40 years ago, in October 1979, Kenner Products distributed retail stock of their spectacular new ALIEN action figure to retail outlets throughout the USA and selected nations around the world. Intended to capitalise on the Christmas season market of that year, the 18 inch tall action figure was based on an implacably hostile space monster featured heavily in a recently released R-rated movie. Despite the R-rating, the large toy was marketed at children, ‘AGES 5 AND UP’. An age group that was unable to attend sessions of the movie due to its violent and otherwise generally inappropriate content for children. A toy based on the horror/science fiction movie, ALIEN.
ALIEN was a big hit with audiences in 1979 and Kenner was eager to release their oversized toy to retailers late that year. Due to massive financial commitment to the Project, Kenner’s substantial expectation in sales were intended to follow in the footsteps of the massive success of their popular Star Wars toys. These popular toys were released the previous year and sales of the ALIEN product were expected to equal or exceed those sales. It is estimated Kenner sold over forty million Star Wars toys in 1978! As to how many ALIEN toys Kenner planned to move the following year is anyone’s guess and actual production or sales figures are not available. Christmas 1979 was rapidly approaching and the ALIEN toy was Kenner’s big entry into a potentially lucrative new property hot on the heels of the success of their Star Wars toys. Forty million units, though? Just keep that astonishing figure in mind for now.
While the sales of Kenner’s Star Wars toys did reach dizzying heights, forty million units sounds like an incredibly ambitious expectation for an ugly 18 inch tall toy. In all actuality, no one appears to know how many were made. Nonetheless, their constant presence on eBay today is a convincing testimony that Kenner manufactured a lot of them. There are always approximately a dozen for sale on the service. After 40 years, you’d expect it to become rare. As it turns out, this is not the case.
Given this product was based on a movie children weren’t permitted to see without a parent or guardian, it is a confusing prospect to appreciate the toy’s intended public reception. Kenner’s 1979 television commercial used to promote the toy provides some insight. These youngsters are having way to much fun with an effigy of a fictional character that begins its life by suffocating its victim, tearing it’s way through their chest to spend much of its onscreen time hiding out of sight only to reveal itself and ambush its prey to mutilate them by ripping their faces off. A perpetrator of bloodbaths and brutal murders all round.
This is wild stuff! “Give up! Alien can’t be beat!” Indeed. Today, these kids will be approaching 50 years of age. You have to wonder what would they think of giving this thing to their own children now. Ages 5 and up.
Forty years after its release, the toy is still around in surprising abundance. This can be considered proof of the enormous, albeit unknown, numbers that were actually made. Up to forty million of them, though? It’s an outlandish thought and mind numbing to even speculate such sales expectations. Would forty million children throughout the world want this thing? Regardless of how many were actually made, it has garnered a legendary status among ALIEN fans and toy collectors around the world as a highly sought after vintage item.
Aside from misfired marketing, these old toys aren’t without other faults, either. They are Frequently missing parts. They are manufactured from a hard blended styrene that is becoming brittle with age that breaks way too easily. They now command ridiculously high prices on eBay. Soon after being released this reviled figure offended conservative shop goers to become such a failure at retail it was sold in bargain bins for as little as US$4.95. This was done to clear a huge volume of unwanted stock that did little but offend parents and frighten their children when it originally appeared on store shelves next to Barbie in October 1979 and onward. In high contrast to that value, if you want to buy a Kenner ALIEN today in decent condition, you’ll have to be prepared to spend upwards of US$100 – and that’s being conservative.
There is so much to be said about this amazing, oversized brutish and outrageous children’s plaything. It was the first commercially made mass market toy based on an R-rated movie. It was marketed at children as young as 5 years old. The Kenner ALIEN was expected to sell in enormous albeit unknown quantities. Yet it failed dismally at retail and as a result Kenner had to wear a significant financial burden and subsequent losses. Kenner abruptly ditched the licence and wouldn’t touch the ALIEN property again until the company changed ownership multiple times. After 40 years, it can still be considered vulgar with its uncompromisingly gruesome presentation. A phallic shaped head and a generally menacing ambience grace a toy that has been declared to be “disgusting” by some critics. Yes. This thing was intended to be a child’s toy.
As I frequently like to comment about the vintage Kenner ALIEN action figure, “There is nothing normal about this toy.”
Currently I am in the final stages of preparing a 300 page book dedicated to the garish monstrosity that is the 1979 Kenner ALIEN action figure. HIDEOUS PLASTIC – In stores everyone can hear you scream is almost ready to be available for purchase. Those of you who are curious about its content can view an updated 30 page extract from the book. This excerpt documents the marketing influences and subsequent reception of the toy in 1979. Go download it – this 30 page excerpt is FREE! It’s a detailed glimpse into the toy industry landscape and public response at the time of the release of this nefarious 40 year old action figure. Gosh! 40 years. Incredible.
In closing, I will take this opportunity to say I received my first Kenner ALIEN action figure at Christmas, 1979 – four decades ago. I still have it. I still love it. It’s been a great companion throughout the past 40 years and we’ve been through a lot together.
Happy 40th Anniversary, you ugly old toy!
-Windebieste.
