Review: 76407 The Shrieking Shack & Whomping Willow
Posted by CapnRex101,
4756 Shrieking Shack was released during 2004 and remains surprisingly appealing because the memorable structure has since been overlooked. 76407 The Shrieking Shack & Whomping Willow has therefore elicited particular interest, among upcoming Harry Potter sets.
This structure faithfully presents the dilapidated appearance of the Shrieking Shack, with extensive detail continuing inside. Moreover, several enticing minifigures are provided, alongside the revised Whomping Willow. While this design looks good, I wonder whether focusing exclusively on the Shrieking Shack may be preferable.
Summary
76407 The Shrieking Shack & Whomping Willow, 777 pieces.
£79.99 / $89.99 / €89.99 | 10.3p/11.6c/11.6c per piece.
Buy at LEGO.com »
The new Shrieking Shack and Whomping Willow are excellent, with great minifigures.
- Accurate ramshackle appearance
- Detailed Whomping Willow
- Various clever functions
- Great minifigure selection
- Snape conspicuously absent
- Relatively expensive
The set was provided for review by LEGO. All opinions expressed are those of the author.
Minifigures
76398 Hogwarts Hospital Wing introduced an updated Harry Potter minifigure, sporting dirtied attire from The Prisoner of Azkaban. That torso returns here and looks great, displaying various scuffs and closely resembling the onscreen character. Harry's double-sided head is also familiar and arguably lacks the expressive faces one may expect for the events presented in this set, so an exclusive design would have been ideal.
Ron Weasley also comprises existing components, although his torso actually differs from the minifigure in 76398 Hogwarts Hospital Wing, instead appearing in two earlier sets. Fortunately, the design was created for 75947 Hagrid's Hut: Buckbeak's Rescue, so appears equally fitting here because the 2019 set also originated from The Prisoner of Azkaban.
Hermione Granger completes this group, also wearing her distinctive pink jacket from 76398 Hogwarts Hospital Wing, splattered with mud. This attention to detail is remarkable and shows the importance of clever scheduling, as Harry and Hermione's unusual torso elements could be used twice in quick succession. Hermione's angry expression seems suitable for events at the Shrieking Shack and all three heroes include their wands.
Several characters gather at the Shrieking Shack to uncover the truth surrounding the betrayal of Harry's parents, including Remus Lupin. This beloved professor has only appeared twice before among the modern Harry Potter sets, so I appreciate his return and updated design, relative to the minifigure from 75955 Hogwarts Express. This version wears a shabby dark tan jacket, with an accurate striped shirt underneath.
Additionally, the professor's head is now clean-shaven, revealing the characteristic scratches across his face. This reddish brown hair piece remains unaltered though, which is appropriate because it looks superb. However, maybe even more appealing is the accompanying werewolf minifigure, which portrays Lupin's ferocious alternative form!
Werewolf minifigures have appeared before, including the same head component. While the shape is accordingly imperfect, the texture and dark tan colour are effective. Moreover, I love the specialised legs and yellow eyes, particularly because the human Remus Lupin minifigure exhibits identical eyes. The shocked expression on Remus' face is excellent too, denoting the beginning of his transformation.
Sirius Black is available in three summer sets, doubling his total appearances! This minifigure naturally resembles the version from 75945 Expecto Patronum, including tattoos and tattered prison garb beneath the coat. However, the arrangement of those details has been changed, while the decorated legs which appeared previously are omitted altogether.
The hair element and double-sided head remain identical though, which is fortunate because I think Sirius' raging expression looks fantastic. The character's Animagus form is also included, with striking yellow eyes and simple fur printing around the head. This shape does not entirely reflect Padfoot's appearance onscreen, but provides a satisfactory likeness and represents an enticing addition to this set.
The new version of Peter Pettigrew shares various similarities with the minifigure from 75965 The Rise of Voldemort, including the same striped suit and wrinkled face. Despite those overt resemblances, this minifigure is almost completely different, sharing only his dark orange hair element with the previous Peter Pettigrew design.
