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PIH Production Vader Helmet Up for Auction / Vader Helmet Discussion

Re: PIH Production Vader Helmet Up for Auction

Not being a Vader expert at all but I too feel it's unlikely that just one helmet was used during ANH; does not make sense production wise. Just think if the helmet had been damaged say during the light saber duel. Are they going to stop production while another helmet is made? If there was a master and multiple copies made from it would not they all have the same tells and appear the same on screen? Just trying to understand the belief that there was only one helmet.
 
Re: PIH Production Vader Helmet Up for Auction

Your wife asks a good question. Brian did apparently know the elderly gentleman responsible for dressing Dave Prowse on a daily basis. He was also responsible for storing the costume away each night after shooting. Since Dave Prowse was the only actor playing Vader there would not have been a second unit with another costume. Also, there was no stunt helmet in ANH as there was in ESB and ROTJ. Bob Anderson was involved in some way in ANH apparently but is uncredited. So whether he actually donned the costume as well is open to question.
 
Re: PIH Production Vader Helmet Up for Auction

feek61 said:
Not being a Vader expert at all but I too feel it's unlikely that just one helmet was used during ANH; does not make sense production wise. Just think if the helmet had been damaged say during the light saber duel. Are they going to stop production while another helmet is made? If there was a master and multiple copies made from it would not they all have the same tells and appear the same on screen? Just trying to understand the belief that there was only one helmet.
Click to expand...


Certainly there is no argument that there was more than one ANH helmet made for the production, but for whatever reason we only see one mask (and possibly also helmet) onscreen. There are specific paint tells on the mask that are seen in every scene of ANH (like the trimark as I call it). It would not make any sense for the production crew to duplicate such tells. Even things like the black tusk stand out throughout the film...
 
Re: PIH Production Vader Helmet Up for Auction

GINO said:
Only one Vader helmet was used on screen for the entire ANH production.
We don't have any actual hard confirmation of how many backups were made.
Anything else is just speculation.
Click to expand...


There were 2 helmets that were on stage on the production (looked after a guy nicknamed 'Mother') that were locked away in a box every night. This can be verified by myself and John Mollo the wardrobe designer. Whether both helmets were used or just one who knows. Where were you at that time Gino and you got your information from where?
 
Re: PIH Production Vader Helmet Up for Auction

Not to take anything away from gino (as I do like his vader displays and some of our favorite characters), but aside from those displays, he had nothing to do with Vader during any SW production. He did not make the molds, nor the subsequent castings, nor did he have anything to do with the finishing up of those pieces. I believe he was in diapers at the time.
If I am mistaken about these facts, I would love to see them clarified in more depth.
 
Re: PIH Production Vader Helmet Up for Auction

What have I said that was incorrect?
If there is hard confirmation of a certain number of helmets made (like production records) then that would be different. I and many others just have a hard time relying solely on the memories of those involved int the production.
And especially in this case, your memory, where it deals with something that you were not directly involved in (anything in regards to vader other than the initial sculpting).


.
 
Re: PIH Production Vader Helmet Up for Auction

lambotour said:
Not to take anything away from gino (as I do like his vader displays and some of our favorite characters), but aside from those displays, he had nothing to do with Vader during any SW production. He did not make the molds, nor the subsequent castings, nor did he have anything to do with the finishing up of those pieces. I believe he was in diapers at the time.
If I am mistaken about these facts, I would love to see them clarified in more depth.
Click to expand...


Wow Brian and I have a lot more in common than I thought. :lol


.
 
Re: PIH Production Vader Helmet Up for Auction

GINO said:
What have I said that was incorrect?
If there is hard confirmation of a certain number of helmets made (like production records) then that would be different. I and many others just have a hard time relying solely on the memories of those involved int the production.
And especially in this case, your memory, where it deals with something that you were not directly involved in (anything in regards to vader other than the initial sculpting).


.
Click to expand...

And Gino remind me you were directly involved in..................:lol
 
Re: PIH Production Vader Helmet Up for Auction

GINO said:
What have I said that was incorrect?
If there is hard confirmation of a certain number of helmets made (like production records) then that would be different. I and many others just have a hard time relying solely on the memories of those involved int the production.
And especially in this case, your memory, where it deals with something that you were not directly involved in (anything in regards to vader other than the initial sculpting).


.
Click to expand...

You are a funny guy. You seem to only level this type of scrutiny to everyone else, but yourself and your "sources". Your theory about all ESB helmets being refurbed into ROTJ came from where exactly?
 
Re: PIH Production Vader Helmet Up for Auction

brianian said:
There were 2 helmets that were on stage on the production (looked after a guy nicknamed 'Mother') that were locked away in a box every night. This can be verified by myself and John Mollo the wardrobe designer. Whether both helmets were used or just one who knows. Where were you at that time Gino and you got your information from where?
Click to expand...

