Blade Runner Spinner 4"

[wizardofthenorth]

I was wondering if I could get any thoughts on the spinner I picked up. There is of course the requisite COA so it must be true. Also a hand written receipt from Paul Curley to the recipient (also included in the auction).

Thanks

 

[Interceptor6]

Hi Wiz,
just a noob here, but my question would be: Why isn't it painted blue?
If it's an "unpainted casting" (as stated in the letter), then what is it's relationship to the movie? Was your casting used in the production? or is it a "casting" of something used in production?, A replica.
I think it's cool, and a great spinner model, but why was it priced at $1000.?
Jeff

 

[wizardofthenorth]

It is stated to be made during/for the production of bladerunner. Obviously it was never finished and used for the production.

Or as you have stated, is it a later recast, or perhaps even pull from the production mold, but at a later date?

 

[T2SF]

I've bought from Auction Doctor in the past and It worked out great. I don't know about this item though. I don't think I'd pay even half for the model. One thing that bugs me is how much it's lacking. I've also seen either this model or another floating around. And lastly it's kinda a brilliant white. It's too clean for being 25+ years old. And a lot of the resins were yellowish by now. I'd cast it and send it back.

 

[wizardofthenorth]

It is the photo. It is definitely yellowish in person.

Also, no canopy came with it. Up close...the detail is very finely captured. a couple of very small bubbles in the rear...ummmm...bumper? That is about it.

 

[T2SF]

Check this out

spinner

I'm a noob when it comes to this car but I do love the Spinner.

 

[wizardofthenorth]

Thanks for the link. Might be work picking up just to get the canopy, decals and light accessories.

 

[robstyle]

Just tossing this out there but my friend was the person who headed the Spinner build. He did say 99% of the mini Spinner's out there are fake and has a real one to compare. But keep in mind he didnt handle the mini builds, just the full scale.

 

[wizardofthenorth]

Dont suppose your friend is Paul C.?

Thank you for the feedback folks.

 

[GKvfx]

Paul was indeed part of the crew at EEG (the VFX facility for BR). They did make a number of 4" Spinners, but I think their use was limited to the rooftop of the Police Station. (The Tyrell building used even smaller Spinners that are virtual blobs.)

The Spinner you have IS from that mold. There are a number of tells that confirm it. That being said, there is no way to know if that casting was made in 1982, 2002, or last month. When I was hanging out at BOSS in the late 80's/early 90's a LOT of people had castings in their toolboxes. I have a casting that is in far worse shape that I got at one of the Southern California model kit shows. It sits on my workbench as well. I suspect yours is a newer casting.

As for its value - that's up to the buyer.

Gene

 

[Ging]

As this model is being spoken about this was my thread from some time ago.

http://www.therpf.com/f10/any-blade-runner-model-experts-47502/

Additional Pictures

Spinner pictures by ginggang - Photobucket

It came off Ebay from a UK Seller. I did hold back some other information on the provenance on it at the time.

The model itself has an unusal feature on the back, there is a small hole which looks like something was pushed it to hold it up. This strikes me as strange, why would you ruin the model by making a hole in the back ? The front wheels have been chopped off and re-attached as stated previously

The provenance of the model itself might be the most intriguing. This was only imparted to me after the sale and I have no doubt to dis-believe what the vendor said as it might just me imagining this happended as I do recall at least one of these events.

The seller said it was a competiton prize but he could'nt remeber if it was from the UK Kids magazine Look-In or from a Saturday Morning TV Kid's show but it was won in a competition as being from the film.

This is where I might be getting a bit fuzzy in my old age but I do remember Ridley Scott doing a promotional TV slot on a UK TV Kid's how in the early 1980's for Blade Runner or it might have been Legend ?

The story sounds completely plausible as there were a lot of Kid's show in the early 80's on both of the UK's TV channels Very Happy

Any UK members remember this ?

I've tried looking at all the Look-ins for the arly 1980's but short of buying each one off ebay for silly money I've not found a reference to it.


I'll conceed it might just be a custom modern model job but unless I see a similar one or if it was released in kitform it still bugs me

I posted over on propsummit and really did'nt get to a conclusion

 

[wizardofthenorth]

Thank you, I do appreciate the confidence it is at least a real spinner cast. I had some confidence it was this...but you are correct, there is probably no way to know for sure if it is a left over from the production itself.

As mentioned, the resin is definitely off white in person, and it is certainly dirty and smudged on the bottom.

I did not pay the price I presume the original buyer paid (based on the sales slip), substantially less. Possibly more than I should if it is only a plain jane later casting from the original mold. ***edit*** Definitely overpaid if it is simply a recast. Although my optimistic side would say if it is indeed from the original mold as surmised (TY GKvfx) ...it is a very crisp casting I suspect for being from a mold that is 25+ years old (if a recent pull). ***edit***

Thank you guys. If there is more info, I appreciate it.

Paul was indeed part of the crew at EEG (the VFX facility for BR). They did make a number of 4" Spinners, but I think their use was limited to the rooftop of the Police Station. (The Tyrell building used even smaller Spinners that are virtual blobs.)

