Balaclava - A mystery part?

[Sonnenschein]

It is pretty much accepted that back in the old days the the extras playing stormtroopers wore balaclavas under their helmets.

 

Logic dictates, it would help with transpiration and other people can't see the faces.

 

But so far,there's only 1 single pic of a trooper wearing it; the "Space trooper"

 

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Did the other TK wore them at all? Or did they remove it after the scene to cool down?

 

 

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Or is there a big balaclava conspiracy?

 

Please share your thoughts and or pictures!

Edited January 18, 2022 by gmrhodes13
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[matt black]

I haven't been able to find any pics of troopers with buckets off wearing balaclava's. I would be very interested to see some.

There is someone I could email and ask. I'll post here when I get a response.

[Sonnenschein]

 

There is someone I could email and ask. I'll post here when I get a response.

 

Thanks! I think I know who that fellow would be !

[matt black]

No it's not a member here

[Locitus[Admin]]

I think that it was more random. Some had and some didn't.-------

If you look at this 'making of' clip, at 10:42 minutes in you can see a Stormtrooper getting dressed that doesn't wear a balaclava.

Edited January 18, 2022 by gmrhodes13
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[Toddo[TK]]

It could be that the space trooper was sporting the balaclava because that's what astronauts and cosmonauts wore. Although it more likely serves a practical purpose. Weren't shots like that part of the blue-screen post-production work done in California? I believe most of the other photos we have of troopers without helmets are either on set in London or on location. I know that the IG doing blue-screen work also was balaclava-clad:

Edited January 18, 2022 by gmrhodes13
photo updated

[Locitus[Admin]]

Might just be that some had a lot of hair that needed covering up while other actors had less hair and no need for a balaclava.

[matt black]

Might just be that some had a lot of hair that needed covering up while other actors had less hair and no need for a balaclava.

 

Now that would make perfect sense. It was the 70's so there would have been a lot of long hair.

[Dday[501st]]

I love baklava... I'm in Jordan right now, gonna have to buy some!

 

In the real side of the discussion, I considered buying one for this, but hesitated because I figure the helmet is already hot enough to need fans, should I be putting a sock over my head to hasten the passing of out... I know sweat can be an issue, and I saw someone with a sweat band on in some pictures here, so I thought that might be a great idea.

[Toddo[TK]]

As for the hair, that makes sense. Of course, The space trooper wearing the balaclava is Joe Johnston. Joe didn't have long hair. In fact, he is the balaclava navy trooper next to the gunner in the blue screen shot seen I posted above.

[iconoclasta_88[501st]]

It i weird to me... I have been reading and researching Stormtrooper armor for some years now (from my computer) and never had I heard a thoery where most extras wore balaclavas. Actually, I thought that the agreement was the other way around. Most of them did not wore balaclavas.

 

I remember as a child spotting a real person inside the stormtrooper armor, cause in some given scene, when some troopers in the Death Star appeared on screen, I was able to see the neck of a guy, probably it was the chin, but I thought it was the neck. That was on a betamax copy of Star Wars ANH probably around 1982. Many things I remember from that tape does not appear anywhere else. Including the scene where the Rebel commander asks Luke about his father on the moon of Yavin. BTW, that was a bootleg copy, dubbed in Spanish Spanish.

 

Anyway... I guess most Troopers did not wore a Balaclava, cause that would actally not be needed. If it was to hide the head of actors from lights and camera, why would they wore it but leave the teeth open? And so many other similar issues with costumes.

 

My thoughts.

 

Saludos.

 

Saludos

Edited August 27, 2012 by iconoclasta_88

[Sonnenschein]

So I guess the general opinion is that they don't wore them in gerneral; only if thy were needed (like the hair issue ).

 

Balaclavas are therefore not a necessary part of a screen accurate replica costume.

 

Thanks for all your input!

[Daetrin[Admin]]

I don't think they did. When you see them in helmets off pictures on the Tantive IV or even the sandtroopers, they all are sans balaclavas.

[Griffin-X[TK]]

Well, we know the Biker Scouts wore them and I suspect some TK troopers did too. As stated above, probably to hide long hair.

 

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Edited January 18, 2022 by gmrhodes13
link not working removed

[iconoclasta_88[501st]]

The thing with those bikers and the Endor scene, is that I guess bikers needed to use a balaclava cause of they short cut helmet.

And then, the off helmet troopers might have used them as part of the onscreen appearance that Lucas Wanted to show, not necessarily what the costume department had in mind for utility purposes in ANH.

 

I guess...

 

The space trooper is a mystery for me though.

 

Saludos.

[Thrawns_Drycleaner]

Being taller I need to wear one, as everyone can see up under my helm, ruins the illusion for all the kids too.. contemplating painting the inside black also....

[LadyInWhite[TK]]

I wear it because I have very long hair, obviously... and I'm tall and prefer kids not to see it up there, not that my neck opening is very wide. Being a part UNDER the armor, I don't much care whether it's screen accurate.

 

I discovered at Shoot-a-trooper, where I decided not to wear it (was a shift of mostly women, so we all kind of let the ponytails fly) - I fogged up immensely. Incredible! Never ever had that happen before, including the day before when I was wearing it. My scalp sweats, so I suspect the underarmor balaclava holds in a lot of that moisture.

[Locitus[Admin]]

Why you wear it was not really a part of the discussion though. The question was how many troopers during the filming wore it.

[Thrawns_Drycleaner]

Apologies for taking this off topic.

[Locitus[Admin]]

Apologies for taking this off topic.

No worries. I just don't want more people to derail it further. There are other topics to discuss pros and cons of balaclava and black helmet interiors.

[matt black]

Thanks! I think I know who that fellow would be !

 

I just got a reply. His responce was that yes, the stormtroopers wore balaclavas. This however was in Empire not ANH as he wasn't in ANH.

[Sonnenschein]

So that means they took them off to cool down. Thanks a lot!

[matt black]

If his memory serves him correctly. It was over thirty years ago

[Sonnenschein]

But I think he's trust worty

 

Another thought: If I play in some kind of movie, and the still photographer takes a couple of BTS pics, I'd try to look as good as possible.Nobody would see my face if I kept my balaclava on. Ergo, it must go!

[iconoclasta_88[501st]]

I don't know

 

Seems to be more than enough proof that they did not wore balaclavas. Even pictures and videos of troopers at the precise moment when they took their bucket off and there are no balaclavas... and there is not much evidence, just a couple of pictures in a sea of reference, with troopers wearing them.

 

I don't mean to say this as a fact but it doesn't look like balaclavas were used in ANH. Maybe there is info I am missing, but... I find it difficult to believe they used them, but never showed them in pictures or videos behind the scenes. Sorry Karin... that is what I think.

 

Hope some evidence can prove one thing or the other... have a balaclava provider on my speed dial and my finder touching the button already, just in case.

 

 

Saludos.