Reddish brown stripes decorate Peter's suit, which corresponds with the source material and appears fittingly ragged. The exclusive head is certainly my favourite aspect of this minifigure though, presenting perfect expressions. One side seems nervous and somewhat sympathetic, while the other displays a sinister smile.
Pettigrew survived by remaining hidden in his Animagus form, known to the Weasley family as Scabbers. The updated rat component originated during 2018 and includes adequate moulded detail, alongside printed eyes. I think the dark tan colour works nicely and am delighted that the three surviving Marauders are each presented in their minifigure and animal forms.
The Completed Model
Situated beyond the outskirts of Hogsmeade, the Shrieking Shack stands behind a dilapidated fence that matches the appearance of the building. The colour combination of dark brown and reddish brown looks nice and I like the snow gathered across the base. However, the wooden planks are decorated with stickers, which is disappointing because I think they could have been printed and re-used.
Fortunately, many of the wooden planks covering the Shrieking Shack are printed and I think this building looks tremendous. The twisted shape seems completely accurate to the film and earthy colours are blended to good effect, once again. Furthermore, the height of 25cm seems sufficient to me, but I could envisage a larger and even more detailed rendition of the shack.
The decorated medium nougat planks are superb, covering the shuttered windows at various angles and standing out against the predominant darker colours. The triangular porch looks splendid too, above suitably offset steps. I am less impressed with the stickered door, even though the actual design on this sticker captures adequate detail.
While that door functions normally, most characters actually access the Shrieking Shack using the passage hidden beneath the Whomping Willow. Of course, the designer could not recreate an underground passageway, but did incorporate a secret entrance. This opening panel seems pleasingly inconspicuous at first glance, mainly because rocky texture continues from the area underneath.
Snow covers the building, reminiscent of 76388 Hogsmeade Village Visit. However, I think this example appears slightly more realistic, including icicles and drifted snow on windowsills. The dark brown windows and dark tan frames are similarly effective because they contrast against the reddish brown walls, while their elongated shape gives the desired appearance of imposing height.
The stone chimney is surprisingly basic, but looks good and follows the twisted shape of this whole structure. The upper floor is connected to the ground level using turntables, replicating the natural bowing evident onscreen. Slopes and wedge plates further complement the angled construction, as though the whole building is twisting, rather than only the higher level.
The ground floor only appears briefly during The Prisoner of Azkaban, so this area is sparsely furnished. Nevertheless, the gloomy interior looks great, including dark orange and dark green highlights, which interrupt the otherwise drab colours. I like the pearl dark grey chest too, shared with 76397 Hogwarts Moment: Defence Against the Dark Arts Class.
More recognisable details are present on the first floor, where the characters gather to reveal Sirius' true allegiance and the identity of Peter Pettigrew. The dark tan fireplace and damaged painting, for example, both originate from the movie. The grand piano is similarly accurate and I am glad the designer was able to recreate this piano, despite the limited available room.
Admittedly, dustier colours would have reflected the source material more closely, but I think some contrasting shades are necessary. The collapsed chaise longue also benefits from this contrast and matches the movie, where Ron sits during the confrontation. In addition, stickers depict broken shutters over the windows, closing any gaps between the walls and the roof.
75953 Hogwarts Whomping Willow included the first LEGO rendition of the Whomping Willow, taking inspiration from its encounter with the Weasleys' flying Ford Anglia. This design exhibits outward similarities with its predecessor, but avoids any incongruous colours and fragile foliage, both of which detracted from the earlier model.
The most obvious difference between the existing Whomping Willow and this rendition is the angle. The new design can reach minifigures more easily, although I wish the tree could have been positioned upright without requiring modifications. However, the consistent colour scheme of reddish brown and dark brown looks fantastic, with dark green elements providing welcome accents among the branches.
Large stickers decorate the trunk and look excellent, although applying them is rather difficult. The dial on the reverse controls the rotating branches and the archway beside the Whomping Willow forms the entrance to the aforementioned hidden passage. Minifigures can pass below the arch, although I think its integration with the tree could be improved. The 2018 model was more successful in that regard.
This whole assembly can be attached to a clip outside the Shrieking Shack, providing a direct path between the Whomping Willow and the shack's concealed entrance. The rocks covering the passage provide welcome separation and include another great function, as clouds linger above the scene, supported using a trans-clear 1x2 plate with 12L bar.
