NEW Stormtrooper Armor Origins... REVEALED!

[Daetrin[Admin]]

As posted by BraksBuddy at http://www.mepd.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2426

 

From the forthcoming book "The Making of Star Wars:"

 

One item that stood out [of the wardrobe budget] was te cost associated with the stormtroopers, tho ran up a tab of ($93,000) [The total wardrobe budget for Star Wars was $220,000, so the stormtroopers were almost hald the budget!] - and whose final outfits were still not ready a week before location shooting was to begin . "Stormtroopers were the nightmare costume," Mollo explains. "We got a model in of a suitable size, did a plaster body cast, and Liz Moore modeled the armor onto this figure. Then everybody used to go in and say, "Arm off here, arm off there," and George changed all the kneecaps. This went on for several weeks. Finall that was all taken away and produced in vacuum-form plastic - but the next question was: How does it all go together? And I think we had something like four days before shooting , but we just played around until we managed to string it all together in such a way that you could get in on and off the bloke in about five minutes.

 

If you haven't preordered this book yet... ORDER IT! Interesting that it seems that AA's only involvement in this project was as the vacuformer. Also, this makes me even more resolute in my theory that the sandtrooper armor was not purposefully different, simply unrefined and almost a prototype as I point out on my website.

 

Is that fantastic info or what? Already ordered mine!

[john danter]

Yes AA will tell you tell himself that the ones used in Tunisia (the first ones) weren't good on set. that's why some behind the scenes photos had them with no shins on.

 

They came back and the suit was changed. Knees in particular. AA claims it was then decided to spice it up a little by giving the suit the ab buttons etc.

 

Fits in with the 2 suits. True? Who knows

[SethB6025[501st]]

The "no shins" pictures were so the trooper could bend down (look sir droids), it had nothing to do with anything not being good. The changes were merely cosmetic and from a visual perspective. Something AA would know about if he actually sculpted the armor.

To answer the "two suit" question, there were two versions, one pre-elstree (read as "sandtroopers"; no ab button detail, no drop boxes, less complex knee, no shoulder straps, no thermal detonator, less detail on helmet paint job) and one style post tunisia which is a "stromtrooper" with the details changed from the first incarnation.

[BactaReality]

I'd be interested in reading more up on the claims AA has made if any of you guys have a link.

[SethB6025[501st]]

http://www.sdsprops.com/ There is quite a bit under "FAQ" if memory serves.

[BactaReality]

I was hoping someone had a link to a reliable source that contradicted AA's claims. I'm well aware of the SDS site. It's still not completely clear who exactly sculpted the armor though, and where it states, and to what extent AA is claiming to have been a part of what's now been proven false. I'm always hearing alot of speculation and contradiction between claims on both sides of the argument. I know that most of the guys who have accepted the fact that AA was at least a part of the process are content with having a collectible with a significant lineage. Either way, you gotta admit the guy's got balls.

[john danter]

The "no shins" pictures were so the trooper could bend down (look sir droids), it had nothing to do with anything not being good. The changes were merely cosmetic and from a visual perspective. Something AA would know about if he actually sculpted the armor.

To answer the "two suit" question, there were two versions, one pre-elstree (read as "sandtroopers"; no ab button detail, no drop boxes, less complex knee, no shoulder straps, no thermal detonator, less detail on helmet paint job) and one style post tunisia which is a "stromtrooper" with the details changed from the first incarnation.

 

Ah ok, maybe so. kind of makes sense as he does bend down. As for AA telling me they were altered to allow them walk better etc, I guess the guy just lies through his teeth then hey?

Strange, as it would totally contradict his nature. He's one hell of a nice guy and oddly has 'the' moulds in his workshop. He also actually has several other costume moulds too. Tie pilots, DS gunners, I could go on. He can also tell you what toilet parts or what washine machine hose was used on what costume etc. Strikes me as very odd that he knows all of this, if he had nothing to do with the suits creation.

 

How on earth can he sell them? All AA did was flick a switch on vac former over moulds made by someone else, surely? How come Mr Lucas hasn't shut him down if that's all he did. How come he hasn't got his moulds back off him even. He has won a legal battle in LA that serves to protect it's precious film industry but that's it. They're his moulds. He made them.

 

PS: They did have a thermal detonator. They're on the backpack.

[troopermaster]

As I understand it, Liz Moore sculpt the armour and helmet and Andrew made the moulds, vacced them and helped with assembly. Now wether that makes them his or not I don't know but what I do know is that he is definately NOT using the original 1976 moulds for his suits or helmets.

 

I met Andrew in 2005 and he is a very nice bloke. I quizzed him about his armour and he had all the right answers, but unfortunately were all lies. I can see how many people who meet him would believe everything he says and those less knowledgable about the details of ANH armour could be duped. He even told me that he had to get the grey pipe imported from the states for the thermal detonator when they were originally made in the UK so why the US pipe? I'll tell you, he is copying what TE uses.

