Tusken Raider weapons and gear...

Ghost Host

Sr Member
Hi, I am wondering if anyone has any larger, clearer pics of the "other" Gaffi sticks (pictured here); or the nifty rifle held by the Tusken on the hilltop aimed down at the passing speeder in ANH?

3tusk.jpg
 
There's a larger, color version of the above photo in the old children's Star Wars Storybook. Here's a pic of the alternate gaffis laid out on a piece of cardboard:

<img src=http://pweb.netcom.com/~godzilla/btmgaffis.jpg

The long, wedge shaped handle is another Pacific Island warclub of some type. I forget the name.

I have a thumbnail image of five ANH long rifles laid out on the same piece of carboard. The image is really small and I can't tell which one is the Tuskens' rifle.

Adam
 
I don't have any screencaps but while looking for references on a possible Sand People rifle I stumbled upon this:

sand people jezail.jpg

(Cheers Wackychimp)

I thought rifle #1059 looked like a good place to start but I haven't got the foggiest what greeblies (if any) were used to make the prop
ohwell.gif
. Necrobones calls it a 'Jambai' rifle but I've also seen it referred to as a 'Jezail'.

I'd really like to see some pics of the prop used in the original triology.





"Anyone can look for fashion in a boutique or history in a museum. The creative explorer looks for history in a hardware store and fashion in an airport."
 
POSW has a clearer version of the pic I just posted with the background cut out. I'm not sure if anyone actually has a large version of the pic with rifles laid out on the cardboard or not. POSW probably doesn't have a good ref to post of they would have done it.

You could always try to make a prequel Tusken rifle. The prop makers definately put more thought into the design than the ANH version.

Adam
 
Hmmm, I couldn't find much at POSW. I'll look again. As far as prequel Tuskens, I don't care for them as much. Somehow not as fierce to me, and no respirator cans...?

[edit] oh yea, I found the pic. Thanks.
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The Denix #1059 rifle is like the one that Luke had mounted to his landspeeder:

<img src=http://pweb.netcom.com/~godzilla/longun.jpg>

The Tusken rifle is different. This is the only picture I have of it:

<img src=http://pweb.netcom.com/~godzilla/longuns.jpg>

I just dug out my old CAV format laserdisc and I'm positive the Tusken rifle is the second one from the bottom. This picture sucks and you can't see the whole buttstock, but it's a start. It's a better straight profile than you get in the movie.

The most notable thing about this gun is that the wood base only continues about 20% of the way down the barrel. Almost the entire barrel is a plain unsupported tube. There is a little flare or ring at the tip.

Adam
 
Thanks a million for posting those rifle pics Adam, never seen them before.

Right you are, the Denix undeniably looks like Luke's rifle rather than the Tusken one.
I've never seen anything quite like the 2nd from the bottom but I agree it's probably the one. Any idea what it is?





"There was a nuclear war, a few years from now..."
 
If you guys are interested I might be able to do a group order of those Denix Rifles. I have been thinking about getting one myself. I have also been working on a gunstock style gaffi. I finished metal mace end a long time ago just need to do the wood part, then I will have 3 gaffis!
 
Here are some pics of Luke's. I had the intention of grabbing some of the Tusken rifle but all that is visible is some of the stock and some of the barrel in the close up. In the long shot its impossible to make much out.

longun.jpg

rifle3.jpg
rifle4.jpg

rifle1.jpg
rifle2.jpg
rifle2.jpg


Marcus
 
The pic of the rifle sitting on the floor is actually the screen-used original. The yellow tag is probably from the old rental house.

The denix is pretty similar. There is a little less scoop on the top contour of the shoulder stock.

<img src=http://pweb.netcom.com/~godzilla/denixrifle.jpg>

Adam
 
Mace Gaffi...What is that? Som-a kinda Jedi?

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Ghost Host wrote:
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Fottusken, I'd love to see your work in progress on the mace gaffi, that's the one I'm thinking of doing...
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No, but I hear that Gaderffi Windu's dad was quite a bada$$ jedi!

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Sporak wrote:
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Mace Gaffi...What is that? Som-a kinda Jedi?
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Hey all,

i did a ton of research on this stuff back in the swfans.net days... I dug through my HD and sure enough still had most of it. Here's what i came up with then:

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WAMPA wrote (but many years ago!):

This is something i've never heard anyone talk about and I figure i may as well bring it up.

I've found an image of several Gaffi sticks which are listed as "prototypes" on the Behind the Magic CD that actually appear in the film (ANH). Of note is that i have found a part that may have been used for GAFFI "C"

Check this photo and begin reading:
http://members.aol.com/bluesnags/gaffigroup.jpg

a) not used...this one was a prototype only as far as i can tell.