Rotating these clouds and the rocks below reveals the full moon and room for Remus Lupin's werewolf form! I love the simplicity and unusual nature of this function, clearly improving upon the over-engineered box from 4756 Shrieking Shack. The earlier conversion function was very enjoyable, but such reliance upon a specialised element is best avoided, in my opinion.
The 3x3 round tile which represents the moon actually glows in the dark, re-using an element from 76190 Iron Man: Iron Monger Mayhem. The transformation function and glow-in-the-dark moon are both beautifully integrated, working perfectly and not detracting from the appearance of the set whatsoever.
Overall
Inevitable anticipation surrounds 76407 The Shrieking Shack & Whomping Willow, since LEGO has only visited this prominent location once before. Thankfully, I think the modern design was worth waiting for, taking advantage of modern elements and construction methods to improve upon 4756 Shrieking Shack. The shack features wonderful detail and various creative functions are also found throughout the set.
Furthermore, seven minifigures and two animals are provided, which feels relatively generous for a set costing £79.99, $89.99 or €89.99. The omission of Severus Snape is notable though, especially given that expensive price. Nevertheless, I am very satisfied with this model of the Shrieking Shack and its environment, despite my previous concern that the Whomping Willow would be superfluous.
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53 comments on this article
Man these prices have been going up and up. I wonder if we'll get an explanation?
Hair piece 24072 works much better for Peter Pettigrew and should currently be in production in dark orange. I wonder why they didn't use it.
The shack looks great. No printing on the werewolf legs, though?
Great review as always, but I disagree with this statement: «This attention to detail is remarkable and shows the importance of clever scheduling, as Harry and Hermione's unusual torso elements could be used twice in quick succession.»
I don't think this is clever scheduling at all - in 2019 they managed to give us the Clocktower, firstly associated with PoA, without duplicating the minifigs of Buckbeak's rescue, while this year they give us three figs of Harry and Hermione in this attire. For my part, I think it was poor scheduling not putting some other figs in the Hospital Wing, when they presumably knew the Shrieking Shack and Sirius Rescue where coming out this Summer.
£80? More like £64.99 at a push.
Oh I adore this design. Great review!
@NatureBricks said:
" @R1_Drift said:
"Man these prices have been going up and up. I wonder if we'll get an explanation?"
LEGO's 2 billion dollar profit last year wasn't enough. What more do you need to know?"
I don’t think it’s entirely profiteering, inflation also factors in. Not just the inflation of the dollar, but the cost of obtaining the necessary materials for production and the cost of efficiently transporting the products have also increased.
@NatureBricks
I didn't know, thanks.
This looks like a set that i want. Thanks for the review!
The design of the shack is great, but we didn’t need another Whomping Willow. I would’ve preferred a bigger main building with a little more floor space to position figures. It doesn’t look like they can all fit in the room together and if they do it must be super cramped. The moon transformation feature is awesome though!
@NatureBricks said:
" @Mr__Thrawn said:
" @NatureBricks said:
" @R1_Drift said:
"Man these prices have been going up and up. I wonder if we'll get an explanation?"
LEGO's 2 billion dollar profit last year wasn't enough. What more do you need to know?"
I don’t think it’s entirely profiteering, inflation also factors in. Not just the inflation of the dollar, but the cost of obtaining the necessary materials for production and the cost of efficiently transporting the products have also increased."
More excuses from LEGO 'fans'.
The price hikes are NOT inflation. I can tell that being the 20 Euro Stuntz sets are $35USD and the 50 Euro School and Grocery Store are $70USD. So the LEGO made in Denmark doesn't have inflation but the LEGO made in Mexico does? Give me a break, don't give me more lame excuses."
You do realize *most* Lego bricks are produced using crude oil, right? US prices on crude have been sky-high for going on 6 months, if not longer. They have gone up even more recently, with the national average for "regular" gas going above $4 dollars for the first time since the oil embargo of '70's, (correct me if I'm wrong on that) and places like California approaching an eyewatering $6 a gallon. Why do you think "LEGO plants from plants" or the recycled brick they invented are a thing? can only imagine as crude gets more expensive as the years go by, it will only get worse.
