Fifth Element Blaster Comparison HC, Foam And Original

[dexter1138]

Well after reading the stones thread I decided to do a little homework.

I talked with some collectors who knew a little about Fifth Element and did some screen grabs.

Everyone has said that the HC Blaster was pulled from the hero gun.

I have repeatedly asked to see pictures of the gun HC cast to no avail.

So I did some screen grabs of the hero gun and I wanted to point out some glaring differences. I am using the Leeloo, Ruby/Corben gun that you see in the film clearly.

1. NO silver square behind the barrel, but there are two guns and one has the plate.

2. NO extra screw in the round plate on the side, the screw in the body is silver and not black.

3. NO trigger detail, roll pins or other minor details

4. The clear yellow/green rod comes out of a cap screw and is quite long like the ebay auction gun.

5. The vector details on the HC gun look like the blowback details and not that of the hero gun. The ejector, trigger and logo are very different from the stunt casting.

6. In the film the knurling comes from a cap screw on both sides of the gun detail on the top. Knurling, Smurling, I think it should be as defined as a rubber stunt, no?


These are the most glaring differences I can see on the gun. While I'm not trying to rip apart HC's gun, it was stated that it was cast from the PIH hero.

I've attached some pictures to show the differences and hope to get some more screen caps together and feedback.

I am absolutely convinced that the hero you see in the screen caps below is the one the foam stunt being sold on ebay was molded.

Let's hear your thoughts and pictures.

Thanks for listening,

Dex

 

[Blad]

The foam stunts sold on eBay were cast from the 'real' foam stunt being sold by Paul Francis. You're right.

Couple of pix of the two heros sold by PIH.

 

[PHArchivist]

So... Any sreen caps SHOWING the silver square? if not, was it added post-production?

What about in the hold-up scene ("Nice hat...!")...?

 

[Montagar]

Plate...

 

[Blad]

Edited to add: Montagar beat me to it!

 

[Gojira61]

The HC gun looks like a pretty good match to the Profiles 2004 gun to me. I would of course assume that the photos on the HC site are of an early prototype or test shot and not a production piece.

If they say it will match the PIH gun then I'm willing to take their word for it until I see otherwise. I have one on order and can't wait to get it.

Of course the the only way to really tell is when someone receives their gun from HC.

 

[MattMunson]

Piece of advice to Dex: don't buy the HCG gun. You've obviously made up your mind that you will not like it.

With that said, as this thread has proven, your post neglected to include the "smoking gun" picture, if you'll pardon the pun, of Korben (note the spelling, by the way) pointing the gun at the "gimme the cash" dude. Square plate. Case closed on that one.

HCG has already said that the knurling is present. And yes, you're right. It's two cap head screws holding the hemi's in place that produce that knurling. Dunno where else to go with that one.

As for the trigger differences, you're right, the pin is missing. My guess is that in order to include the decrement functionality on the gun, they re-engineered the trigger mechanism, and maybe some detail got lost along the way.

As for the Vektor detail looking like the blowback, I don't see it. Not at all. Looks like a perfect match to the casting from my site that you're showing. I own a real vektor, and will happily compare it with a micrometer to the one that is used in the HCG piece. Personally, I don't see differences between the HCG, Stunt, or PIH pictures. They all look like the same details to me.

For the other details on the gun, your post itself confirms that you're looking at the wrong gun for comparison. All the pics you post are NOT of the gun with the square plate on the front, or so it would seem. So it doesn't make a lot of sense to argue that because a detail is different on a non-square plate gun, then it is wrong on the HCG gun. Follow? EVERYONE can agree that there was more than one of these guns made for and used in the movie. My guess is that there were more than six, including rubber stunts. I've seen pictures of at least three very different versions of the gun. The one that HCG is going to offer matches the one that seems to appear in the "Gimme da cash" scene. Don't agree with that? Prove me wrong.

Also, I believe the promo pic for the HCG gun posted above includes a clipping path around it that may be obscuring the actual outline of the gun. Happens all the time with stuff like that.

I'm not even really sure what all the fuss is about. IT IS cast off the PIH gun. Granted, you're not obligated to take my word for it, I just disagree with the "proof points" that you've come up with to counter it.

 

[MattMunson]

I am absolutely convinced that the hero you see in the screen caps below is the one the foam stunt being sold on ebay was molded.

By the way, I TOTALLY agree with you on that one. The foam one that Paul is selling almost certainly WAS cast off the one shown in your screen caps, as the details match up.

Difference is that THAT hero is NOT the one the HCG piece was made from.

follow?

 

[Hollywood-Collectibles]

Well everything that Matt said really!

Our hero is the 2004 PIH piece, and was the live firing gun. It can be clearly seen used by Korben to confront the mugger at his door, by Cornelius to hold up Korben at his apartment, and near the end when Korben bursts onto the balcony and shoots the Mangalore's and then runs left to right. In this scene if you go through it frame by frame you can see the slide cycling and the empty cases being ejected. The silver metal rod is removed in this sequence to allow the slide to cycle correctly and clearance for the empty cases to eject.

A cynical person might think this thread was started to draw attention to a certain ebay auction!

 

[Blad]

dexter1138
These are the most glaring differences I can see on the gun. While I'm not trying to rip apart HC's gun, it was stated that it was cast from the PIH hero.

The only things that have been confirmed in this thread is that the foam stunt was clearly NOT moulded off the heroes sold via PIH and that the provenance of the HC version looks very good indeed.

