This new information that the ROTJ came from an ANH mold is interesting...and just came to light because of the new helmet you have shown. If that is the case of course then the mounting rings/bases would have to be added on every ROTJ mask. We have a more than one person here including Don Bies that have been to the archives and should be able to say whether the ROTJ original masks there have added on mounting based or have them molded-in. I think I might have the answer but I'd like someone whose been there chime in.
Origins of the ROTJ Vader helmets: JY thread continuation
- Thread starter SithLord
- Start date
- Status
This new information that the ROTJ came from an ANH mold is interesting...and just came to light because of the new helmet you have shown. If that is the case of course then the mounting rings/bases would have to be added on every ROTJ mask. We have a more than one person here including Don Bies that have been to the archives and should be able to say whether the ROTJ original masks there have added on mounting based or have them molded-in. I think I might have the answer but I'd like someone whose been there chime in.
HAL9000
Sr Member
Anybody, feel free to correct me - but I am fairly certain the only projects
Rick Baker worked on in the UK were 'American Werewolf in London' (Twickenham 1981) and 'Greystoke' (Elstree 1983/4). Baker's involvment with
'Star Wars' didn't occur until reshoots in California in 1977 and he never
set foot at Elstree during the shooting of 'Star Wars'.
Anythinig Rick got his hands on was post Tantive corridor shoot when most
of the Vader pieces were shipped back to LFL offices at Universal Lot (for the
Tie cockpit reshoots at ILM) .
Tyler Durden
Well-Known Member
I also don't believe Baker cast anything in UK.
Which would jibe with Darth Jones' history of his ILM cast.
Which would jibe with Darth Jones' history of his ILM cast.
Alright thanks that would make sense. I heard conflicting stories whether the mold started in the UK or in the USA but if Rick was only in the US then it would have to be there. But that also makes me think that the mold could have been made during the pickups....based on an account of an ILM artist who worked there in 1988. Yet Don seems to think that it was after the ANH production (which technically the pickups were during post-production).
EDIT: DJ wasn't sure when the mold was made, but he knew what the mold came from and when his casting was pulled (DJ? you around?)
EDIT: DJ wasn't sure when the mold was made, but he knew what the mold came from and when his casting was pulled (DJ? you around?)
Last edited:
GINO
Sr Member
Sithlord > Trees > not seeing the forest as usual
Here you go silly.
There are others but these are the ones I can post.
.
Here you go silly.
There are others but these are the ones I can post.
.
GINO
Sr Member
Yes, definitively, the rings were added to the ROTJ helmets.
BECAUSE THEY WERE ADDED TO THE ESB HELMETS, AND THE ROTJ HELMETS WERE THE ESB HELMETS.
If Brian's casting looks like a base casting (ANH style) then that is consistent with just another pull being taken out of the mold from a crew guy at the time.
Happened all the time.
Don't you realize that you and Brian have just validated my point?
To say Brian's casting was a base style ANH version helmet (out of the ANH mold, which also created the ESB helmets), is essentially exactly what I've been saying.
Only Brian's helmet was not converted at all into anything, like most of the helmets crew members made that left the studio.
The best reality that Brian can hope for in regards to his helmet is this.
Just...another...casting made from the same old ANH molds that happened to be around the studio during ROTJ.
.
BECAUSE THEY WERE ADDED TO THE ESB HELMETS, AND THE ROTJ HELMETS WERE THE ESB HELMETS.
If Brian's casting looks like a base casting (ANH style) then that is consistent with just another pull being taken out of the mold from a crew guy at the time.
Happened all the time.
Don't you realize that you and Brian have just validated my point?
To say Brian's casting was a base style ANH version helmet (out of the ANH mold, which also created the ESB helmets), is essentially exactly what I've been saying.
Only Brian's helmet was not converted at all into anything, like most of the helmets crew members made that left the studio.
The best reality that Brian can hope for in regards to his helmet is this.
Just...another...casting made from the same old ANH molds that happened to be around the studio during ROTJ.
.
ArtisanProps
Sr Member
I have to agree with what Gino has been saying here........ It just doesn't
make any sense to go through the extra time and expense to make new molds
when all they would have to do is convert an ANH version into ESB and the
ESB to ROTJ......
make any sense to go through the extra time and expense to make new molds
when all they would have to do is convert an ANH version into ESB and the
ESB to ROTJ......
Darth Niob
Sr Member
There are pro's and contra's for that theorie Doug. Budget for ESB was high so why not make a new mold for the ESB helmets with an ANH as basis? I dont think time was a problem also. There were talented artisans who did this work as there main job not only as a hobby. Should be possible to make a new mold very quick.
ArtisanProps
Sr Member
Why?
in the time that it takes to make one mold, they could have made all the
modifications and had them off to the paint shop. Were not talking about
drastic changes.. Besides any movie has time constraints and considering all
that went into Empire and ROTJ it only makes sense to work as efficiently as
possible to meet the deadline....
Last edited:
Darth Niob
Sr Member
You're right...now mold would take longer, but its not so long that it would have been a must to re-use older molds or refurbish the former helmets. But thats just a thought.
Personally i dont like the theory that they refurbish the old helmets...its horrible to imagine what they would have done with such iconic pieces of cinematic history:cry
GINO
Sr Member
They weren't viewed as cinematic pieces of history by a long shot.
They did whatever was easiest for the production.
If that meant butchering props from former movies, so be it.
We know they re-purposed components parts from other props, costumes, models, and even sets with no hesitation.
They did whatever was easiest for the production.
If that meant butchering props from former movies, so be it.
We know they re-purposed components parts from other props, costumes, models, and even sets with no hesitation.
ArtisanProps
Sr Member
Darth Niob
Sr Member
Its a shame in my eyes and still not understandable because ANH was the most successfull movie of all time and Vader one of the most knownable villains in film history.
But if you see how poor some of the tour suits today are presented, full of dust and sloppy arranged, its a big surprise.:thumbsdown
Darth Niob
Sr Member
I've cried myself to sleep many nights thinking about that :cry
LOL
My eyes are full of tears at the moment too
Too Much Garlic
Master Member
I would shoot for during the tour. Early Eller pictures show the "as seen in ANH" helmet, with scuffs and nicks, but at the footprint ceremony and Chronicles photoshoot the helmet is suddenly cleaned up and repainted. Likely it was molded for the SL/DJ style mold then.
The clean-up seen on the SL/DJ helmets correspond with later pictures during the tour, not the earlier ones, where the helmet was still looking rough.
Did the tour helmets have the tabs? If not... was the ILM mold only used for tour pieces and the UK mold used for the screen helmets?
I remember seeing a photo collage years ago showing different domes used in ANH. I think there were 4 shown with different lengths and varying details.
How many production facemasks were made for ANH and seen on screen?
How many production facemasks were made for ANH and seen on screen?
Just different mounting positions then I would guess.
I'll see if I can dig up that pic and post it.
I'll see if I can dig up that pic and post it.
Any clarification on this picture would be great.
- Status
Similar threads