Basically, brace yourselves. The worst is yet to come.
I've never seen those werewolf legs before! I have a mighty need for those...but I'm not shelling out $90 for one piece in a set with only 776 other pieces.
Why is there always someone who turns the aggression and rage up to 11 in the comments section?
I think the design of the shack is excellent, it's the perfect size to capture the structure without being overly large. The moon is brilliant and puts a big dumb smile on my face every time I see it. It's so simple and yet so perfect. I'm fine with the lack of Snape too, he's a pretty common fig.
I'm disappointed that the set doesn't include Hermione's cat, Crookshanks, as it chasing Ron's rat was how the kids find the secret tunnel entrance in the Whomping Willow.
I don't like the price increases. But at least with HP many of the sets haven't been done over and over. Often see HP sets at 20% off and I'd definitely buy at 20% off.
Absent price it's a nice set with good minifigs. It has fun play features and looks nice as a static display.
Looks really good. Will probably get this Winter Village mkII set around October, with the standard Winter Village realease (and when it will likely be around 30% cheaper).
I'm okay with Snape being missing from this set as I already have quite a few of him. I guarantee if he had been included in this set most if not all the reviewers would be moaning about it being yet another unnecessary copy of a Snape figure we've already gotten X number of times in previous sets. I get why they included the Whomping Willow but I would have been perfectly happy with a slightly bigger Shreiking Shack instead. This review was pretty good but some others I've seen pick apart the smallest little things like "why did they waste parts building the fence, oh but the fence is a great little side build" in the same review. Or "they should have done this with this figure but overall it's great they did this figure, I love it".
@PDelahanty said:
"I've never seen those werewolf legs before! I have a mighty need for those...but I'm not shelling out $90 for one piece in a set with only 776 other pieces."
They're actually from the Collectible Minifigure series 15 Faun. Already on Bircklink in brown for an average of $1.58 USD
CR101, this isn’t just a good HP set; it’s also a good ‘building in winter’ set. And there was a similar two-building (I forget the name of it) HP ‘buildings in winter’ set last year. Can you comment on whether or not these two sets are scaled well (or not) for display with Winter Village sets?
@NatureBricks:
The US has been experiencing an even higher rate of inflation than Europe. Just in the last year, between the pandemic relief bill and Build Back Better, our government spent 4 trillion dollars it does not have, which is only half of what some hoped to have spent, and doesn’t count what was spent on relief under the previous administration. Much if that was injected directly into an economy that was already short on salable goods Never mind gas prices. A bag of frozen chicken that used to cost $8 in January just saw a 25% price increase, and stores still can’t keep the freezers stocked. The federal government just had to arrange the purchase of 39 tons of baby formula to be flown from Europe via military transport. This is not “normal times”.
I’ve been saying for 20 years that prices can’t stay locked in at $0.10/pc forever, and the last time we saw prices spike in the US was after the US recession of 2008.
@Murdoch17:
Speaking of the recession of 2008, gas prices peaked at $4.10 on July 16 that year. Gas prices in 1973 spiked to a whopping $0.55/gal in the US, and first breached $1.00/gal average in 1980. Even adjusted for inflation, I don’t think it went over $4.00 in the US until post-2000. The previous times that could have caused that big a spike would have been the Great Depression (except almost nobody owned cars) and the WWII rationing (except nobody was manufacturing cars, and ration books didn’t include gas coupons).
@PDelahanty:
S15 Faun, Dimensions Stripe (Gremlins), Flying Monkey No.1 and No.2 (TLBM), and Demogorgon (Stranger Things).
@andygott:
Hogsmeade Visit, 76388.
@sjr60 said:
"Looks really good. Will probably get this Winter Village mkII set around October, with the standard Winter Village realease (and when it will likely be around 30% cheaper). "
I agree. Wondering how I should fit it into the WV? Perhaps as a home for the Yeti 71002-8, or for a crotchety grinch-like character?
