"CONDORMAN" Wings?!

J

JohnnyC

New Member
Anyone remember the movie, "Condorman" Starring Michael Crawford? I was always fascinated with the wings he had in that movie. At one point (believe it or not) I was actually in touch with Colin Chilvers, who worked on the effects for that movie and also such movies as Superman, etc....We emailed back and forth for a while and I tried to pick his brain as to how they were made. It had been a while for him and he tried his best to remember, but didn't give much info. Anyone here ever attempted to make the wings? I'd love to get going on a set, but have no idea where to even begin with them. Thoughts? Here's a pic to jog memories. :) Thanks Guys!
-Johnny C
bscap00365pz.jpg
 
Such a wonderfully bad move... I look forward to your making the wings. And the costume. And the gypsy-looking truck with the spy car inside... :)
 
Ohhhhh... such a great bit of vintage 80's cheese!

Barbara Carerra was exceptionally hot in that, and I loved the Russian Porsche attack "squadron" :lol

Good luck with the wings!

-Sarge
 
SmilingOtter said:
Such a wonderfully bad move... I look forward to your making the wings. And the costume. And the gypsy-looking truck with the spy car inside... :)
Click to expand...


Ah yes....VERY wonderfully bad movie....but how can you not love it? I actually made a custom action figure once. It's tucked away somewhere....

But a gypsy-truck sure would be sweet....:)

-Johnny C
 
WOUld prob be ali bar mixed with tent pole type material. The design of the mechanics of opening could be taken from an umbrella - not operated by cable but the way the poles hinge together form the way the bars open out into the wingspan.........................?
I like dthe speedboat. Shot in Bristol Docks, methinks.
 
Every time I get in my Porsche, I can't help but think of the Prognoviach... I just need that little radar antenna on top.


_Mike
 
CustomCreations said:
WOUld prob be ali bar mixed with tent pole type material. The design of the mechanics of opening could be taken from an umbrella - not operated by cable but the way the poles hinge together form the way the bars open out into the wingspan.........................?
I like dthe speedboat. Shot in Bristol Docks, methinks.
Click to expand...

Hmmmm.....what exactly is "ali bar"? Yeah, the umbrella theory seems about right....I'm really going to have to start analyzing this more closely....Would copper plumbing pipe be too heavy for this sort of thing do you think? What's lighter?

-Johnny C
 
Sorry- ali=aluminium...........thought steel would be very heavy, wood too weak?
Copper pipe would be heavy- but strong enough. I guess the way to find out is go to the local store and gather a bunch of tubing together that would be enough to make the skeleton from!
 
mverta said:
Every time I get in my Porsche, I can't help but think of the Prognoviach... I just need that little radar antenna on top.


_Mike
Click to expand...


Easy enough to fabricate that puppy then mount it to the roof of the Porsche with wood screws- Post pics- Very cool indeed-

Doc
 
Last edited:
eaviii said:
Easy enough to fabricate that puppy then mount it to the roof of the Porsche with wood screws- Post pics- Very cool indeed-

Doc
Click to expand...

Wood Screws? GAH!!! :eek

Magnetic plate. Battery operated!

You then need to have the black helmet and the silver scleral contact lens. In the novel, which I have around here somewhere, Morovitch, who had a stainless steel ball bearing as an artificial eye, would take it out and polish it.

Guess they thought it was just a little too gruesome for a Disney movie. :lol

Good luck with the wings!

-Dan
 
thefish said:
Wood Screws? GAH!!! :eek

Magnetic plate. Battery operated!
Click to expand...

I hope people knew that I was kidding with the wood screws for mounting a prop on a Porsche. Usually, I rely on a nail gun or superglue for that.

Doc
 
Last edited:
eaviii said:
I hope people knew that I was kidding with the wood screws for mounting a prop on a Porsche. Usually, I rely on a nail gun or superglue for that.

Doc
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'd have to go with the wood screws or nailgun myself, as the magnet setup effects that metal plate in my head.
 
Right now, this will be my ((not so anymore) SECRET costume for next year's DRAGON*CON... to include the retractable wings. I did this one when I saw the movie with some fabric, wood dowels, some string and tape., and they worked... at least in the "wing spreading" sense.

But that was back in 1981-1982, and it's my task now to tackle this project with actual materials (ahem, Home Depot) to make it happen. They won't be as accurate as the ones in the movie, made to swing up and down (too much wires and metal things in there), but rather looking from the front as accurate as I can, I will post progress pics of the armature for the wings once I find the best way to do it. I already have some plans traced, and will start within a month or two, when weather is more favorable.
 
-UPDATE-

Just to let you know, I've already started this project; made some research, looking for options from back since early '80's up to this day. I'm based and concentrating my design on the "UPGRADED" CONDORMAN costume by the last 1/4 of the movie, not from the beginning of the movie, which IMO looks "trailer-trashy".

I've already ordered the unitard to be airbrushed with "feathers" pattern later on, and the racing harness that holds the "wing pack"... not accurate, but I'll make it as close as in the movie. Waiting for brown spandex material for the "trunks". and I've started on the flight goggles and the belt. Also not accurate since the whole unitard was done as a single piece in the movie, but I want it to make it more "useful" and "today's day" reasons.

I got screen grabs from the DVD, and made partial designs for the frame of the wing skeleton. Right now I'm just puzzling my mind on just how to put it together, basically which materials (kind of screws, thickness of tubing, etc.).

More updates and pics to come soon.
 
oh goodness. I may have to bow down to you sir if you make this look as good as I think it could.

I met James Hampton a few weeks ago...and basically told him my love for this film and his fellow actors. He actually looked very touched and didn't look at me as if I were insane.

Truly a wonderful meeting.
 
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