Don post studios background helmet stormtrooper

[joberg]

^^
And, as you said, used for tour or promo as the one in my pic in Brussels in '77 (see Star Wars props & costumes forum)
Stormtrooper lid is at the back of the pic.

 

[sam123432]

So I put to John who gave me the helmet that there is nothing I can find thet matches on screen and were they perhaps crew gifts or promotion as suggested by jez and this was the reply

Oh, no, they were on set. The Toy Store originals were three piece vacuum-formed helmets with the black brow ridge piece covering the gap / join of the top piece. They were costly and harder to handle, so for crowd scenes and runnung scenes they used ours. Keep in mind that an original Toy Store (prop company in London area) helmet goes for several thousand dollars, I might be able to get you a corroborating note from someone I worked with who was one of the few that knew about this Special Project. I'll give him a call.




I will push to try and get anymore info possible

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Yet, except, we see the helmets in the running scenes... and they do not look like Don Post helmets. The DP helmets are distinctly different than the screen used helmets. Some can't tell the difference, but they do once they look closer at the originals in more detail, then the Don Post suddenly stands out and would be easily recognizable, yet, no one has seen them in the movies.

I would actually be interested in hearing whether he can spot the Don Post helmets in any of the movies.

 

[sam123432]

Yet, except, we see the helmets in the running scenes... and they do not look like Don Post helmets. The DP helmets are distinctly different than the screen used helmets. Some can't tell the difference, but they do once they look closer at the originals in more detail, then the Don Post suddenly stands out and would be easily recognizable, yet, no one has seen them in the movies.

I would actually be interested in hearing whether he can spot the Don Post helmets in any of the movies.

Yes me also, having watched the movies I can’t make any out. I’ve asked him for any further info so will post what I find
He’s still got the Lucas films purchase order somewhere in storage he said
We will see

 

[Star Wars Helmets]

Yet, except, we see the helmets in the running scenes... and they do not look like Don Post helmets. The DP helmets are distinctly different than the screen used helmets. Some can't tell the difference, but they do once they look closer at the originals in more detail, then the Don Post suddenly stands out and would be easily recognizable, yet, no one has seen them in the movies.

I would actually be interested in hearing whether he can spot the Don Post helmets in any of the movies.

I agree, it doesn’t make any sense at all. We have 4K versions of the film now and yet no where can I see a Dop Post helmet which is massively different from an original helmet. Plus we’ve all seen hundreds of behind-the-scenes photographs none of which show anything like this.

also I’m struggling to understand what the benefit would be of having a trooper in full armour wearing a toy storm trooper helmet. The majority of the cost of production is in the armour not the helmet, so it doesn’t make sense to mix-and-match like that-especially is the helmet is the part that would really stand out. just like I said before the Don Post helmets provide less than zero protection if someone tripped while running as they’re so small/tight.

I can believe they were purchased by Lucasfilm, but just not used for the production

cheers

Jez

 

[Star Wars Helmets]

A quick comparison

original

Don Post

 

[eifion]

 

[sam123432]

I’m thinking more along the lines of what you were saying Jez about them being given to the odd crew member here and there and for promotion
I’ve come across someone else who was offered one by passed crew too now

I’ve tried to wear it and it’s too small to even fit my head to be honest

 

[sam123432]

Hi chaps

Got this message from someone also at don post at the same time working with John

My name is Rob Tharp. I was the Quality Control department head for Don Post Studios in the 1980's. I also worked on many special projects.
We made background Star Wars Stormtrooper helmets with vacuformed insert eye lenses for the Star Wars movies. I vouch for John Naulin on this.
Best.................. Rob Tharp


Doesn’t really tell us anything we hadn’t heard from John but none the less thought I’d share

 

[Too Much Garlic]

It tells us that Don Post probably wasn't told what the order was actually for. Either they were given a made up story to circumvent license agreements, or it was the original plan, but it changed when the order got to Lucasfilm.

Seems clear to me they are telling the truth on what happened from their end.

 

[joberg]

^^
TFS with us this message...I hope Don Bies will respond to your PM. Maybe contacting Duncanator here could be one way to relay the msg to Don Bies