Brigsby Bear - BE@RBRICK
Brigsby Bear is a 2017 independent film rooted in its SNL origins. The variety show veterans The Lonely Island produced the film written by and starring SNL actor Kyle Mooney. The film strays away from the sometimes harsh humor of SNL for a genuine, heartwarming movie experience. Medicom Toy introduced the film and its title character to the BE@BRICK line with the 2020 figure, "BE@RBRICK Brigsby Bear 400%."
Brigsby Bear and BE@RBRICK Collaboration Background
Brigsby Bear has only appeared once in the BE@BRICK collection. However, the character has been featured in other Medicom Toy merchandise.
Collaboration Planning and Launch Information
The Brigsby Bear BE@RBRICK was announced in February 2020. It entered regular sales that August. The film also received a line of Medicom Life Entertainment accessories and apparel in June 2020.
BE@RBRICK Brigsby Bear 400%
BE@RBRICK Brigsby Bear 400% is a must-have addition to your BE@RBRICK collection. Depicted as he appears in the film with a nice caramel-like brown, the color adds to the aura of cuteness that is expected of a Teddy Bear. He wears a navy blue t-shirt with red piping on the neckline and sleeves. In the center, there is a graphic triangle with different geometric stripes of red, green, blue, and yellow. With his large eyes and a big smile, he is an adorable figure. Why not add this to your BE@RBRICK collection?
- Product Name: BE@RBRICK Brigsby Bear 400%
- Manufacturer: Medicom Toy Corporation
- Specifications: Painted & articulated plastic figure
- Height (Approx.): 280mm | 11"
About Brigsby Bear (Film)
Brigsby Bear is a 2017 American comedy-drama film directed by Dave McCary. The film follows 20-year-old James Pope, whose life revolves around the children’s TV show Brigsby Bear. Raised in an underground bunker, James learns from his father about the danger of the outside world. However, one night James sneaks out only to witness police arrest his mother and father. He learns they were not his real parents, but criminals that kidnapped James when he was a child. When speaking to a psychologist about his experiences, James continues to fixate on Brigsby Bear. After learning the unfinished fate of the series, he takes it upon himself to make the TV series a reality.
The film opened at the Sundance Film Festival in 2017. It received generally positive reviews from critics who praised the optimistic, genuine tone. The film failed to perform well commercially, earning roughly $500,000 at the box office.
About Brigsby Bear (TV Show)
Brigsby Bear is a fictional educational television show in the film of the same name. During a therapy session, James' psychiatrist reveals the show never truly existed. Instead, his captor/father figure created the show on his own for James' enjoyment. The show features Brigsby Bear, a time and space traveling bear that teaches a weekly life lesson appropriate for James' age.
Important Brigsby Bear characters
Brigsby Bear follows the recovery of the sheltered James Pope. James' journey to catharsis involves both new friends and the people of his past.
James Pope
James Pope is the film's 20-year-old, shut-in protagonist. At a young age, Ted and April Mitchum kidnapped James and raised him in an underground bunker. During his bunker years, he becomes obsessed with the TV show Brigsby Bear that arrived at his house on VHS once a week. James learns the truth about his kidnappers and returns to live with his birth parents. He seems unbothered by his trauma and fixates on his obsession with Brigsby Bear. After learning the show was an invention by his captors, James panics at the idea his favorite show will not continue. He decides to finish the series by making a wrap-up film on his own. With the help of his new friends, James starts producing the film and reaches his own form of closure.
Ted Mitchum
Ted Mitchum is the man who posed as James' father who kidnapped him from his real parents. From a young age, he brainwashed James, convincing him that the outside world was too dangerous to explore. James frequently sees his father putting on a gas mask before going outside. As a former designer and artist, he created the show Brigsby Bear with his wife before disappearing to their bunker in 1987. Ted continued sneaking off to produce Brigsby Bear episodes for James, leading to his arrest. At the end of the movie, James forgives Ted for kidnapping him and enlists his help in recording the voiceovers for the film. Mark Hamill plays Ted in the film, exercising his strengths as a voice actor in the Brigsby Bear scenes.
Spencer
Spencer is a supporting character in the film Brigsby Bear and becomes James' best friend. He's introduced as James' biological sister Aubrey’s friend, whom James meets at a party. At the party, James tells Spencer about Brigsby Bear and his desire to create a Brigsby Bear film. Being a filmmaker, Spencer agrees to help out James produce his film. He also helps James advertise by uploading episodes of Brigsby Bear on YouTube. The film project gains popularity and starts to draw an audience. Spencer helps convince James' birth parents of how important the film project is to him and helps them build the film's final set.