B) USED. It is carried by the Tusken Raider who goes behind Luke's Landspeeder while they trash it. Here is the only screenshot i could find (if you watch the film it is VERY clear that this is what he's holding)

http://members.aol.com/bluesnags/gaffi1.jpg

The end of this Gaffi can be seen in the original version of the Star Wars Storybook as well as here:

http://members.aol.com/bluesnags/gaffi3.jpg

It is a little difficult to tell from the photo posted that this is indeed the same fins, but in the storybook photo (which is in color) it is easier to tell that this is the same fins, just that the ones from the back show through the front and make them look as if there are more ridges than there really are. Also note the metal cover at the point where the metal spike connects to the wood part.

c) USED. It is carried by the Tusken Raider who goes to the right and behind Luke's Landspeeder while they trash it. Here is the only screenshot i could find (if you watch the film it is VERY clear that this is what he's holding)

http://members.aol.com/bluesnags/gaffi1.jpg

The end of this Gaffi can be seen in the original version of the Star Wars Storybook as well as here:

http://members.aol.com/bluesnags/gaffi3.jpg

The point may have been made from a wrought iron fence post. I have also seen curtain rod ends that have a simillar look to them.

The wood part on this prop was most likely another type of Fijian wood club called a "Y Club" (Update...soon after i found it was also called a "Sali" or "Gunstock club)
Here is a pic of one:

http://members.aol.com/bluesnags/gunstock.jpg

Note the grooves along the inside of the "scoop" they match up pretty well with the prop. Also the additional "nub" pointing from behind the "scoop" is there on the prop. It is tough to see in the pics provided...check the scene on video to see what i mean. (it may be a little less pronounced but it is there. It could have been just a variation in style or perhaps shaved down by the prop makers)

d) Was used by the Raider in the attack on Luke...The metal end on this one was longer than some of the others and it had a ring welded on it as well. This one also has a ROUND end where the spike attatches, not squared off like many of the others.
d)
http://members.aol.com/bluesnags/gaffi2.jpg

e) Carried by the Bantha rider Tuskens (the ones that did not wear the large cloak-like capes as the ones in Tunisia wore) shot in California...also used for most of the reference photos. Is possibly the same prop as GAFFI F with the point on the pineapple end trimmed down at an angle.

f) This was carried by the Raider on the left while they trash Luke's landspeeder. I don't have a screencap where it is visible, but watch the scene and you will see that this is the one he is holding. It appears to be the exact same Totokia as GAFFI D but with a different spike and fins.

ALSO, there was also a version of this with no "pineapple" end on the Totokia...this may have been damaged during filming or was merely for stunt purposes.

(no pineapple shot)
http://members.aol.com/bluesnags/gaffi4.jpg

(another update... if you look closely at the gaffi in the MOM display, you can see a repair along the same line as where the pineapple snapped on this one. Probably the same piece. One theory being that they made a rubber or foam replacement end for the stunts and that it's not a break, but just an interchangeable head)

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Like i said, it's a few years old (and i made a couple minor updates). I used to have a gunstock club that was very nice but sold it a couple years back. May have to get another someday.

In any event, cool thread. I love obscure Tunisia stuff!
tom
 
Thanks for posting those pics Wampa!

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godzilla wrote:
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<img src=http://pweb.netcom.com/~godzilla/longuns.jpg>
I just dug out my old CAV format laserdisc and I'm positive the Tusken rifle is the second one from the bottom.
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Does anyone know anything about the rifle on Adam's pic?




"Experience is that marvelous thing that enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again."
 
Thanks for posting your research, Wampa. I got my totokia from you back in the day when you got a batch from Fiji.

From my own research, I'm 95% certain that Gaffis E and F in your collage are the same prop. The photo of F looks like it was taken with a wide lens with the camera closer to the pineapple end. This causes some foreshortening of the fin end in the image. The foreshortening makes the fins look smaller than they really are. This makes gaffi E look like a different prop than F even though it isn't.

Both Gaffi E/F and Gaffi D were used in the Tunisia scene when the main Tusken attacks Luke. They used both sticks in this sequence and it actually switches back and forth from shot to shot. There isn't actually anything purposely interchnageable on the Gaffis.

On the CAV laserdisc, you can see Gaffi D (the one with the longer pipe end) actually break in the shot. This happens when Luke dodges a swing and the spike hits the next to his head on the boulder. The shaft of the Totokia cracks and the pipe goes off at an angle. When the Tusken raises the Gaffi over his head in triumph, the pipe end wags around because it's loose in the broken Totokia. I think the actor is actually having to hold it together with his hand.

What used to be Gaffi D (the one with the longer pipe/spike) was later turned into the Rancor Keeper club for ROTJ. Here it is pictured side by side with the surviving ANH Gaffi:

<img src=http://pweb.netcom.com/~godzilla/GaffiSticks.jpg>

This picure is from the San Francisco exhibit in 1995. The Rancor Keeper club never made it on screen, but I suppose Kenner is responsible for canonizing it.

Adam
 
Man, this thread really is taking off! Usually my inquiry threads just fade away after a day or two... Thanks you guys for contributing so much. It will be a big help.
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