ST:TMP Klingon costume pics and info...

[Ghost Host]

I have always preferred the look of the Klingons in TMP... their "spines" up their nosebridge/heads (rather than all that wrinkly stuff on their foreheads). I know the basic design of the costume was similar to TMP later on, but I bet there are differences, still. Does anyone have pics of the Klingons from TMP that they could post for reference, please? :cool

Thanks!

 

[phase pistol]

Re: Looking for ST:TMP Klingon pics...

flopped correctly

 

[Ghost Host]

Re: Looking for ST:TMP Klingon pics...

cool!

 

[Ghost Host]

Re: Looking for ST:TMP Klingon pics...

Anyone have the pic of the Klingon commander from the official program (booklet) that they sold in the lobby back then? I had that but can't seem to find it!

 

[SgtFang]

Re: Looking for ST:TMP Klingon pics...

What are you looking to find out? I can tell you quite a bit about these get-ups.

-Sarge

 

[middyseafort]

Re: Looking for ST:TMP Klingon pics...

www.trekcore.com has some good screencaps.

 

[Ghost Host]

Re: Looking for ST:TMP Klingon pics...

Well, reference. I am thinking of doing a Klingon costume, and if I do it, I want it to be my favorite version. I remember alot of the details about the makeup and costume, but I haven't actually seen these Klingons in years, other than watching TMP, which is in a kind-of dark setting; but I know there were some good pics of at least the Mark Lenard character in a few magazines and the movie program.

 

[SonofJorEl]

Re: Looking for ST:TMP Klingon pics...

I don't have a scanner but the book "Star Trek" sketchbook had some makeup photos from Fred Phillips work from TMP. I'm sure Karl has these!

 

[phase pistol]

Re: Looking for ST:TMP Klingon pics...

I uh... do the what now? :lol

Well in the mean time, here's one I found lying around...,

 

[phase pistol]

Re: Looking for ST:TMP Klingon pics...

OK this apparently is yet another Klingon...

NOTE this is actually just a color version of the earlier BW picture

 

[phase pistol]

Re: Looking for ST:TMP Klingon pics...

Various Starfleet and Klingon pins and buckles made for TMP.

 

[Ghost Host]

Re: Looking for ST:TMP Klingon pics...

Hmm, now this is some very interesting stuff... Thanks Karl.

 

[Treadwell]

Re: Looking for ST:TMP Klingon pics...

Reference is tough because the costumes went on a promotional tour and never came back. New costumes had to be made for subsequent productions.

 

[SgtFang]

Re: Looking for ST:TMP Klingon pics...

Lemme get my orders caught up and sent out, and I'll hook you up with everything I know.

-Sarge

 

[Onigiri]

Re: Looking for ST:TMP Klingon pics...

Yay, something I can contribute to.
A few notable differences between TMP and subsequent Klingons.
1. The 3 data rods on the left side of the chest were moved to the right side of teh chest on subsequent movies.
2. The leather was purchased from McPherson Suede and Leather (I can still get half hides of the same stuff there).
3. The leather was 'rub n buffed' in TMP to give it a 'sheen'.
4. The armor trim was resin impregnated FELT. The shapes were cut out and then impregnated with resin. Also rub n buffed. IIRC it was a primer gray and then rub n buffed with aluminum rub n buff.
5.The shoulder tip armor pieces are reversed in later movies.
The boot armor was weightlifter belt grade leather that was painted and rub n buffed and the 'horns' were resin with a leather 'cover' over them.

If I can think of anything more or if you have questions Please let me know. Between Fang and I you probably have two of the most knowledgable Klingon fans out there.

 

[Onigiri]

Re: Looking for ST:TMP Klingon pics...

Im not recommending anything but a former member here actually has a VERY accurate pattern of the TMP uniform on CD with instructions if you want to PM me. It was made from an actual screen used costume (Trek 3) but the pattern is the same as TMP.

 

[SgtFang]

Re: Looking for ST:TMP Klingon pics...

Don's got you off to a great start!

