Toy Room pt 7. Remote Control R2

Tuesday, April 15th, 2008 @ 12:46PM

What we had to put up with.

I borrowed this picture from r2d2central.com, but mine looks exactly like this.  This was the very first remote control R2-D2 that was available.
It arrived around 1979 (I think. If I was responsible I would look it up) Cost..3O bucks(again..guesstimate), alot of money for a toy then.  See R2’s big feet?  Thats so he wouldnt tip over.  Wasnt even R2’s real voice!  It was an annoying, constant up and down wistle.  Kinda like a toy train.  Santa came through, again.  I was quite dissapointed.  He worked, I think, for a month.  See...heres the thing.  I dont want to come off as sounding like “when I was a kid we played with rocks and sticks and we liked it! You kids today dont appreciate blahblah.."but I guess I’m going to sound that way no matter how I put this.  When we were kids, we wanted accuracy.  We wanted a communicator that looked like Captain Kirks! Not a blue walkie talkie with a Trek sticker on it.  This R2 holds a fond place in my heart, but I had to wait 30 years for an R2D2 that obeys my command, plays back Leia’s ‘help me Obi-Wan’ speech and moves on its own.  Sure it cost me a hundred bucks, and its not life size...but hey...its not this ugly thing!  I think I may do a Toy Evolution feature to make this point.  Not just action figures, but role Playing toys.  Dont even get me started on Halloween Costumes!  Listen! When I was your age........