Memphis Belle props
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Discussion

Red rose

Original Poster:

234 posts

294 months

Monday 24th December 2012
quotequote all
There are some film studios on site where I'm working at the moment. They just had a clear out and auctioned off some old stuff. Not much of interest, except some models that were used in the making of Memphis Belle:











Turtle head

299 posts

183 months

Monday 24th December 2012
quotequote all
Wow is this stuff for sale?

The Boy Lard

470 posts

252 months

Monday 24th December 2012
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That's pretty amazing, I hope they went to a collector.

jmorgan

36,010 posts

313 months

Monday 24th December 2012
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Imagine phoning the missis up. "Hello dear, I know you said you liked the film the Memphis Belle, well......."

Red rose

Original Poster:

234 posts

294 months

Monday 24th December 2012
quotequote all
It was a sealed bid auction. There were 2 x big models (maybe 3 meters long) and 6 or 7 smaller models ( maybe 50cm long). The big ones had actuators to move gun turrets etc.

Was extremely tempted to put in a bid, but common sense, undoubted divorce & lack of storage space prevailed!

Only other interesting lots were a WW2 jeep (without engine), some cars from the lethal weapon series & a futuristic police car from a Sylvester stallone film

Simpo Two

92,662 posts

294 months

Monday 24th December 2012
quotequote all
Surprised to see that two have perspex disks instead of propellers. Wouldn't have thought that would look convincing on film (but it obviously did).

Tango13

10,047 posts

205 months

Monday 24th December 2012
quotequote all
Simpo Two said:
Surprised to see that two have perspex disks instead of propellers. Wouldn't have thought that would look convincing on film (but it obviously did).
Another trick they used was to stick highly polished silver foil on parts of the rudder to simulate battle damage. The foil showed up blue due to it reflecting the sky which made it look like it had been shot through.

dr_gn

16,924 posts

213 months

Monday 24th December 2012
quotequote all
Simpo Two said:
Surprised to see that two have perspex disks instead of propellers. Wouldn't have thought that would look convincing on film (but it obviously did).
Those models seem to be among the smallest, and pretty roughly detailed. Perhaps they were for distant / background shots and maybe even defocussed?

Eric Mc

125,606 posts

294 months

Monday 24th December 2012
quotequote all
Objects in movies are often only seen on screen for seconds - or even fractions of a second. So all sorts of short cuts are used. It's only when people start freeze framing shots or watching scenes over and over that some of the shortcomings in some props and scenery become obvious.

dr_gn

16,924 posts

213 months

Monday 24th December 2012
quotequote all
IIRC most of the special effects were pretty dire in that film.

Tango13

10,047 posts

205 months

Monday 24th December 2012
quotequote all
Eric Mc said:
Objects in movies are often only seen on screen for seconds - or even fractions of a second. So all sorts of short cuts are used. It's only when people start freeze framing shots or watching scenes over and over that some of the shortcomings in some props and scenery become obvious.
yes


HoHoHo

15,398 posts

279 months

Monday 24th December 2012
quotequote all
Tango13 said:
Eric Mc said:
Objects in movies are often only seen on screen for seconds - or even fractions of a second. So all sorts of short cuts are used. It's only when people start freeze framing shots or watching scenes over and over that some of the shortcomings in some props and scenery become obvious.
yes

Autopilot?

Tango13

10,047 posts

205 months

Monday 24th December 2012
quotequote all
HoHoHo said:
Tango13 said:
Eric Mc said:
Objects in movies are often only seen on screen for seconds - or even fractions of a second. So all sorts of short cuts are used. It's only when people start freeze framing shots or watching scenes over and over that some of the shortcomings in some props and scenery become obvious.
yes

Autopilot?
The lettering on the F-14 wink

HoHoHo

15,398 posts

279 months

Monday 24th December 2012
quotequote all
Tango13 said:
HoHoHo said:
Tango13 said:
Eric Mc said:
Objects in movies are often only seen on screen for seconds - or even fractions of a second. So all sorts of short cuts are used. It's only when people start freeze framing shots or watching scenes over and over that some of the shortcomings in some props and scenery become obvious.
yes

Autopilot?
The lettering on the F-14 wink
Oh, I thought......

oh.....where's that bloody whoosh parrot when you need it hehe


Simpo Two

92,662 posts

294 months

Monday 24th December 2012
quotequote all

ukzz4iroc

3,500 posts

203 months

Wednesday 26th December 2012
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Do you know how much they sold for? Also thought it was interesting to see the solid prop, must have been formation type models.