ANH/ESB Stormtrooper - Discussion Thread

[sskunky]

And you know that as fact? Show me the documentation that says that. Andrew told me he only made about half the helmets out of HDPE. take that as you will but until someone shows me proof otherwise...........

 

[GINO]

And you know that as fact? Show me the documentation that says that. Andrew told me he only made about half the helmets out of HDPE. take that as you will but until someone shows me proof otherwise...........

Yes actually.
Every original ANH/ESB screen used background/stunt helmet that has ever surfaced in private hands is hdpe.
Every original ANH/ESB screen used background/stunt helmet currently in the lfl archives is hdpe.

I'm surprised that you are willing to believe anything that AA has to say on the matter at this point.
Way back when I was talking to AA before all the drama, he stated that he only made 7 hdpe helmets as prototypes/test that he made for Lucas himself for approval as well as an aid to get funding for the films, and all the rest were ABS. :rolleyes
It was very clear at that point (and very disappointing to me personally) that he had no idea what he was talking about.



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[sskunky]

I'm not saying I believe everything AA has to say but then I also don't believe everything you say either. :rolleyes
I'm quite happy to believe that all the surfaced helmets are HDPE but as the archives only has a handfull and again only a handfull in private hands you cannot rule out that some others may have been ABS. If 56 were made that leaves a whole lot of unfound helmets that could be made of anything. It is pure speculation to say "actually Yes" You don't know know so stop pretending and putting out propaganda to say you do.

 

[BGHUNTER]

Lots of those helmets already have paint that has peeled off , ,Im more inclind to think that some were painted then the ears attached ,

 

[sskunky]

Unfortunately we can all speculate and hypothesise until the cows come hom but NO ONE here can answer the questions we ask unless you were there and involved from the start.
:unsure

 

[GINO]

If 56 were made that leaves a whole lot of unfound helmets that could be made of anything.

I don't believe 56 helmets/costumes were made (more like half that). Regardless of AA's paperwork.


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[sskunky]

Really?
I'm intrigued as to how you come to such a low figure? I must admit I've never tried to count them but always imagined there were more than 25 or so.....

 

[GINO]

One potential theory as to why some of the screws have paint removed on them is that during their assembly/detailing, they were removed and put back multiple times when things like the lens or chin straps were installed. Just a guess.


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[GINO]

I believe this shot of the troopers assembled on the death star set is showing all the costumes made for the film.
I believe they gathered all the costumes they had together for a shot or two to create the illusion of there being endless numbers of them.

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[voice in the crowd]

Are we sure the ones pictured in that pic are the painted HDPE helmets? I only say as there are plenty of armour pieces shown and we all know they were made of ABS. At least 26-7 helmets are ABS.
That would explain the screws having not been painted yet.

Hi Mark,

I don't believe any background helmets were ABS for two main reasons.

1. None have ever turned up yet.

2. If there were ABS background / stunt helmets they would look a lot better then the HDPE ones. I am presuming when they went from Star Wars to ESB somebody selected trooper helmets for ESB and anybody looking casually would have tossed the HDPE ones if they saw better looking ABS ones.

Just my opinion.

Cheers Chris

 

[voice in the crowd]

One potential theory as to why some of the screws have paint removed on them is that during their assembly/detailing, they were removed and put back multiple times when things like the lens or chin straps were installed. Just a guess.


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I had thought that possibly the screws may have been changed as well but maybe due to safety reasons. If the original screws had been too long possibly the guys wearing them could be hurt if they fell or were hit whilst wearing.

Possibly the original fixing might been something that looked horrible and they were changed for aesthetics.

Again just a guess.

Chris

 

[BGHUNTER]

I guess we can speculate , but like Sskunky said unless you were there you dont know, and unfortunantly those there dont seem to either, but think about it do you remember the number of every thing you do for work ( albeit for such a film would stick in ones brain) Bbut over time things get forgotten so , we will probly never know for sure,

Though that theorie of those being all the suits in the Death star scene does make alot of sense ,

 

[KaanE]

Brian Muir posted some time ago some scans with the contract between LFL and AA where the exact number of costumes was written. I do not have them but you can ask him to post those again.

 

[gizmo]

I'm willing to bet my left nut that no ABS stunts exist. They are all HDPE. How many surviving helmets do we know of now, I thinks it's 13 stunt HDPE isn't it and 2 heros of ABS.Not to mention others on-screen and in the pile outside SDS that are different to the known existing helmets but still clearly HDPE.Its just basic logic. No offense but we had this silly argument in the SDS days and now more HDPE stunts have turned up.

 

[Brian Muir]

Brian Muir posted some time ago some scans with the contract between LFL and AA where the exact number of costumes was written. I do not have them but you can ask him to post those again.

These are the 2 Ainsworth invoices

 

[BGHUNTER]

Awsome Ive been wanting to see those,,
correct me if Im wrong but there seems to bne no mention of the Stunt helmets there?

But there does seem to be 50 suits

 

[Brian Muir]

Awsome Ive been wanting to see those,,
correct me if Im wrong but there seems to bne no mention of the Stunt helmets there?

But there does seem to be 50 suits

There was no invoice from Ainsworth produced as evidence for the 50 stunt helmets only the 6 ABS helmets . He stated in his evidence there were 50 helmets and charged £20 each plus vat

Pemberton claims that Ainsworth invoiced him for the 50 helmets and he paid him directly. Supposedly Pemberton then invoiced Lucasfilm.

Ainsworth produced an invoice from Pemberton on an SDS invoice dated 10th March 76 for:-
Work done on Scenic/Star Wars production for £1773 but as Pemberton and his assistants were working different aspects of the film it proves nothing.

 

[KaanE]

Thank you very much Brian, that's what I was speaking about. So 50 costumes were paid, and 6 Hero helmets so maybe he made 44 Stunt helmets?

 

[Brian Muir]

Thank you very much Brian, that's what I was speaking about. So 50 costumes were paid, and 6 Hero helmets so maybe he made 44 Stunt helmets?

No - it would appear that 56 helmets were made in all. The first 50 were included in Pemberton's invoice and then 6 'good' helmets (ABS) were later made for close ups.


He states he charged £20 plus vat for the first 50 helmets which are presumed to be from HDPE that he already had in stock and then the invoice shows he charged £100 for the ABS hero helmets which he then had in stock from the 1ton order (at a cost of £656) he had placed later when given the Stormtrooper armour to vacuum form.

I'm just showing what Pemberton and Ainsworth produced as evidence so I wouldn't know if this is the truth :confused

 

[sskunky]

Thanks Brian. That's the information I was going on regarding 56 being made.