It is currently Fri Mar 29, 2024 10:37 am

All times are UTC


THE PROP DEN is primarily a Darth Vader Prop Discussion Board, but we also deal with other Star Wars Props as well as Prop Replicas from other movies. If you do not yet have an account, set one up, sign in and jump into the Vader Prop Discussions!


Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 217 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 ... 15  Next
Author Enter your Message here
 Post subject: Re: eFX ANH Vader Helmet Discussion Thread
PostPosted: Sat Jun 16, 2012 9:23 am 
Offline
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: Thu Aug 31, 2006 8:58 am
Posts: 10908
Location: Denmark
Some are definitely trying to paint Chinese factories and workers as brainless automatons and that the product would have been better if made in America. I rather doubt it would. And the quality control eFX went through clearly shows that the work produced is exactly up to par with what they wanted, so I can't see the logic behind blaming China for anything. Anyone remember the Don Post helmets... weren't they made in America? Wasn't those all over the place in terms of warping and poor quality control? Seems eFX took a strong interest in keeping the quality high and that's what people are getting. High quality mass produced replicas.

And the price is more than fair. Hell, the limited version is cheaper than the Don Post was back in the day... the Legend may be on par in price, though, could even be cheaper as well. And from something out of that particular mold it came from... THAT'S A STEAL bargain price that cannot be argued. If you want a cheaper helmet, you'll have to go to recasters or something a lot further down the lineage chain... and those will be raw, unfinished casts you have to trim, finish and paint yourself and source all the accessories such as tusks, lenses, grills, padding, strapping too.

This is a good helmet, above most else, at a good price when it was offered. Hell... it seems eFX could have scored even more money, seeing the prices the helmets are now being offered on eBay by greedy buyers. All those money could have gone to eFX to give them capital to keep providing these kinds of offerings... whether they keep the originally claimed Legend standard or backtrack to the more current lesser version of it... they are still the top dogs. Is the legend line what I expected and hoped for and felt they were claiming? No. Doesn't diminish that they have set it upon themselves to offer things in a way no other licensed company has dared offer - or more correctly: bothered to offer.

My issue is the overall cleanup, at first view it looks as cleaned up as a VP... however, the paint job IS thick, so would likely hide most of what diehards are obsessing about. Only a stripped Legend face mask would reveal that.

_________________
Check us out at Facebook!
http://www.facebook.com/ThePropDen


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: eFX ANH Vader Helmet Discussion Thread
PostPosted: Sat Jun 16, 2012 9:50 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Sat Feb 25, 2012 12:26 am
Posts: 285
3Danimator wrote:
These weren't made by monkeys in a zoo or by the millions on a robotic assembly line. As far as I can tell they were hand-made by professional workers who happen to live in China. Wasn't the original helmet hand-made by professional workers who happened to live in England and were just doing their job.

It really bothers me that people seem to down-grade the value of these helmets just because they were made in China in a factory. I went to China to meet some animators that were doing work with us a few years ago. They were professional working people just like me trying to feed their families. They were quite capable of producing quality work on a daily basis.

I know there are some fantastic copies of the Vader helmet in the collections of some of the members here. But unless I just don't understand something, the EFX helmet is a legitimate and authorized copy that is 2 or 3 generations from the original screen used helmet. That seems like a very real helmet to me. It probably isn't the best one, but I will bet it is close.

I wasn't able to order one in time, but I personally would be very happy to have one of these.

Too Much Garlic wrote:
Some are definitely trying to paint Chinese factories and workers as brainless automatons and that the product would have been better if made in America. I rather doubt it would. And the quality control eFX went through clearly shows that the work produced is exactly up to par with what they wanted, so I can't see the logic behind blaming China for anything. Anyone remember the Don Post helmets... weren't they made in America? Wasn't those all over the place in terms of warping and poor quality control? Seems eFX took a strong interest in keeping the quality high and that's what people are getting. High quality mass produced replicas.

And the price is more than fair. Hell, the limited version is cheaper than the Don Post was back in the day... the Legend may be on par in price, though, could even be cheaper as well. And from something out of that particular mold it came from... THAT'S A STEAL bargain price that cannot be argued. If you want a cheaper helmet, you'll have to go to recasters or something a lot further down the lineage chain... and those will be raw, unfinished casts you have to trim, finish and paint yourself and source all the accessories such as tusks, lenses, grills, padding, strapping too.

