So im starting this thread here on the den so it can receive full input from den members not just rpf
I am a Vader nut I have not interest in Vader politics or what cast is better but I love knowledge
Knowledge is power i firmly believe!.Al I want is to share my passion for my favorite character and gain as much knowledge on the prop Vader helmet as possible
I would like to have a definitive thread on as much Vader helmet info as possible
A one thread to rule them all if you will! In the land of the internet where the shadows lie
So im starting with what I have harvested across countless threads as possible
alot of threads are intressting just to die out or are so awesome but the pictures to see what everyone is
talking about is gone
or the really good ones devolved into hell spawn where nothing really get's shared and leaves one wanting
so here I go hopefully I can finally have it all in one place for future generation's all to behold in the vader fandom
Im going to try and put out a Time line of basically the Vader helmet story from research I made
would love to hear input from other Vader collectors but this is how I believe it all went down
The path of Vader's helmet as I have it to my knowledge as follows
Production for ANH starts Mr Muir using a cast of David Prowse Shoulders and head
sculpts a face mask in clay over David Prowse plaster cast using a small side sketch of Vader's helmet
provide by John Mollo
The Mask is sculpted Asymmetrically giving Vader that perfect organic real look
not that weird look of the Rots
The tusks on the side of the mask was sculpted after the Mask and then added onto the mask
by Mr Muir as well as two tear ducts beneath each eye in the shape of a half moon
then he sculpt's in clay the dome on top of the face mask
after this the helmet(mask and dome) is casted in plaster
and is further Refined and sharpened by Mr Muir
from there it is taken by other members part of the ANH production
and then further refined by them
Dome and Mask is then molded and casted in fiberglass ( 3 helmets are made for ANH Only one is used onscreen in the movie)
The mask is smooth on top of the crown and receives three 3M Apple connector tabs on top of the crown
that connects to three 3M tabs on the inside of the dome that is mounted on a spacer inside the dome
The mask has foam padding on the inside and 3 elastic bands used to hold the mask to Prows face
the eye lenses is a clear color ( not red)
and the bottom chin triangle is small
The Dome Has a sharp widows peak area
with a indentation and the dome flange area or skirt is thick
The dome sits very low on the ANH mask giving it a nice angry look
the dome center stripe is sharp and quite thin
Both mask and dome is painted gloss black with an automotive gloss black
the mask doesn't pick well up on camera and the mask is painted quickly
with an metallic grey in an alternating pattern by hand with a paint brush
The black cheek has an indentation in the shape of a C called a Cscar
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After ANH production The Helmet is molded in two different molds a US mold (known as the Rick Baker Mold)this mold spawns
helmet's used only for promotion and touring purposes of Darth Vader in the US to promote the release of the movie
Helmet's coming from the US baker mold in fandom is
SL
DJ
EFX
The other mold is known as the UK Mold this mold spawns casts used to make the ESB screen helmet and Rotj screen helmet
Here is where most authentic cast helmets originate from as well from cast's of the UK cast etc
The Casts all start out as perfect copies of the Original screen used ANH Dome and Mask
the mask retains the 3M tab in the new cast's and surface details from the original ANH mask
Uk casts in fandom are
TM
GS/CFO
TD
How the UK cast made ESB and ROTJ helmets to follow