On the data rods, they were made from black dyed plastic surgical tubing (but you can buy it already in a nice shiny black nowdays). The gold caps are setting "cups" for 1/2" rhinestones that have a small hole in the top. the "doodad" on the front of the tubes were originally large resistors of some kind, but on later versions were everything from small springs on heavy brass wire, to small bits of aluminum tube on brass wire.

Here's some examples-

Here's an authentic "Kelvinator" buckle (after the old refrigerators with the big, hand sized push button that opened them)

Will you be needing an officer's sash/ baldric? I've got some great shots of that too, and know where to buy everything for it.

-Sarge

 

[Onigiri]

Re: Looking for ST:TMP Klingon pics...

Just a couple of corrctions: I won a screen used set of these rods and Ive handled several screen used Klingon costumes.
1. Its not surgical tubing. Its clear aquarium line dyed black (Rit Dye) with a wooden dowel .
2. The end caps are upholstery tacks with the 'points' cut off. Im not saying none of them have holes through the caps just not mine or the ones I have handled. The copper wire goes over the top and bottom not through the top and bottom. Two other horizontal wires hold the vertical wire steady and then the wires go IN to the costume. (They were duck taped on the indise of the costumes I saw.) There is also a small gauge silver wire that wraps around the vertical wire like a pen spring (about 1/2 ").

Don's got you off to a great start!

On the data rods, they were made from black dyed plastic surgical tubing (but you can buy it already in a nice shiny black nowdays). The gold caps are setting "cups" for 1/2" rhinestones that have a small hole in the top. the "doodad" on the front of the tubes were originally large resistors of some kind, but on later versions were everything from small springs on heavy brass wire, to small bits of aluminum tube on brass wire.

Here's some examples-

Here's an authentic "Kelvinator" buckle (after the old refrigerators with the big, hand sized push button that opened them)

Will you be needing an officer's sash/ baldric? I've got some great shots of that too, and know where to buy everything for it.

-Sarge

 

[Onigiri]

Re: Looking for ST:TMP Klingon pics...

Also, the uniform shown is much later then TMP or Trek 3 where they kind of cobbled stuff together. Obviously either way would work but I was fortunate back in 79 to get real up close and personal with an original TMP costume. I had a ton of pics on my old (deceased) laptop but may be able to retreive them. If I can Ill post them.

 

[SgtFang]

Re: Looking for ST:TMP Klingon pics...

I had a ton of pics on my old (deceased) laptop but may be able to retreive them. If I can Ill post them.

That'd rock! Good luck!

Its not surgical tubing. Its clear aquarium line dyed black (Rit Dye) with a wooden dowel

Good catch! Everyone always "called" it surgical tubing, but it's not latex surgical tubing- It's more like all purpose medical tubing. Heh, it took me a year or two of trying to dye the latex stuff, before I found out it was the clear kind! :lol The clear line is sold for all kinds of stuff- aquarium line, IV drip line, weed eater fuel line etc...

The end caps are upholstery tacks with the 'points' cut off. Im not saying none of them have holes through the caps just not mine or the ones I have handled. The copper wire goes over the top and bottom not through the top and bottom. Two other horizontal wires hold the vertical wire steady and then the wires go IN to the costume. (They were duck taped on the indise of the costumes I saw.) There is also a small gauge silver wire that wraps around the vertical wire like a pen spring (about 1/2 ").

Yeah, I think the rhinestone cups were what were used up through Trek 3 according to Maggie, but I can see the upholstery tacks working just as good in a pinch. In later Klingon appearances, it seemed like Robert Fletcher's "quality control" really got tossed out the window. Check out the left tube, third pic down- that one looks like the corded rubber hose you can get in car stores! :lol

Oh, here's another one I don't think we covered yet- The STTMP vests were built on heavy spandex shells, but a lot of them were lost or damaged before Trek 3 and later ones were built on corduroy. At least one made it into Trek 3 though- the guy who kills David has an STTMP uniform... Look between the leather strips while they're on the ground grappling and you can see where the spandex underneath is wrinkling and stretching crossways where corduroy wouldn't.

-Sarge