If you can't trust your Mother, who can you trust?:lol
Sounds good to me!:thumbsup

Thanks Brian. Love your work. Keep pushing that clay my friend!

All the best,
Chuck...
 
Re: PIH Production Vader Helmet Up for Auction

Thanks for the comments Chuck - I see you're a fellow sculptor. There's some nice figurative work on your website.
 
Re: PIH Production Vader Helmet Up for Auction

GINO said:
And especially in this case, your memory, where it deals with something that you were not directly involved in (anything in regards to vader other than the initial sculpting).
Click to expand...

It's pretty ***ing sad on this forum when the guy who actually sculpted the original Vader helmet gets slammed.
 
Re: PIH Production Vader Helmet Up for Auction

Brian said that two helmets existed and that this fact can be proven by John Mollo himself.

So...this is a statement. Anything unclear?

This refurbishing theory is as good as any theorie. What about the molds? I don't think that they took an existing ANH helmet and refurbished it - since Star Wars became a smash, why destroy an original ANH helmet in order to make an ESB out of it for the 5th part of the trilogy? What a waste of money! Since GL was clever enough to secure the rights on merchandising, why devalue THE original screenused ANH helmet?

I mean, did they run out of money??? A mold collecting dust and the crew spends hours on totally refurbish and modify the existing ANH or ESB helmet?

I have no insider information whatsoever but what if they just didn't refurbish the helmets but making casts out of an existing ANH mold and THEN modify these casts? So to say that the ANH mold(s) is the father of all Vader helmets out there in the first place but then these casts were modified. Every cast differs a little bit from the other so the differences are explained.
 
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Re: PIH Production Vader Helmet Up for Auction

Thanks for the kind words Brian.
I can honestly say your work has been an inspiration.

All the best,
Chuck...
 
Re: PIH Production Vader Helmet Up for Auction

Wait for it.........

Let me just say this about Brian. In all the time I've known him, if he didn't know the answer to one of my questions pertaining to vader or whatever, he would simply just tell me: I don't know. He would then give me the names of individuals who would have known, but the majority of them are no longer here. He very rarely speculates, at least the times I've spoken with him. He either knew the answer or he didn't.

He doesn't claim to know everything there is to know about vader, in fact, he wasn't able to answer some of my questions at all. But when he did know the answer, I was amazed at the names, information and locations he would provide, in addition to Lindsay who knows quite a bit herself.

His 30+ year old memory was good enough for LFL. He relayed information during the AA trial that no one at LFL even knew or had record of. Brian doesn't try to come across as all knowing and he'd be the first one to tell you that, but if he does give you information, you can pretty much take it to the bank. In addition, he will provide you, when he can, with all the relevant information which you can then research yourself and find out if he's correct. We've heard the I know but can't tell you blah, blah, blah arguments. It's good to see someone who is willing to give out information that can be validated.

Same old arguments, flame wars and BS. All the time with the same people in this community. Funny thing is, people are opening their eyes more in the past few years and see past the BS of a few.
 
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Re: PIH Production Vader Helmet Up for Auction

lambotour said:
Wait for it.........

Let me just say this about Brian. In all the time I've known him, if he didn't know the answer to one of my questions pertaining to vader or whatever, he would simply just tell me: I don't know. He would then give me the names of individuals who would have known, but the majority of them are no longer here. He very rarely speculates, at least the times I've spoken with him. He either knew the answer or he didn't.

He doesn't claim to know everything there is to know about vader, in fact, he wasn't able to answer some of my questions at all. But when he did know the answer, I was amazed at the names, information and locations he would provide, in addition to Lindsay who knows quite a bit herself.

His 30+ year old memory was good enough for LFL. He relayed information during the AA trial that no one at LFL even knew or had record of. Brian doesn't try to come across as all knowing and he'd be the first one to tell you that, but if he does give you information, you can pretty much take it to the bank. In addition, he will provide you, when he can, with all the relevant information which you can then research yourself and find out if he's correct. We've heard the I know but can't tell you blah, blah, blah arguments. It's good to see someone who is willing to give out information that can be validated.

Same old arguments, flame wars and BS. All the time with the same people in this community. Funny thing is, people are opening their eyes more in the past few years and see past the BS of a few.
Click to expand...
I an only echo this about Brian. He and I have had our eShouting matches, of which I am NOT proud of, but he is a REAL stand up guy and a kick ass artist. He has been a boon to the RPF and the Vader community as a whole.

That is about all I have to say. Thanks for being here and offering up your knowledge, Brian.
 
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