Before I start the review I should just like to note a few things on the scoring criteria; namely that the Playability category has been changed in this case for me to Displayability as this is a UCS set so obviously playability is not really relevant, and also that the Value for money category has been graded according to the original price of this product back in 2001, and not the aftermarket prices of today. Well I'll get to both of these categories later on in the review so let's get on with it.

The Build:

Being that this set is one of the older LEGO sculptures from back in the day it is built up layer by layer, with the instructions consisting of a plan view. This seems fairly typical to me judging by similar sets of the period but you won't see a build process like it today, and certainly not on a set so big, so you would be forgiven for being slightly confused if you tried to build it and were expecting a more standard build process. As it is I have only really build one comparable set, the 3723 LEGO Minifigure, but even so I found the instructions fairly intuitive and easy to follow. It's not a typical LEGO experience but it's still very enjoyable in my opinion.

The Parts:

The pieces used are all fairly generic for the most part, with a great deal (obviously) of black and red. Nearly all of the pieces are standard plates or bricks with only a few exceptions; the chrome piece used to represent a stud in his ear, and the four black 1/4 cylinders used to support the bust at the base. These cylinders are extremely expensive on the second hand market, costing upwards of £50 each in very good condition, so if you are buying this set used just be careful to check if these parts are actually included or if they have been substituted as is often the case. If you're thinking of bricklinking this set and buying the parts individually be wary that if you do want the complete set these pieces will cost a lot.

The Finished Set:

Scary but magnificent. It does have quite the presence wherever it is displayed due to its size and mostly black colouring, and is sure to stand out. The eyes have a very menacing look about them and mine is displayed alongside my other UCS sets in my bedroom so at night it can look a bit ominous. All of that aside though it really isn't that scary and you'll be much more likely to spend your time admiring it. It is most certainly a collector's piece and is only meant for display; if you want a set to play with there are much better (and much cheaper) alternatives. If like me you are a collector of larger display sets then this might be the set for you.

The Price:

At the time this set was pretty reasonably priced for what you got. Nowadays it will cost you over £400 typically to get one of these, especially one in good condition with a box and instructions. The cost of this set new today doesn't bear thinking about and if you're willing to drop over £1500 on this new I'd suggest you're such a fanatic you probably don't need to be reading this review to be convinced. Mine was second hand for £400 with all the correct parts included, but I had to spend about £80 replacing all the scratched, chewed up and wrong parts that the seller I bought this from seemed to think were in "good condition". Clearly they and I define "good condition" very differently. That's fairly typical of second hand sets though so be aware if you do buy this set second hand you are fairly likely to encounter some issues, however minor they may be.

Overall:

Overall I like this set quite a lot, but would question whether it is really worth the second hand prices. Now I own it I wouldn't dream of selling it and I don't regret buying it at all so maybe that tells you what you need to know, or maybe I may just mad. Who knows? What I do know is that when you actually have the completed set in your hands and you feel its size and weight it does feel worth the time spent getting it. This is a set for die hard collectors and lifetime LEGO enthusiasts rather than occasional builders. If you have an existing LEGO Star Wars collection on display then I'd say this could be for you, if not I'd say it's probably a pass for most people. Even amongst the collectors this set isn't the most popular; it is the UCS set that the fewest Brickset members (claim) to own. Overall a classic set worth a look for those interested.

This is easily one of my favorite Lego sets of all time (well, this and both UCS Falcons), but keep in mind what it is--it's a Lego sculpture set. If you didn't like (or don't remember) the dragon sculpture (3724) or minifigure set (3723), then this might not be the right set for you.

This is not the right for someone who wants a new UCS set with lots of specialty pieces. It's definitely not for anyone who wants a play set--the set came with no minifigures.

As someone who's built and played with Lego for more than 50 years, however, I love that the sculpture was built with basically no specialty pieces.

As a lifetime fan of Lego and Star Wars and a near completist on Lego Star Wars sets, I still enjoy this build and I always leave the set put together on the shelf for months because it's just awesome--especially from across the room. This set can still cause people to jump a little or do a double take when walking into the room until they remember or see that it's just a really cool pile of plastic bricks

This is one of the greatest UCS sets lego has come out with in my opinion. It's extremely detailed, large, and is a must-have for any UCS collector. This is honestly the most difficult lego set I've ever had to build, and I found the directions a little confusing, because you build the model from a bird's eye view looking down on the head. It has a disturbing complexion, which gives it a great effect. The model is built using expert sphere techniques used in making models at lego land, and its price is certainly reasonable. However, it can only be found on sites like ebay nowadays, and is definitely only a standing model, absolutely no playability. Good stuff though, ya gotta buy it.

The head/shoulder:

This set is a bit different to many other Star Wars sets out there. No minifigs, no play features. This is probably one of my least favourite sets I own. It even looks that scary, especially at night!! The hardest thing by far though is the way you build it. It's crazy :/ You get a birdy-eye view, instead of a 3 dimensional view like the majority of the other Lego sets. It also has just about 2000 pieces, but considering the circumstances I really don't know how I managed to build this set. Yes it's really clever and all, but really fragile, very difficult and a pain in the neck to build D; It's also a massive pain to build the shoulder area, just because it's all black pieces, so it's hard to identify which piece goes where and it just gets really frustrating. Some of the things though are really cool such as the way the designed the eyes and the way the put red and black together to make his sort of shape of his face, but keeping the correct colour for different parts.

Conclusion:

I really don't recommend you waste your time and money on this, unless you want to really challenge youself, but otherwise it's not really worth it.

Pros:

- Challenging

Cons:

- Scary

- It can get frustrating in the build process

How would you like to have this in your room staring at you at midnight?I agree with you RTWO it's kinda creepy,Although it is very unique.During the it just looks stupid. pros:you can use the bricks as good spare pieces. cons:chunky,creepy,and even now the price is too high.