Madame Tussauds unveils Donald Trump statue

[tazber]

Posted: 2/17/14 at 8:58am

They claim it's a stature of Leonardo DiCaprio.

If that's true they they need to re-evaluate their drug policy for the artists.

[SNAFU]

Posted: 2/17/14 at 9:13am

Wow, that is really quite bad.

[best12bars]

Posted: 2/17/14 at 9:19am

Leo's put on a little weight lately, but he isn't Agustus Gloop.

WTF?

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 2/17/14 at 11:18am

The mouth is terribly wrong.

[Kad]

Posted: 2/17/14 at 11:42am

He looks like he got stung by bees.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/17/14 at 11:55am

Don't joke about that, Kad.

[artscallion]

Posted: 2/17/14 at 12:02pm

NO! NOT THE BEES!!!

[Wynbish]

Posted: 2/17/14 at 12:04pm

This



to

This



Is pretty much This

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/17/14 at 12:12pm

Well obviously I had to watch this again.

[Wynbish]

Posted: 2/17/14 at 12:16pm

Leo, why you look like a puffer fish?

Updated On: 2/17/14 at 12:16 PM

[Jane2]

Posted: 2/17/14 at 7:24pm

They weren't that far off with Leo. He does have a somewhat puffy round face.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 2/17/14 at 7:27pm

When I went to the one in London, I thought there were several that didn't look like the person they were portraying.

[SNAFU]

Posted: 2/17/14 at 7:32pm

The neck in his wax figure is too long and thin, giving his head a bit more inflated balloon look. There is something slightly off with his mouth and chin and a lttle bit with the eyes.

eta: it looks like the nose, from brow to tip and from tip to upper lip angle of slope is slightly off.

Updated On: 2/17/14 at 07:32 PM

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 2/17/14 at 7:37pm

Are you sure it wasn't built for the Hollywood Wax Museum? http://www.vice.com/en_ca/read/an-open-letter-to-the-worst-waxwork-museum-in-america

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/17/14 at 7:42pm

OMG that was hilarious!!!!

[SNAFU]

Posted: 2/17/14 at 7:45pm

They did get Daniel Craig down to the t though!

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 2/17/14 at 7:46pm

Drew Barrymore and Morgan Freeman aren't too bad either. The rest... yikes.

[best12bars]

Posted: 2/17/14 at 9:31pm

Thanks. I'm gonna have nightmares after seeing that Jennifer Garner.

God in heaven.

[Addison D.]

Posted: 2/17/14 at 10:17pm

Would someone do me a favor and explain the fundamental attraction of wax simulacra of famous people?

I can well imagine that such a thing would have been fascinating in an era when a painter might have to spend months creating a single, non-duplicatable likeness. Even in the early days of photography--sitting for a portrait could be a protracted ordeal.

Based upon this thread, it appears there is no interest in any "interpretation" by wax artists: no opportunity for self-expression, no evolution in the art of creating these figures. The one goal is, apparently, to create something that looks JUST LIKE the actual, often-photographed, person.

If I want to see what Leonardo diCaprio looks like, I can do a search of Google Images, and see hundreds of thousands of images--from earliest days to earlier today.

So--'splain to me. What is the point?

Updated On: 2/17/14 at 10:17 PM

[SNAFU]

Posted: 2/17/14 at 10:19pm

Photo opts.

[Kad]

Posted: 2/18/14 at 2:23am

I worked at the NYC Tussauds for about a month and a half once as a "photographer."

It is literally just a $40ish photo op.

And it is really creepy to be in before and after hours.

The thing about the statues is that if you aren't looking at them at the optimal angle, they are totally in the uncanny valley.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 2/18/14 at 3:58pm

Can I just say I never got the appeal of wax museums. DC has one close to where I work, and when I see tourists in line to see wax Presidents, my reaction is, "really, REALLY?!"

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 2/18/14 at 4:07pm

And can I just say that I'm DYING to go to the Hollywood Wax Museum next time I'm in LA??? I wanna get stoned and giggle!

[Jane2]

Posted: 2/18/14 at 4:26pm

"The one goal is, apparently, to create something that looks JUST LIKE the actual, often-photographed, person. "

Addison, I feel the same way about artists who paint in the photorealistic style. The spend weeks or more looking at a photo and duplicating it exactly with paint.

[Addison D.]

Posted: 2/18/14 at 4:42pm

Personally, Jane, I'm inclined to agree with you--it often feels like a gimmick.

I do, though, tend to make tremendous allowance for intention--some photo-realist painters ARE trying to explore their medium and say something about perception, the nature of "reality", etc.

The wax artists may have similar intentions, I don't know--I've never made an effort to understand the wax "medium". I just find it creepy and pointless.

Updated On: 2/18/14 at 04:42 PM