This is a good helmet, above most else, at a good price when it was offered. Hell... it seems eFX could have scored even more money, seeing the prices the helmets are now being offered on eBay by greedy buyers. All those money could have gone to eFX to give them capital to keep providing these kinds of offerings... whether they keep the originally claimed Legend standard or backtrack to the more current lesser version of it... they are still the top dogs. Is the legend line what I expected and hoped for and felt they were claiming? No. Doesn't diminish that they have set it upon themselves to offer things in a way no other licensed company has dared offer - or more correctly: bothered to offer.

My issue is the overall cleanup, at first view it looks as cleaned up as a VP... however, the paint job IS thick, so would likely hide most of what diehards are obsessing about. Only a stripped Legend face mask would reveal that.


you absolutely right. they weren't made by monkeys in a zoo or robots on an assembly line. they were made by hard working people. who work hard for very hard for their money. and im not trying to paint the "Chinese factories and workers as brainless automatons and that the product would have been better if made in America." i never said they would have been better if made in America. i never said that there was anything wrong with the helmets as far a production goes. because there isn't anything wrong with these helmets. just the fact that the numbered plaques mean absolutely nothing. its just the number that came down the production line comprised of a randomly selected pull from the mold at the time of assembly...they look fantastic. and the Chinese people who made these did do a wonderful job. im not saying just becasue these came from China that they aren't any good..because they obviously are..and i wasn't taking a shot at the Chinese people who made them whatsoever..its just the fact that almost everything is mass produced there. i just would have thought that the numbered plaques or serial numbers would have a significant meaning to them..but they dont. i, as a newbie high end collector always thought that the serial/edition numbers had significant meaning to them. not that it was just the number of the helmet that came down the production line. but that they were made in the order that they were pulled from the mold..but im finding out that this isn't the case. which "that" is disappointing to me as a collector. so any one of us who does have one of these helmets, could actually have a low number pull from the mold..but will never know it because efx never made sure to have them keep track of them. did efx make sure the quality was there for these helmets? absolutely! that's not the issue. if these were made in America the same way (meaning the serial/edition number issue) i would have said the same thing. that these were just another mass produced toy coming out of America. it wasn't meant to be a derogatory comment towards the Chinese people whatsoever. i can see how some would see it that way..but it wasn't. i probably should have worded it differently. but i was just stating the facts on where these and the majority of things that are mass produced come from China. and i agree..these are some excellent looking helmets and the fact that they come from the Rick Backer mold in incredible. :thumbsup


Top
 Profile E-mail  
 
 Post subject: Re: eFX ANH Vader Helmet Discussion Thread
PostPosted: Sat Jun 16, 2012 11:23 am 
Offline
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: Thu Aug 31, 2006 8:58 am
Posts: 10908
Location: Denmark
It was a general comment as I see many people say that about China, Chinese companies and workers. It wasn't specifically directed at you, but was a general observation.

_________________
Check us out at Facebook!
http://www.facebook.com/ThePropDen


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: eFX ANH Vader Helmet Discussion Thread
PostPosted: Sat Jun 16, 2012 8:10 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Sat Feb 25, 2012 12:26 am
Posts: 285
Too Much Garlic wrote:
It was a general comment as I see many people say that about China, Chinese companies and workers. It wasn't specifically directed at you, but was a general observation.


ok..i understand. and i figured as much. but i just wanted to let you guys know i wasn't putting the Chinese down. and that these helmets aren't of good quality..becasue they clearly are.
im just bummed out because of the whole serial number issue. that's all..but it is what it is..still doesn't take away from how amazing these helmets are. and what a great job they did..

i appreciate you clarifying your comment.. :cheers


Top
 Profile E-mail  
 
 Post subject: Re: eFX ANH Vader Helmet Discussion Thread
PostPosted: Sat Jun 16, 2012 8:28 pm 
Offline
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: Thu Aug 31, 2006 8:58 am
Posts: 10908
Location: Denmark
Yeah, honestly, I don't trust serial numbers on these things anyway. It's just a phantom number that some attribute special meaning and value to, to make up for lacking something else. :thumbsup

_________________
Check us out at Facebook!
http://www.facebook.com/ThePropDen


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: eFX ANH Vader Helmet Discussion Thread
PostPosted: Mon Jun 25, 2012 6:49 am 
Offline
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: Thu Aug 31, 2006 4:41 pm
Posts: 3022
Location: The Netherlands
Oooopsss... :lol

Image

Speaking of domes; did anyone notice this ding on top of the eFX dome? Is it suppose to be there?

