LJN Dune Catalog from 1984
It’s hard to believe that toymakers thought the next merchandising blitz would come from a David Lynch film but that’s exactly what happened in 1984. Dune got the full treatment with colouring books, bed sheets and of course a selection of action figures produced by LJN. The movie wasn’t particularly kid (or for that matter general public) friendly and as a result, the spice warriors of Dune resided in the clearance aisle.
What’s perplexing to me is most of this stuff got made, yet the gigantically more kid-friendly “Last Starfighter” toy line never saw the light of day. Aggghhh!
LJN bought a lot of trade ads for this line, anticipating it be the movie hit of the Christmas season..
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Lady Jessica never made it to the marketplace.
Gurney Was also cut from the team, however, the world would not be deprived of Patrick Stewart action figures for very long. Notice they mention several sandworms and they weren’t allowed to show them. I find that weird seeing as they were largely phallic symbols.
Click to see a bigger image, the weapons giftset was canceled.
click to see a bigger images, the bad guy vehicle never saw it to the marketplace.
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I should add these to my complete set of Eraserhead plush dolls and color-by-numbers Blue Velvet poster set.
The back of the early Dune cards had the Sandworm blacked-out, much like the Ewoks on the early Jedi cards.
The vehicles look lame beyond belief – not one that a kid would be excited by. But that trooper in the black helmet looks pretty cool.