 

I am not anti AA in the slightest and not really bothered who sculpt or formed these suits originally. I am just saying it how I see it.

 

-Paul.

[TK8280]

As I understand it, Liz Moore sculpt the armour and helmet and Andrew made the moulds, vacced them and helped with assembly. Now wether that makes them his or not I don't know but what I do know is that he is definately NOT using the original 1976 moulds for his suits or helmets.

 

I met Andrew in 2005 and he is a very nice bloke. I quizzed him about his armour and he had all the right answers, but unfortunately were all lies. I can see how many people who meet him would believe everything he says and those less knowledgable about the details of ANH armour could be duped. He even told me that he had to get the grey pipe imported from the states for the thermal detonator when they were originally made in the UK so why the US pipe? I'll tell you, he is copying what TE uses.

 

I am not anti AA in the slightest and not really bothered who sculpt or formed these suits originally. I am just saying it how I see it.

 

-Paul.

Wow...Yes, everyone has to do thier own research about this stuff, never use hear-say and star power as a valuable source

[Jumpin Jax]

Don't forget about Brian Muir, sculpted the armor molds as well as Vader parts.

[TK8280]

Don't forget about Brian Muir, sculpted the armor molds as well as Vader parts.

or did he?

[SethB6025[501st]]

I guess the guy just lies through his teeth then hey?

 

He has "changed his stories" a lot over the years. Adding in the "from a certain point of view" kind of opinions stated as fact. Plus things like the shin comment that are rubbish. Of course, memory tends to erode over three decades so oh well. At any rate he is like most true salesmen; a very nice guy & willing to say what people want to hear in order to make a sale.

 

PS: They did have a thermal detonator. They're on the backpack.

 

The is no thermal detonator as seen on stormtroopers on sandtroopers anywhere. The button and end cap parts for the stormtrooper belt detonator were originally used on the "mortar launcher" on the side of the sandtrooper backpack. I guess that is what you mean though.

[troopermaster]

Don't forget about Brian Muir, sculpted the armor molds as well as Vader parts.

 

I will ask Brian about this when I meet him next week

[Jumpin Jax]

I will ask Brian about this when I meet him next week

Cool! And as he's using that as part of his public work history, I suspect he will confirm it

[SethB6025[501st]]

Thats great Paul, can't wait to hear his comments.

[Darksaber212[TK]]

Thats great Paul, can't wait to hear his comments.

Likewise.

[troopermaster]

OK I met with Brian Muir and his wife today and we had a great chat and a laugh. Brian confirmed to me that HE scultped everything of the stormtrooper armour from the neck down and AA did nothing but the forming and maybe the assembling but did NO sculpting. Up until recently Brian though Andrew 'may' have sculpted the helmet but new pics have been uncovered revealing the original sculptor. I tried and tried to get the info but he said he couldn't say but he could say AA will lose his case.

 

Brian was a very nice and helpful chap and answered all my questions in great detail. The only problem was I thought of a load more questions I didn't ask him on the way home

 

I also met up with Salo Gardner who played an original stormtrooper and actually was one who stormed Tantive IV in the opening scenes. He didn't really tell me much about trooper armour and was more interested in showing me pics of other films he was in <_<

 

-Paul.

[BactaReality]

Thanks so much for the inside info Paul. After a few years of debate and speculation, I think I can now feel some closure on the matter. So did Brian say anything about accuracy or whether or not the molds AA was using were original?

[troopermaster]

He didn't really say much about the accuracy of the suit's but when I pointed out the fact that his suit's have all the ROTJ tells he agreed and said he didn't have the original moulds.

[HPDblues[TK]]

He didn't really say much about the accuracy of the suit's but when I pointed out the fact that his suit's have all the ROTJ tells he agreed and said he didn't have the original moulds.

 

Whoa, that's quite a revelation...

 

T

[john danter]

Bugger! I take it you spoke to Brian at MEM this weekend Paul?

 

I was there and spoke to him too. He is a nice chap and loved our armour but I had no idea he sculpted the kit or I would have picked his brains too

Not very easy chatting with a static burst going off all the time.

 

Didn't know you were there or I would have tried to seek you out.

 

Interesting post

[troopermaster]

Yes I was there on Saturday afternoon. It was great to meet Brian finally and find out about what his actual involvement was with the trooper armour. I have a load more questions to ask him next time we meet which will be at CE hopefully.

[Jumpin Jax]

He didn't really say much about the accuracy of the suit's but when I pointed out the fact that his suit's have all the ROTJ tells he agreed and said he didn't have the original moulds.

Wow.

[TK7903[501st]]

John, I spoke to Brian last year at the Nov MEM.

 

Chatted to him and his wife for about 30 minutes.

[Daetrin[Admin]]

Whoa! I need to get my company to transfer me to the UK. Too much cool white armor goodness going on over there. That, or Hawaii...