HP prices have always been the most reasonable. They have seemed like a great deal compared with SW. Yet, the duplication of characters (Harry, Ron, and Hermione) is teadious but unavoidable (Luke, R2, etc.). It is irritating that they are going past the ideal PPP, but so is almost everything.
The design of HP sets seems to be getting better. This set is fun, has nice interior detail, and the exterior is really impressive.
I agree that the exterior side builds could have been eliminated in favor of a bigger shack. But, this is probably an adult-oriented criticism because we enjoy display more than play. I would rather have both, and raise the price to $100, but this excludes more kids as well.
I'm definitely getting this (even though I have the old one 4756. The great minifigs (Remus, werewolf, exterior, and side builds are excellent.
Agree with everyone else about the price. TLG are becoming greedier and greedier of late and I think they’re in for a rude awakening. I almost don’t want to buy sets anymore because I begrudge supporting a company that takes advantage of its customers like this.
@Mr__Thrawn said:
" @NatureBricks said:
" @R1_Drift said:
"Man these prices have been going up and up. I wonder if we'll get an explanation?"
LEGO's 2 billion dollar profit last year wasn't enough. What more do you need to know?"
I don’t think it’s entirely profiteering, inflation also factors in. Not just the inflation of the dollar, but the cost of obtaining the necessary materials for production and the cost of efficiently transporting the products have also increased."
Sure, but let's say the total cost of producing a unit has increased by X. TLG is not increasing the retail price by X. They are increasing it by X + Y, where Y is the profit margin they want to hit. So I don't think any company should be let off the hook because of inflation. They are making sure they still hit or exceed their profit numbers.
TLG (and basically every other company) is saying "Look guys, my cost to produce a unit has increased by $5, so obviously I have to charge you $10 more for it, because there is no way I am letting my profit margins slip."
@MisterBrickster said:
"Why is there always someone who turns the aggression and rage up to 11 in the comments section?
I think the design of the shack is excellent, it's the perfect size to capture the structure without being overly large. The moon is brilliant and puts a big dumb smile on my face every time I see it. It's so simple and yet so perfect. I'm fine with the lack of Snape too, he's a pretty common fig."
On the contrary, I think the design could’ve been improved and the moon contrasts with the general style of Harry Potter sets, but for calling out that mostly unrelated arguments keep happening in these comments sections, you earn my upvote (not that you should only upvote people because you agree with them on everything stated, but face it, most of us do). Decrepit buildings are my jam but between the price and the fact that I’m reserving my birthday money for something else and thus won’t get any LEGO, I’ll have to pass on this one personally and aim for the Hospital Wing (same dirty figs plus Madame Pomfrey) if I ever feel like splurging.
@illennium said:
" @Mr__Thrawn said:
" @NatureBricks said:
" @R1_Drift said:
"Man these prices have been going up and up. I wonder if we'll get an explanation?"
LEGO's 2 billion dollar profit last year wasn't enough. What more do you need to know?"
I don’t think it’s entirely profiteering, inflation also factors in. Not just the inflation of the dollar, but the cost of obtaining the necessary materials for production and the cost of efficiently transporting the products have also increased."
Sure, but let's say the total cost of producing a unit has increased by X. TLG is not increasing the retail price by X. They are increasing it by X + Y, where Y is the profit margin they want to hit. So I don't think any company should be let off the hook because of inflation. They are making sure they still hit or exceed their profit numbers.
TLG (and basically every other company) is saying "Look guys, my cost to produce a unit has increased by $5, so obviously I have to charge you $10 more for it, because there is no way I am letting my profit margins slip.""
I don't dispute that, but I do think that it's important to consider X along with Y. The initial comment only considered the latter, which I feel is reductive.
@illennium:
You forget that Y includes higher cost of transportation, higher overhead for warehouses and retailers, and higher wages from factory to cash register, all of which are becoming an issue. Who do you think ultimately pays for all of that?
@PurpleDave said:
" @illennium:
You forget that Y includes higher cost of transportation, higher overhead for warehouses and retailers, and higher wages from factory to cash register, all of which are becoming an issue. Who do you think ultimately pays for all of that?"
