-THE SMURFS-

What is three-apples-high, with blue skin and dressed in white trousers and a cap? While most toy figurines last just a season, Eastciti smurfs around for clues of the well-being of the smurfs here and away.

Eat your heart out! Contrary to popular belief, the tiny blue gnome-like creatures have neither faced extinction nor perished under the fatal threats of Gargamel and evil puss Azreal. In fact, the Smurfs continue to score big time with collectors and converts the world over today.

Created by cartoonist Pierre Culliford, better known as Peyo - the characters were inspired by the trolls of Nordic fairy tales. Still oozing planetary appeal since breaking into the public sphere on 25 October 1958, smurfemonium has known no bounds worldwide.

Eastciti learns more from Central Hobby Plus store manager Mr S.S. Khaw at Orchard Towers. Mr Khaw says that the manufacturers have announced that the year 2000 marks their intent to "go very big internationally".

Smurfland has been set up in Belgium, while some parts of Europe have witnessed Smurf Carnivals where floats and puppets abound. "Each time, they have about 200,000 people who attend these smurf festivals," he says.

Smurf Invaders

At the height of the Smurfs' popularity here in the 80s and early 90s, their Saturday morning cartoon was sufficient to make the perfect weekend for many children and adults.

And those catchy tunes that spelt fun, holidays and hiccups for school kids were an instant hit! La la la la la la, la la la la la....

What about this charming solo piece from Papa Smurf in his rendition of Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Love Changes Everything", aptly renamed "Smurf Changes Everything"?

PAPA:
Smurf, Smurf changes everything:
Tall as apples, skin that's blue.
Smurf, Smurf changes everything:
Boys are plenty, girls are few.
Smurfs can outwit Gargamel,
And that Azrael is history.
Yes, Smurf, Smurf changes everything,
Mushroom houses everywhere...
It's a crying shame they took us off the air...

The fever for cute rubberised figurines here was further fanned by a petroleum company, BP, giving away a free Smurf figurine with every $50 worth of fuel purchased. For the record, the first figurine was made in 1965 by Schleich and only until recently, all were smurfstakingly handpainted.

But what's so enchanting about the Smurfs? Apart from being a friendly bunch, there are so many different characters and each has a strong and unique identity.

"It's very different from other figurines. You have Snoopy in one character with different poses, whereas every Smurf has a name. Every year, they (the manufacturers) put in about 30 new figurines with new poses and names." - Mr Khaw (right)

Adapting with Time and Tide

Notwithstanding the times, the figurines constantly depict the period of manufacture, the trends of their day and what's cool.

From dial phones to cellular phones, from roller skates to Rollerblades, from inflatable arm floats to snowboards, the Smurf figurines transcend the test of time like no other!

While authentic ones are still being manufactured in Germany, China now mass produces a significant bulk of figurines. There are also those produced by non-licensed manufacturers and disparity can be found in the sizes, colours, stances and facial expressions of figurines only if you smurf really close. So be smurf-ful when you're out smurfing around for some smurfs to smurf. You wouldn't want to get smurfed!

Mr Khaw walked and talked me through a Millennium edition Smurf catalogue. They don't only come in figurines, plush toys and comics these days. Get ready for a barrage of merchandise and foodstuff: biscuits, ice-cream, canned drinks, milk, candies, chocolates, candles, Gameboy games, CD-Rom "storybooks", apparel, footwear, stationery, calculators and even mint coins!

Of course, they're not available in Singapore - well not yet anyway.

-Smurfer Prices, but who's Smurfing?-

Transportation and licensing costs are to be blamed for higher prices that collectors have to pay for the figurines.

Today, simple Smurf figurines without "accessories" (tools, furniture, a vehicle, a weapon, sports equipment, crockery, a hammock, etc) cost $3.90. It cost $2 less back in the 80s. More fancy models range anywhere from $4.50 for a figurine to under $100 for limited-edition pieces at the store. Collectors can also be proud owners of the mushroom-shaped Smurf cottages and entire theme sets.

Central Hobby Plus' two stores in Centrepoint and Orchard Tower still see a sustainable level of figurine collectors and fans in Singapore. Mr Khaw says that his customers consist of teenagers and adults in their thirties and forties.

"Girls are the ones who collect more, but we have a quite a good number of customers who are men, men who probably collect to give them away as a present," he says.

-Salute to the Smurfs-

With new styles and an increasing range of Smurfidise in the making, the little blue men are sure to have plenty of surprises for fans in the years to come. Oh speaking of age, Papa Smurf is 542 years old and he doesn't get any older. These blue creatures are indeed evergreen, in heart and in the hearts of those who love them! "

Long smurf the Smurfs!

To visit the Smurfs, check out http://www.schlumpfe.com and see what's on offer at http://www.mushroomvillage.com