"Planet Killer" TOS studio model?

CessnaDriver

CessnaDriver

Master Member
RPF PREMIUM MEMBER
Anyone know what the Planet Killer was made out of in "The Doomsday Machine"?

750K Bitmaps.........

http://home.san.rr.com/maxxq/PDVD_000.BMP

http://home.san.rr.com/maxxq/PDVD_002.BMP

http://home.san.rr.com/maxxq/PDVD_003.BMP

you can toggle these pics back and forth as it turns. Also makes for 3D stereoscopic pairs.

Looks like crinkly foil skin, with blue tinted (or lit with blue light) saran wrap stretched over it. Giving it a shiny and translucenty look.

Look how the side of the mouth almost looks like it has a cut out section that is transparant.

Anyone know any details?
 
I seem to recall reading that it was aluminum foil wrapped over a simple chicken wire frame, and rigged with some simple internal lights.

Most likely much of the coloration you see is colored lighting, a practice used as a gereral rule on the star trek sets to save money on painting, supported by the fact that the color change from shot to shot, coupled with the model reflecting the chroma key blue of the bluescreen effects stage.

The interior appears to have been painted red, and the exterior seems to have a thin layer of red and blue "squiggles" decorating the reflective surface. The internal "energy' effect was later added in post production.

I created a custom skin for the Doomsday Machine for the first Starfleet Command game using some pictures from the show as a guide, and what I saw confirmed the aluminum foil story.

Some reference pictures...

35ddm-32.jpg


35ddm-30.jpg


35ddm-44.jpg


35ddm-50.jpg


35ddm-74.jpg


35ddm-75.jpg


35ddm-85.jpg



Hope these help.



~ General Mayhem
 
You guys are too quick. I couldn't even get to my screen grab files. :lol

I'd point out that while the Planet Killer is active, there's a blue light on the outer surface. After the Constellation explodes inside it, that light turns to normal white light (ie the Planet Killer "looks dead").

DM-machinedead.jpg


Tho I suppose there could be an optical-printer effect at work here as well.

- k
 
Thanks for the info and pics.

One of the most popular episodes of TOS and the mighty Planet Killer no doubt ended up in the dumpster :cry
 
I agree with GeneralMayhem. I wonder, though, if perhaps it was lit with black light. That glow of the blue and the orange...
 
Wow....I always loved this episode and the idea of a lost/forgotten machine like this. But, man o man, does it look like one cheap ass prop in a still shot. :)


PS: Don't get me wrong, I'd still hang one in my office... :D
 
:D I totally agree with Zaphod. This DOES look like one cheap-ass made miniature (back when they made it for filming) but.....HEYYYYY.. I got a great idea to get some Reynolds wrap, chicken wire and beat MR at their own game. :lol ANYONE WITH ME???...???? :lol We could make millions.
 
If you haven't done so, go down a few posts and see the pics where he recreated some scenes from the episode.

This guy ain't kidding around. Man, I'd KILL to have that kind of spare time to work on stuff :cry

Steve
 
On of my favorite episodes from TOS.
As I grew older it took the form of a giant space carrot. :confused
Honestly I wish I had the time to finish the one I have been hording parts for.I have an old bar clock with a spinning center section that reminded me of the interior effect used on the original I had planned to use this with a bit of ultraviolet neon type tubing hidden in the forward inner lip of the machine this would make the enterance of the maul really light up as it would be finished with floresent paint.
now after seeing these Im tempted to start
just dont know where to hang a 4 foot space carrot.....
I need a shop. :D
seriously guys nice work.
 
Originally posted by mr.predicta@Jan 25 2006, 05:15 AM
On of my favorite episodes from TOS.
As I grew older it took the form of a giant space carrot. :confused
Honestly I wish I had the time to finish  the one I have been hording parts for.I have an old bar clock with a spinning center section that reminded me of the interior effect used on the original I had planned to use this with a bit of ultraviolet neon type tubing hidden in the forward inner lip of the machine this would make the enterance of the maul really light up as it would be finished with floresent paint.
now after seeing these Im tempted to start
  just dont know where to hang a 4 foot space carrot.....
I need a shop. :D
seriously guys nice work.
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Very cool thread for a forgotten prop in Star Trek history.
Okay now, who else makes the doomsday machine theme, when your eating bugles chips? :lol
 
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