Well, I was including all of that in the term "production cost", which is probably poor word choice on my part. I was struggling to come up with a term that conveys "all-in cost." In my example X was meant to include all costs. My point is still the same -- firms are not just passing along costs, they are marking up those costs to maintain and in many cases exceed their current profit margins. Even with costs going up across the board, I still expect we will see many firms post record profits for 2022. We'll see if TLG is among them.
@R1_Drift said:
"Man these prices have been going up and up. I wonder if we'll get an explanation?"
LEGO is made of plastic, that is made from OIL, prices of oil and energy are soaring... so...
@Murdoch17 said:
"You do realize *most* Lego bricks are produced using crude oil, right? US prices on crude have been sky-high for going on 6 months, if not longer. They have gone up even more recently, with the national average for "regular" gas going above $4 dollars for the first time since the oil embargo of '70's, (correct me if I'm wrong on that) and places like California approaching an eyewatering $6 a gallon. Why do you think "LEGO plants from plants" or the recycled brick they invented are a thing? can only imagine as crude gets more expensive as the years go by, it will only get worse.
Basically, brace yourselves. The worst is yet to come."
Wouldn't the prices have been decided before design work began on this current summer wave? I think designers are usually told the approximate "parts budget" they have to work with early in the design process. You are right to make the point that LEGO is being affected by the current high price of oil, but I doubt that was factored into the high product prices we are seeing here.
Look at Remus’ alternativeface, at a glance does anyone else see a historical dictator or is it just my insomnia talking.?
@illennium:
Businesses are closing. Walmart and Target just posted numbers that show they are actually struggling (with predictions that Amazon can’t be far behind). Employers can’t even get people to apply for jobs at $15/hr where I live. Meijer used to run round the clock (except Christmas), but every store in my area is still closing for 1/4 of the day, because they can’t staff the store, even after large expansions to the self-checkout lanes. Fast food restaurants are shifting to self-serve kiosks because it allows them to transition headcount away from the front counter to other tasks. It hasn’t exactly been puppies and kittens for the corporate world, either.
@Timsterino:
Relative to the dimensions of a minifig head, it’s the full width of his mouth, and I don’t remember there being a gap in the middle (I could be wrong, but I really don’t care to look it up). Relative to the dimensions of a human face, it’s still the wrong color. I didn’t see it at all before, so I don’t know how much of it is the most superficial of similarities (mustache with no beard, medium-length hair parted in one side), and how much is just the fact that you said something and got people thinking about it.
Different movie I know, but can the Whomping Willow hold up the Ford Anglia from 75953?
So basically 2 updated minifigures and a downgraded Sirius Black for 90 bucks? The parts wasted on that tiny, out of place fence should have flown into new minifigure prints instead.
@Mr__Thrawn said:
" @NatureBricks said:
" @R1_Drift said:
"Man these prices have been going up and up. I wonder if we'll get an explanation?"
LEGO's 2 billion dollar profit last year wasn't enough. What more do you need to know?"
I don’t think it’s entirely profiteering, inflation also factors in. Not just the inflation of the dollar, but the cost of obtaining the necessary materials for production and the cost of efficiently transporting the products have also increased."
Also think about licensing costs for the HP name too!
I'm always interested to see how Lego handles trees and organic shapes, since the "brick" is literally the opposite in concept. This model cheats a little with the sticker doing a lot more work than it has a right to, but at the end of the day the tree still feels more like an extruding Sarlacc than a tree. Blame the movie depiction (rather than the book), I guess. But this "tree" feels pretty bad compared with what we know Lego is capable of even for the younger set (the bonsai tree is an unfair comparison, but not Elves).
@CaptainRex05:
So…illegal counterfeits? They did review a Lepin set once. Even though the set got raked over the coals for ripping off a LEGO set design, having several packing errors, and subpar parts, people threw a fit in the comments about how the review was posted in the first place. So, don’t hold your breath on that one.
@andygott said:
"CR101, this isn’t just a good HP set; it’s also a good ‘building in winter’ set. And there was a similar two-building (I forget the name of it) HP ‘buildings in winter’ set last year. Can you comment on whether or not these two sets are scaled well (or not) for display with Winter Village sets?"
