The year was 1993. If you’re like me, you think in terms of music and film to track time. The biggest shows on the tube were Seinfeld, Roseanne, Grace Under Fire and Coach. Schindler’s List, The Fugitive and Dazed and Confused were dominating the box office. Dr. Dre’s ‘Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ Thang,’ Tag Team’s ‘Whoomp! (There It Is)’ and Snow’s ‘Informer’ were in constant rotation on the radio. However, there was an impressive swath of the population who had no time for any of that. They were in the middle of a Beanie Babies fever dream, where in the dream, tiny bean bags shaped like animals were worth more than a house! Check out the new trailer from HBO Max for Beanie Mania!
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
Take it all in. Being a self-obsessed high-schooler, then know-it-all college student during the craze, the Beanie Babies phenomenon was barely in my periphery. Wow! After a casual perusal of the toy and its maker, Ty Warner, along with the frenzied collectors, the reseach required to complete the thesis the topic begs for might be biting off a little bit more than I can chew. No Need! Beanie Mania has done the job beautifully, if the trailer is any indication.
The official synopsis reads: “From Director Yemisi Brookes, comes a documentary about Beanie Babies, the stuffed toys on everyone’s minds (and shelves) in the late 90’s. Beanie Mania is an illuminating and entertaining exploration of how a children’s toy spawned an unprecedented investment bubble and a frenzy of American greed.”
I’m sure many folks, after viewing the trailer and reading my ignorance on the topic, are nodding like I’ve just told you the sky is blue, but we uninitiated Beanie Baby people are out here. What the documentary will provide for us is different, but I imagine it will be equally entertaining. While I was astonished to find out that the craze continues, with some of the toys valued at $500,000, others might be checking their eBay right now on an auction for the Beanie Baby they cannot live without.
Director Yemisi Brookes’ past work includes documenting heavier subjects like unsolved murders and scams and hustles. it appears the story of Beanie Babies and their creator have all the hallmarks, twist and turns, and victims of obsession, greed, and the repercussions that tend to follow to be right up Brookes’ alley.
Books like ‘The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Beanie Babies,’ ‘The Great Beanie Baby Bubble: Mass Delusion and the Dark Side of Cute’ and ‘Ty Beanies Tracker: The World’s Most complete Ty Guide’ are out there for collectors and skeptics alike. There’s even an entire YouTube channel dedicated to fans of the toys and other products Ty Warner creates. There’s such things called Squish-A-Boos, Beanie Boos; they even have Beanie Babies pandemic masks! Again, you’re either nodding and simultaneously wondering just how big a rock I live under, or you are about to lose an entire day doing your own deep dive. Either way, have fun and don’t blow the kid’s college fund!
Stream Beanie Mania December 23 on HBO Max.
