New Elstree Studio documentary with discarded Graflex.

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interesting

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Theres lots of photos and screenshots of this scene that show a clearly undamaged hero prop, so if that is indeed the Elstree Graflex on screen then two sabers were present on set, and why would they choose to film with an obviously damaged prop when the undamaged one is available? Or perhaps they thought it wasnt visible enough to matter.
 
In the v2 video of Mark and Brandon. Mark talks about being told to hold his arm still and the people would run in and put the rod in place. He doesn't say swap the saber props as one would expect and as we know they did. Perhaps in addition to swapping static props for fx props that had non removable spinning blades, there was a graflex prop that could take a blade or have it removed
 
Theres lots of photos and screenshots of this scene that show a clearly undamaged hero prop, so if that is indeed the Elstree Graflex on screen then two sabers were present on set, and why would they choose to film with an obviously damaged prop when the undamaged one is available? Or perhaps they thought it wasnt visible enough to matter.
Honestly I think they didn’t care,Star Wars has a track record of swapping sabers for no apparent reason. Look at return of the Jedi,they used what 4 different sabers.not to mention they were beat up pretty bad. The v2 is missing most the paint,the graflex clamp is broke and it’s has a badly dented emitter yet that was used in just about every key scene. If my memory serves me correct then the v2 was also used in the cave on dagobah. So to think they wouldn’t use a prop because it didn’t look as good as what should have been used is wrong,in reality I don’t think they thought anybody would notice. And honestly it’s 40 years later,there’s websites dedicated to studying every scene these props are in and it looks like we are just noticing now that the prop may have been bent to h e double hockey sticks.
 
That particular screenshot is very compelling, but you need to look at every screen shot in that uncut sequence.

These ones from the same continuous film roll don’t seem to show a damaged s-curve end.

I don’t know what to believe, haha!
 

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In the v2 video of Mark and Brandon. Mark talks about being told to hold his arm still and the people would run in and put the rod in place. He doesn't say swap the saber props as one would expect and as we know they did. Perhaps in addition to swapping static props for fx props that had non removable spinning blades, there was a graflex prop that could take a blade or have it removed

Exactly!!
 
I also don’t imagine them keeping a box of Graflexes in storage until the sequel came along. There WAS no sequel, at that time. STAR WARS was just gonna be a one-off film, and, when it was over, it was over.
I agree in general, but we do know some things were stored in the UK and refreshed for ESB, stormtrooper and TIE Pilot costumes, for example.
 


I examined my own Graflex and tried to replicate the angle from the screencap. I think it’s an optical illusion combined with wishful thinking. The “bends”/“dents” look to be a result of the red button peeking out from behind, and the black plastic bulb internals and bulb retainer giving the false impression of a “dip” in the metal below the s-curve.
 
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