This past Christmas, our family used 76388 to bridge the gap from more "realistic" Winter Village sets like 10293 to the more "fantastic" ones such as 10267. They all looked great in a row!
@PurpleDave said:
" @CaptainRex05:
So…illegal counterfeits? They did review a Lepin set once. Even though the set got raked over the coals for ripping off a LEGO set design, having several packing errors, and subpar parts, people threw a fit in the comments about how the review was posted in the first place. So, don’t hold your breath on that one."
The problem with the counterfeits is that the quality isn't always repeated with consistency. I've filled out my Marvel and DC character roster with many and even from the same sellers I couldn't depend on them all being the same quality. Some are indistinguishable, and some are dead on arrival unusable.
@CaptainRex05:
And if they start endorsing counterfeits, especially of minifigs, and of a theme that TLG holds the license to, they can probably kiss their Recognized status goodbye, and they’d probably lose a ton of readers.
@CaptainRex05:
If the minifigs you’re buying aren’t printed on actual LEGO parts, then it’s a blatant trademark violation. While TLG’s claim for trademark on the 2x4 brick got slapped down in the EU, they’ve successfully defended trademark claims on the minifig. I know from personal experience that LUGs that wanted to join the RLUG program had to retire any logos that included minifigs (the original MichLUG logo did, while the MichLTC logo did not). I can’t imagine fan media sites would be given a pass. Lose their Recognized status, and they stop getting press releases, interview opportunities, and review copies of any sets. That’s a pretty big pill to swallow to shill for a minifig seller who isn’t even paying them for endorsements.
@CaptainRex05 said:
"My figs were not Lego copies (Lego is not that good) and I think they may have been licensed. I am just pointing out that Lego can make a less expensive product with quality. I don`t have a big pocket book like Mr. Monopoly Man."
Star Wars licensed it's building block toys to Lego and no one else. That is a known fact. What you purchased is a counterfeit, and is technically illegal to produce. And, as Star Wars is owned by Disney that clone brand better watch out: there is a good reason for the saying "You don't mess with The Mouse" - their lawyers are ferocious and know for rabid protection of their properties.
I feel like "relatively expensive" is the new normal. I wish that TLG would spend some of that money on improved packing. Every item I've ever ordered from TLG directly is thrown in a thin cardboard box with a few packing bubbles on the side in a shallow display of protection. More and more items I order from them arrive damaged. And if a large item is shipped with a smaller item, the smaller item is inevitably crushed.
Well, the set looks decent enough. I don't know if it is $90 decent, but it is a needed set for sure. I don't love the reuse of multiple figures, but I guess I'll see what it costs for some of the unique figures vs the sale price (or wait for a sale.).
I think the build otherwise looks good. Always would like something a bit bigger, but these Hogsmeade sets have been pretty decent in terms of playability.
I won't argue about the nuances of pricing since it has so many factors, but profit is always in the mindset of any business, and we get to pay for those profits no matter what.
@Murdoch17 said:
" @CaptainRex05 said:
"My figs were not Lego copies (Lego is not that good) and I think they may have been licensed. I am just pointing out that Lego can make a less expensive product with quality. I don`t have a big pocket book like Mr. Monopoly Man."
Star Wars licensed it's building block toys to Lego and no one else. That is a known fact. What you purchased is a counterfeit, and is technically illegal to produce. And, as Star Wars is owned by Disney that clone brand better watch out: there is a good reason for the saying "You don't mess with The Mouse" - their lawyers are ferocious and know for rabid protection of their properties."
I'll never forget my first Disney IP case in the law school textbook. Disney sued a small, local daycare center over a mural including Disney characters on the side of the building.
Diligence is a factor in determining whether you retain the rights.
@behemothjosh:
You don’t have to worry about that anymore. Now they use craft paper as packing material. On a more serious note, I did have a stretch where someone seemed to think it was a clever idea to put a small box at one end, then lay a large box over it so it fit diagonally in the shipper carton, and then they only needed packing material for the other side. It almost always creased the large set, and sometimes even crushed the small one. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one complaining, and eventually it stopped. Now the craft paper actually has me concerned. With the air pillows, you can gently lay them in there until all the space is filled up. With craft paper, you have to rip off a large section and crumple it up to fill the space, often relying on the box flaps to help press it into the shape needed. Overestimate how much you need, and you will again cave in the side of whatever set you’re trying to protect.
