5-legged Millennium Falcon in "A New Hope"?

Poakwoods

Active Member
Hi, I have a question that intrigues me. Looking at the footage of "A New Hope", where I know that the 5 footer model with 3 landing gears was used, I noticed that in one scene, where the few remaining Rebel ships are fleeing the Death Star moments before the explosion, under the Millennium Falcon there are two protuberances, which would correspond to the boxes added later for "The Empire Strikes Again" in order to add two more legs.
schermata film.jpg

Screen footage.jpg


As a test, I photographed both the Bandai 3-legged model (1/350 scale, vehicle series) and the 5-legged model (also Bandai, 1/144 scale), in the same position of the movie scene, and I compared them.
Bandai 1-350 - 3 legs.jpg

Bandai 1-144 - 5 legs.jpg


It seems to me that the photos confirm that it would indeed be the modified model for TESB... but how is this possible? Maybe an incorrectly edited scene from the 1997 Special Edition... Unfortunately I don't have the original VHS version for comparison.
Do you know if this has been mentioned anywhere before?
 
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The film was 'Enhanced' multiple times with CG from 1997 "Star Wars Special Editions"

This is the original shot of the '77 scene

Screenshot 2022-12-04 at 22.19.41.png


Screenshot 2022-12-04 at 22.19.53.png


There's also a shot of the smaller 32" model inserted into the Death Star Hanger earlier in the film also

Screenshot 2022-12-04 at 22.34.30.png


Screenshot 2022-12-04 at 22.32.14.png


J
 
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Probably for the remake of the shot they used, perhaps without thinking too much about it, the 5-legged version they had available...
 
Nice photography. You nailed the "space lighting" look with that 1/144 shot.

SB
Thanks... well, actually I'm working now on a project, I want to redo the main space scenes of the Battle of Yavin with model kits (Bandai, Fine Molds etc.) blue/green screen and a motion control camera. I have already start to build a model motorized rig, similar to the ones used by ILM:

IMG_8833.JPG
 
Thanks... well, actually I'm working now on a project, I want to redo the main space scenes of the Battle of Yavin with model kits (Bandai, Fine Molds etc.) blue/green screen and a motion control camera. I have already start to build a model motorized rig, similar to the ones used by ILM:

View attachment 1644705
That's awesome. That's been a dream of mine for a long long time. We have all of the talent here on The RPF: we have studio scale modelers, accurate miniatures, film people, etc... Please post a thread here on your progress!

SB
 
Thanks... well, actually I'm working now on a project, I want to redo the main space scenes of the Battle of Yavin with model kits (Bandai, Fine Molds etc.) blue/green screen and a motion control camera. I have already start to build a model motorized rig, similar to the ones used by ILM:

View attachment 1644705
I'm sure you've seen (Studio Scale thread) the wonderful work of HakinSpock on the rig used in the Mandalorian? Eager to see your next update (y) (y) :cool: :cool:
 
Thanks... well, actually I'm working now on a project, I want to redo the main space scenes of the Battle of Yavin with model kits (Bandai, Fine Molds etc.) blue/green screen and a motion control camera. I have already start to build a model motorized rig, similar to the ones used by ILM:

View attachment 1644705
I was just gonna say you should do that. Can't wait to see it, ; )
 
I'm sure you've seen (Studio Scale thread) the wonderful work of HakinSpock on the rig used in the Mandalorian? Eager to see your next update (y) (y) :cool: :cool:
Yes, I've seen! Great work!
But my goal is to get footage "similar" to 1977 with homemade or consumer stuff, easy to build or relatively cheap to buy. Model kits, a modified motorized slider, a Canon digital camera, some lights, Arduino board, wooden homemade rigs... And the filming will take place in the basement... For me the fun is mainly given by this ;)
 
Yes, I've seen! Great work!
But my goal is to get footage "similar" to 1977 with homemade or consumer stuff, easy to build or relatively cheap to buy. Model kits, a modified motorized slider, a Canon digital camera, some lights, Arduino board, wooden homemade rigs... And the filming will take place in the basement... For me the fun is mainly given by this ;)
I'm with you on that level at 100% (y) (y) I've a big black book of practical effects, mainly Sci-Fi shots...but I need a big space to do so.
Even with "simple practical shot" you'll come up with many details that need to be, either build (customized rig or sets) or lit a certain way and an assistant (or two:p)
 
Thanks... well, actually I'm working now on a project, I want to redo the main space scenes of the Battle of Yavin with model kits (Bandai, Fine Molds etc.) blue/green screen and a motion control camera. I have already start to build a model motorized rig, similar to the ones used by ILM:

View attachment 1644705
Newbie on the board here... I think you are showing a motion control rig here.
Is that a breadboard, a servo control board, and a Raspberry Pi board?
I am asking because I have a RPi4 and a RPiPico that I've started experimenting with the GPIO pins.
I'm wondering how you rigged your circuit and what you code in.
Really cool set up and congrats on your awesome photo of the most famous ship in sci-fi...
The Falcon has got it where it counts and made the Kessel run in less than 12 parsecs.
:)
 
Newbie on the board here... I think you are showing a motion control rig here.
Is that a breadboard, a servo control board, and a Raspberry Pi board?
I am asking because I have a RPi4 and a RPiPico that I've started experimenting with the GPIO pins.
I'm wondering how you rigged your circuit and what you code in.
Really cool set up and congrats on your awesome photo of the most famous ship in sci-fi...
The Falcon has got it where it counts and made the Kessel run in less than 12 parsecs.
:)
No, an Arduino board. The code is simple (I'm not really into programming, only basics...), it is based on a library (Accelstepper) to drive the stepper motor. By changing the values of the variables the rig rotate at the desired range, speed and acceleration. Very basic, but for what I need it should be enough.

When I start working on the motion control project I will open a new thread, talking about it here is a bit off topic....
 
Thanks... well, actually I'm working now on a project, I want to redo the main space scenes of the Battle of Yavin with model kits (Bandai, Fine Molds etc.) blue/green screen and a motion control camera. I have already start to build a model motorized rig, similar to the ones used by ILM:

View attachment 1644705
I followed you (didn't know you could that in RPF). Would be most interested in your project's progress, as this has been a dream for me as well and many others here. I was a previs animator at Lucasfilm and ILM and I got to animate Star Wars ships in the movies, but the motion control / miniature effects have a fundamental charm that cannot be easily replicated digitally.
 
^^
Yes and yes absolutely! I'm always trying to come-up with practical effect tricks and most of them are always better looking on camera then the CG ones. :cool: :cool:
 

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