The Spinner you have IS from that mold. There are a number of tells that confirm it. That being said, there is no way to know if that casting was made in 1982, 2002, or last month. When I was hanging out at BOSS in the late 80's/early 90's a LOT of people had castings in their toolboxes. I have a casting that is in far worse shape that I got at one of the Southern California model kit shows. It sits on my workbench as well. I suspect yours is a newer casting.

As for its value - that's up to the buyer.

Gene

 

[Yorkie Fett]

I'm in the UK and am of the age when I tuned in to Saturday morning kids shows.
Would Blade Runner have been promoted on one of these shows?
It's not really a kids film- when it came out, I think it had an 'AA' rating for ages of 14 years +. This was changed to a '15' when the new classification system came out.
Just a thought, but I can't see the themes and violence of BR would be promoted on these shows.

 

[T2SF]

There is another spinner on Ebay same style. I seriously doubt it's more than 4-5 years casted. Maybe original molds but new plastic. 280718189717

 

[Ging]

There is another spinner on Ebay same style. I seriously doubt it's more than 4-5 years casted. Maybe original molds but new plastic. 280718189717

It's not the same as that one. The canopy for example , you can hardly see through it but the inside is highly detailed. The whole front dash inside has been built up to go completly against the canopy. I can only think it is a casting that has been heavily modified but what goes against that is there is some exterior detailing on the one on Ebay that is missing on mine. Why would someone do that ?

It's also very aged, its more than 5 years old. I am not talking about weathered painting effects, there is fading to the paint, the canopy you can hardley see through and its also yellowed as well.

 

[Ging]

I'm in the UK and am of the age when I tuned in to Saturday morning kids shows.
Would Blade Runner have been promoted on one of these shows?
It's not really a kids film- when it came out, I think it had an 'AA' rating for ages of 14 years +. This was changed to a '15' when the new classification system came out.
Just a thought, but I can't see the themes and violence of BR would be promoted on these shows.

Yeah, I was struggling with that, AA was Adult Accompanied. Like I said I might be getting confused and he was on to promote Legend.

It was never sold as prop form the film. It was just sold as a "Model". The info came from the vendor once I recieved it as it just looked very strange for a kit bash.All the vendor could tell me was that it was a competition prize.

 

[Yorkie Fett]

Yeah, I was struggling with that, AA was Adult Accompanied. Like I said I might be getting confused and he was on to promote Legend.

It was never sold as prop form the film. It was just sold as a "Model". The info came from the vendor once I recieved it as it just looked very strange for a kit bash.All the vendor could tell me was that it was a competition prize.

Promoting Legend would certainly make more sense on a kids show.
I had this mental image of Noel Edmonds showing a clip of Tyrell having his head crushed, to a bunch of unsuspecting kids on Swap Shop on a Saturday Morning. :lol

 

[Ging]

Promoting Legend would certainly make more sense on a kids show.
I had this mental image of Noel Edmonds showing a clip of Tyrell having his head crushed, to a bunch of unsuspecting kids on Swap Shop on a Saturday Morning. :lol

It was way after Noel Edmunds. It would have have been the Saturday Superstore era. As for weirdness, the regional programs of the day and I am talking about No 73 from TVS I think, had the cross dressing goth band Specimen on at 10.30am in the morning in full fishnet stocking getup

The thing just looks very odd. It's like some areas have great detail and other areas look really poor. The front part looks like its been chopped off and re-attached. There are similarities to the ones that have been on Ebay but not quite.

Been trying to find out about it over the last few years regards a competition prize but so far come up with nothing. On the UK kids shows the guest's always used to bring in something to give away in competitions so sounds plausible I am 90% sure Scott did appear on a Kid's show at one time years ago being interviewed about his latest film from my own memory. I would have been 13-14 at the time and Satruday mornings had the best TV in the UK

 

[Yorkie Fett]

It was way after Noel Edmunds. It would have have been the Saturday Superstore era. As for weirdness, the regional programs of the day and I am talking about No 73 from TVS I think, had the cross dressing goth band Specimen on at 10.30am in the morning in full fishnet stocking getup

The thing just looks very odd. It's like some areas have great detail and other areas look really poor. The front part looks like its been chopped off and re-attached. There are similarities to the ones that have been on Ebay but not quite.

Been trying to find out about it over the last few years regards a competition prize but so far come up with nothing. On the UK kids shows the guest's always used to bring in something to give away in competitions so sounds plausible I am 90% sure Scott did appear on a Kid's show at one time years ago being interviewed about his latest film from my own memory. I would have been 13-14 at the time and Satruday mornings had the best TV in the UK

Oh yes, we had No. 73 on Yorkshire TV. Ethel and that sandwich quiz they had at the end of the programme is one of the highlights. Saturday Banana with Bill Oddie was another one. ITV was always more risque than the BBC.

I remember one Saturday morning show in the early 80's (think it was called The Mersey Pirate) having an exclusive clip from The Empire Strikes Back. It was the scene where the fleet of star destroyers are all overshadowed by the Executor. To say my jaw dropped to the floor is an understatement!

 

[drusselmeyer]

That is the cleanest casting of that model I have seen. It appears to have only one parting line. If so, it is an original.