Just thought I would start discussion on the recent great photos posted on the RPF of the Chronicles ANH Vader photo shoot in 1977. I actually missed those newer photos so I thought I would start discussion on them. The repaint was the most obvious thing that a couple of people in the thread mentioned and I agree. I can post comparisons later but just wanted to get my thoughts down before I forget. Also I'm not sure if I can post the RPF photos here?
So, a few things to point out about it (maybe discussed before but just in case)...the helmet (dome) was tough to pin down but it seems to be the screen helmet. What is different is the interior (painted?), the front flaring edge seems thinner towards the bottom, and the overall smoother surface...although that could be from paint prep. There are three small indents on the left helmet flaring eyebrow edge that match the Chronicles and the right bottom edge of the flaring looks identical to screencaps...but if it is the screen helmet it has been really gone over...what a shame.
The two things that mad me think before that the mask is the screen mask are the identical mouth grill, albeit painted over black instead of the light grey color seen on the grill during the tour or in the Elstree mask photo. The other thing is the right lens has that scratch on the inside tint layer that I pointed out before as being specific to the screen mask. Otherwise I would have thought that it isn't the screen mask because of the glossy repaint (a long time ago I remember just calling it a tour helmet). The right tusk was painted over completely as we've noticed before, but as with the helmet there's been a real once-over in terms of paintwork. So let's discuss this now in terms of the timeline...
Star Wars was released May 25th, 1977. The Grauman's Chinese Theater footprint ceremony was August 3rd, 1977. Gene on RPF states this shoot was done in the summer of 1977...that could be anywhere from June to August. So then it would also have been painted that way for the Darth Vader poster shoot...I suppose? Now that I look at the poster it seems to be the same...that black painted right tusk. So then by the time of the footprint ceremony, the Vader helmet would have been painted that way and it was commented before that the helmet looked a bit shiny in the sunlight, which I guess it was because of the repaint.
Now the Corbis photos of Vader on tour in San Francisco with the rock group Jefferson Starship were taken during the ANH tour but would then have to be before the photo shoot and Grauman's ceremony since the screen helmet at that point doesn't show signs of the Chronicles repaint BUT the mask WAS, I found out recently, at that point already repainted...but probably more in the way of a touchup job, not a thorough repaint as appears to be the case for the Chronicles photoshoot. So the screen mask and probably helmet as well was hit with paint not once but twice. What is really interesting to me is that the Elstree mask looks pre-Chronicles which doesn't make sense...it has the white mouth grill, less glossy finish and the paint blemish on the right cheek still visible...but it is presumably (at least based on the Indy whip in the photo...if it is indeed an Indy whip) from around the time of the ESB production near the end of the tour (still up in the air)....at any rate, the Elstree is definitely repainted in some way, but doesn't seem to be painted to the extent we see during the Chronicles photo shoot.
The Chronicles mask has the long paint drip line down the chin left of the chin vent. But what is really remarkable is the distinct mask line dividing the left and right halves of the chin below the chin vent. TM ESB helmet owner's will know about this mask line. There is also a slight remnant of a similar mask line on the screen ANH mask BEFORE the repaint at the time of the Chronicles shoot...but seeing the actual difference in paint application on both sides of the mask in the chin area is really interesting. I would like to think they used the same technique when they originally painted the ANH mask...but at least we finally see evidence of what was done in relation to that strangely placed mask line.
So, those are my thoughts so far along with other stuff I was thinking about lately in regard to the first repaint which appears to have happened after the screen helmet got to Don Post Studios but before the tour began. Then by the time SW was such a huge hit and more promotional photography was required, there came the Chronicles photoshoot and what seems to be a second repaint.
But what is surprising to me is that the Elstree photo of the screen mask seems to be taken before the Chronicles photoshoot....weird...