Star Wars Archives: 1977-1983

[vader45]

View attachment 969328 I find myself wondering if Anderson was used in some non-stunt shots. This does not look like Prowse, to me. The person in the suit doesn’t fill it out (particularly the shoulder bells) the way Prowse does.




On the flipside, we do know for sure that the stunt helmet was used for some closeup/hero shots, too.

View attachment 969327

Regarding the stunt helmet, the entire sequence from Luke in ROTJ hiding to vader throwing the emperor is the stunt helmet. A hero only came into play when Prowse did the throw stunt for a few frames since Prowse claimed Anderson could not do it. I guess Anderson refused to wear a hero, then again the lighting was very dark. I know the entire sequence was all Anderson aside the throw stunt, because the helmet changes from stunt to hero and the fact that Prowse stated that he did the throw stunt. I feel Anderson was used more then we realized at the end of rotj. Look at Anderson's arms in the bts photos with out the armor. He looks very padded compared to him from esb. I think Lucas was trying to phase out Prowse. But now I'm getting off topic! Lol

That is why I argued the hero mpp could have been used in the duel.

I believe the armor in esb was modified for Anderson to a certain point. It is still a bit big on him but the silhouette is smaller then the armor on Prowse when he had the fixed shoulder bells.

 

[Gregatron]

Regarding the stunt helmet, the entire sequence from Luke in ROTJ hiding to vader throwing the emperor is the stunt helmet. A hero only came into play when Prowse did the throw stunt for a few frames since Prowse claimed Anderson could not do it. I guess Anderson refused to wear a hero, then again the lighting was very dark. I know the entire sequence was all Anderson aside the throw stunt, because the helmet changes from stunt to hero and the fact that Prowse stated that he did the throw stunt. I feel Anderson was used more then we realized at the end of rotj. Look at Anderson's arms in the bts photos with out the armor. He looks very padded compared to him from esb. I think Lucas was trying to phase out Prowse. But now I'm getting off topic! Lol

That is why I argued the hero mpp could have been used in the duel.

I believe the armor in esb was modified for Anderson to a certain point. It is still a bit big on him but the silhouette is smaller then the armor on Prowse when he had the fixed shoulder bells.

Yeah, I noticed long ago that the stunt helmet was used both in the dark under the Throne Room and also when Luke is being zapped. If Anderson was used for all of those shots (even the close-ups, which didn’t require a tall guy like Prowse to look good), it makes sense that they’d just stick with the stunt helmet which was already properly fitted to him, rather than grabbing a hero.

And I tend to believe that the MPP seen in the duel was just a stunt dressed like the hero (with the colored wires). There are examples of stunts filling in as belt-hangers (the Luke V2 being the prime example, of course), but no confirmed examples of belt-hangers being pressed into service as bladed stunts.

 

[russellsch]

Got my book delivered today
I know you guys kept saying this book was big... but holy crap this thing is huge!!
Love the Obi-Wan stunt saber shots! Would've liked to have more hero shots. All in all, however, this is a great book

 

[clancampbell]

On the subject of sabers,
did you notice the pic of Luke's Hoth stunt double with the Holiday Special saber????

Rich

 

[Halliwax]

On the subject of sabers,
did you notice the pic of Luke's Hoth stunt double with the Holiday Special saber????

RichView attachment 975556 View attachment 975557 View attachment 975556

This was a huge discovery and covered in 2 threads now

Really exciting

 

[Psab keel]

To my eye the angle you see in that shot of Alec Guinness holding the saber is the nipple of the emitter reflected in the light.

 

[oblagon]

I can’t say I see square...

View attachment 968979

Here's a clearer picture of the spinning attachment

 

[kurtyboy]

The square is visible at both ends of Obi-Wan's, and like dcaty said, very clearly visible in the unaltered pre-special edition.

From watching the scene frame by frame I am pretty sure Vader's did not spin - hence the need for a round blade. It shows none of the flickering or black line anomalies that Obi-Wan's does, and the dents and dings are very apparent. Explains why the unconnected wires can be seen hanging from Vader's in that press still of the duel.



