Back in 2005, NECA launched their Cult Classics line of figures, which was more or less their version of McFarlane Toys’ Movie Maniacs line. The Cult Classics line only lasted three years, but it gave fans some great figures. One of which was of Leatherface from the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I never got around to grabbing Leatherface back then, but late last year, Leatherface joined Freddy as the next slasher icon in the Ultimate figure line. Given how awesome of a job NECA did with Freddy, Leatherface was destined to be too good to pass up. I know that this figure’s been out for a few months now, but really, this one deserves your attention.
Packaging:
As with other figures in the line, Leatherface comes in a collector-friendly windowbox package, recreating the poster art for the film. The back of the box features the film’s premise, accompanied with shots of the figure and accessories. The interior art behind the figure is of the iconic moment of Leatherface standing in the doorway with his hammer. Great stuff.
Sculpting/Paintwork:
Those of you who snagged the retro figure of Leatherface in his classic outfit know the fantastic job NECA did in recreating Leatherface in figure form, and with the Ultimate version, it’s once again an outstanding job. The figure stands at 7″ tall, and has Leatherface in a slightly hunched look. The mask is actually a separate piece that’s glued onto the head instead of the head being just a single piece. The detail in Leatherface’s mouth also done in great detail with his gnarled teeth and lips. The figure’s clothes feature sculpted wrinkles, seams and stitching, and the paint detail is nothing short of amazing. The skin has been given a couple of paint washes to get across an appropriately grimy look. Dust and dirt have been applied realistically, and without any smearing. What does smear (appropriately, mind you) is the blood on Leatherface’s apron, which again, has been done in a realistic fashion without just having it applied nonsensically. Speaking of the apron, instead of being sculpted in soft rubber, the apron actually made of a faux-leather material that is separate from the figure. You can remove the apron if you want, but you’ll have to tie it in the back if you want to put it back on. Small details, such as the mud on Leatherface’s pants and boots, as well as the bracelet on his left hand and his tie, are again done with great care.
Articulation:
Leatherface features over 25 points of articulation. The head is on a ball joint, although because of the hunched sculpt, can’t look up as far. Still, the figure can look left and right, and the head moves side to side without problems. The arms are on pin-and-socket joints, and can move outward and up and down. They aren’t hindered by the sculpt at any point, and have the right amount of tightness. The elbow bends roughly at 45°, and can rotate side to side. The hands are on a ball joint, and can rotate all the way around without problems.
The waist is on a ball joint, and can swivel Leatherface side to side, as well as move up and down. The sculpt does hinder the movement slightly, but it’s not that big of a problem. The legs are also on a pin-and-socket joint, and can move up and down, inward and outward, as well as rotate without problem. The legs also bend at the knee and can rotate, and the feet are also on ball joints that can move and rotate freely. All of the joints are appropriately tight, and don’t flop around at all.
Accessories:
As usual for the line, NECA has a boatload of accessories to go with Leatherface. First off is the interchangeable head, which is the Old Woman Mask, and like the regular Killing Mask head, is done in amazing detail, and again the mask was originally a separate piece glued onto the head. The heads can be popped off with some effort, and they fit nice and snug on the pin. The Old Woman head features the same amount of movement as the Killing Mask head.
Following that is the chainsaw, which has equally-impressive detail as the figure itself. Not only is the sculpt done showing things like vents, the actual chain on the saw and more, the paint detail is spectacular. The blood, metal and dirt on the saw are exquisite. Very nicely done. The hands are sculpted as such to allow the figure to hold the saw and the other accessories in either hand, as well as give you the ability to recreate some of Leatherface’s iconic poses. Also included is the hammer, a meathook with an appropriately bloody end, a meat cleaver and a knife. All of the accessories are again done in great detail with nicks and scratches, and the paint on each brings them to another level. While the nitpicking in me would’ve liked to have seen a bucket of body parts to complete any sort of diorama ideas, what’s here is more than enough for fans to get going.
Overall:
Really, this figure deserves the title of Ultimate. From the sculpt, to the paint, to the articulation and to the accessories, this is quite simply the best Leatherface figure you can get in this size. NECA has done a spectacular job once again, and it’s really a no-brainer to pick this one up. And, with the announcement that Chop-Top and Leatherface from Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 would be getting the retro-style treatment, fans of the series have a lot to look forward to.
