Wow! Naively, I thought it would be great to have something of Tod Browning's from London After Midnight. Then, I realized that the four stills I liked the best were climbing higher and higher. Wound up at 18K. My phone bidder helper guy told me I could keep one and sell the other three. Well, no guarantees on something like that but I can't say I wasn't seriously tempted. (I thought maybe I'd worry about the money later.
Nathalie On Wed, Jun 28, 2017 at 3:18 PM, Scott Burns <[email protected]> wrote: > Wish I had cash like this laying around…(guess I’ll just stay with > collecting paper). > > > > A complete R2D2 just sold for $2.3 million at the Profiles in History > movie memorabilia auction. Not being a prop collector, I wonder is this > price record setting? > > > > From the catalog: > > *1298. Complete “R2-D2” unit assembled from original components spanning > the original **Star Wars** trilogy and **Episodes I & II**.* (TCF, 1977 - > 2002) A complete film used R2 unit is not known to be in the public domain > – this R2-D2 offering represents the pinnacle of the *Star Wars* > collecting universe. For the productions following *Star Wars: A New Hope*, > to save time in meeting production deadlines, R2 components were reused > from the previous *Star Wars* films. As filming progressed, R2 units were > upgraded and refurbished, with outdated components being retired. This > process has been confirmed by numerous crewmembers who worked on the *Star > Wars* film franchise. This R2-D2, constructed of aluminum, steel and > fiberglass elements, measuring 43 in. tall x 29.5 in. wide x 20 in. deep > (in current pose), was put together over many years by sourcing original > components and assembling them as a complete R2-D2. The dome was one of the > few hero aluminum domes made for R2 actor Kenny Baker in the first film (*A > New Hope, *1977) and is the only one known in the public domain. It was > used throughout the original trilogy as well as *Episode I* and can be > screen matched by the fiber optic array to scenes in *Return of the Jedi* > and *Episode I*. It features a handle to articulate the front eye from > inside the unit by Kenny Baker. The metal “greeblies” (fine details added > to make the device appear more complex) inserted into the front and rear of > the body, and those on the feet, were made for *A New Hope* and used on > R2 units throughout the original trilogy. The left and right legs were made > for *Empire Strikes Back* and were acquired as complete items. One leg > retains the *Empire* paint scheme and the other from *Jedi*. The middle > and left foot were used on an original trilogy R2 and were used as the > master pattern for the feet created for *Episode I*. The right foot is > production made for *Episode I* but not used. The small opening hatch on > the back of the body was used in *Episode II*. The barrel of the body was > made for *Episode I* and it was subsequently painted and detailed for > this R2 unit. Given the ad hoc nature of production practices, any > “complete” existing R2-D2 units from the first trilogy (in studio hands) > would be a compilation very similar to this R2-D2 unit offered here. No > internal mechanics or workings are present. Not merely a prop, costume > piece or filming miniature, R2-D2 is a major, beloved *character *in the *Star > Wars* universe. Without question, this is the finest piece ever offered > from this incredible franchise. > > One of the most instantly recognizable pieces of pop culture in existence. > > > > ------------------------------ > > To unsubscribe from the MoPo-L list, click the following link: > https://listserv.american.edu/scripts/wa-american.exe?SUBED1=MoPo-L&A=1 > Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: [email protected] In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content.
