Weaver Knobs - Screen Accurate or WorldCon Accurate

[phase pistol]

[andy]

Yup, the switch can be clearly seen in the movie in almost all of the shots of that side of the gun. The internal switch was just a guess by Rich for why the two holes were there. Since the stunt castings used an unmodified steyr clip, no body would have known that using just the VHS tape for reference.

Also the lights that seem to be out on the clip actually seem to be just dimmer. If the LEDs were strung in Series, instead of Parallel, they would have had some dimmer than others, and that would have shown more so as the batteries died out. The green LEDs look like they were cut, maybe because of how they showed up on film, or because they would drain the batteries quicker.

[racprops]

More than a guess, it was also confirmed by the prop master we interviewed...

As was the idea they removed the ammo housing to use the injector rod to help reloading.

I do wish I had tried opening the cylinder to see if it would open or be stopped by the ammo housing.

I had hoped to interview the owner and learn more but that did not happen.

Rich
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I never have enough time to do all I want to do!

[steevy]

You mean to reload the blanks Rich?

[racprops]

Yes.

I asked the guy who said he knew someone that worked on the film this question as well.



Rich
_________________
I never have enough time to do all I want to do!

[andy]

I was under the impression you had it "confirmed" after you already did it that way on your own. A confirmation that seemed to be wrong. I may have read your info on the RPF and your site wrong though.

Andy

[NYzeki]

I upload blaster(with slot-head screw) photo in my weblog.

http://ameblo.jp/allbr/entry-10166368068.html

Sorry if everyone knows this photo.
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my weblog : http://ameblo.jp/allbr/

(sorry now Japanese text only)

[andy]

I have to admit I have never seen that last picture before. I do think most of us agree that the slotted screw was used in the film and surely seen. The only question is when it was replaced with the weaver knob, and if it was during filming or not? Of course you can consider the point moot if it is never seen. I think it says a lot about the power of Karl's Photographs that we even consider the weaver knob.

NYzeki I want to thank you making the connection between us and the Japanese fans, so we can all work together on this question and all others concerning Blade Runner. You are a great ambassador.

Andy

[BeastMaster]

phasepistols capture (hope you dont mind carl) again without a doubt it's pretty clear this is the slot screw from the middle image.

I heard somewhere this screw might have been plastic? could be that it just broke off during the years.
_________________
"F*ck it, it's just a movie. Let him worry about it" Harrison Ford

[andy]

You can tell from the seam on the top of the gun that a stunt casting was used in that seen. We have seen all stunt castings have the slot screw.

Before anybody says anything, there are screen used stunts with the amber grips attached, as seen at the Sci Fi Museum in Seattle. Could be this very prop.

Andy

*on a side note, also note chipped grip around screw.

[spinner 44]

Yep that is the "hero" stunt gun. the grips were removed from the foam cast and clear amber ones replaced them. You ca see this "hero" stunt too on the continuity stills when Deckard is about to get too close to Priss and gets kicked.

Other than in this two scenes, I haven't been able to clearly identify this "hero" stunt gun.

[spinner 44]

As Andy stated, the scenes shot at Deckards Apt. where filmed at the begining of production. I didn't know this info appeared in the "Making of" of the latest dvd.

My method of deducting what scenes were filmed firts and which ones later is checking the buttplate. As production advanced, the buttplate became more scratched.

This ones are taken at Deckard apt.


Close Up


Another B&W Shot (no scratches at all)




I haven'r been able to see clearly the buttplate at the Zhora chase scene. All pics are either too blurry or small (maybe someone with a BD can help here). What I know is I have the Japanese movie magazine and there's a good close up of the gun when Deckard is holding to the bus, and the single slotted screw is there.


The final chase. Here I had no screen captures of the hero gun right side at all. But recently I had a hold of a couple of production photos. Then on this amzingly well documented japanese fan site someone came accross a better photo than mines. This one shows Deckard sitting on the floor, most probably after having shot Priss.

Pic


Close up




So, untill now there's no evidence that the Weaber knob was used in production. Which is a good thing for me, beacuse I feel it look "out" of the gun aesthetics, the black single slotted one seemed to integrate much nicely on the gun look. This is just my 2 cents, and when I get the japanese blaster I'll be making it the old bladerunner style![img][/img]

[andy]

That picture is the one we were talking about above from NYzeki's site. It sounds like he is trying to convince the makers of the new blaster to include the slotted ("Minus") screw with the gun, but they may only be doing the weaver. I agree that the slotted screw should be first choice.

Andy

[spinner 44]

Yes Andy, I got the pic there. Is one of the best evidences that proof the sigle slotted wqs used in the 3 main scenes where the gun is used.

The funny thing is that in early production photos, the Worldcon Hero Blaster was to include both scres, the single slotted and the Weaver knob. Now, for the pics it seems they've decided to drop the screen accurate screw,


BTW Andy, I'd likE to ask you if you have any clues on how to order the gun? I'll be selling some of more valuable collectibles to get it, but I'd like to know where I need to put the money. Any clues or recomendations?

[joberg]

Just my two cents here. If you go on www.brprops.com and click weapons you'll see an array of different blasters; they all have the slotted screw.
I'll do mine like that as well.

[andy]

All of the props on BRprops are from before the "worldcon" find of the hero. The only screen used props found before that were an inaccurate stunt casting of an early version of the hero, before a lot more modification was done. So it is a familiar part to the prop that maybe a lot of people feel makes it too common, and just want that little extra, even if it isn't in the film. In the end like whether or not Deckard is a replicant or not, and Voice Over vrs. no voiceover, it will come down to personal preferences.

I do agree that the weaver knob as far we can tell was not seen on screen and if it was added during filming it was not seen. It was added by somebody, who I am sure did it before the current owner got it from Ridley himself. Mainly because you can tell he doesn't know how to take care of a gun and would not likely have other gun parts laying around. He is a marketer, and collects props from movies he works with. So chances are very likely that even if was on the last day of shooting, that knob was on the gun before filming ended.

Even though I am biased because I found the knobs source, I do to some degree like the slotted screw a little bit better, because it does fit into the over all art deco-esque shape of the gun better.

I have seen many scope knobs themselves that are slotted, so both knob and screw could have come from scopes.

Since we know more from Karl's photographs that we do from the movie about the hero prop, many will give more weight to the photos as almost a "final word", but the one thing we can tell from all the movie shots of the gun is that the hero gun did evolve and change throughout filming. Including modification of the buttplate and and the addition of the external white wires for the green LEDs. So who knows for sure when that knob was put on it?

Andy