"Was a Star Wars Escape POD Really just a..." Topic

…. KFC BUCKET?

"I don't know much about making movies or the special effects involved, but I can imagine a scene from the 1970s during the creation of the first Star Wars movie. In one scene, they need to show an escape pod traveling away from a rebel blockade runner with the runaway droids R2-D2 and C-3PO. Things are tight, so they need to do something quick.

What to do? According to a model maker in this video (and as described in this post), the Star Wars crew built the escape pod from a Kentucky Fried Chicken bucket and then dropped it from a height of 18 feet while filming it from above. They then added some small flecks of trash to give that explosive separation look that you see in the NASA Apollo missions. As the pod fell down, it gave the impression that the spacecraft was accelerating away. Seems like a very cheap and creative solution…."
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Amicalement
Armand

Would have to watch it again.

However it is 100% plausable.

Just looked at pics. It clearly has a bucket shape, with added parts and detailing. So, could be true.

Many a model is made from odd bits.

A couple of hair dryers in, I think it was Blakes 7, for a ship.

Hall Mark Christmas tree Klingon bird of prey for the big ds9 battle.

Enterprise kits kit bashed for all those enterprisish looking federation ships.

Lost in space ship for the top of a holodek.

R2s feet on the ships arm in alien.

So on.

A better one would be the Rumer of a sneaker for an asteroid or ship in Jedi.

Most movie model makers can kit bash something together in very little time. It may not be pleasing to the eye, but in a short screen shot with a camera it gets the job done. There are others that can do a better, more detailed job, but they are slow. In Close Encounters of the Third Kind it is said there is a Darth Vader toy glued to the outside of the Alien Space ship at the end of the movie. I haven't picked it out yet, but it is said you can see it if you know where to look.

I saw an interesting documentary about the making of Space 1999. The model crew would get the script and have a week or less to make the models and film them before the next script arrived. They were very versatile as the special effect shots had to match what the script wanted.

eg Build this ship then film it blowing up.

Space 1999 eagle is one of the best models ever.

Most shows had people doing things last minute. Films too.

Phill Tippit filmed a Starship troopers 2 (an under rated film) scene at home.

98s Godzilla had a suicide man on top of many biuldings. R2 as well if I remember correctly.

The cardassian ship in tng had the builders initials in the details.

There was a tank model part that was used in lots of ilm models and even got made full size in the matrix.

The flying Hunter killer engins in terminator start as flat card/wood while the real deal was being finished.

Many films use model kits like Id4 did for jets. Once models for shows are made, these often get used in later years.

Dr who used toy Daleks.

Lord of the Rings. Paper doilies for elven architecture. Tea for leaves, weeds for trees.

There is an endless list. Too Little is covered regarding model effects, I feel.

Also when a model is said to have been made from an item, usually, some work has gone into adding to and detailing and painting it. Things like suicide man and r2/Vader what not are usually gags to be seen if lucky.

Toys of guns and props ended up being used in actual shows because it was easier to buy a few dozen than make new props.

Good threads…. thanks!.

Amicalement
Armand