception of the included instrument.  You could get the Fanfar, Kloo Horn, Ommni Box, Bandfill, or Dorenian Beshniquel (Fizz).  The figures and the stage are identical across all 5 sets.

The Cantina Band Member figure is the same as the one that was released the same year in 2007 in the Modal Nodes Commemorative Tin Set.  For the record, that figure is basically identical to the original POTF2 release, except it has a soft goods “shirt.”  If already have the Commemorative Tin set, then the only thing you’re looking for is the stage.

The stage is the star fo the set.  It’s a cute blocky, and looks odd in the cardboard cantina setup, but it’s still a neat little exclusive item.  The surface of the stage looks like the floor of the cantina.  It is equipped with a small blue light that activates to illuminate the figure with the press of a button.  That same button also plays a snippet of the famous cantina music.  I’m a fan.

The packaging allows you to “TRY ME!” , giving access to the play button.  Personally, I hate that.  I don’t need to buy something that was groped by a bunch of dirty kids with their cotton candy covered (or worse) hands.  So Hasbro, save such things for your secondary lines that are aimed at kids.  Or Neanderthals.

One interesting note, the back of the card lists the names of 6 band members, who play the 5 instruments that Hasbro offers.  Figrin D’an is also credited with playing the drums.  That’s an accessory never made by Hasbro.  A few years after this was released, the Story Group (or whatever it was called back then) apparently made it official that there was a 7th member on stage, Sun’il Ei’de playing the Gasan String Drum.  Hasbro needs to get on that ASAP, while they’re updating this 20th century sculpt. 

The figure definitely needs an upgrade, but this release, with the music box, gets a higher score than other versions.  This gets a 6.