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NECA's latest collectible line fuels more controversy.
Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained has already been publicly criticized for its violence and alleged racism, but now the film's merchandise has sparked even more controversy.
Earlier this year, NECA partnered with the Weinstein Company to make a series of retro eight-inch figurines depicting characters from the movie, including the likenesses of Jamie Foxx, Leonardo DiCaprio, Samuel L. Jackson, Kerry Washington and others.
These figures are currently being sold on Amazon, but Najee Ali, director of the advocacy group Project Islamic Hope, wants to change that. In a recent interview, he told AP that the collectibles are a "slap in the face of our ancestors" and wants them removed from the online market.
Ali admits that he has no problem with the film itself -- in fact, he's seen it twice -- but he does believe these toys trivialize "the horrors of slavery and what African Americans experienced."
Several Amazon users seem to agree. "Slavery is not something to play with," read one of the comments. "These toys will fall in the hands of people who may think it is ok to mimic how slaves were treated. Please take these dolls off the market."
Others, however, defended the toy line. "If fans of this film want to collect memorabilia and action figures based off of a movie they enjoyed, it is a far stretch to say that the makers of this movie are attempting to make money off of slavery," wrote one collector. "There is nothing racist about making a toy based off of a character from a movie."
Indeed, the action figures are collectibles recommended for people older than 17. Likewise, these figurines are nothing new; Tarantino had figures made for his previous film Inglourious Basterds as well.
Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained has already been publicly criticized for its violence and alleged racism, but now the film's merchandise has sparked even more controversy.
Earlier this year, NECA partnered with the Weinstein Company to make a series of retro eight-inch figurines depicting characters from the movie, including the likenesses of Jamie Foxx, Leonardo DiCaprio, Samuel L. Jackson, Kerry Washington and others.
These figures are currently being sold on Amazon, but Najee Ali, director of the advocacy group Project Islamic Hope, wants to change that. In a recent interview, he told AP that the collectibles are a "slap in the face of our ancestors" and wants them removed from the online market.
Ali admits that he has no problem with the film itself -- in fact, he's seen it twice -- but he does believe these toys trivialize "the horrors of slavery and what African Americans experienced."
Several Amazon users seem to agree. "Slavery is not something to play with," read one of the comments. "These toys will fall in the hands of people who may think it is ok to mimic how slaves were treated. Please take these dolls off the market."
Others, however, defended the toy line. "If fans of this film want to collect memorabilia and action figures based off of a movie they enjoyed, it is a far stretch to say that the makers of this movie are attempting to make money off of slavery," wrote one collector. "There is nothing racist about making a toy based off of a character from a movie."
Indeed, the action figures are collectibles recommended for people older than 17. Likewise, these figurines are nothing new; Tarantino had figures made for his previous film Inglourious Basterds as well.
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