Not knocking you Dex, I'm perfectly happy with my foam stunt as I'm sure you are. There's nothing to say it wasn't cast from the Paul Francis owned stunt used in the movie and as Matt says, the details seem to clearly confirm that it is.

 

[Nexus6]

Piece of advice to Dex: don't buy the HCG gun. You've obviously made up your mind that you will not like it.

With that said, as this thread has proven, your post neglected to include the "smoking gun" picture, if you'll pardon the pun, of Korben (note the spelling, by the way) pointing the gun at the "gimme the cash" dude. Square plate. Case closed on that one.

HCG has already said that the knurling is present. And yes, you're right. It's two cap head screws holding the hemi's in place that produce that knurling. Dunno where else to go with that one.

As for the trigger differences, you're right, the pin is missing. My guess is that in order to include the decrement functionality on the gun, they re-engineered the trigger mechanism, and maybe some detail got lost along the way.

As for the Vektor detail looking like the blowback, I don't see it. Not at all. Looks like a perfect match to the casting from my site that you're showing. I own a real vektor, and will happily compare it with a micrometer to the one that is used in the HCG piece. Personally, I don't see differences between the HCG, Stunt, or PIH pictures. They all look like the same details to me.

For the other details on the gun, your post itself confirms that you're looking at the wrong gun for comparison. All the pics you post are NOT of the gun with the square plate on the front, or so it would seem. So it doesn't make a lot of sense to argue that because a detail is different on a non-square plate gun, then it is wrong on the HCG gun. Follow? EVERYONE can agree that there was more than one of these guns made for and used in the movie. My guess is that there were more than six, including rubber stunts. I've seen pictures of at least three very different versions of the gun. The one that HCG is going to offer matches the one that seems to appear in the "Gimme da cash" scene. Don't agree with that? Prove me wrong.

Also, I believe the promo pic for the HCG gun posted above includes a clipping path around it that may be obscuring the actual outline of the gun. Happens all the time with stuff like that.

I'm not even really sure what all the fuss is about. IT IS cast off the PIH gun. Granted, you're not obligated to take my word for it, I just disagree with the "proof points" that you've come up with to counter it.

^QUOTED^ for reiteration.

 

[Chaka]

Dex,

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but it almost seems like you're shilling for Paul Francis.

But, I admit to the possibility that I could be wrong.

No offense intended.

 

[MattMunson]

I recommend removing the words "it almost seems like" from your post.

:lol

 

[dexter1138]

I think the burden of proof is actually on HC at this point. It’s no different than Master Replicas or any other replica company stating they molded from an original, when most do not originate from the original prop. They are idealized versions of the film counterpart.

Personally I would like to see the original gun in all its glory. If it was actually cast from the PIH hero gun, why not show the process or at least the hero gun.

It's true that there were two guns used in the film, and the HC gun looks like a great replica, but there is zero proof it was cast from the PIH hero.

The light on the upper left hand side of the gun is totally different between the PIH and HC pieces.

So is it possible to see the hero gun?

As for pushing an auction, until that auction came up I had zero reference for the stunt casting that I owned and used it for comparison only.

As Matt said it is nice to know that the stunt casting I bought was molded from one of the heroes in the film. It's exact in every way, but the HC replica does not hold up to the PIH photos posted by Blad.

I'm buying the HC version and when it arrives I will be able to compare it to the vector blowback I own along with the stunt casting.

Thanks and no flames intended,

Dex

 

[b26354]

The light on the upper left hand side of the gun is totally different between the PIH and HC pieces.
Dex

You mean the led counter? How would they go about casting one that matches exactly? Knowing a little about the gun myself I can tell you that sourcing a 3 digit LED with "exactly" the correct dimensions isn't easy. I had to order from 4 different suppliers to find one that was close.

BTW the chrome LED bezel on the front of the gun _is_ a different shape between the stunt cast and hero guns.

 

[CustomCreations]

As this thread is being read by people who seem to know about this gun inside out-can you answer these questions for me?
what was used as the base gun ?
The logo on the handle has a V in it, was this done for the film or is it in the base gun's handle?
Has anyone decifered the writing in the knurled dials at the back of the gun ?
Cheers !!

 

[Kadajiroth]

As this thread is being read by people who seem to know about this gun inside out-can you answer these questions for me?
what was used as the base gun ?
The logo on the handle has a V in it, was this done for the film or is it in the base gun's handle?
Has anyone decifered the writing in the knurled dials at the back of the gun ?
Cheers !!

The base pistol is a Vektor CP1:

http://world.guns.ru/handguns/hg54-e.htm

The "V" symbol on the grip is part of the base gun.

 

[CustomCreations]

cool! Unusual choice, looks great. Who built the filming 'master'- does anyone know?
I thought the 'V' was reference to '5' as in 5th !!

 

[Blad]

Has anyone decifered the writing in the knurled dials at the back of the gun ?
Cheers !!

What writing? Apart from the 'V' on the Vector symbol I don't think there's any writing on the gun.

Simon Atherton is shown as the Armourer on IMDB, doesn't mean he had anything to do with making the prop guns though.

 

[dexter1138]

""BTW the chrome LED bezel on the front of the gun _is_ a different shape between the stunt cast and hero guns.""

Yes and it's different shape between the Blad PIH photos and the HC replica.

Dex