Dear George Lucas: You're allowed to say no sometimes

So does this mean Ursula from "The Little Mermaid" would be Jabba the Hutt?

(Credit: StarWars.com)

Synergy. It's not just a square on the buzzword bingo cards you take with you to big meetings. George Lucas and Disney have been pals for quite a while. They even have "Star Wars" weekends at the parks.

Now I'm a fan of "Star Wars." Not a rabid one, mind you, but I can't believe I missed these before now:

Limited statues of Disney characters as Star Wars characters. Ooh ooh, and each one will set you back 195 clams.

Each.

I'll just sit back while you let that sink in for a minute. No rush.

(Checks watch, looks around.)

OK. Not to be Mr. Negative, but in These Troubled Times (TTT), are there really that many people who can drop almost $800 for a whole set (let's be honest; if you're buying one, you're probably going to get them all)? This, on top of admission to Disney's Hollywood Studios in Florida? Or Disneyland; out of the 600 made, 500 go to Florida, and the rest go to California.

The latest batch (previous statues included Goofy as Jar-Jar Binks, which I oppose on moral grounds) features Mickey Luke; Minnie Leia (in the gold bikini from "Return of the Jedi"); Goofy Chewbacca; and Donald in Carbonite. They look great, but still, I dunno.

Are they trying to tell us something about Mickey and Minnie's relationship by making them Luke and Leia this time?

[PandaSage1221]

Omg, those are so cute. I'd never ever pay that much for them though, but I'm sure someone who's a serious Disney or Star Wars enthusiast (who also likes the other) would.

And Disney is of course brilliant and annoying in their strategy there.. only 600, only available at the theme parks. Being any kind of Disney fan is expensive.

[W1gglesnarf]

Disney makes me cry.

[gd1294]

Love it or hate it Disney knows how to market merchandise. I admit I have a friend who is a cast member and if they get to be a jawa I will eat toast for weeks to fly or drive down. Wife is a Disney nut I am a Star Wars nut together we are both nuts.

[ikramerica--2008]

Disney has galleries at their theme parks that display these commissioned works. There are some interesting pop artist pieces in their Disneyland gallery. What makes them special is that Disney does not license their characters for artwork willy nilly. They do license them for toys like you water, but that allows them to control the image. When they license it for artwork, they are giving up some of that control.

As for the Disney/Star Wars partnership, they have a stage show/activity at Disneyworld in Tomorrowland, a Jedi Training Academy, where they take a whole bunch of little kids from the audience, dress them as Jedis, give them light sabres, give them some training, then they each get to fight DARTH VADER. I would have given my left one when I was 5 to get to fight Darth Vader. I watched the show and it was hilarious.

[HWbk]

It is a good marketing play to sell more merchandise, but I think the economic times to not bode well for us.

[lennythespider]

I'm a money nut. My money collection says no. The country is filled with people who will sacrifice their future just to have one of these though.

[make_or_break]

2 cute 4 puke. But yet...that's exactly what I feel like doing. Then again, what is it again that they say about fools and their money being soon parted?

Disney...u r SO good at this kind of white elephant marketing.

[FroZone]

I don't get the point of this article. Why do I care if a company makes a product I can't afford or wouldn't purchase?