The vintage screen material must be quite different to modern Scotchlite too, because you can see thousands of particles flying off with each clash. Looks like yellow dust.

Yes, I studied the scene obsessively, over and over, frame by frame when I built my motorised stunt saber!

I can’t say I see square...

View attachment 968979

Vader’s looks real round as well

View attachment 968980

 

[Halliwax]

The square is visible at both ends of Obi-Wan's, and like dcaty said, very clearly visible in the unaltered pre-special edition.

From watching the scene frame by frame I am pretty sure Vader's did not spin - hence the need for a round blade. It shows none of the flickering or black line anomalies that Obi-Wan's does, and the dents and dings are very apparent. Explains why the unconnected wires can be seen hanging from Vader's in that press still of the duel.



The vintage screen material must be quite different to modern Scotchlite too, because you can see thousands of particles flying off with each clash. Looks like yellow dust.

Yes, I studied the scene obsessively, over and over, frame by frame when I built my motorised stunt saber!

Kurt, you still see obiwans as being a 3 sided blade?

I too always noticed the dust during the ANH duel. And since I was a kid always wondered why there was so much dust lol

 

[Halliwax]

Kurt do you have any better pictures, or a video clip of the square tip?

 

[kurtyboy]

I've never seen a square with three sides!

Kurt, you still see obiwans as being a 3 sided blade?

I too always noticed the dust during the ANH duel. And since I was a kid always wondered why there was so much dust lol

 

[Halliwax]

I've never seen a square with three sides!

I can’t even talk... so you believe the blade is square, 4 sided that goes down to a taper? 3 sided painted, 1 side bare (or painted black)?

 

[Halliwax]

I’m literally going insane this morning... I’ve been up early due to a broken water pipe over my bed.. real fun...

Anyway...

So on this mission to find the square blade I hunted down Kurt’s build.

While searching for his build I found some pics Tom posted awhile back

I can see what everyone is saying about the tip, but I still wasn’t sold... until

This picture here I can finally see the sailboat...

Now I’m on a mission to find a lightweight square material...

 

[kurtyboy]

Well its only what I deduced, and I've been wrong many times, but my blade is 10mm square at the tip, tapering to 15mm square at the base that's visible. Then round into the hilt. And I switched from two sides coated, to four with a thin black line, then to three coated and one black.

The black line still puzzles me though. A wise man I know thinks it's just an uncoated seam where the ends of the reflective material meet.

I can’t even talk... so you believe the blade is square, 4 sided that goes down to a taper? 3 sided painted, 1 side bare (or painted black)?

 

[Halliwax]

I always thought the black light was just shadow of the blades

But I totally understand it’s purpose of giving the blade it’s flicker

 

[Halliwax]

I’m ready to boot up tinker cad and start modeling a freak’n blade...

 

[Captain Dunsel]

Funny...as a kid, I noticed that Kenobi’s saber flickered, while Vader’s did not. I had assumed this was intentional to show that Kenobi’s saber was old, worn out, and barely working compared to Vader’s saber.

Now I know why there a difference between the two.

 

[Halliwax]

Funny...as a kid, I noticed that Kenobi’s saber flickered, while Vader’s did not. I had assumed this was intentional to show that Kenobi’s saber was old, worn out, and barely working compared to Vader’s saber.

Now I know why there a difference between the two.

Never noticed that, I’m watching the de specialized edition tonight!

 

[Halliwax]

Only thing that scares me is the weight of the wood blade. These golf clubs I have are super light and have proven to spin.. yet I don’t have the scotchlite yet, so I can’t prove it flickers correctly

... eeerrr tomorrow my new parts should show up. I just want to get this working again lol

 

[russellsch]

I love the Despecialized Editions. I rarely watch, what I call, the Ruined Editions anymore.
& when I was little I always thought, that because Obi-Wans lightsaber flickers while Vader doesn't, is why Vader says "Your powers are weak old man."