Aliens: M41A Pulse Rifle (Brown Bess or Olive Green) perhaps not Brown Bess after all? (light tests and prop pictures and recent Savage video)

[ghostryder]

Olive Drab next to BB:

 

[ghostryder]

Here you can see the black overspray on one of the hero props:

This pic shows the original brown bess esque color on the battery next to the incorrectly painted olive ammo drum:

 

[Riskbreaker]

Having seen so much production material from the film in person, my guess is that they were not very rigid about color-matching and that there was a "spectrum" of military colors that they used to paint all the gear. Sometimes the armory was painting, sometimes props, sometimes art department. And I think that, plus aging, plus restorations has muddied the waters a lot. I will say, seeing that welder in person -- that was one of the first times I said "that's it - that's he color." Even the stunt PRs seem close but not quite.

 

[Sahare Studios]

It's a shame that most pictures I see where the PR has a brownish color, the picture itself is an old analogue and everything in the picture looks yellow/brown. It's so frustrating to not be able to tell how much of the actual color is reddish brown, and how much is the picture.

This was very enlightening though:

The Stuff Dreams Are Made Of: The M41-A Pulse Rifle on Apple Podcasts

Show The Stuff Dreams Are Made Of, Ep The M41-A Pulse Rifle - 7 Oct 2021

podcasts.apple.com

They have a very deep discussion about the color at the 1:13:15 mark.

The Stuff Dreams Are Made Of: Movie Guns! on Apple Podcasts

Show The Stuff Dreams Are Made Of, Ep Movie Guns! - 14 Oct 2021

podcasts.apple.com

00:11:08 Summary of interview with Simon Atherton

 

[Sahare Studios]

Having seen so much production material from the film in person, my guess is that they were not very rigid about color-matching and that there was a "spectrum" of military colors that they used to paint all the gear. Sometimes the armory was painting, sometimes props, sometimes art department. And I think that, plus aging, plus restorations has muddied the waters a lot. I will say, seeing that welder in person -- that was one of the first times I said "that's it - that's he color." Even the stunt PRs seem close but not quite.

Knowing Cameron he may also have had 2 sets. The normal closeup versions like the Frost and Ripley&Hicks scenes. But also slightly lighter tan colored ones for scenes with them running around in the dark. Who knows.

I'm almost inclined to write to Cameron's representative (if I knew who they were).

Something like: "This has been eating away at us for 40 years, much like your Xenomorph, please help out".

How much trouble would it be to send over a picture of a prop hanging on a wall?

 

[ghostryder]

It's a shame that most pictures I see where the PR has a brownish color, the picture itself is an old analogue and everything in the picture looks yellow/brown. It's so frustrating to not be able to tell how much of the actual color is reddish brown, and how much is the picture.

This was very enlightening though:

The Stuff Dreams Are Made Of: The M41-A Pulse Rifle on Apple Podcasts

Show The Stuff Dreams Are Made Of, Ep The M41-A Pulse Rifle - 7 Oct 2021

podcasts.apple.com

They have a very deep discussion about the color at the 1:13:15 mark.

Oh, like THOSE guys would know.

 

[Sahare Studios]

I don't really know who they are as I have to admit being a total noob with all of this. I'm getting a feeling I opened a whole can of worms

On an unrelated note, I posted this on the Romulus Pulse Rifle thread. Maybe people here would find it interesting as well:

This is a personal opinion on why I believe the Aliens 1986 Pulse Rifle is so iconic to this day. Being a designer I'm familiar with the golden ratio (1.618, or approximately 60 percent). A lot of the, angles and ratios in the original pulse rifle are in a golden ratio. In fact, almost everything on the rifle is in a 2/3rds ratio, not precisely, but generally. Also, the design doesn't have any "greeblies" or details added with no obvious funtion. Even the pyramid shaped "tab" forward and above the digital counter for example is a metal tab to hold the shroud together, same as the one forward of the stock.

Thought like minded designers might find this interesting.

Again, just my opinion.

 

[ghostryder]

I don't really know who they are as I have to admit being a total noob with all of this. I'm getting a feeling I opened a whole can of worms

On an unrelated note, I posted this on the Romulus Pulse Rifle thread. Maybe people here would find it interesting as well:

This is a personal opinion on why I believe the Aliens 1986 Pulse Rifle is so iconic to this day. Being a designer I'm familiar with the golden ratio (1.618, or approximately 60 percent). A lot of the, angles and ratios in the original pulse rifle are in a golden ratio. In fact, almost everything on the rifle is in a 2/3rds ratio, not precisely, but generally. Also, the design doesn't have any "greeblies" or details added with no obvious funtion. Even the pyramid shaped "tab" forward and above the digital counter for example is a metal tab to hold the shroud together, same as the one forward of the stock.

Thought like minded designers might find this interesting.

View attachment 1822873

Again, just my opinion.

I was being facetious - I was one of the two on Riskbreaker's (and David's) podcast, along with my friend Harry Harris

 

[Sahare Studios]

Here's another question. Has anyone done a comparison between the color of the PR shrouds in relation to the standard OD t-Shirts the marines are wearing in the same scenes? Like the mess hall scene or the scene with Frost with the PR?