Review of Barbie My Favorite Time Capsule 1971 Malibu Doll

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If you are interested in purchasing a reproduction Malibu Barbie doll, the 2002 release would be your better bet. I know that this is the opposite opinion of the previous reviewer, but there are some faults I have found with the 2009 repro of Malibu Barbie. First of all, the body is not tight. The arms, the twist 'n' turn waist, and the head are very loose. When moving the arms up, they don't stay in position, they fall down. However, the legs are very tight. This is more of a quality control issue from Mattel. The 2002 version was made in Indonesia, or Malaysia-I can't remember. Mattel manufactured this one in China. Secondly, the body is not an exact repro of the original, or the 2002 version. The arms span out, with the original, and 2002 version, the arms go straight down, and close to the body. A third point, the sunglasses are purple, which were the colour of Malibu P.J.'s sunglasses-Barbie's were pink. On the fourth point, the aqua blue bathing suit does not fit well on this doll. It looks like she is wearing a blue potato sack. The 2002 version had an accurate repro of the bathing suit, and it fit better. The 2009 one looks like how the bathing suit fit on Malibu Barbie when Mattel was on the final run of the 1971 version in 1974, and switching over to the red bathing suit version for 1975. Finally, the face sculpt looks weird. On this version, her face looks compressed in on the side, making her head longer, and narrower in width. It seems like the 1970 "Lemon Kick" fashion, and the included memorabilia like the "Barbie's World" pamphlet, and the trivia cards were the main focus, and the doll was reproduced by memory, and altered a little. I gave this doll 3 stars because the outfit, and the memorabilia. The repro of the actual doll is not accurate. For the $45 (Cdn) price, Mattel should be making sure that they follow the original Malibu Barbie design without any updated modifications. In conclusion, if any of the dolls are being reproduced, the important details should be matched with the original doll. It's along the lines of being a knock-off if the features of the original are not followed.

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Mattel Lacking in Product Presentation Holes in Fabric

Why does Mattel insist on poking a hole through every fine fabric costume on collectible dolls with a needle and thread or plastic t-tie? Just try to remove the two-piece outfit without having a snag in the fabric.

After the millions of dolls they have sold, could their staff devise a way to keep the doll in the box without having to sew the dress to the box?

If the collector wishes to display the doll outside the box, they must try to carefully remove the thread which still leaves the hole poked through the fabric.

Why would someone pay this much money for a doll with a with holes punched through the fabric?

Madame Alexander a premier doll manufacturer years has for years securely fastened their dolls with a simple ribbon or rigid plastic forms. Why can't Mattel do the same?

Mattel is lacking in Quality Control on this issue, and the same with the Elvis and Priscilla Presley Giftset. Three holes are punched through the fabric of Priscilla's dress! Plus, the 1962 Bubblecut Anniversary doll has holes punched through the gown and gloves; and, The Original Barbie 50th Anniversary doll has gooey adhesive underneath the swimsuit bodice to keep the suit from falling off. Quality Control at Mattel? It is missing!

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I'll admit, when I purchased the four currently available My Favorite Barbie dolls, I was least excited about 1971 Malibu Barbie. Mattel created a repro of Malibu Barbie only a few years ago, and I didn't see the need to do another. Plus, I'm just not that into the Malibu dolls. I was looking forward to seeing the fashion, but that was the extent of my enthusiasm.

Then I received the dolls and de-boxed them, and discovered that the most faithful reproduction was actually this doll. Malibu Barbie doll features a new, more accurate body sculpt, and the face paint and hair texture are almost perfect matches to the original. FAR superior to the previous repro. The Lemon Kick fashion is also lovely, and it's a vintage fashion I've always admired. If you don't get any of the other dolls, get this one. Five stars.

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I like the packaging. The reproduction ..well the idea and effort. My only complaint is the mold on the face ( I mean every one of these dolls) its smashed in or caved in looking. For the price ..it's a bit of a disappointment as she really would be a beautiful doll to display if not for the above mentioned flaw.

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The 1971 Barbie is before my childhood, so I am not familiar with the original. But I considered getting the repro for my collection. This has been one of my least favorites of the anniversary series. Every time I saw her in stores, I passed her up because there was something about the look of her that didn't click with me. I agree with other reviews that say a lot of the dolls have an oddly shaped face. I like to pick out dolls in stores because details vary, such as hair, facial paint, and face shape. Some look better than others. But when I saw the good price on here, I decided to buy one. She arrived in perfect condition, but she does have a bit of the "smooshed" face. It looks a little like a potato. It isn't bad, and I'm happy with her.

I like the bright, cheerful yellow colors of the Lemon Kick outfit and the box. The color of her swimsuit is a nice blue. I wish she were wearing a pair of sandals, but that's a minor quibble. The little glasses are cute on her head. She isn't my favorite of the repros, but I'm happy with this doll.