Death Star door control panel

[blip]

More of the same lights used on the Falcon set.

 

[wannab]

Yeah they are all over the place.

I think the best film grabs (if I remember right) for getting a good clean look at the lenses and the texture is when R2 and 3P0 are hiding out around the hanger area. They are on the control panel behind them. I have these grabs archived somewhere, but I imagine now that the BluRays are out, there could be better better grabs produced.


Doug

 

[blip]

Don't try to frighten us with your sorcerer's ways, Lord Vader...hey I can see a brand name on these lights, It says...urrk choke...gasp.

Yep, untill I started looking at building the control panel I didn't notice how important these lights were to the feel of Star Wars.

They sort of float aroud in the background of most scenes, usually out of focus due to the narrow depth of field.It's like Xmas or some summer festival in the backgrounds. Nice feel.

Looking at the control panels it's also become clear just how good John Barry was at making a set look impressive. When you step into the world of Star Wars you are really depending on his skill to capture the sense of a real world,.
You step onto his set.
Think about all the small details in Luke's garage. Just a few small details missing and you dont get thet lived in feel.

I just don't get how these guys turned up hundreds of these lights and they are so rare. ??

 

[robstyle]

Blip, Star Wars was done in 1976. Technology has seen massive shifts since then. No doubt they had a giant box or two fulls of these things as thats what the old LA All Electronics had but time is time and things change. Things get lost, thrown out, end up buried in storage on shelves in inventory...

 

[blip]

Yep.
All the old electronic stores around Elstree closed down.
That other example of the lights (I posted )was also shot in 1976 but across at Bristol.

Still if Stormtrooper Blaster Counters, can be found, why not something as widely used as warning lamps.

 

[blip]

Looks like the Y-wings and Ties have the lights, but none to be seen on the X-wings.

How big do you think those lights are? I figure about two inches across.

Ps see the green arrow (above) , look at the light below it, it's leaking light around the edges, means there's no housing for the lamp, and it looks like it's held in by three clips that extend from the chrome surround.

 

[robstyle]

Blip, if I recall some of the bezels on the ones I have are push in, others are screw in.

 

[blip]

Blip, if I recall some of the bezels on the ones I have are push in, others are screw in.

Thnx That's good information.

"Ok who stole the lights from the Navi computer, Chewie you haven't seen blip hanging around here have you?"

Looks like they couldn't find the lights to rebuild the Empire strikes back sets.
No wonder Empire and Return looked a bit off.

So I'm thinking the lights must be slightly bigger than 2 inches or 1.5 inches. Mostly because a hole saws cut in those sizes. So the lighting manufacturer would have considered that in the design.

 

[blip]

Similar lights on an old US ship. But these are glass I think and have a faceted lens.
Image belongs to:
Internal phone system notice | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

 

[robstyle]

I dont believe your looking at a bezel and lens here. I think its just gel and back lighting but I could be wrong.

Thnx That's good information.

 

[blip]

Yup, you're correct. Nothing in that hole. That shot is from Empire Strikes back. I checked all of Empire Strikes back and our chrome lights are nowhere to be seen (except one single one in the Falcon cockpit).

Seems like even the set building guys on Empire couldn't figure out where John Barry got the chrome lights from.

If you check the Navi Computer on the Falcon in the FIRST Star Wars, you'll see those holes have our chrome lights in there.
Here is a shot of the same control panel from Star Wars 1976.

 

[blip]

This is how I figure the things are constrcted. Reproducing them without a press will mean going to a different type of manufacture.

 

[Jonny B]

I'm a bit of an old car buff and Maaaaay have an idea here...These?

Auto Switches and Indicators, Push Buttons, Oil Light Switch, Dip Switch, Warning Lights, Cigarette Lighter Socket, Quick Disconnect, Headlamp Switches, Hazard Light Switch. Car Builder Solutions.

 

[xenomorph]

Maybe buttons from an arcade game?

 

[robstyle]

I really dont understand the fascination for this but it takes all kinds. :angel

Think I mentioned it before but the bezels and lenses come in various designs. Not saying automotive models were not used but what I am seeing are the industrial type versions. For the previously mentioned job project I had to sift and handle tons of these damn things to the point I hated looking at them. The bezels are not a simple item to make and the lenses are very thick with various patterns in them.

I did go out to have a look in the garage hoping they would be in the boxes of aircraft and military hardware as those boxes are close by but they were not.

 

[wannab]

I really dont understand the fascination for this but it takes all kinds. :angel

Did you forget where you are! lol
Now go find them! :behave


Doug

 

[blip]

I'm a bit of an old car buff and Maaaaay have an idea here...These?

Auto Switches and Indicators, Push Buttons, Oil Light Switch, Dip Switch, Warning Lights, Cigarette Lighter Socket, Quick Disconnect, Headlamp Switches, Hazard Light Switch. Car Builder Solutions.

Thnx. The ratio looks good. Not sure about the diameter.
Good match though.

 

[blip]

I really dont understand the fascination for this but it takes all kinds. :angel

.

My P.C's will look like Death Star control Consols Dagnabbit!

Thnx heaps for looking.

 

[wannab]

This is how I figure the things are constrcted. Reproducing them without a press will mean going to a different type of manufacture.

Close, but I'm almost positive the ridges are on the outside of the lens (based on the light reflections on the ridge lines in some grabs). I'm thinking they may be stepped ridges. This would place them in the warning/indicator light category (like the faceted ones) and therefore not a lighted push button.



Doug

 

[Mike J.]

Screen caps attached.

-MJ