Image

(Pic courtesy of Vader71)

_________________
Facebook l My Collection


Top
 Profile E-mail  
 
 Post subject: Re: eFX ANH Vader Helmet Discussion Thread
PostPosted: Mon Jun 25, 2012 8:47 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Sat Feb 25, 2012 12:26 am
Posts: 285
so whats the story behind this helmet? that's not an ANH. from what i can tell that is a ROTJ helmet..such as the one that Brian Muir posted..is this the next helmet to be made by efx?
or is this just a specail one that was done just for the efx members? nice looking helmet.


Top
 Profile E-mail  
 
 Post subject: Re: eFX ANH Vader Helmet Discussion Thread
PostPosted: Mon Jun 25, 2012 11:03 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Wed Jul 04, 2007 10:38 am
Posts: 265
it is a TM JRX ROTJ , a great ROTJ helmet :wink:


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: eFX ANH Vader Helmet Discussion Thread
PostPosted: Mon Jun 25, 2012 1:27 pm 
Offline
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: Thu Aug 31, 2006 8:58 am
Posts: 10908
Location: Denmark
StarWars Collector wrote:
Speaking of domes; did anyone notice this ding on top of the eFX dome? Is it suppose to be there?
Image
(Pic courtesy of Vader71)

Not seeing anything unusual there. Could it be pointed out what "ding" that is being referred to, as there are a few in that picture. .)
The white fleck was said to be styrofoam, yes?

_________________
Check us out at Facebook!
http://www.facebook.com/ThePropDen


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: eFX ANH Vader Helmet Discussion Thread
PostPosted: Mon Jun 25, 2012 2:16 pm 
Offline
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: Thu Aug 31, 2006 4:41 pm
Posts: 3022
Location: The Netherlands
This is the area I'm referring to.

Image

Maybe David could chime in and tell us if it's realy there or just a trick of lighting/reflection.

_________________
Facebook l My Collection


Top
 Profile E-mail  
 
 Post subject: Re: eFX ANH Vader Helmet Discussion Thread
PostPosted: Mon Jun 25, 2012 2:24 pm 
Offline
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: Thu Aug 31, 2006 8:58 am
Posts: 10908
Location: Denmark
I thought so.

Nothing unusual there - that's supposed to be there.

_________________
Check us out at Facebook!
http://www.facebook.com/ThePropDen


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: eFX ANH Vader Helmet Discussion Thread
PostPosted: Mon Jun 25, 2012 5:02 pm 
Offline
Random avatar

Joined: Sat Oct 28, 2006 1:51 pm
Posts: 1403
Location: Geislingen, Germany
lenasith wrote:
it is a TM JRX ROTJ , a great ROTJ helmet :wink:



So are these pics from you? :thumbsup


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: eFX ANH Vader Helmet Discussion Thread
PostPosted: Mon Jun 25, 2012 5:41 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Thu Dec 21, 2006 10:46 pm
Posts: 5241
Location: San Jose, CA
Looks like Yoda and the Clone Trooper are doing the nasty. :hehe-err

_________________
Cordially,

- Mac
( Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sculptingvader/ )


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: eFX ANH Vader Helmet Discussion Thread
PostPosted: Mon Jun 25, 2012 5:55 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Thu Dec 21, 2006 10:46 pm
Posts: 5241
Location: San Jose, CA
DynamicMenace wrote:
ok..i understand. and i figured as much. but i just wanted to let you guys know i wasn't putting the Chinese down. and that these helmets aren't of good quality..becasue they clearly are.
im just bummed out because of the whole serial number issue. that's all..but it is what it is..still doesn't take away from how amazing these helmets are. and what a great job they did..

i appreciate you clarifying your comment.. :cheers


So my takeaway is that:

Chinese food can be high calorie, but
Chinese work can be low salary.

Anyways.... :conf

_________________
Cordially,

- Mac
( Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sculptingvader/ )


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: eFX ANH Vader Helmet Discussion Thread
PostPosted: Mon Jun 25, 2012 7:27 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Sun Sep 10, 2006 12:12 am
Posts: 3115
Interesting to see where this discussion has gone since I last posted. :conf

_________________
Image


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 217 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 ... 15  Next

All times are UTC


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 0 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Jump to:  
cron
Blue Moon by Trent © 2007
Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group
Hosted by Freeforum.ca, get your free forum now! TOS | Support Forums | Report a violation
MultiForums powered by echoPHP phpBB MultiForums