@PurpleDave said:
" @behemothjosh:
You don’t have to worry about that anymore. Now they use craft paper as packing material. On a more serious note, I did have a stretch where someone seemed to think it was a clever idea to put a small box at one end, then lay a large box over it so it fit diagonally in the shipper carton, and then they only needed packing material for the other side. It almost always creased the large set, and sometimes even crushed the small one. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one complaining, and eventually it stopped. Now the craft paper actually has me concerned. With the air pillows, you can gently lay them in there until all the space is filled up. With craft paper, you have to rip off a large section and crumple it up to fill the space, often relying on the box flaps to help press it into the shape needed. Overestimate how much you need, and you will again cave in the side of whatever set you’re trying to protect."
Yep. I've had more boxes smashed horribly from buying at Lego.com than I did going to the local Lego store and grabbing their smash-n-dents at 10% sale. Probably should've complained.
The last one was the worst- 40485 getting crushed in the packing box by the set it had to come with 10284. Haven't had any trouble in a while.
For the pricing - TLG are not Lego. I love the product, but not a huge fan of TLG. They're greedy. Keep in mind that they're a private company with skyrocket profit. You could cut their profit in half, and they will still come up amazing for a private family company. There are tons of reason to raise prices, but that they don't find their pricing absurd is them being cynical or blind. It's not even about being able to afford, it's about the worth and what's becoming a new normal. I don't think reviewer are doing enough, and I've said it many times that pricing should be a major factor in review.
With the 2022 sets, I removed a lot of sets from my wish list. I will get some of the unique "adult" ones, but drastically cut the "play set". I can't bring myself paying things like $70 for the farmers market van.
As for the set reviewed, it's nice, but I feel it's a bit small and cramped. I rather them skip the willow and use these bricks for the house itself. The moon is great!
I really like this new version of the shrieking shack. The play features are subtle yet effective. I actually like the small fence section, since it was in the snow scene, and it gives an entrance to the property. Nice review. Thanks for referencing the older version from 2004, wow that was 18years ago. I remember buying it for my son back then.
As for the price, for being a two-story building & licensed, with the minifigs, it's ok. If people expect prices to stay in line with pricing before the pandemic, they are in for constant disappointment. It would be nice, but it is not practical. Welcome to the "I remember when" club.
I think the new “normal” on PPP is going to rest at somewhere between .10 - .15 per piece when a set is released, and I’m thinking closer to .15 when all is said and done. And I’m not talking about sets that have all 1x1 pieces either, those screw up the calculations.
For the price, it could have been nice to have swap-out snow/no-snow elements seeing as the showdown at the shack didn't happen during the wintertime. I know that the original version featured snow and elements of the finale as well, but it's a little inaccurate…
@whw_iv said:
"For the price, it could have been nice to have swap-out snow/no-snow elements seeing as the showdown at the shack didn't happen during the wintertime. I know that the original version featured snow and elements of the finale as well, but it's a little inaccurate…"
While it is true that the finale does not take place during winter, I might point out that when Harry, Ron, and Hermione visit Hogsmeade in the Deathly Hallows it is not wintertime either yet there is still snow on the ground. Just saying...
@NatureBricks said:
" @Mr__Thrawn said:
"I don’t think it’s entirely profiteering, inflation also factors in. Not just the inflation of the dollar, but the cost of obtaining the necessary materials for production and the cost of efficiently transporting the products have also increased."
More excuses from LEGO 'fans'.
The price hikes are NOT inflation. I can tell that being the 20 Euro Stuntz sets are $35USD and the 50 Euro School and Grocery Store are $70USD. So the LEGO made in Denmark doesn't have inflation but the LEGO made in Mexico does? Give me a break, don't give me more lame excuses."
You know, you could have easily made the same arguments without so much unnecessary aggression. I can at least understand letting emotions flow when the conversation comes to uhh... human rights or geopolitics... but this is plastic toys we're talking about, there's no need to go straight for the insults. Get a hold of yourself.