Vader's TRUE ROTJ saber (re-examined)!!

[Shingouki28]

Unable to grab any HD shots, but on a quick screengrab from the DVD, does anybody else see what I'm seeing here?

To me, it looks like a graflex with the bulb retainer painted black, along with the clamp, althouh my eyes could be deceiving me. Hopefully somebody else will be able to provide some clear HD shots

 

[GINO]

There were at least 3 MPPs used in the OT.
However I do believe one ANH Vader saber did become the ESB/ROTJ. I refer to this one as the Vader ANH v2 (black angled sidebars in clamp - same as ESB/ROTJ). I think the ESB/ROTJ saber uses the calc bubbles from the ANH v1.

1. Vader ANH (silver straight sidebars) seen in SW Chronicles
2. Vader ANH v2 (black angled sidebars), reused as ESB/ROTJ
3a. Vader Barbican/ROTJ (uses a real MPP clamp, black angled sidebars)
3b. Boba Fett ESB rifle barrel

As you can see we can account for at least 3 MPP clamps in the OT. and at least 2 MPP bodies. The original Vader ANH saber could have become the Fett rifle barrel, but that doesn't explain the 3rd clamp.

PS - MPP's are less rare in the UK and considering all the flashes were probably acquired from the same source, I don't think it's that odd they had several.

To Chris you listen.

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[SpyderDan]

Unable to grab any HD shots, but on a quick screengrab from the DVD, does anybody else see what I'm seeing here?

I Never noticed the blade was coming out of the wrong end before. :confused

 

[cayman shen]

Yeah, that's always been a mystery to me. I can see a special effects goof, but to throw the saber, surely there was a short blade attached at the very least, to provide the correct spin? How the hell did someone mess up so badly as to stick the blade in the pommel?!

 

[GINO]

My guess is that they probably felt the shot would be more dynamic or just work better within the frame if the blade came out of the other end. I'm sure they figured that the audience would never pick up on it (and they were right until now). Screen caps rule.

PS, I think if there was a blade that you would clearly be able to see it coming out of the emitter in those caps.


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[cayman shen]

I'm not following: how would having the blade on the wrong end make it more dynamic? Any blade at all would do...

 

[GINO]

What I mean is, maybe the rotoscoped blade looked better in the shot as it swung around if it came out of the bottom end vs. the top.

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[cayman shen]

Gotcha. But given how it spins, wouldn't there have to be an actual metal stunt blade protruding? If so, and they thought the rotoscoped blade would look better the other way, where is the metal blade on the other end?

Or do you think Vader just hucked the handle?

Sorry, I'm getting a bit off topic!

 

[GINO]

Or do you think Vader just hucked the handle?

Yep. It looks pretty clear to me that there was not a blade attached to that saber. Could have been a resin stunt like the cutoff one on vader's severed hand. Hard to say.

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[gonk27]

I expect when they came to examine the scene frame by frame to add the blade the bottom end of the sabre just happened to be closer to the pyro charge when it went off making it the logical end for the blade to come out of.

Just a fluke of how the prop spun through the air.

..or maybe it was just a simple mistake.

 

[GINO]

I expect when they came to examine the scene frame by frame to add the blade the bottom end of the sabre just happened to be closer to the pyro charge when it went off making it the logical end for the blade to come out of.

That's a good point Jeremy. :thumbsup

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[cayman shen]

Yeah, that makes perfect sense. I just always assumed that there was a physical rod attached. Probably not, I guess then.

 

[Brinn 71]

GREAT THREAD! Here are some caps from the HD release. If anyone has any specific frames they want to help with this thread, just ask!

B

 

[GINO]

Awesome caps Brin!

I took a few of them and enhanced them for a better look.

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[GINO]

You guys think it could be this esb era stunt saber?

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[jme3]

Now that I see those photos it looks a lot more like that one than the other...

You guys think it could be this esb era stunt saber?

 

[Anakin Starkiller]

You guys think it could be this esb era stunt saber?

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I think that this is doubtful because the clapperboard saber does not have grips or a control box or anything in the glass eye hole all of which can be seen in the screen cap

 

[Anakin Starkiller]

I'm gonna say that since this saber was being thrown at the film's main star, it was probably resin or rubber or some other light material.

Dan

 

[cayman shen]

:lol

Chuck the exploding one at Mark!

 

[Brinn 71]

You guys think it could be this esb era stunt saber?

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Looks like it to me!